Stanley Q&A

If you lost your keys for your padlock, you will need a locksmith who is able to open your padlock in a professional way or for cheaper padlocks you can try it with a bolt cutter.

Every padlock which is meant to be for outdoor use has a small hole on the bottom. This is for drainage reasons so that rainwater will not stay in the padlock.

There are some padlocks for which the keys are purposely the same. Such padlocks are called “keyed alike” padlocks. The reason for keyed alike padlocks is that e.g. lots of people need access for padlocks in a certain area. Think about the amazing people of the green maintenance who ensure that our parks and green areas look well or the street cleaning people – for accessing the boxes with their tools they need keys. For making it easier and more workable most of these boxes in a city are keyed alike. Keyed alike padlocks are ass well very common for people in their houses – for using the same key for a barn and the chain which is locking the fence for example.
When you buy a padlock which is not keyed alike then the keys of another padlock of the same type & model will differ.

No, padlock keys are not universal. Each company has an own style for mechanical keys as this style / key model has as well impact on the security. This specific key style will only fit their padlock / security construction. A lot of companies sell with the padlock as well keycards. Only with this keycard you can get a copy for your (pad)lock – this should increase the security measures.

Yes, there are options to match a padlock with an existing key. Some of the A brands offer such services.

Yes, you can cut padlock keys.

Mini padlocks without a key can be combination padlocks such as brass combination or TSA luggage padlocks. We have various brass combination padlocks and TSA luggage locks in our assortment. The smallest is 20mm wide. You can find here.

Yes, padlock keys can be duplicated. For some of the padlocks which were sold with a keycard you will have to go for the locksmith or contact the padlock supplier with the information given on the keycard. They will provide you with the additional key. Padlocks which are sold without a keycard can be copied at your local locksmith.

A good option for putting your lock while bike riding is the mount. All lock suppliers who supply the bike lock with a mount want to ensure that you are able to transport your bike lock in a safe way. For chain locks and some longer cable locks a mount is usually not supplies as they are too heavy or simply too long for being coiled in a way a mount can take. Such locks you could transport in a bike bag or bike basket. Some people wrap the bicycle lock around the handlebar or saddle bar. Some of the bike locks are made to be worn around the waist or the upper body. We supply the Stanley bike locks usually with a bike lock holder or the bike lock should be worn around the upper body as it is reflecting. https://safeguard-locks.com/bike-locks/bike-lock-key-cable-reflective/

Yes, you can reset your bike lock combination. Usually the bike lock supplier shows on the packacking (usually inside printed) how to do this. In addition you will find pretty often on the corresponding supplier webpage code change instructions. For Stanley combination locks you will find the instructions here: https://safeguard-locks.com/code-change-instructions/ Please be aware that you have to know the current code for resetting the lock combination.

Yes, bike lock keys can be duplicated. For some of the bike locks which were sold with a keycard you will have to go for the locksmith or contact the bike lock supplier with the information given on the keycard. They will provide you with the additional key. Bike locks which are sold without a keycard can be copied at your local locksmith.

Usually you should try to mount your bike lock onto your bike’s fram. You should use the seat tube as best mounting option as here the bike lock will be accessible as well as out of the way while riding.

A good option for putting your lock while bike riding is the mount. All lock suppliers who supply the bike lock with a mount want to ensure that you are able to transport your bike lock in a safe way. For chain locks and some longer cable locks a mount is usually not supplies as they are too heavy or simply too long for being coiled in a way a mount can take. Such locks you could transport in a bike bag or bike basket. Some people wrap the bicycle lock around the handlebar or saddle bar. Some of the bike locks are made to be worn around the waist or the upper body. We supply the Stanley bike locks usually with a bike lock holder or the bike lock should be worn around the upper body as it is reflecting. https://safeguard-locks.com/bike-locks/bike-lock-key-cable-reflective/

There are several bike locks with key in the market available. We as Stanley have as well some bike locks with key available. Link to bike locks. 

Yes, you can reset your bike lock combination. Usually the bike lock supplier shows on the packaging (usually inside printed) how to do this. In addition you will find pretty often on the corresponding supplier webpage code change instructions. For Stanley combination locks you will find the instructions here: https://safeguard-locks.com/code-change-instructions/. Please be aware that you have to know the current code for resetting the lock combination.

A lot of A brand bike lock suppliers deliver their locks with a mounting bracket. Usually they show this on the packing or with the product pictures.

A bike lock without a key could be a combination bike lock or a smart / electronic bike lock. A smart / electronic bike lock ist still using a key but this key is a digital one.

There are several bike locks with combination in the market available. We as Stanley have as well some bike locks with combination available. Link to bike locks.

In general you can copy your bike lock key. Some of the bike locks are sold with a security card. If you cant a copy of your lock you have to take this card for the locksmith or the brand you bought the lock from for receiving your key copy. Bike locks which were sold without this security card usually have a standard key type which the locksmith can copy.
For electronic locks there are sometimes options to create an additional digital key which you can share then.

In general you can copy your bike lock key. Some of the bike locks are sold with a security card. If you cant a copy of your lock you have to take this card for the locksmith or the brand you bought the lock from for receiving your key copy. Bike locks which were sold without this security card usually have a standard key type which the locksmith can copy.
For electronic locks there are sometimes options to create an additional digital key which you can share then.

A bike lock and alarm combination can be a good option for preventing bike theft. The alarm could drive more attention for the bike theft situation.

Most of the A brands sell bike locks such as cable locks, folding locks and D-locks with a mount. This ensures an easy transportation. Nevertheless for some lock types in it is not possible to offer a mount with it such as e.g. chain locks or long cable locks (more than 2m length) as they are simply too heavy or cannot be coiled enough for being well mounted.

A lot of people prefer a bicycle lock with a key so they are very common.

Most of the A brands sell bike locks such as cable locks, folding locks and D-locks with a mount. This ensures an easy transportation. Nevertheless for some lock types in it is not possible to offer a mount with it such as e.g. chain locks or long cable locks (more than 2m length) as they are simply too heavy or cannot be coiled enough for being well mounted.

There are more and more options coming into the market when it comes to bike locks & lights. One option is that you have a combination lock where the digits are illuminated for making it easier to set the code for unlocking your bike in the night. For keyed bike locks there are some options for a LED light in the key. Both options need a button cells which will provide the energy for the light. In addition to this you will find as well some bike lock options in the market in which a bike front light was integrated. It can be a convenient option but we recommend to use a proper front and rear light set which is in line with your local traffic rules. Be aware – it is important to see well and be seen well while participating in traffic situations! Especially bike riders are often not well or too late seen.

Usually the bike lock supplier shows on the packaging (usually inside printed) how to do this. In addition you will find pretty often on the corresponding supplier webpage code change instructions. For Stanley combination locks you will find the instructions here: https://safeguard-locks.com/code-change-instructions/. Please be aware that you have to know the current code for resetting the lock combination.

On the pages 43 and 44 of our Factbook you can find some explanations and drawings which show you how padlocks work. There are as well some information about the lock developments in the past – check it out, might be fun.

Yes, you can cut padlock keys.

Yes, padlock keys can be duplicated. Depending on which type of padlock you have (e.g. high security padlocks come sometimes with a key code card – take this with you if you want a key copy), you can ask a locksmith or the padlock company to create a copy.

Good question with no short answer. You have very different key types per company / product. There are key types such as dimple keys, tubular keys, paracentric keys, skeleton keys and many more. Within a key type a company could offer keyed alike lock solutions and non keyed alike lock. Keyed alike lock solutions are for example for home owners who want to open different doors of their house with the same key. This could mean as well that you can buy a multipack / set of padlocks which can be opened with the same key. Non keyed alike solutions have a different key cutting. This means that if you buy a single padlock pack with 3 keys, you cannot open another padlock with these 3 keys. But – depending on the size of the padlock and the pins which are inside the padlock, you can have only a certain amount of key cutting differentiation until the key cutting will repeat. It is very unlikely that you will find another padlock which can be open with your key although they exist.

You can measure the padlock shackle diameter by using a ruler and measuring diameter of the hole in the padlock where the shackle will go in when the padlock is locked. For making sure that a padlock you want to buy will fit for the eyelet of the item to be locked, measure the diameter of this eyelet. The shackle diameter of the padlock should not be exactly the same sizes of the diameter of the eyelet but a bit smaller.

Measure the width of the padlock. Usually this can be done where the key is inserted. Take a ruler and measure this. The result in mm will give you the padlock size.

A shim is a tool for bypassing padlocks.

A padlock without a keyhole could be a combination padlock, a magnetic padlock, a biometric padlock, a bluetooth padlock,….

A padlock without a key could be a combination padlock, a magnetic padlock, a biometric padlock, a bluetooth padlock,….