ankurjain83

I bought a used bike few months back and need to remove the front tyre for transporting the bike.
I found that the front tyre is mounted using a Pit Lock skewer & nut. The original user didnt handed over the pit lock key to me. I am in urgent need remove the front tyre to transport the bike. Is there any way I can take off the tyre without the key?

dsbrantjr

You will likely need to resort to destructive removal techniques. You could try using a Dremel-type tool with a narrow wheel to make a slot in the Pitlock head which will allow the use of a straight screwdriver for removal. Or use an angle grinder to cut off the nut and end of the skewer. Naturally you will need to replace the skewer after doing this.

ankurjain83

I do not have the tools with me. Hope the bike shops help.

obed7

so you have the tools at home? How did you get the bike somewhere at 6 in the morning where you do not have your tools with you, but need to remove the front wheel for transport? What time do bike shops open where you are and can you wait until then to transport the bike? Hope you are not asking us to tell you how to steal a bike....a little odd that your first post on here is about defeating a lock on a bike.

ankurjain83

Just to assure you that I am not trying to steal a bike attaching pics of the bike I took yesterday at my home of the nut (I hope I will not be trying to steal a bike lying on a carpet ).
Was trying to dis-assemble my bike at night bec I have a flight to catch this weekend and take the bike back to my home country.

I didnt mentioned anywhere that I took the bike to a shop at 6 in the morning. Hope this answers your queries.

rohitclarice

Hi thank you for in formation

dsbrantjr

Grind, baby, grind!

demoncyclist

fietsbob

Make the other end into something you can turn with vice grips.

dynaryder

PM sent.

1 Miyata Biker

You really should have made sure you received the Pit Lock Key before the purchase of the bike. Is it still possible to contact the seller to see if they found the Pit Lock Key? If not, these things aren't easily defeated, otherwise a bike using the Pit Locks would be easy to steal. If I remember correctly, they're made of hardened steel and plated to resist cutting off. Of course if a bike shop has the equipment to "remodel" the lock so it can be removed, I doubt anyone will think a stolen bike would be brought into a bike shop for assistance. Who knows, they may even have a duplicate Pit Lock Key to fit your lock. They are supposedly all "cut" different, but how many different cuts can you design for something this diameter? It's just something a street thief wouldn't worry about for stealing a bike.Good luck and I hope they get you fixed up!

dedhed

We used to remove McGard wheel locks from auto wheels by driving a just smaller impact socket unto them and turning them off.

bielmayr

Hello Dynaryder, could you send me some instructions as well?
I'm facing the same issue.

Many thanks

Gabriel

Crankycrank

Have you tried contacting PitLock? I have no idea if they would offer any help but worth a try.

hankaye

OP, Howdy;

Bottom of the page is contact info.
Pitlock locking skewers

A friend of mine is always saying "There is always a solution."

hank

capybeep

I've been in the same pickle as the OP, and contacted Pitlock directly. They refused to offer any help. It seems odd to me they haven’t set up a system for customers to retrieve their key #. I asked about this, and it’s not something they’re willing to tackle

veganbikes

Just FYI this is a thread from 2016. It hasn't been active since then and it is now 2021.

However in terms of Pitlock or any lock manufacturer, if you don't have the key number why should they give you a key to open a lock to which you don't know? If that were the case a thief could do that easily and then the whole system is gone down the crapper. A lock manufacturer shouldn't just send you keys without the key number ever and if they do don't buy from them again. If you are buying a bike and the "owner" doesn't have the keys for the wheel locks on the bike there is a solid chance that bike is HOT (as in stolen). Sure some people are just dumb and loose their keys but with bike theft rising I wouldn't want to take the chance. If I had a really secure password and just gave it to people it would no longer be secure.

capybeep

I’m aware of the date of the post This post was one of the first hits on Google when I was searching for a remedy for my own Pitlock problem, so I figured it would likely come up for other people with similar search parameters; thought I’d save someone else a fruitless email to Pitlock.

I agree with you about not handing out keys. However, my situation (Pitlock key & card in moving boxes, moving company lost my boxes, and subsequently I lost both) would’ve been remedied by having a login system with the company to retrieve your key # so that you could then order replacements.

Is it Pitlock’s fault I lost my key & card? No. Should I have packed them in a different box that wasn’t given to the movers? In hindsight, definitely!

Accidents happen, people are fallible, etc. Having a backup plan with Pitlock where I could retrieve my key # by logging into a private account would be a huge weight off my mind. As it stands, after I manage to get the Pitlocks off my bike, I won’t be repurchasing.

CliffordK

In the OP's case... it wouldn't hurt to contact the local police, or search various stolen bike tracking sites to verify the purchase was legit and the bike wasn't stolen.

In @capybeep's case, do you know the vendor where you bought the parts? Perhaps they would at least have record of the purchase, and with some luck also a serial number or other ID. At least it would be worth trying.

Delayed keys will be a pain.

If the key is permanently lost, then you have nothing to lose from destructive removal (just be careful not to damage the frame).

capybeep

I ordered directly from Pitlock, which is why I was hoping they might have record of anything I could use to retrieve the key #. No such luck.

Thankfully, I hadn’t gotten around to installing the entire system before the key was lost: seat-post only. Thanks for the warning! I’m mildly terrified, so will be extra careful.

CliffordK

I'm surprised a mail order direct company like that doesn't keep the records to support their original customers.

An account or credit card number should be all that you need.

Hopefully your lost moving boxes will eventually be found.

veganbikes

No but if the card has a key code it is probably good to have that number saved elsewhere, my ABUS Key code it saved in several places including digitally in case I lose my code cards, it also happens the shop in which I purchased the bike with the ABUS locks also has the code saved. Hopefully your movers find the box that is a major suckfest.

CliffordK

Any commercial movers should insure everything they move. So, a lost box full of critical items would mean insuring those critical items and the cost of replacement (or repairs).

Hopefully with a seatpost lock, that can be put off for a little while.

capybeep

I was surprised, too.

In hindsight, I should’ve at least copied the # to my security-data file. Kicking myself for not having done this.

For all those who have Pitlocks and know their code #s, I highly recommend you set up an account and register the # for future emergency retrieval. Here’s the link: ____________ :<

Blarg. Looks like I can’t yet submit links, since I’m new here. It’s pretty easy to find on the Pitlock website. Click on the “code registration” tab, and then hit the “create an account” button on the left side of the page.

RE lost boxes: Thanks!

CliffordK

It is nice to be helpful. However, for "safety", it is good for any web site requiring personal ID to come from a web search anyway.

It appears as if it is a German website (.de).

I'm still surprised that they don't auto-register the codes.

Is it one key for the skewers and seatpost, or two keys? If you mail them the skewers, can they decode them and send you back your skewers and all your keys and codes?