Just starting out

wazza300 · 12 Dec 2015 at 15:35

do you have to pay a subscription?

oxford do a tracker and subscription aswell

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oxford-Mo...808520?hash=item20ff37ec48:g:kMIAAOSwPcVVqJIf

misterjingo · 12 Dec 2015 at 15:42

Yep, bike trac requires a subscription, but from what I've read, they're the only company who work directly with the police after confirmation the bike has been stolen - which perhaps explains some of their claims of sub 20 minute recoveries.

Stovepipes · 12 Dec 2015 at 16:05

Kreeeee said:
If someone stole my bike I wouldn't want it back.

Yeah my neighbour was the same, he managed to get his stolen bike back after a few days, then immediately fixed it up and sold it on.

misterjingo · 13 Dec 2015 at 09:23

Is the almax III good enough for when out and about? I've got a IV in the garden, but it's awkward to put on and heavy. The III is at least 'portable', I was thinking of getting the 2 - 2.5 meter one with the squire lock, and getting a Kriega DryBag US10 or similar to carry it about.

I figure that chain / lock + 2 disk locks should make people think twice...

TallPaul_S · 13 Dec 2015 at 10:57

Is there something you can chain it to? It sounds like this was a van job, probably 2 or 3 blokes, lifted the bike into the back of a van, 30 second would be all it took. Disk lock/chain etc won't help if it's not chained to something immovable.

misterjingo · 13 Dec 2015 at 11:06

TallPaul_S said:
Is there something you can chain it to? It sounds like this was a van job, probably 2 or 3 blokes, lifted the bike into the back of a van, 30 second would be all it took. Disk lock/chain etc won't help if it's not chained to something immovable.

A couple of minutes from my office is another place where bikes park up. That place has 5 large steel tube hoops - about 3-4 inches thick and 3 foot high / long which are embedded in the ground. I figure with a chain, that's as safe as it gets. Also directly under cctv and off the road on a paved bit.

wazza300 · 13 Dec 2015 at 11:35

Any nearby lamp posts? Telegraph poles,gates,railings ect

I have the almax 3 and its very heavy but I carry it in my rucksack if I'm leaving my bike parked up for long periods,short stops I parkup where its busy and congested/lots of foot traffic and use my disclock

Kreeeee · 13 Dec 2015 at 11:55

I love not having to worry about this problem.

misterjingo · 13 Dec 2015 at 18:52

Does anyone use an anti-pinch pin?:

http://securityforbikes.com/products.php?cat=Anti-Pinch+Pin

An issue I'm having with the almax iv is that it's too big to get through a lot of the "safer" parts of the chassis. Using something like the above would let you get the chain off the ground and secure the bike a lot better. Not sure if it's just wasting money though...

wazza300 · 13 Dec 2015 at 19:03

you ought of bought just the almax 3 to begin with really,the 4 series is huuuuge

you can atleast carry the 3 series with you and its more than enough security for chaining it at home ect,and its mostly out and about somewhere that its likely to get pinched,i did say that those style bikes scrambler/supermoto are a thief and chav's favourite that's why you gotta be extra carefull

aslong as you can chain it through the frame or the wheel,or the box section of the swingarm near the shock and around something solid like a lamp post youll be much safer than not chaining it and leaving just a disclock on it,two burly men can lift it into the back of a transit van in no time

Stovepipes · 13 Dec 2015 at 20:52

misterjingo said:
Does anyone use an anti-pinch pin?:

http://securityforbikes.com/products.php?cat=Anti-Pinch+Pin

An issue I'm having with the almax iv is that it's too big to get through a lot of the "safer" parts of the chassis. Using something like the above would let you get the chain off the ground and secure the bike a lot better. Not sure if it's just wasting money though...

Seems like a great idea, didn't know it existed. Good way to save money on chain length too.

wazza300 said:
Any nearby lamp posts? Telegraph poles,gates,railings ect

I have the almax 3 and its very heavy but I carry it in my rucksack if I'm leaving my bike parked up for long periods,short stops I parkup where its busy and congested/lots of foot traffic and use my disclock

I have a 2m long 16mm Squire chain and I can barely wrestle it around my bike at home, I can't imagine putting that into a rucksack and riding around with it. I'm genuinely impressed by that.

I know one bloke who uses an Almax IV at work but he doesn't carry it, he's just looped 2 around a pillar in an underground car park and left it there permanently. It's a good idea and there's nothing really to stop other bikers just looping their chains around it too, although i don't know if he'd be happy with that not that it affects him.

wazza300 · 13 Dec 2015 at 21:06

Pays to ask your workmates whether they mind you chaining it to their machines as well,any things better than leaving it free to be lifted into a van

Stovepipes · 13 Dec 2015 at 21:13

wazza300 said:
Pays to ask your workmates whether they mind you chaining it to their machines as well,any things better than leaving it free to be lifted into a van

Yeah it should be an unwritten rule amongst bikers that you loop your chain around the bike's chain that's next to you as it doesn't stop anyone from leaving at any time and makes both bikes marginally more secure.

My bike is relatively safe at work as I can see it from my office and I'm the chap you need to get past to steal it.

Junglist · 14 Dec 2015 at 12:25

Came into the thread looking forward to see how you were progressing and was greeted by the bad news. Sorry OP. I do hate free-loading scumbags like the ones who obviously took from you.

misterjingo · 14 Dec 2015 at 16:10

JunglistE said:
Came into the thread looking forward to see how you were progressing and was greeted by the bad news. Sorry OP. I do hate free-loading scumbags like the ones who obviously took from you.

I was progressing well until this kick in the teeth.

Security have found the guys on CCTV. Said they drove up on a bike, both helmeted. Drove around, scoping the area, then cropped the lock, broke the steering lock, and I guess they must have hot-wired it. The bike didn't have an immobilizer. They then rode it off down some footpaths.

They couldn't see their faces, but said they were wearing distinctive clothing.

As **** as it is, it seems having a good quality chain would have stopped it from happening. Next time I won't take any chances.

TallPaul_S · 14 Dec 2015 at 16:57

Yep I'd get an almax chain, they can't be cropped by hand tools so they wouldn't have been able to do much.

Sounds like the local chav scum rather than a professional group of people, which means they go for the easy bikes to nick.

wazza300 · 14 Dec 2015 at 17:42

yep almax time,also rig yourself up a discreet knobble switch,something that cuts the ignition,or pickup a cheap immobilizer

Flack88 · 14 Dec 2015 at 17:45

Next bike you get, leave it in the same place. Except this time put 2000 volts through the frame

Should be a nice experience for the thieving scum bags.

wazza300 · 14 Dec 2015 at 17:54

needs a huge monty python foot to come down and stamp on them

Craig321 · 14 Dec 2015 at 19:57

misterjingo said:
I was progressing well until this kick in the teeth.

Security have found the guys on CCTV. Said they drove up on a bike, both helmeted. Drove around, scoping the area, then cropped the lock, broke the steering lock, and I guess they must have hot-wired it. The bike didn't have an immobilizer. They then rode it off down some footpaths.

They couldn't see their faces, but said they were wearing distinctive clothing.

As **** as it is, it seems having a good quality chain would have stopped it from happening. Next time I won't take any chances.

Yup, a big chain and decent disk lock will stop chav/casual/opportunistic thieves like this - they will just look passed it because of the big chain when scouting like that. Sucks, but it's true.

Basically, anything that can stop a carry-in-backpack crop will probably do the trick when it comes to cases like this.