data-tag, worth it?

scale20 · September 2009

I’ve been thinking of getting a data-tag system for my most expensive bike and wondered if anyone here has them fitted to their bike?

I like to think that my bikes are pretty well secured and never leave my sight when out on the trail or in trail centres. When not used they are locked in the house however when I go out I never take a lock with me, that means if I’m out on my own I can’t have a sly pint in the pub! . When you’re out with your mates there is always someone there to keep a beady eye open while you nip into a shop or pub!.

On reading the various forums there seems to be an increase in bike theft where thieves are targeting peoples sheds, houses and even in one instance taking a couple of bikes that were locked to a rack off the back of a car in a trail centre car park!

Data-tag is cheap enough and gives you better odds on getting your bike back. In the pack you seem to get a small transponder and some tag stickers, so where would you put them? I take it the transponder would go in the frame and a sticker on each wheel and one on the forks depending on how many you get.

I was reading the reviews on wiggle and 3 out of 4 people raved about them but one slated them saying his bike got nicked and never found but you cant go off one negative review like that.

Lets have your views and experience if you have them fitted to your bike and if you have had the happy ending of getting your stolen bike back due to having it data-tagged.

supersonic · September 2009

Only gives better odds if the bike is recovered. It is no more likely to be recovered.

pyro_maniac · September 2009

have a look at immobitag, half the price for the same thing
as above though, asuming your bike is recovered then you will at least get it back

scale20 · September 2009

I looked at the immobitag when I had my EX9 but I couldn't get the tag far enough down the seat tube because a pivot bolt went straight through the seat tube half way down.

Now that i don't have the EX9 I've not ruled it out for my current bike.

The Northern Monkey · September 2009

I just have a virtual set of handcuffs between me and my bike... I go somewhere, then so does it.

If i'm not riding it, its in the shed, locked to 3 other bikes with 3 different padlocks and a ground anchor. The shed had also been reinforced, has a security light and is alarmed.

Take no chances, if you have to lock your bike out of sight then IMO you need a sh*tty hack bike that wouldn't even be stolen in Botswana.

dave_hill · September 2009

As Super says, Datatag only improves your chances of being reunited with your bike (for which read frame) at best. But only if it is recovered in the first place.

Like most people here, mine never leave my sight. If I'm out riding I never leave it where I can't see it - if that means sitting outside a caff in the depths of winter, so be it. They live in the house during the day, and I've even gone to the extent of buying an estate car so that they can be inside that if I have to transport them anywhere.

But to get back to the point, all my motorbikes were always Datatagged - none of them ever got stolen so none had to be recovered so really it was a bit of overkill to get 5% off my insurance. Which in the end wasn't worth it anyway, because it alway went up by more than I was saving every year anyway.

So no, I don't think that it's a good investment.

scale20 · September 2009

dave_hill wrote:

Like most people here, mine never leave my sight. If I'm out riding I never leave it where I can't see it - if that means sitting outside a caff in the depths of winter, so be it. They live in the house during the day, and I've even gone to the extent of buying an estate car so that they can be inside that if I have to transport them anywhere.

I'm exactly the same but just got rid of the estate car, thats why its playing on my mind wether it is worth shelling out for the tag kit.

Tank-slapper · September 2009

There is a 'grain-of-rice' version of Immobitag that glues inside your frame. It costs 13.99:

http://www.immobitag.com/uk/view.php?st ... &product=3

nicklouse · September 2009

some insurance companies will offer a better deal if you do "TAG" the bike.

dave_hill · September 2009

nicklouse wrote:

some insurance companies will offer a better deal if you do "TAG" the bike.

Yes but the saving is very often a lot less than what the Datatag costs in the first place, so what's the point? It's like installing a £500 car alarm to get £25 off your car insurance - it would take 10 years to recoup the cost.

stubs · September 2009

bigbenj_08 wrote:

Take no chances, if you have to lock your bike out of sight then IMO you need a sh*tty hack bike that wouldn't even be stolen in Botswana.

I had a sh1tty hack bike and guess what some git stole it the flaming lock was worth more than the bike. That was a long walk home my chips were cold and the beer was warm by the time I got in.

jayson · September 2009

Save your money there not worth s**t if u ask me. I had my bike tagged but it dint make any difference at all because when it was nicked it was never found or even seen again so what was/is the point.

get a monstrous lock and NEVER leave your bike unattended, thats far more effective than a stupid chip inside the frame and a completely pointless sticker.

andituk · September 2009

My sister is a cop in Manchester, and was telling me about a bike she'd recovered but couldn't find the owner of, I asked her if she'd scanned it for a tag and apparently they don't have a scanner. This is in the main police station for the city centre too..

data-tag, worth it?

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