Getting a value appraisal for insurance - help please
Hi all,
Great forum have been a browser for a while but have now joined as seems like the best place to get useful and helpful info.
Basically every bike I have ever had has been nicked - and I am sick of the thieves and am going to make it extremely hard for these scumbags to try it on again. Admittedly my last "decent bike" a Spec Hardrock Pro disc was not locked up but was around my Mrs house in a walled enclosed garden with locked gate that was not overlooked and was hidden. Basically no one would have known it was there apart from a neighbour who saw me going in with it.
Since this bike I thought "sod this" bought an old Trek 600 off Ebay - did it up and because it was pretty scratched up and old I didn't have to worry that much about it. I had also just bought an old Raleigh road bike in excellent condition to change into a fixie.
Both bikes had been recently serviced and were working perfectly. I hadn't ridden them since their service. Went to my locked garage the other day - lo and behold - both were missing!! And they had also nicked my bodyboard bag to fit loads of other items in - but left the BB thankfully. No one would have known the bikes were there apart from my neighbours so I trust no one. Especially not the guy who moved into a flat 2 weeks ago with Love and Hate tattooed on his knuckles and tattoos up his neck! And who seemed to be smirking when I asked him if he had seen anyone about.
Anyway I have now bought another "decent" bike off Gumtree. I have also bought some lockable skewers and this Kryptonite lock
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Kryptonite-Se ... 3a62bfe83a
My problem is I need to get a valuation appraisal to ensure I am covered by the "up to £800" cover offered by Kryptonite.
My basic question is will my LBS be happy to do this even if I haven't bought the bike from them - it has to be on their headed notepaper? And if so are they likely to charge me - if so how much?
I can prove I bought the bike legally - the guy I bought it off was straight as a die and although I got no receipt off him I am certain he will be happy to forward me one and possibly the original invoice if he still has it - he said he bought it new and rode a handful of times - and I believe him.
Sorry for the length of my first post, I just want to go about everything above board - and will be double, triple, locking my bike and parts and am adamant that no one thieves another of my bikes!
Any advice or help on getting the valuation appraisal really would be appreciated. Thanks
Great forum have been a browser for a while but have now joined as seems like the best place to get useful and helpful info.
Basically every bike I have ever had has been nicked - and I am sick of the thieves and am going to make it extremely hard for these scumbags to try it on again. Admittedly my last "decent bike" a Spec Hardrock Pro disc was not locked up but was around my Mrs house in a walled enclosed garden with locked gate that was not overlooked and was hidden. Basically no one would have known it was there apart from a neighbour who saw me going in with it.
Since this bike I thought "sod this" bought an old Trek 600 off Ebay - did it up and because it was pretty scratched up and old I didn't have to worry that much about it. I had also just bought an old Raleigh road bike in excellent condition to change into a fixie.
Both bikes had been recently serviced and were working perfectly. I hadn't ridden them since their service. Went to my locked garage the other day - lo and behold - both were missing!! And they had also nicked my bodyboard bag to fit loads of other items in - but left the BB thankfully. No one would have known the bikes were there apart from my neighbours so I trust no one. Especially not the guy who moved into a flat 2 weeks ago with Love and Hate tattooed on his knuckles and tattoos up his neck! And who seemed to be smirking when I asked him if he had seen anyone about.
Anyway I have now bought another "decent" bike off Gumtree. I have also bought some lockable skewers and this Kryptonite lock
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Kryptonite-Se ... 3a62bfe83a
My problem is I need to get a valuation appraisal to ensure I am covered by the "up to £800" cover offered by Kryptonite.
My basic question is will my LBS be happy to do this even if I haven't bought the bike from them - it has to be on their headed notepaper? And if so are they likely to charge me - if so how much?
I can prove I bought the bike legally - the guy I bought it off was straight as a die and although I got no receipt off him I am certain he will be happy to forward me one and possibly the original invoice if he still has it - he said he bought it new and rode a handful of times - and I believe him.
Sorry for the length of my first post, I just want to go about everything above board - and will be double, triple, locking my bike and parts and am adamant that no one thieves another of my bikes!
Any advice or help on getting the valuation appraisal really would be appreciated. Thanks
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Comments
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original receipt wuld be best, if you are a regular then the lbs might value it for free, otherwise a few quid for admin, or a strategic purchase, would oil the wheels
about that lock...
the kryptonite cover only lasts a year
that cable will cut with a light hand tool in a few seconds, the shackle is only 13mm, a pair of big cutters will probably go through it in under a minute, they crop thicker chains than that
don't rely on the cable, make sure the shackle is well above floor level to prevent a thief getting leverage, make sure whatever it is fixed to is stronger, consider hanging the bike up on the wall so that the shackle is way up high
maybe fit an alarm to your garage
get decent insurance that covers your home+contents, m&s insurance is *very* goodmy bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny0 -
Thanks a lot for the response and advice. Have done a bit of research about how and where to lock the bike when I am out to avoid leverage and jack attacks. I have read quite a lot of reviews of the lock and seems to be OK for the money especially with the insurance. Even though I doubt they would pay out if you couldn't return the damaged lock!
I am going to leave the bike inside until I get round to fixing wall anchors in the garage and even then I will lock it in there. I have definitely learnt my lesson.
Ironically I did just take out contents insurance about a week before this happened but I am sure there is going to be some clause about them being locked to something immovable in the garage. And I expect they will think I am trying it on so am not going to claim.
What annoys me, and probably alerted my neighbourly thief - was that I had a mobile bike mechanic who had just come and done some work for me - anyone walking past would have seen what was in my garage - so they just got two old but serviced bikes that worked fine and had some pretty good new parts on!
Am not really friendly with anyone at LBS as tend to have got my bikes and parts from Ebay and CRC but there are quite a lot locally.
You think they will be happy to do the appraisal then? I was willing to pay up to £5 - does that seem fair?
I will also try and get the original receipt of the guy I bought it off0 -
That lock wont be up to much.
Police often recommend spending at least 10% of the value of your bike on a lock.
For me there is only one name I trust with security and that is Abus.Having sold and used Abus products for about 20 years I have real faith in them.
For leaving my bike in town and public places I use this http://www.wiggle.co.uk/abus-granit-steel-o-flex-1000-100cm-cable-bike-lock/
Its not cheap but its a fantastic lock.0 -
Phoned up a LBS to get an appraisal - told me it would cost £25!
More than the lock - what a joke!!0 -
It gets pretty good reviews on this site
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kryptonite-kryp ... ke-d-lock/
Seeing that I only paid £170 for the bike I think it is OK. Bike is a Scott Sportster P6 - 2010 I think.
I think the guy told me it cost £350 - just hope he can find and send me the reciept - no way am I paying £25 for a piece of headed notepaper that will take 2 mins to sign!!
Will have to try some others0
