How to Thwart Bicycle Thieves

By Brooke Borel Posted 08.30.2012 at 9:15 am 9 Comments

Foiled Again Trevor Johnston

Thieves make off with at least 200,000 bikes every year. These four tools help keep two-wheelers locked down.

LOCK

The TiGr secures a bike’s frame and both its wheels. Riders loop the lock’s 23-inch titanium arms through the back wheel, pass them around the frame and any object up to 5.5 inches in diameter (bike racks, signposts, parking meters), and then fasten the ends together around the front wheel with a stainless-steel lock. TiGr lock From $165

TiGr lock: Sam Kaplan

LIGHT

The Blink/Steady is the most tamper-proof light on the market. Users attach the 2.1-ounce LED lamp with two types of fasteners—an Allen and a 2mm Torx—which makes removing it a difficult, time-consuming task. A light sensor signals the Blink/Steady to turn on at night, and an accelerometer gives the okay to turn off once the bike is back home. Blink/Steady bike light $95

Blink/Steady bike light: Sam Kaplan

WHEEL AND SEAT LOCKS

Bike components often lock into place with hex screws or lug nuts, so thieves can remove them with nothing more than a wrench. The heads on Pinhead’s seat, wheel and stem locks have a three-pin socket arrangement that corresponds to each user’s unique key. Pinhead skewers
$65 (pack of three)

Pinhead skewers: Sam Kaplan

GPS TRACKER

Wily thieves can defeat even the best antitheft gear on occasion. SpyBike designers hid a tracking system, including a SIM card and GPS radio, inside a cylinder that slips into a standard handlebar tube. When the owner parks, he activates the tracker with a magnetic switch. If a thief moves the bike, an accelerometer triggers the lithium-ion-powered system to text the owner, who can then track his bike’s location in Google Maps. SpyBike TopCap Tracker $160

SpyBike TopCap Tracker: Sam Kaplan

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9 Comments

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craig180

08/30/12 at 11:36 am

I wonder how the TIGr lock holds up against a battery powered angle grinder. Another blog did an article on this method of bike thievery.

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Robot

08/30/12 at 11:44 am

Locks deter the development of dishonest behavior of honest people.

To a dedicated thief, locks are simply an obstacle to overcome.

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ToomeyND

08/30/12 at 12:00 pm

@Robot,

I've seen this quote before. Sure, your bike can still be stolen. Someone could even cut down the light pole if they wanted to.

But are you suggesting that these things are bad to implement? Your own quote points to a reduction in the odds of theft by probably 95%.

It may even be higher, given that a "dedicated thief" probably isn't in the business of stealing bicycles.

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Robot

08/30/12 at 1:02 pm

ToomeyND,
Theft hasn't disapeared yet. Locks are good, stealing is bad. A person gotta do, what they gotta do to protect their stuff. ;)

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ejfineran

08/30/12 at 1:19 pm

Clever, but from bitter experience, you can return to a bike not stolen, but smashed beyond repair.

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Convictus

08/30/12 at 1:24 pm

$485 dollars worth of safety gear for my Huffy? Sounds good sign me up.

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xstaind

08/30/12 at 3:10 pm

If you own a bike valuable enough to justify spending this kind of money on you probably shouldn't be leaving it unattended in a public area in the first place.

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Johncon

08/30/12 at 9:21 pm

I prefer just to get $30 to $20 dollar bikes and just tune them manually, much cheaper and if it does get stolen it isn't that hard to replace.

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hurricane_force

08/31/12 at 5:57 pm

When my 16 year old (and MUCH loved Devinci) is left in public I use a "fogettaboutit" chain and lock. Expensive and heavy yes. But in 16 years thieves have managed no score on my behalf. The rest of the time it lives in the corner of my living room. So far so good. :)

Arnold E Stonehouse