Secure Allen Key Bolts

Headhuunter
Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
edited April 2013 in Commuting chat
I'd like to try to make it more difficult to remove the seat and seat post and possibly other parts from my commuter... I was thinking of getting those key type allen bolt things, you know the ones that need a special key to undo. What are those called? Does anyone have any experience with them? What are the best ones to get?
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Comments

  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    pinhead? http://www.pinheadcomponents.com/
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • Underscore
    Underscore Posts: 730
    I got a set of Trans-X security skewers for my rat bike that gets left at the station every day. They use a 5-sided version of an allen key and seem to work well enough but I'm not sure that they necessarily add that much security - if someone is really determined, they could easily but a set themselves for the key. I just bought mine to deter people who will steal anything that's not nailed down since anyone more discerning would realise that the whole bike is only worth £20!
  • DrLex
    DrLex Posts: 2,142
    Or superglue & ball-bearings, together with a small bottle of acetone to remove. As has been noted, anything left in public is vulnerable to a determined scrote.
    Location: ciderspace
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    DrLex wrote:
    Or superglue & ball-bearings, together with a small bottle of acetone to remove. As has been noted, anything left in public is vulnerable to a determined scrote.

    Yeah I found another thread which mentioned the Pinhead system which sounds good.... Not sure about the superglue thing, not sure I could be bothered to try to dig superglue out of the allen key hole every time I needed to adjust anything...
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  • MisterMuncher
    MisterMuncher Posts: 1,302
    I've had pinhead QR skewers for a good while now. They're a nice tidy job, but ffs put the key in your wallet, on your keyring or suchlike. Being stuck with a flat, a pump, a spare tube and a wheel you can't remove is quite a fix.
  • jedster
    jedster Posts: 1,717
    I use the pinhead qr skewers too. Much neater solution than threading cables through everything every time you lock the bike. They work well although obiously they are not actually QR - they screw rather than cam to tighten. I leave the key on a key ring attached in my panier bag which I always have when I'm cycling. The key is actually quite bulky to keep on your key ring all the time.
  • Cafewanda
    Cafewanda Posts: 2,788
    How about this option? A tad pricey though......

    http://atomic22.com/
  • DrLex
    DrLex Posts: 2,142
    jedster wrote:
    [...]they screw rather than cam to tighten[...]
    Sounds like this could be an issue for Pinhead with carbon items; the atomic22 is a shaped bit, so can be used with torque wrenches.
    Location: ciderspace
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    On my hack/station bike I just zip tie the QR lever to the frame/fork.
    It won't stop a determined thief, but it should be enough to make the casual chancer move on to easier prey.

    Just make sure you always have a way of cutting zip ties ! Most multi-tools should do the job.
    Misguided Idealist

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