In an emergency bug-out scenario, preexisting transportation plans can easily backfire. Your primary escape route may be blocked by excessive traffic, or your vehicle may break down unexpectedly. If SHTF and you desperately need to get out of town quickly, it's wise to know additional methods of obtaining a ride. In urban areas, bicycles are especially common, and will often be left behind or abandoned when disaster strikes. In these life-and-death scenarios, defeating a bike lock could provide a means to escape danger much faster than walking.

Bicycles can be found throughout all urban areas, and are often abandoned during disasters.

Disclaimer: we're obviously not advocating the use of this knowledge for any illegal purposes. It should only be used as an absolute last resort to escape mortal danger, and if you are forced to use a locked bicycle under these circumstances, you should always return it as soon as possible. Nobody likes thieves, so don't steal.

Most bicycles in cities and towns will be locked to poles, railings, and other stationary objects with some form of combination lock. Whether you're in a major emergency, or you simply forgot the combination to your own lock, it can be useful to know how to crack a bike lock. Most bike locks use a set of four combination dials, connected to a strong metal cable. While you could cut the cable with bolt cutters, it's actually much easier to unlock using a little manual pressure.

Subscribe Today and Save!

Get the Mag

Here's how it's done:

The key is to use one hand to apply tension to the cable, which will cause the dials to fall into place as they unlock. Now that you know this trick, it should serve as a reminder that most consumer-grade locks are surprisingly easy to crack. So, if you have a bike, you may want to upgrade to a solid metal lock with a key, rather than a combination cable.

Written by Patrick McCarthy