replacing allen key bolts with tamper proof bolts

mactas

hi there,

I recently had my handlebars,shifters, levers and calipers stolen off my bike which was incredibly annoying. I have set up the pinhead system on my forks,saddle and rear wheel which meant they weren't able to pinch any other bits of my bike. Was just wondering if anyone had any advice on how to stop people stealing the calipers and unscrewing the stem. I've heard of people filling screws with expoxy but surely when it comes to changing my pads i'll be screwed (excuse the pun!). Does anyone know of a good company that sells tamper proof screws for bikes? Surely there would be quite a demand for these sort of screws that work like the pinhead system but the guys in my lbs said there isn't much you can do to stop them stealing your accessories.

nicklouse

Yep dont leave your bike where people can get at it.

Or leave it in the same place.

How easy was it for you to get the pin head allen key?

I is no more difficult for anyone else.

mactas

the pinhead system isn't the same key for all. it would be incredibly unlikely they would have the same key

Alex

Find somewhere secure for your bike or replace your bike with something that isn't worth stealing the parts of.

rhann

mactas wrote:

the pinhead system isn't the same key for all. it would be incredibly unlikely they would have the same key

and when you lose the key...

mactas

rhann wrote:

mactas wrote:

the pinhead system isn't the same key for all. it would be incredibly unlikely they would have the same key

and when you lose the key...

you register the key with pinhead so they can send you a replacement. simple.

ride_whenever

small ball bearing in head of the allen key then fill with wax, you can get it out with a bit of effort. But i doubt your average thief would.

nicklouse

but if you leave the bike in the same place they will be back with a solution to the problem to take what they want.

rhann

at the end of the day these bolts will just stop opportunists

Uncle Peter

If you just want to stop the opptunists you can get tamper proof bolts from places like RS Components. They are basically Hex or Torx bolts with pins in the tool hole. Only problem is you may have to buy them in boxes of 50 or so. The tools to compliment them are easily availible too.

Or you could type Tamper Proof Bolts in to Google and come up with this...

[/url]http://www.securityfastenersandfixings.co.uk/[url][/url]

mactas

it seems the only company that sells what i need are a german company called pitlock http://www.pitlock.de/ They do the disc brake bolts and only work with a specially assigned tool. Now i just have to see if they understand my query. I'm just surprised that more sites don't sell these sort of bolts as bike theft is very common in the uk i would have thought.

rhann

still not going to stop someone nicking your components.

ride_whenever

The issue is, they sell the bits in a lot of places... Pinhead is good because it isn't a standard. But I bought a box of allen key bits for my socket set, which came with just about every security thing you can think of, including a few i'd never seen.

It cost a tenner...

Uncle Peter

It's likely to stop the opportunist though rhann, most theives would probably look for an easier target than go out and buy a specific tool to take someones disc brakes off.

rhann

i agree and I said that in one of my earlier posts, however if they're after your components then they are not opportunists they know what they are doing.

Alex

Look, it's academic. They took the components last time because they were dead easy steal.

I they want the components next time, regardless of the bolts you've used, they'll just cut your lock and take the whole thing.

nicklouse

if you leave the bike in the same place every day. it is not hard to come prepared.

the only solution is rat bike.

The Rookie

Most off the shelf 'tamper proof' like the pin filled are pointless, you can get the tools, or often ping the pin out with a screwdriver anyway!

A lot of 'coded' tamperproof are likewise pointless, I know of 2 car manufacturers whose locking wheel nuts involve a fixed location and a variable one as the code, remove the variable one and your tool fits all.

I can remove most bolts using an electric drill (in reverse) and a special tool you can buy from most automotive factors that bites into the bolt head.

I put my bike somewhere were most people don't even realise its there, best security there is!

Simon

mactas

thanks guys for your advice. I've opted away from spending more money fitting tamper proof screws and am keeping it inside. It's a shame that thieves make this happen!

Raymondavalon

Tamper proof is great until you forget the bespoke wrench/spanner when out on a ride. This renders any track/road side adjustments or repairs useless...

wordnumb

nicklouse wrote:

the only solution is rat bike.

Sad, but true.

Yukon Lad

could try a type of bolt obscure to your local scum, something like torx if you could get the right size or something like that but seeing as some manufacturers now use torx bolts on their discs this may not work

Yukon Lad

Buckled_Rims

ride_whenever wrote:

small ball bearing in head of the allen key then fill with wax, you can get it out with a bit of effort. But i doubt your average thief would.

Actually, I like this idea really well. Put a small ball bearing in with wax , then smooth the hex hole flat, and a quick dab of silver paint.

Northwind

The Pitlock bolts look like they could be a bugger to get out even with the proper tool! A sticky bolt could give you nightmares...

I hate the centre-pin torqs, I forget the proper name for them, the only purpose they ever serve is to hack off the owner of the product, since the tools are freely available from Halfords etc- but you don't know you need them til you find one of the sodding bolts. But a thief will already have them.