Am I overdoing it with security?

crescent

Just had a new shed built which will coincide with the completion of my ongoing Gran Fondo build. The new bike will be kept in my shed along with the other three bikes in the family. I intend to ask a local blacksmith / metalworker to build me a secure rack (I'm currently jotting down a few ideas as to how this will look but will essentially be a lockable box section framework). The shed will be tied into my house alarm - the door will be alarmed and I will also incorporate a circuit that will loop through everything of value in the shed. I hate that I have to even consider these measures but I am paranoid about some scumbag stealing from me, especially something that I have spent a lot of money and effort in getting it just the way i want it. I looked at the Asgard secure stores and although they looked good they did not meet all our other needs for the shed hence the reason we opted for a timber building (10' x 8').
Although the actual project of securing it appeals to my engineering background I wonder if I am overdoing it a tad, perhaps I need to make it difficult for them rather than impregnable. I did actually come up with a workable electrification method :twisted: (this is my background) but I though better of it. Has anyone else gone to these levels or even beyond or am I just OCD?
Cheers

Pseudonym

wouldn't it be cheaper just to get them insured..?

flasher

Don't think you can ever be too secure!

I fitted an alarm to my free standing garage last year, combined with serious locks and a ground anchor system, my wife thinks I'm going mad, but she'd be the mad one if the whole lot (8 bikes, 4 of mine) went to some scumbags!

schlepcycling

Would a Shed Shackle not be a bit cheaper http://www.torc-anchors.com/shed-shackle.php

desweller

If you're building a new shed seems reasonable to incorporate some decent security features; much easier than adding them on at a later date!

NITR8s

If someone is determined to nick it, they will nick it no matter how much security you have. Obviously the more security the more they will be put off. The best thing you can do is insure them.

sungod

racks, locks etc. only need to be enough to make life hard for opportunistic thieves, a serious thief will have a portable angle grinder, that's almost unstoppable

a tough bar that you can hook the bikes to with d-locks or chunky chains should be enough, you just need to anchor the bar to the rest of the shed, and make sure chains are way above floor level (to prevent use of big cutters), and d-locks are not jackable

in the end, your real security is the alarms, the loop-through in particular, you need the siren/whatever high up on the house, on the shed it'll be vulnerable, also, will anyone take notice of alarms if you aren't around?

whether it's over the top depends on the threat level - where you live, local crime rate etc.

fredmac

Location: Glasgow.
No, you are not overdoing security.

desweller

If you can get hold of nitriding steels for your rails and chains then they'll even resist the likes of an angle grinder.

jeepie

I had my shed broken into so can confirm that http://www.torc-anchors.com/shed-shackle.php worked perfectly and my shed was left wide open with the hasps cut through but the bikes remained untouched.

crescent

Pseudonym wrote:

wouldn't it be cheaper just to get them insured..?

They are insured but I'd still rather not lose them in the first place.

Shed shackle looks interesting - hadn't seen that before. A bit concerned that it is only secured to wood though?

jeepie

I agree with you. I'd definitely rather not lose my bikes even though they are insured

I use a shed shackle and 11mm chain (from pragmasis). And a ground anchor like this one http://www.pjbsecurity.co.uk/concave-built-in-anchor which I fitted additionally after my break in, with a 13mm chain from the above supplier.

contadorbeef

Make sure you consider the roof of the shed, as I actually caught 2 scumbags one night taking the roof off our wooden shed to take the bikes. So have now had a utility room/loft in house specially adapted to store 3 bikes with another 2 in the loft.

Giraffoto

You're overdoing the security when you decide that another couple of claymore mines couldn't hurt. . .

desweller

Giraffoto wrote:

You're overdoing the security when you decide that another couple of claymore mines couldn't hurt. . .

Some might say that maiming someone is a bit OTT, but I have occasionally wondered about the feasibility of installing a small quantity of plastic explosive in the seat tube, to be detonated by text message upon discovering that my bike is missing.

The possibility of it accidentally going off might prey on my mind during normal rides though!

BruceG

The other thing to consider, is to make sure the security is very discrete. Over the top overt security only acts as an advertisement to the thieves that there is something of value beign protected, so ironically it attratcs the buggers rather than deters.

Flexisurfer

I don't think you can over do it after all it's the value of a personal item that counts. Most shed breaks are carried out by opertunists who need to get somewhere quick or get some more gear quick. A good door lock, bike lock and maybe a good light covering the shed would suffice.

Just seen a report on Essex Police checking car doors and open windows in a high vehicle crime area, they're knocking on doors to let people know and getting complaints from people when they knock on the door and get them out of bed :roll:

Bottom line, if you want to keep it then lock it up.

ianbar

you can never over do your security, anyone who has had their pride and joy pinched will agree! i would like to put my bike in a shed outside but really can't afford the level of security i would like

fossyant

No you cant over do it. I had a determined opportunist try and get in my garage last year. Disabled security lights, tried to pick the side door glass, then moved onto the single glaized wooden window - you know what I knew it wasn't secure - covered with bars on the inside. Thief didn't get in, but got a good look, so in went extra window and door bars, battery operated knock sensors on the glass and a shed alarm. Bikes are dlocked and chained to various ground and wall anchors.

shouldbeinbed

no chance of keeping the best bike(s) in the house? or have a decent looking but cheapo BSO left lightly secured in the shed that an opprotunist breaker can easily get at if they do get in, leaving their hands too full for the decent stuff.

otherwise, there's no such thing as too secure.

alwaystoohot

What about a movement activated floodlight?

Also, I had the ground anchor attached to the concrete floor of my garage to protect my motibike, this might be better as there could be less strain on the bike parts due the weight of the chain?
http://www.torc-anchors.com/torc-ground-anchor.php

desweller

Alwaystoohot wrote:

What about a movement activated floodlight?

Also, I had the ground anchor attached to the concrete floor of my garage to protect my motibike, this might be better as there could be less strain on the bike parts due the weight of the chain?
http://www.torc-anchors.com/torc-ground-anchor.php

Floodlights can have the opposite effect. If there's no-one around to react, all it does is give the thief extra lighting to work by.

Pragma

Hi,

Crescent wrote:

Shed shackle looks interesting - hadn't seen that before. A bit concerned that it is only secured to wood though?

This is Steve from Pragmasis, the manufacturers of the Shed Shackle (and other bits mentioned in this thread).

I'm not going to annoy people by being all 'sales-ey', but to answer the question the Shed Shackle does 'only' rely on wood so it is not as secure as a proper ground anchor installed onto 6" thick concrete. However, it does reinforce such a large area of the woodwork of the shed that it becomes really unattractive to a thief - yes, he could saw out a big chunk (e.g. 5-foot x 1-foot) of the wall, but he'd still have that huge lump of woodwork hanging off the side of the bike he's trying to nick! (And that's ignoring any windows he might have to break to do it.) The Shed Shackle also supports the weight of the chain and helps you to use a shorter (and therefore cheaper) chain.

All in all, we've sold well over 1,000 Shed Shackles and never heard of a single one being attacked let alone defeated, whereas there have been numerous cases where bikes that were not secured to the Shed Shackle have been stolen from the same shed.

We're happy to answer questions and will always try to give unbiased non-salesey advice.

Steve.

Pragma

DesWeller wrote:

Alwaystoohot wrote:

What about a movement activated floodlight?

Also, I had the ground anchor attached to the concrete floor of my garage to protect my motibike, this might be better as there could be less strain on the bike parts due the weight of the chain?
http://www.torc-anchors.com/torc-ground-anchor.php

Floodlights can have the opposite effect. If there's no-one around to react, all it does is give the thief extra lighting to work by.

I know a local Police Crime Reduction officer that thinks floodlights are a terrible thing in terms of security as it means a thief doesn't have to use a hand to hold a torch when snooping around. There are other CROs that value the movement-activated lights as they indicate there's something moving around. Of course, if the light will always be going off because of trees/cats/etc moving, or if there is nobody likely to notice anyway, it is probably not a good idea. I think you have to judge it dependent upon your own situation, where you would posiiton the light and the likelihood of false triggers, and whether you will find a movement-activated light a big help in other ways or just a drain on your electricity and a nuisance to your neighbours.

Cheers,

Steve.

smidsy

Pragma wrote:

Hi,

Crescent wrote:

Shed shackle looks interesting - hadn't seen that before. A bit concerned that it is only secured to wood though?

This is Steve from Pragmasis, the manufacturers of the Shed Shackle (and other bits mentioned in this thread).

We're happy to answer questions and will always try to give unbiased non-salesey advice.

Steve.

Hi Steve

Any chance of discount for BikeRadar folk?

What about if we get a few folk on here who all want to get together and purchase one as a bulk buy?

Cheers.

Pragma

smidsy wrote:

Pragma wrote:

Hi,

This is Steve from Pragmasis, the manufacturers of the Shed Shackle (and other bits mentioned in this thread).

We're happy to answer questions and will always try to give unbiased non-salesey advice.

Steve.

Hi Steve

Any chance of discount for BikeRadar folk?

What about if we get a few folk on here who all want to get together and purchase one as a bulk buy?

Cheers.

We're certainly happy to look at quantities going out as a single order/shipment. We can do more on 'separates' pricing than on our Package Deals as the latter are already heavily discounted, but even that varies from product to product. We have to be reasonably price-competitive with the Chinese stuff you see in the shops, even though we are manufacturing to a much higher standard and doing it here in the UK. Hence, our margins are tighter and that's why you don't see our stuff in the shops - they invariably want e.g. 50% discount and if we did that we'd be losing money on virtually everything we do!

If a bunch of people want to club together to place a combined order, then please bear in mind the shipping aspect. There is generally a 30kg weight limit so it helps if you can club together and get an order that is below that limit to go as a single shipment - you spread the shipping cost over more items and we only use one box and one set of paperwork We always subsidise shipping but it's a necessary evil when selling direct. We normally do free shipping on UK orders over £150 so just clubbing together to get over that threshold gives an easy benefit. We may be able to do more, depending on the mix and quantity of items involved. E-mail me as ideas are coming together and we can see what we can work out.

Cheers,

Steve.

crescent

Thanks for the info Steve, much appreciated. It certainly seems to be a quality product. Although I've certainly not discounted the shed-shackle altogether, I would probably opt for something more substantial, possibly along the lines of a ground anchor that can be 'embedded' into the structure of the shed base itself.

Cheers

clu

How about a bike bag for your expensive bike, keep it in the bag indoors. Won't solve the problem of your security dilema for other bikes, but at least your best bike will be secure. I've done that in the past, doesn't take up too much space.