Bicycle Theft Detterent

[Help]

There seems to be a few deterrent available
- Postcode marking
- National Cycle Register bike registration
- Bike Register- various options
- Datatag

These all come with various prices. But I just wonder
- How good a detterent is that a bike is "registered" to National Cycle Register, Bike Register
and/or even just post-coded? (Would the thef just scratched out the frame number, etc.)??
- "Data-tagging", which is available from DataTag directly or Bike Register seems very high tech,
but --- How easy is it for me to put in the data-tag into the frame tube without damaging my bike!
(is it stuffed down the seat post, if I have a quick release seat post)? ---If it's easy for me to
insert the data-tag into the frame, is it also easy for a thief to remove or destroy (e.g. crush
it) it? ---What exactly is "Police Approved Marking" offered by Bike Register
https://www.bikeregister.com/secure/regoptions.htm at GBP9.75? Is it marking with supposedly
permanent ink? How earasable is it?? What should be marked?? The Bike Registration number?? Or my
name+Postcode?? (Do I really want the thief to know where I live? what if I sell my bike!!?) ---Is
Datatag's permanent identification labels reallyt worthwhile (would the thief just spend a few
hours to try to remove those labels bits by bits, and then sale my bike off)?

--- National Cycle Register seems the cheapest option. How about scracthing my wheels, seat post,
etc with the NCR registration number?? My wheels are as follows: Matrix 750 rims; Shimano RM40-8
rear, alloy front hub; 14G stainless, black spokes TIRES: Bontrager Connection, 26x1.95" Is it worth
scratching the plastic part of the rim or the metalic part (or would it make it rust!?)

 

[Tony Raven]

In news:[email protected], help <[email protected]> typed:
> There seems to be a few deterrent available
> - Postcode marking
> - National Cycle Register bike registration
> - Bike Register- various options
> - Datatag
>
> These all come with various prices. But I just wonder
> - How good a detterent is that a bike is "registered" to National Cycle Register, Bike Register
> and/or even just post-coded? (Would the thef just scratched out the frame number, etc.)??

None of these is a theft deterrent - more a way of identifying the owner if a stolen bike is
recovered or ownership is disputed. The only theft deterrent is a big strong lock.

Tony

--
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." Mark Twain

 

[Huw Pritchard]

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 01:52:42 +0100, help did issue forth:

> There seems to be a few deterrent available
> - Postcode marking
> - National Cycle Register bike registration
> - Bike Register- various options
> - Datatag

As Tony said, none of these are really a theft deterent, unless you've got a good, beefy D-lock
(don't even think about cable locks) then don't bother with any of the above.

> - "Data-tagging", which is available from DataTag directly or Bike Register seems very high tech,
> but --- How easy is it for me to put in the data-tag into the frame tube without damaging my
> bike! (is it stuffed down the seat post, if I have a quick release seat post)? ---If it's easy
> for me to insert the data-tag into the frame, is it also easy for a thief to remove or destroy
> (e.g. crush it) it?

Data tags are the only one of the options I've really got any experience with (I found one cheap in
Halfords just after I bought my new MTB last year).

Putting the tag in is simple. The tag is a small plastic cylinder with lugs. You just put it into
the seat *tube* (not seat post) and poke it down as far as it'll go using the handle of a broom or
something else long enough. The lugs then stop it coming back up the tube again. I'd imagine it
would be quite difficult to destroy the tag as it's really difficult to see it if you peer down the
seat tube.

Just don't get your hopes up. Just because a bike is marked doesn't mean it won't get nicked, it's a
way for the Police to get the bike back to you in the unlikely event of it ever being recovered.

Huw

 

[Pete Biggs]

help wrote:
> There seems to be a few deterrent available
> - Postcode marking
> - National Cycle Register bike registration
> - Bike Register- various options
> - Datatag
>
> These all come with various prices. But I just wonder
> - How good a detterent is that a bike is "registered" to National Cycle Register, Bike Register
> and/or even just post-coded?

Maybe a mild deterent to an opportunist theif.

> (Would the thef just scratched out the frame number, etc.)??

Takes more than a bit of scratching but yes they could disguise the number.

> - "Data-tagging", which is available from DataTag directly or Bike Register seems very high tech,
> but --- How easy is it for me to put in the data-tag into the frame tube without damaging my
> bike! (is it stuffed down the seat post, if I have a quick release seat post)?

Some of them are just droped/stuffed down the seat tube using some kind of shuttlecock shaped wedge.
Others use a smaller package which you could stick almost anywhere - perhaps using epoxy resin.

> ---If it's easy for me to insert the data-tag into the frame, is it also easy for a thief to
> remove or destroy (e.g. crush it) it?

Yes if they can find it.

/snip
> Is it worth scratching the plastic part of the rim or the metalic part

I don't know what rims have plastic parts but don't scratch any of it. (You may be mistaking
anodised aluminium for plastic). Scratches in aluminium could turn into cracks.

(or would it make it rust!?)

Yes if it was steel. Better and newer bikes don't have steel rims.

~PB

 

[Alun Roberts]

My best bike is never, ever, out of my site. I wont even stop for a cup of tea in a cafe on a ride.

If I go to town or visit or shop I go on my hack bike, lock it securely to a steel fence or
something. I could get over that being nicked.

Prevention is better than cure. I do insert one of my business cards in the seat pin. Useful for
identification, it stuffed up one 'clever' defence solicitor once - will never forget the look on
his face when he asked - as I didn't have the frame number - if I was sure it was my bike! Hey
presto business card in seat pillar. Misrecreant was sentenced to penal servitude with hard labour
for life - well he should have been!

 

[Jim Price]

help wrote:

> There seems to be a few deterrent available
> - Postcode marking
> - National Cycle Register bike registration
> - Bike Register- various options
> - Datatag

parlance) your bike. I did this for a chap down the street, and in only a few weeks he has already
told me of one incident where his bike was left untouched in a rack near Farringdon where two other
bikes were the subject of attention - one had its lock mangled and they pinched a wheel off another.
Hats off to Hammerite and Duck tape. I just hope it works as well for my bike.

--
Jim Price

http://www.jimprice.dsl.pipex.com

Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.

 

[Tony W]

"Alun Roberts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My best bike is never, ever, out of my site.

I suppose it depends how big your site is. Personally I gave up cycling round the back lawn when I
was about 8.

There again if you own Yorkshire (well, someone has to!!) it would not be such a restriction.

T

: )

 

[Doobrie]

> Data tags are the only one of the options I've really got any experience with (I found one cheap
> in Halfords just after I bought my new MTB last year).
>
> Just don't get your hopes up. Just because a bike is marked doesn't mean it won't get nicked, it's
> a way for the Police to get the bike back to you in the unlikely event of it ever being recovered.
>
> Huw
>

i wonder if tracker or the alternatives (the alarm tracking companies) do anything or have plans to
include tracking for anything other than motor vehicles - esp as bikes are so easy to add something
to in this respect

it'd be another fairly large market for them to go for if they could offer it cheaply enough or even
if manufacturers built it into the frame or something ... all technically possible ... but
economically viable at the moment??

 

[Pete Biggs]

doobrie wrote:
> i wonder if tracker or the alternatives (the alarm tracking companies) do anything or have plans
> to include tracking for anything other than motor vehicles - esp as bikes are so easy to add
> something to in this respect
>
> it'd be another fairly large market for them to go for if they could offer it cheaply enough or
> even if manufacturers built it into the frame or something ... all technically possible ... but
> economically viable at the moment??

I'm not sure it's technically viable on a bicycle. How much power do these things require? I'm
wondering about battery weight - but perhaps the unit could be integrated into a powerful
lighting system.

~PB

 

[Tim Dunne]

"Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> I'm not sure it's technically viable on a bicycle. How much power do these things require? I'm
> wondering about battery weight - but perhaps the unit could be integrated into a powerful
> lighting system.

See my solution...

http://www.nervouscyclist.org/bike_alarm.htm http://www.nervouscyclist.org/bike_alarm_v2.htm

It's so nice to catch prospective fiddlers in the act. And so gratifying to give them a little
fatherly advice...

'F**k off sunshine, before I get nasty...'

Tim
--
Sent from Birmingham, UK... Check out www.nervouscyclist.org 'I find sometimes it’s easy to be
myself, but sometimes I find it’s better to be somebody else.' - Dave Matthews 'So Much To Say' My
'reply to' address is valid, mail to the posting address is dumped

 

[Stoatboy]

> parlance) your bike.

lol - I did this on my old bike. I made a rear mud-guard out of gaffa tape and a large pepsi pepsi
bottle, and tied old boot laces around the lamp mountings. It looks like a nasty piece of **** and
it's never got stolen. I don't even lock it up at night.

Unfortunately my new bike is all shiny and spangly, and I can't bring myself to give it the same
treatment.

 

[Archierob]

I was mystified as to your post then it 'came' to me in the pub last night.

SIGHT!

Not site! and me an ex-printer! Shame on me.

 

[Tony W]

"archierob" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I was mystified as to your post then it 'came' to me in the pub last
night.
>
> SIGHT!
>
> Not site! and me an ex-printer! Shame on me.

A typesetter with the Grauniad??