Best security

[7755matt]

I've just picked up my shiny new bike so I'm looking to get some security to try and make sure it stays mine.

What do you all use, what would you recommend.

Bike is garaged overnight, kept in a car park at work during the day

[Bibio]

there are none. if they want it they will have it. you can however make it more difficult for them to do so. never fit a chain and padlock unless its tethered to something as they will just use the chain to help lift the bike into a van. alarms are only good if people respond to them and as we all know nobody gives a shizz about an alarm going off.

if you do find someone trying to steel your bike phone the police and do not approach the thief's, maybe shout at them but under no circumstances go anywhere near them. the scrotes steeling bikes are low life and will not hesitate to kick your teeth in or worse add to that you have just given them the key to make their life easier.

its a bike, its insured.

[Swin]

My bike is garaged overnight, and I have a ground anchor thru the back wheel.
At work it's in a secure car park, so I just use a disc lock on it if I pop to the shops, it had a cat 1 alarm fitted when I bought it, but I doubt it would really deter a "proper" thief.

My attitude is that I can confidently tell the insurance company that I have made all reasonable precautions against theft if it ever came to it.

[Swin]

My bike is garaged overnight, and I have a chain going into a ground anchor thru the back wheel.
At work it's in a secure car park, so I just use a disc lock on it if I pop to the shops, it had a cat 1 alarm fitted when I bought it, but I doubt it would really deter a "proper" thief.

My attitude is that I can confidently tell the insurance company that I have made all reasonable precautions against theft if it ever came to it.

[7755matt]

That's pretty much what I'm doing, with the exception of the ground anchor. It's not definite where it will be at the mo so no point drilling and bolting a ground anchor when it may move to the other side of the garage. It had a chain through the wheel and a better disc lock is arriving tomorrow.

[Swin]

Just a pointer on insurance, I had a bandit nicked off my front garden a while ago, insurance policy stated that the bike was garaged.
Insurance company tried to charge me £400 as the bike wasn't garaged at the time of the theft, even though I hadn't actually finished my working day and therefore the bike was still in use.
Long story short, I now have my SV insured as being "off road" when not in use, even though it's still in a garage.

[edit] I rent a council garage, I'd imagine it's not so relevant if you have a car-hole on the side of your house

I made an impulse purchase when i saw a demonstration of the Grip Lock. Hardened steel bars and all. I installed and stood back all pleased with myself. Then I realized that 15 seconds with a dull hacksaw would cut the brake lever and release the brakes. 2 seconds with a side cutter would snip the brake line for the same "messy" results. It still rides under the seat, but rarely used.

[Swin]

Originally Posted by Terry Lee

I made an impulse purchase when i saw a demonstration of the Grip Lock. Hardened steel bars and all. I installed and stood back all pleased with myself. Then I realized that 15 seconds with a dull hacksaw would cut the brake lever and release the brakes. 2 seconds with a side cutter would snip the brake line for the same "messy" results. It still rides under the seat, but rarely used.

These things aren't going to deter a thorough-going scoundrel, but I think they still have a purpose in life - they stop the casual scumbag from bothering with your bike, but as Bibio has said, if someone really wants your bike, they're going to get it

[Red Herring]

This is one of the situations where ignorance is bliss.... If the scrotes don't know about your bike they can't nick it! Having it in a garage is a real bonus, but try and avoid leaving the door open or the bike parked outside at all if there is any chance of passing traffic seeing it. I know it's your brand new pride and joy but try and avoid showing it off!

Parking it whilst at work is another issue. Unfortunately there is nothing worse than leaving a nice new bike in the same public place on a regular basis. If they want it they will recce what they need then come back and get it, and short of posting an armed guard you won't stop them. Do you have to park it in a car park or is there any chance or sorting somewhere else, like a nearby house or shop that would let you put it out of sight around the back for a small fee? If you do have to use a car park are you putting it in a dedicated bike bay that has something substantial to lock it to, or is it in a regular car space? The issue with the later is that it is generally very easy for a thief to reverse a van up to it and just pull it in, whilst being nicely shielded from view by the cars either side.
If you can't lock it to something then put the chain through the rear wheel, not the front as it's much harder for then to pick up the back and wheel it on the front. Better still put a disc lock on the front wheel as well.

[NTECUK]

Ground anchor. (mines just a loop of steel chanlle U shaped in the garage floor concreted in. So I don't trip over the thing when not in use)
Big chain!
At work it's parked in the w-shop chain to the bench.