[Article] More bike patrols to hit city streets

SerialComplaint

From Sunday Business Post
Note: link may not be active once SBPost moves story to their archives in a few days. The tender document mentioned in the story is available at http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/search_show.aspx?ID=DEC094841


More gardai are set to patrol the streets of Dublin and other cities on two wheels, with plans to increase the fleet of 160 specialised mountain bicycles to 200.

An Garda Siochana last week sought tenders for the supply of 40 top-of-the range bikes, which cost around €2,000 each. Bike patrols in the Dublin metropolitan region are considered a major success in making members of the force more visible.

The bikes carry a specially made police equipment pack over the rear wheel, and the silver helmets and fluorescent yellow uniform cover worn by members of the mounted bicycle units are far removed from the traditional image of a policeman on bicycle patrol.


Following discussions on the purchase of 1,000 new garda cars last year, former Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy told the Public Accounts Committee that he favoured increasing the deployment of bicycle patrols in most cities.

It is relatively uncommon for organised criminals to rely on pedal power, but such an event occurred last month when a gunman on a bicycle opened fire on a flat in north central Dublin.

Two adults in the apartment at Liberty House escaped uninjured. The bicycle patrols represent considerable value compared to garda cars. Car accidents involving gardai cost more than €500,000 in 2005, the latest figures show.

In 100 cases, gardai were responsible for causing €156,279 in damage to garda cars, while they were found to be partly responsible for 29 accidents causing €68,641 in damage.

Junior

Think I saw a photo op happening down outside the city hall in Waterford with a load of coppers and bikes on saturday.

Ciaran500

€2000 a piece? Any bike I've seen the police on have been average bikes, about €3-400 worth.

kona

Ciaran500 wrote: »

€2000 a piece? Any bike I've seen the police on have been average bikes, about €3-400 worth.

yup!! there was a gang of bout 20 em in st annes park on wednesday afternoon. bikes were nothing special, they were playin cat and mouse!! lol

311

The bikes that I've seen the guards using ,look really heavy for some reason.

kona

_Brian_ wrote: »

The bikes that I've seen the guards using ,look really heavy for some reason.

in fairness the need to be extremly durable, so they usually are heavy, i mean how much doeas the average guard weigh with all the gear on, then how much does the bag on the back weigh?? then if he needs to arrest some one, he needs to dismount quick(bike will defo fall hard)

311

kona wrote: »

in fairness the need to be extremly durable,

I don't doubt that at all ,but surely top of the range mountain bikes are durable and light aswell.

The bikes look like they are made of steel or something.

windsurfer99ie

As I understand it, these are "e-bike" type things - with a battery that will power them for up to 20 to 30km at 25km/hr. The Garda ones are specially fitted, but even the basic ones cost around Eur1000, so Eur2000 does not look unreasonable.

kona

_Brian_ wrote: »

I don't doubt that at all ,but surely top of the range mountain bikes are durable and light aswell.

The bikes look like they are made of steel or something.

steel is a far superior metal than aluminium as far as the garda siochanas uses are concerned.
aluminium deteriorates after a while, where as steel keeps its structure better.
steel is also cheaper and easier to weld than aluminium. steel also provides a better 'ride' than aluminium as the way the atoms in steel are arranged it allows vibrations to move through it easier.
although any of the garda bikes ive seen are defo aluminium as the welds give it away from a mile off.

311

kona wrote: »

steel also provides a better 'ride' than aluminium as the way the atoms in steel are arranged it allows vibrations to move through it easier.

I never knew that ,I always wondered why the gary fischer steel frames where so popular.
learn something new everyday:)

niceonetom

who exactly gets to chose the bikes?

i see them in town and they all seem to have knobbly off road tires, which would seem like a strange choice over tarmac, right? i know sfa about mountain bikes but those tires have to be hard work on the road. maybe they should take their lead from couriers; who does more urban cycling than them? most (but not all) couriers use steel framed bikes with no suspension and 700c wheels, and there are loads of fixeds and single speeds out there and there are good reasons for that. they don't break. everyone's got their own riding style though, i wonder whether the guards get to customise theur gear at all.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

If there's an offer to tender with a figure of €2,000 already discussed, chances are, it'll be closer to €4,000 by the time they're on the street.

kona

niceonetom wrote: »

who exactly gets to chose the bikes?

i see them in town and they all seem to have knobbly off road tires, which would seem like a strange choice over tarmac, right? i know sfa about mountain bikes but those tires have to be hard work on the road. maybe they should take their lead from couriers; who does more urban cycling than them? most (but not all) couriers use steel framed bikes with no suspension and 700c wheels, and there are loads of fixeds and single speeds out there and there are good reasons for that. they don't break. everyone's got their own riding style though, i wonder whether the guards get to customise theur gear at all.

alot of the patrols go through parks too, also i've brought my bike through some paths in town and i slide down them as opposed to roll:D:D. Being honest knobblies arn't bad...........unless you change to slicks and back to knobblies:D i get this alot, ive a commuter with slicks and a jump bike with knobblies...the difference is huge(although the huge front end and chromo frame with 9 very close ratio gears dont help the jumper either) a set of panaracer 1.95s would be grand although i bet the guards dont use them!
i can see where you are coming from but, the difference in needs between a guard and a courier is huge, a courier is a-b asap, a garda is out on patrol for possibly a whole day, start, stop consistantly, also the availability and cost of spare parts and maintenance would be a major factor too. which a mtb would come out on top.

Hungrycol

SerialComplaint wrote: »

silver helmets

Jeeze they're going to boil their wee noggin during the summer!

Itsfixed

This would make for the ideal Garda bike . Rolhoff hub is so bulletproof it makes for easy maintenance and longevity. And of course its steel.

I think this company did pitch for a UK police contract but didn't win for some reason.

I've just fitted a new 8 speed shimano alfine hub onto my singlespeed mountain bike frame and its great. Low maintenance, clean looks and no heavier than a derailleur setup. Its a white frame, so actually looks a lot like a garda bike.

rubadub

The MTB is also an indirect admission of the unsuitability of the roads here. You do not see fat gardai on bikes. In fact some have said here that there are very fit cycle cops out there. I carry as much gear as they do. I would perfer if they had a selection of bikes to pick from, at least 3 models, there are a few types of cars out there.

I would have thought a courier would do a lot more than a garda, any time I see them they are freewheeling along, while couriers are flying around. They should be equipped with comfortable efficient bikes, just like they should be supplied with decent runners (discrete is needed) and not be forced to chase people in boots/shoes.

kona

Itsfixed wrote: »

This would make for the ideal Garda bike . Rolhoff hub is so bulletproof it makes for easy maintenance and longevity. And of course its steel.

I think this company did pitch for a UK police contract but didn't win for some reason.

I've just fitted a new 8 speed shimano alfine hub onto my singlespeed mountain bike frame and its great. Low maintenance, clean looks and no heavier than a derailleur setup. Its a white frame, so actually looks a lot like a garda bike.

what shimano alfine do you have???!! they weight at least 3 times more than a derailleur set up!! and how do you expect a guard to change a tube in the pissing rain, with all that crap to disconnect and then re-connect at the back. that and a derailleur is easier/cheaper to replace. at the very most e50 as opposed to e300 and having to pay somebody to rebuild your wheel.

seamus

kona wrote: »

steel is a far superior metal than aluminium as far as the garda siochanas uses are concerned.
aluminium deteriorates after a while, where as steel keeps its structure better.
steel is also cheaper and easier to weld than aluminium. steel also provides a better 'ride' than aluminium as the way the atoms in steel are arranged it allows vibrations to move through it easier.

Aluminium also doesn't respond as well to repeated impacts. You can put the same pressure repeatedly on a steel pipe and its strength doesn't diminish. An aluminimum pipe will eventually fail if you do the same thing. Alu is also more likely to just break and shear off whereas steel bends and warps. Thus the likelihood of a Garda faceplanting into the tarmac from frame failure is lessened.

I would imagine the knobblies and the gearing is thinking about cycling off the streets (in parks and the rest) or otherwise cycling in places where cars and motorcycles can't go. If they were chasing some guy across a field on a wet day, the cars and motorbikes wouldn't have a hope.

flickerx

rubadub wrote: »

I would have thought a courier would do a lot more than a garda, any time I see them they are freewheeling along, while couriers are flying around. They should be equipped with comfortable efficient bikes, just like they should be supplied with decent runners (discrete is needed) and not be forced to chase people in boots/shoes.

One time I had the misfortune to have some inconsiderate tosser lock his bike onto mine, and I had to call the cops first and then the fire brigade who had to cut the other lock off (you have to have the cops present when the fire brigade do it). But before the fire brigade came, I had a squirmingly awkward half an hour to kill with chatting to a cop on one of these bicycles, as discussed above. I was asking him what do they do if they're chasing local dealers or whatever on the bike, and the target/suspect is on foot - what happens if they ditch the bike and its unlocked? Surely someone will come along and nick it. The cop said that they're told to stay on the bike as much as possible, even in a chase, that their intention is to try and knock the person down with the bike so they can arrest them, and the bike will be nearby.

I dont mind if they have heavy, lumbering, thick-wheeled MTB's instead of nice light racers or fixies, makes it easier to get away from them

Itsfixed

kona wrote: »

what shimano alfine do you have???!! they weight at least 3 times more than a derailleur set up!! and how do you expect a guard to change a tube in the pissing rain, with all that crap to disconnect and then re-connect at the back. that and a derailleur is easier/cheaper to replace. at the very most e50 as opposed to e300 and having to pay somebody to rebuild your wheel.

Hi Kona,

The alfine hub (with disc mount) is a lot heavier than a normal cassette hub, yes, but when you consider the weight lost by having just one front chain ring, no rear derailleur, no front derailleur, and no front shifter, this offsets the heavier weight somewhat.

I don't know if you've tried to connect and disconnect an alfine or its near cousin, the nexus, but its actually extremely easy, almost foolproof. Just one wire to disconnect and reconnect. The hub not a quick release, but as long as you carry the relevant size spanner with you in your saddlebag, no worries.

Having said all this, I haven't really tested it off-road yet, but hoping to do so this weekend. I gather shimano are pushing MTB manufacturers to spec alfine on mid range MTBs for 2008, so i reckon its a good sign of its overall robustness and reliability. A cut price rolhoff. But already l love the cleaner looks, like a singlespeed bike.

Oh, I got the Alfine hub and shifter, built onto a good quality mavic wheel all for €190 from Germany. I had to get a new disc rotor, though.

kona

Itsfixed wrote: »

Hi Kona,

The alfine hub (with disc mount) is a lot heavier than a normal cassette hub, yes, but when you consider the weight lost by having just one front chain ring, no rear derailleur, no front derailleur, and no front shifter, this offsets the heavier weight somewhat.

I don't know if you've tried to connect and disconnect an alfine or its near cousin, the nexus, but its actually extremely easy, almost foolproof. Just one wire to disconnect and reconnect. The hub not a quick release, but as long as you carry the relevant size spanner with you in your saddlebag, no worries.

Having said all this, I haven't really tested it off-road yet, but hoping to do so this weekend. I gather shimano are pushing MTB manufacturers to spec alfine on mid range MTBs for 2008, so i reckon its a good sign of its overall robustness and reliability. A cut price rolhoff. But already l love the cleaner looks, like a singlespeed bike.

Oh, I got the Alfine hub and shifter, built onto a good quality mavic wheel all for €190 from Germany. I had to get a new disc rotor, though.

they are considerably heavier...ive had two bikes with identical frames, one with a alfine hub and the other with a derailleur set up which ive held one on either arm, the alfine is alot heavier, and most the weight is over the back wheel.
they are a good idea but, a guard doesnt want to be carrying round spanners(in their case guaranteed to go missing when needed), also a QR axle is quicker anyways, with less hassle than the internal hubs.

Kobie

Anybody know what make the new Guard bikes are? In Holland the cops use Santos bikes (aluminium frames) which seem to hold up pretty well. Pricewise they match what the OP said - about 1,500 to 2,500.

http://www.santosfiets.nl/bike.php?id=21

geekpie

They often cycle in 2s to reduce the chance of a bike being stolen at an incident. Another potentially helpful option is a brake-mount fitted front-wheel lock which doesn't need a key to lock it, just to open it.

I try to keep track of which forces are buying which bikes, and I have been doing so now for 3 years. I contacted the Gardai a few days ago to ask about the new bikes, and was told my email had been forwarded to someone or other.

Sometimes I can't get the information, but usually I find someone who's interested if I try hard enough.

Itsfixed

kona wrote: »

they are considerably heavier...ive had two bikes with identical frames, one with a alfine hub and the other with a derailleur set up which ive held one on either arm, the alfine is alot heavier, and most the weight is over the back wheel.

All the better for doing wheelies