BEAT THE BIKE THIEVES
Bike theft is currently big news, particularly if you live in a city, especially London. But there are things you can do…
Keep the thieves at bay with the latest security devices.
IN THE GARAGE…
When it’s at home chain your bike to an anchor. The least expensive anchors are simple plates of metal that screw into the wall or floor. However, they are vulnerable to crowbar or wrecking bar attack. The best are concreted into the ground, like the £65 Oxford Terraforce. Even ultimate chains like the £180 Oxford Nemesis and £237 Abus Granit Extreme Plus can be beaten by an angle grinder, but this makes enough noise to wake you up in the middle of the night.
DISC LOCKS
Disc locks are easy to carry and secure your bike quickly. They are also an excellent visual deterrent – bright colours let any and all thieves know your bike is locked. Be wary of cheap versions, which might look good but have dubious build quality. They’ll fall apart if hit by a sledgehammer. Buy reputable brands such as Abus and you’ll get hardened steel that resists cutting and freeze spray. Locks like Abus’ Detecto 7000 (£132) and Oxford’s Screamer (£37) have motion sensors that set off 110db alarms if your bike moves.
USE A CHAIN
Chain your bike to a big, solid object such as a lamp-post or ground anchor. Beware of railings – some are easy to cut. Don’t be tempted by a cut-price chain from your DIY store, either. A proper motorbike security chain will be hardened steel. Square links, like the ones on Oxford’s £90 Hardcore XL are difficult to break. More expensive chains, like the £289 Abus Granit Power Chain, use steel that’s hardened on the outside and soft on the inside. This stops them shattering. Consider upgrading to a hardened steel padlock, like Squire’s £100 SS65CS.
KEEPING TRACK
Motorcycle hidden on the trackers bike are that small won’t devices stop a theft, but make recovery more likely. Expect satellite-based geolocation and even radio frequency so they work in GPS blackspots. Signals are sent to phone, tablet or PC – and can be set to automatically alert the police. The £129 Autocom GPS Bike Tracker provides live updates and there’s a back-up battery should power from the bike be cut.
DO THE BASICS
Some often overlooked. deterrents seem Opportunist obvious but thieves are are stealing your bike under stress, with no idea when you might return. Trip them up by putting your steering lock on and leaving it in first gear. Is your bike easy to start? Flip the killswitch or pull off a spark plug cap. Anything to delay them until your return.