bike alarm

oldandintheway

Having had several bikes stolen I'm thinking of getting a bicycle alarm but know nothing about them . Are they any good? The one's I've seen look as if it would be quite easy to take them off a bike for anyone who good at picking locks.

Anyone out there have any experience of them ?

DirkVoodoo

Just buy a very good lock.

Maybe alarms on bikes do work, but it from reading about bikes being stolen from busy areas, it seems people aren't interested in getting involved in preventing robberies (heck, I wouldn't risk getting attacked to save someone elses bike).

Even car alarms have slowly been replaced by electronic immobilisers, which now just mean guys break into your house asking for the keys.

Kryptonite New York U-lock ftw.

BostonB

Where are they getting stolen from? What kinda bikes?

oldandintheway

Boston ,

The last one to be stolen was a Brompton in Parliment St and the one before that a Shogun (?) at the end of Georges Street. Both had good locks on them.

humbert

What locks were they, if you don't mind saying?

niceonetom

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Just buy a very good lock.

Maybe alarms on bikes do work, but it from reading about bikes being stolen from busy areas, it seems people aren't interested in getting involved in preventing robberies (heck, I wouldn't risk getting attacked to save someone elses bike).

Even car alarms have slowly been replaced by electronic immobilisers, which now just mean guys break into your house asking for the keys.

Kryptonite New York U-lock ftw.

QFT!

Have you ever heard a neighbour's alarm go off in the middle the night, and then gotten up, armed yourself, and gone to look for intruders?

Didn't think so. Alarms are universally ignored.

Locks! Big heavy ones. They might seem expensive but compared to bikes they're a bargain. I too endorse kryptonite's new-york range.

oldandintheway

Well , if I had had someting like a car alarm go off on my bike I would still have it as I was only a few yards away at the time.....By the way , the thief stole my NY Kryptonite lock also...so alarms do have some value. But what I really wanted to know is are the alarms themselves easy to steal or will they go off if anyone tries to fiddle with them.

DirkVoodoo

oldandintheway wrote: »

By the way , the thief stole my NY Kryptonite lock also.

I've never understood this and I heard of something similar in a recent boards robbery (maybe it was you posting before?) but the kryptonite is a heavy ass lock, why would someone cut it and then take it unless it was either unlocked to begin with or the key was left in it??

Fingerprints? Souvenir?

BostonB

oldandintheway wrote: »

Boston ,

The last one to be stolen was a Brompton in Parliment St and the one before that a Shogun (?) at the end of Georges Street. Both had good locks on them.

IMO, a good bike would attract more unwelcome attention the more high profile location, than in a low key location. If they want something, bad enough, no lock will stop them. They'll just see your bike quicker in a popular spot. Obviously a good lock helps. But the bike not being seen in the first place would make a difference i reckon.

Lumen

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I've never understood this and I heard of something similar in a recent boards robbery (maybe it was you posting before?)

Yes, it was.

DirkVoodoo

Review of an Ebay bike alarm

Well, it may be loud, but if you park your bike on Stephen's green and this goes off because someone bumps into it (likely) I'd say folk would be glad of your bike getting swiped. Then if it's not in a busy enough area, who will care?

"Hey buddy is this your bike outside my shop?"

"Yeah"

"Well thanks a lot, its been going off for the last hour, driving customers away!"