Theft prevention

[ourclarioncall]

These guys took 13 minutes cutting time for the same chain . And it’s in a vice

https://youtu.be/hs1ahsQM0m4

Then the did the Almax VI (25mm) in a faster time , even tho it’s a bigger chain. But the reason for this was that their grinding skills got better. They said if they did the 22mm chain again they could do it in maybe 8 minutes.

8 minutes. But this guy can do it in just over 1 minute

Is he highly skilled? Super powerful grinder ? Special cutting discs? A combination of all? Some secret trickery ? Hmmm

[ourclarioncall]

Dan

110lb panels ? My back is sore just reading that 😁

[Danneaux]

Is he highly skilled? Super powerful grinder ? Special cutting discs? A combination of all? Some secret trickery ? Hmmm

Based on my recent experience, it is a combination of things, as I also got faster as I went along and gained experience cutting the bolts. I am loathe to give any tips to thieves but technique helps reduce speed as does attention to mechanical details.

110lb panels ?

Yes, four of them and a half panel that ties the others together. Now I have to set then in place on concrete blocks and tie the lot together with angle iron for a side fence at home.

Best advice I can give is to not leave the bike and if you do, park it in an area where such activity will be noticed and called out. "Bribing" a shop attendant to keep watch helps; a coffee and pasty is never refused and makes them a stakeholder in watchfulness while you're gone. In reality, I think it is best to take reasonable precautions and then try to simply enjoy oneself. In all my touring, I've never lost anything except to minor pilferage from people who wanted a souvenir of our meeting. I have addressed that need/issue by handing out little "contact cards" after a meeting with my photo, name, address, and a little map showing my hometown.

Best,

Dan.

[ourclarioncall]

Interesting ! Could be a step in the right direction

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2249275-material-that-cannot-be-cut-would-make-the-ultimate-bike-lock/

[Aleman]

Interesting ! Could be a step in the right direction

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2249275-material-that-cannot-be-cut-would-make-the-ultimate-bike-lock/

Then they just cut through the frame 

[ourclarioncall]

I’ve lived a very sheltered life when it comes to crime, I’m only just learning about the lengths folk go to to steal stuff in regards to bikes/motorbikes . Plenty bikes are stolen in my town of less than 20,000 population but I think it would be very rare for anyone to go out with bolt croppers etc here . I’ve been spoiled !

[Danneaux]

I’m only just learning about the lengths folk go to to steal stuff

Bolt croppers either openly carried or sticking out of a backpack are a common sight where I live, unfortunately.

It is hard for any owner to imagine someone cutting a bike in two to get the components but the thief has no investment either emotional or financial, so anything that will potentially make a profit is attractive. Also time is money, so whatever gets them coin the quickest is their preferred route. 

Best,

Dan.

[PH]

I’ve lived a very sheltered life when it comes to crime, I’m only just learning about the lengths folk go to to steal stuff in regards to bikes/motorbikes . Plenty bikes are stolen in my town of less than 20,000 population but I think it would be very rare for anyone to go out with bolt croppers etc here . I’ve been spoiled !

I think it also needs a sense of proportion, yes thousands of bikes are stolen every year, but that's out of many millions.  It's 22 years since I last had a bike stolen, and coincidently that was one of the cheapest bikes I've ever owned. That's not to say that I might not have one stolen tomorrow, or maybe my whole collection while I'm out, neither is it an argument for not taking sensible security precautions and getting insurance if the loss is more than you could tolerate.  It's just that sometimes I hear people talking themselves out of using a bike to it's fullest potential because they believe the risk of theft too great.

[Danneaux]

I think it also needs a sense of proportion...sometimes I hear people talking themselves out of using a bike to it's fullest potential because they believe the risk of theft too great.

Agreed. Take reasonable precautions and enjoy.

Best,

Dan.

[ourclarioncall]

PH

very true, the more you focus on something (without keeping other truths in the peripheral vision)  the bigger it gets in your mind. Mountain out of molehill

Can’t sleep at night coz people are planning on breaking into my house to steal a bike I don’t yet currently own 🤣🤣

[martinf]

It's just that sometimes I hear people talking themselves out of using a bike to it's fullest potential because they believe the risk of theft too great.

Yes. I am always a bit wary of using a new bike if it means having to leave it locked up out of sight somewhere.

Fortunately, most of my bikes are now fairly old.

And, as I have several, if one does get stolen, apart from my initial fit of rage it wouldn't really matter much.

Unless of course the whole lot get stolen from my garage in one go.

My wife is much worse than me. Her main bike is built from an old but reasonably good quality frame donated by a neighbour about 15 years ago. It cost me about 150 euros in components when I first renovated it. And if it was stolen I could probably find an equivalent frame fairly quickly and build up a similar bike for less than 400 euros. The only really irreplaceable part is the B66 Champion S saddle that was carried over from her previous bike, similar modern saddles from Brooks have much stiffer springs.

But it is "her" bike, and she is very nervous of letting it out of her sight.

[Andre Jute]

Can’t sleep at night coz people are planning on breaking into my house to steal a bike I don’t yet currently own 🤣🤣

Don't be silly. Such things happen only in France.

If only.

Seriously: The last time we had a substantial discussion of bike theft prevention, I caught a glimpse of a news report that in France, 70% of bike thefts are to order, by thieves breaking into people's houses to steal their bikes. A Thorn bike is special enough and valuable enough, especially with the Rohloff, to land on a theft to order list.

[ourclarioncall]

Can’t sleep at night coz people are planning on breaking into my house to steal a bike I don’t yet currently own 🤣🤣

Don't be silly. Such things happen only in France.

If only.

Seriously: The last time we had a substantial discussion of bike theft prevention, I caught a glimpse of a news report that in France, 70% of bike thefts are to order, by thieves breaking into people's houses to steal their bikes. A Thorn bike is special enough and valuable enough, especially with the Rohloff, to land on a theft to order list.

!! Wow, that’s insane.

I was thinking of adding to my self targeted paranoia humour and talk of building a secret underground bunker in my house for my bike lol, but actually maybe that wouldn’t be a bad idea, now that you mention France 😆

[Andre Jute]

My bike bites back. See:
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3930
and if you leave the thread before the end, the examples of my own snake biting me are in:
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3930.msg21571#msg21571

Still in a humorous vein: one of my hobbies is UHT (ultra high tension) thermionic tube audiophile amps with up to 2000V on them, and electrostatic loudspeakers with 5500V on them; even my electrostatic headphones have 600V between my ears -- they sound particularly good on Gregorian chant: nearer my God to Thee! https://www.audio-talk.co.uk/fiultra/JUTE%20ON%20AMPS.htm
I build my own UHT amps and rebuild the QUAD electrostatics as required.

So I am, albeit always warily, at home with electrics that can and will kill the careless and the uninvited. Sometimes I wonder if one could get away with giving a bike thief an electric shock, nothing lethal, just a very low current electrostatic sting six inches before he even touches the bike; a ring of security. (When I market it, it will of course be as The Ring of Fear!) Most tourers' bikes have a hub dynamo and when it isn't required for some other purpose like the lamp, it can charge up the capacitor that will power the security device. What I have in mind is that the would-be thief dismisses the first sting of electrostatic shock as a natural event familiar to us all, but that the capacitor will recover fast enough to give him a second hit, and a third and a fourth, until even the dumbest drug addict grasps that the shocks are aimed at him, that they will get very personal, even intimate, if he tries to ride the bicycle, and that he should move away right smartly.

It's a pity the police are so humourlessly woke these days.

Still, the n'lock is proof that not all good security devices need be boat anchors.

[leftpoole]

Can’t sleep at night coz people are planning on breaking into my house to steal a bike I don’t yet currently own 🤣🤣

Don't be silly. Such things happen only in France.

If only.



Seriously: The last time we had a substantial discussion of bike theft prevention, I caught a glimpse of a news report that in France, 70% of bike thefts are to order, by thieves breaking into people's houses to steal their bikes. A Thorn bike is special enough and valuable enough, especially with the Rohloff, to land on a theft to order list.

!! Wow, that’s insane.

I was thinking of adding to my self targeted paranoia humour and talk of building a secret underground bunker in my house for my bike lol, but actually maybe that wouldn’t be a bad idea, now that you mention France 😆

In my own experience since around 1995 I have met a few Thorn owners. But the greater majority of 'cyclists' have never heard of Thorn. I am a many many year member of CTC and it has around 60-70 thousand members. I have very rarely met cyclists who are members, and mostly people who have never even heard of CTC.
So....... Thieves stealing Thorn bikes to order? Unlikely! In my own opinion of course.