Angle Grinder Defence

We see a lot of talk online and quite a few bikes out there locked up with modern ‘Angle Grinder Proof’ locks. They are designed to take so long to cut with an angle grinder that it makes your bike secure but….

There is another side to this and we think it’s important that you understand before splashing out £250+ on a bicycle lock.

Image credit Hiplok
Angle Grinder Proof DX1000 locked to an angle grinder friendly galvanised steel tube.

First thing we would ask is do you know if the object you are locking your bike to is angle grinder proof?

Most Sheffield Stands are just steel tubes easily cut by an angle grinder.

Secondly what part of the bike are you locking up?

Many ‘Angle Grinder Proof’ locks are designed for locking the frame, we’ve seen many bikes stripped of many if not all of their parts because the lock was too hefty, it has even happened to our hire bikes in the past.

If the thief is bright and determined does the position of your lock make it hard for them to ride off if they cut the bike stand instead of the lock?

Trying to defend your bike against thieves can be virtually impossible in every situation but we have a few answers that will make your bike a lot less ‘nickable’.

First and most obvious. Use our high security facilities when you visit the City Centre or Meadowhall. At only £5 per month your angle grinder proof lock price would give you near enough 5 years of membership!

Second get removable pedals fitted - we have a selection at our shops, yes they are pricey but removing them when you leave your bike for longer periods means that anyone cutting the lock or the stand can’t do much but push the bike away.

MKS Promenade Ezy

£64.99

So before you commit to spending all that money on and ‘Angle Grinder Proof’ bicycle lock there may be cheaper and ultimately better ways to keep your bicycle secure.

Fancy Doing an Audax

What’s an Audax?

It’s basically a long bike ride usually through some lovely countryside and organised by cycle clubs. They are still very popular and great fun you are up for the challenge as they can be very long rides some times

Sheffield CTC popped into our shops and gave a poster which is now on the notice boards and in the windows of our shops but can also be found here. Why not have a go and discover parts of Britain you may not have known existed.

Let me tell you a dirty story

Bicycle maintenance can be a very dirty business. Not only do bikes come into our shop caked in mud and covered in oil but even the cleanest looking bike can be hiding filth.

Mucky headset bearings

One place we see lots of muck deposited is your bicycles headset, it’s an area that can sometimes be left for years before someone opens it up only to find a decade of mud and silt left lubricating your bearings. Even when your headset is caked in mud it doesn’t always feel like it needs a service, but we know that if overlooked for too long it can become a big problem. Stiff steering, loose forks can all be dangerous.

But we are here to help, our 12 Month Service (included in Russell’s Bicycle Club) includes disassembly, clean and grease of the headset or replacing the bearings entirely if needed, but regularly cleaning and greasing should extend the life of the headset, although at some point it’ll need replacing.

Find out more about Russell’s Bicycle Club by clicking the banner below.

No Cycle Hub Price Increase

We opened our first cycle hub at Meadowhall in September 2023 and we charged £5 per month.

We opened our second cycle hub in Sheffield City Centre in November 2024 and we charged £5 per month.

Our intention has always been to make this service sustainable and as such we included in our terms and conditions that every April the price wold go up by at least CPI inflation.

We’ve not done that yet. Why?

We want more people to sign up and start benefitting from our service to make it sustainable in the long term and ensure that you have continued access to these facilities, so we have decided not to increase our prices this year.

As the cost of everything is going up you’ll be happy to hear that the cost of secure cycle parking at our hubs will not be increasing this year.

Thanks to everyone who has supported us on this journey so far and we look forward to greeting more people into our hubs this year.

1 Bacon & Sausage Sandwich = A Month of Secure Parking

This Bacon and Sausage Sandwich (with brown sauce) cost £4.95.

It fills your tummy, makes you fat, lasts 5 mins then you want another.

A Monthly Pass to our Cycle Hubs costs only £5.00 and will help you keep your bicycle safe, secure & dry, helps keep you fit & trim and lasts a whole month.

What’s not to like, sign up today.

Save time, save money, enjoy yourself

It’s a bold statement and it is said often that the cheapest way to travel is by bicycle. We know it is true, we also know that over shorter distances, upto 3 miles, it can also be quicker than any other form of transport even in the hilly city of Sheffield.

The map above of Sheffield shows 3 circles, at 2 miles, 2.5 miles and 3 miles from the city centre, in fact from our Cycle Hub in the City. We’ve done some maths and although this won’t be accurate for everyone and all journeys the majority of journey times for each circle by bicycle are as follows:

Inner Circle - 12 to 15 minutes

Middle Circle - 15 to 18 minutes

Outer Circle - 18 to 22 minutes

What is also important to realise here is that the outer circle which shows a 3 mile radius and this encompasses the majority of people living in Sheffield and also many of the employment areas of the City.

Sometimes, and we all do it, we think driving a car is quicker because the car can go faster than a bicycle but in reality and in a city like Sheffield that isn’t true, traffic jams, traffic lights, volume of traffic on the road and the time it takes to find a car parking space all contribute to delaying a car journey. Even when a bicycle is ridden on the road it can get ahead by filtering through the traffic, using cycle infrastructure to avoid things the delay cars and the ease with which a cycle parking space can be found not just in our hubs but also on the street.

Moving More also makes us feel better, happier, healthier and gives us energy, our sedentary lifestyles is contributing to many health issues and just by cycling 2 or 3 miles a day can combat things like diabetes, heart disease and even reduce your risk of dying of cancer (World Health Organisation).

Next time you get in your car start your stopwatch on your phone, obviously while you drive you aren’t allowed to touch your phone so no cheating, only stop the clock when you are parked and take a look at the time. It will surprise you!