Bike stolen, lock has 5 year Gaurantee...?

sebastianlieken

(I'm not sure if this is the right section, mod's please move if needed

Hi all

I’m in a spot of bad luck at the moment. My 2 month old £400 bike was nicked over the weekend in Belfast on the highstreet at lunchtime while I was in the shop for 5 mins. It was locked to a bike rail.

I reported it to the police immediately and have a police report and reference number, the police also got me cctv footage of the theft (thief breaking the combi-lock open)

I don’t have contents insurance on the house, so I’m slightly buggered in that respect.

Question: The lock I bought in halfords (I purposely got the most expensive one…) states that is has a 5 year guarantee on it (not warranty, but a guarantee). If I can prove to Halfords that the lock was not fit for purpose at all, as can be seen from the cctv footage; should the 5 year guarantee cover the cost of my bike also? (also, the lock was left behind and I can show that the teeth in the combi-lock have been ripped broken)

This has really put me out, and I hope you can help me on this one.

Lumen

Which lock was it?

As far as the guarantee is concerned, it depends on the conditions.

"Fit for purpose" is a bit difficult to prove one way or the other, since all locks can be broken. In order to get back more than the cost of the lock (i.e. damages) I imagine you'd need to seek legal action.

Chips Lovell

Thread moved from Cycling Adverts

seamus

No, you'd never be able to show that the lock was unfit for purpose unless you can show evidence of an inherent design flaw in the mechanism.

There's no such thing as an unbreakable lock and I think a court would recognise this.

In terms of whether the guarantee covers the bike, you'd need to check that with the manufacturer. Many expensive locks include an insurance money-back policy if your bike is stolen, but usually with the proviso that you register the bike & lock in advance and that you can present them with a broken lock.

sebastianlieken

hey, thanks for the responses so far, I realise it's a long shot, but if there's even a possibility that I could get some kind of compensation it would really help me out. I just feel gutted that it happened, any tyoe of helop would be great.

this was the lock
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_701599_langId_-1_categoryId_165637

it doesnt actually say anywahere what the gaurantee covers, as far as I can find anyway....

Lumen

sebastianlieken wrote: »

this was the lock
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_701599_langId_-1_categoryId_165637

That lock is only good against very casual theft. AFAIK all cable locks are the same - they can be snipped with bolt croppers in seconds.

cython

sebastianlieken wrote: »

hey, thanks for the responses so far, I realise it's a long shot, but if there's even a possibility that I could get some kind of compensation it would really help me out. I just feel gutted that it happened, any tyoe of helop would be great.

this was the lock
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_701599_langId_-1_categoryId_165637

it doesnt actually say anywahere what the gaurantee covers, as far as I can find anyway....

As already mentioned, the lock itself would not be very strong, and would not stand up to any serious theft attempt. I'm no expert, but my interpretation of that "5 Year guarentee" (spelling from Halfords page) is not that they will cover your bike against theft while locked for the first 5 years of the lock's life, but rather that if the locking mechanism were to stop working (e.g. seize up) in the first 5 years of use, then they would replace/repair the lock itself. Simply put, with a lock that weak, and at that price point, if they were to offer compensation against theft on every bike, they would be bankrupt in the first year.

Canis Lupus

sebastianlieken wrote: »

hey, thanks for the responses so far, I realise it's a long shot, but if there's even a possibility that I could get some kind of compensation it would really help me out. I just feel gutted that it happened, any tyoe of helop would be great.

this was the lock
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_701599_langId_-1_categoryId_165637

it doesnt actually say anywahere what the gaurantee covers, as far as I can find anyway....

I have a Kryptonite cable lock once andwatching the cctv of the dude nicking it he removed the lock faster than it took me to put it on with a key.

So firstly, you're bike is gone and you won't be getting your money back (sorry dude) and secondly when you buy a new one you have to buy a decent dlock (Kryptonite evolution for example) (my 3rd bike was locked with both one day and I came back to find the cable lock cut through but the dlock (which I guess they missed when cutting the cable) was intact saving my bike

ednwireland

not a hope a lock like that has an anti theft guarantee

i'd say thats a guarantee against any defect in the mechanism

honestly 30s with a pair of bolt cutters would be through that

i picked up this for occasional leaving my commuting bike outside a shop

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_708507_categoryId_165637_langId_-1?cm_sp=Intelligent_Offer-_-Product_List_Zone_1-_-Blank&iozone=PLPz1

and that doesnt have any bike theft guarantee (in ireland as far as i could tell)

cable locks are seen as secondary locks to lock front wheels saddles etc

serious stuff is like this http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_231121_langId_-1_categoryId_165637

or this

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_377451_langId_-1_categoryId_165637

sebastianlieken

they tried to snip it, only got through the plastic, then they used the bike as leverage and started pulling on it repeatadly, breaking the teeth inside the lock. as far as i'm concerned, that lock is not fit for purpose if the teeth break and it can just be pulled open.

Lumen

sebastianlieken wrote: »

they tried to snip it, only got through the plastic, then they used the bike as leverage and started pulling on it repeatadly, breaking the teeth inside the lock. as far as i'm concerned, that lock is not fit for purpose if the teeth break and it can just be pulled open.

I completely agree with you and wish you well in your mission to punish bike retailers for selling hopeless pieces of crap labelled as "security". It's a complete joke.

sebastianlieken

just read all those posts.

thanks all for your help, it was worth checking anyway.

I'll be investing in a serious LUMP of a lock this time around.

petethedrummer

Watch these:

part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTA3JsZWiec
part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8UpUj_8tWI
part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCbU83_G6nA

I think this is the millionth time I've posted these.

CramCycle

sebastianlieken wrote: »

they tried to snip it, only got through the plastic, then they used the bike as leverage and started pulling on it repeatadly, breaking the teeth inside the lock. as far as i'm concerned, that lock is not fit for purpose if the teeth break and it can just be pulled open.

While I initially thought you hajd nothing to go on, if it is a case of the teeth failing from someone pulling against it, that does seem like a design flaw or at least with the one you bought.

Did the thieves leave the lock behind? I'd say you'd need that with you to prove the teeth failed and that they don't claim you didn't engage the lock fully.

Even then they will only offer a replacement lock, it maybe a case of the legal route, small claims might be best as anything else will cost you more than your bike is worth if you don't win.

As everyone else says though, the fact that they didn't get through the cable itself means you were extremely unlucky as you clearly had the weakest bike thieves in history.

Again though, bike locks are for all intents and purposes are delaying tactics, your just hopefully putting him off because it will take to long or take to much effort and they will move along.

kona

The guarantee is against a manufacturing fault as has been said, not against some scumbag attacking it with a cutters and swinging out of it trying to break it.

Sorry to hear about your bike but I wouldnt make a fool of myself arguing that the lock isnt fit for its purpose as it has been broken by somebody with experience setting out to do exactley that.

Combination locks are rubbish, as are anything other than a minimum of a kryptonite fageddaboutit new your lock IMO, wouldnt lock my bike with less under any circumstance.

If you had the magnum range they offer a £1200 cashback in the UK(as do kryptonite).

CramCycle

kona wrote: »

If you had the magnum range they offer a £1200 cashback in the UK(as do kryptonite).

I think its 1400 and note that both have to be registered within 15 days of purchase.

The Magnum AFAIK is only upto 3 years from the date of purchase and details can be found here: http://www.magnum.ws/Magnum/Documents/Anti%20Theft%20protection%20offer%20Key%20warranty%20registration%20MAGNUM.pdf

Kryptonite one is here: http://www.kryptonitelock.com/CustomerService/FAQ.aspx

Loads of T&Cs as you would expect.

nerraw1111

CramCycle wrote: »

I think its 1400 and note that both have to be registered within 15 days of purchase.

The Magnum AFAIK is only upto 3 years from the date of purchase and details can be found here: http://www.magnum.ws/Magnum/Documents/Anti%20Theft%20protection%20offer%20Key%20warranty%20registration%20MAGNUM.pdf

Kryptonite one is here: http://www.kryptonitelock.com/CustomerService/FAQ.aspx

Loads of T&Cs as you would expect.

Am I right in saying that the guarantee isn't available in Ireland? Just says 'USA, Canada and UK.'

I wonder what a judge would make of such a guarantee? Small claims court might be worth go. Covers 'consumer claims such as for faulty goods or bad workmanship.'

Only costs E15 and deals with claims up to E2,000. Company has 15 days to reply.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/courts_system/small_claims_court.html#l62fd2

kincsem

I assume the 5 year guarantee is a guarantee that the lock will work for 5 years, not that it will protect a bike for 5 years.

I see it is a four digit combination lock. When I was a young lad I had a four digit combination lock. My friend's father worked in insurance. He asked me to give him the lock locked, turned his back to me, turned around after less than a minute, and handed me the lock opened.

_MadRa_

its only guarenteed work for 5 years? lol
it took the guy 5 mins to cut it off, probably take longer to get the thing off using the key...when i was working on a building site, we had lots of trouble stopping guys unplugging our power cables, the cure was to cover the socket in grease, so that they would have to dirty their hand to unplug it, perhaps you can put a dog **** on your saddle.
a solid u lock or some sort of scaffler clamp would be good i think...need some serious bolt cutter to get throught them..
unless these guys are walking around with those...