Bike security and all that jazz...

Buckled_Rims wrote:

Just read a posting about how the police has shown scant response to an expensive bike being nicked despite evidence on the victims CCTV.

So this question I have is, why doesn't bikes have a serial number more easily visible?

Could not a thin silver foil serial number be placed near the head/crossbar and lacquered over. If the silver strip is damaged it should bring a suspicion. I've never seen any damage to that area so should be safe. The usual serial number on the BB is often blocked by the cable guides, blurred or covered in oil...well on my bike it is.

So for the sake of the manufacturer/distributor saving a few pounds, we as consumers of expensive bikes have very little easily identifiable visible security.

Totally agree, but getting manufacturers to comply may be more difficult.
Its a shame that the police in some areas take it seriously and other areas can just muster the strength to give you a crime number. Lets face it a lot of the bikes people own on this site cost nearly as much as many cars, especially when you add on the extras. (dont tell my wife)

Buckled_Rims wrote:

we as consumers of expensive bikes

Hit the nail on the head there really. Lots of people who want expensive bikes don't want a little sticker ruining the look of the paint job.....sounds silly and counter-intuative but thats life!

As for data tags there are a few different types out there. Some of the more succsesful ones are RFID (radio frequency identification) based and have a small chip that you put down the seat tube with a design like a star nut making it hard to get out (only easy way to remove it is to remove the BB and push all the way down to there - something most bike theives won't bother with) when bikes like these are recovered by the police they can quickly scan the bike and get owners details

Only problem is it requires the owner letting the police know it has a chip (normally with a sticker placed on the bike which then has the same problem as above) and then the police have to actually get a scanner and check it and chase up the owner - something that isn't as high in their priorities as many other crimes. Maybe if manufactures or LBSs took up the idea and started selling all bikes with them in then it would become a more regular and easier task but that would then mess with precious details like cost and weight- sounds silly but then cyclists do obsess about saving every gram, especially if you're forking out a lot of money

What about something like this: http://www.datatool.co.uk/consumer/prod ... electronic

After all some people have bikes worth more than motorbikes.

http://www.bikerevolution.org/ Data tags like this?

One of my club mates is behind this. He demonstrated how it work a couple of weeks ago. After registering you can buy a stick on tag fo a few quid. Then if you have on iPhone ect you scan the tag with the app that is linked on the site which then takes you to be details of the bike, serial no., owner picture and the owner can see where it was last scanned if the phone has gps. Really neat and quick.