How to prevent theft?

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OCC

New Member
Aug 15, 2012
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wisconsin
I know this is a darker topic but i plan on taking a 66cc stingray to and from school and work, how would i prevent someone from ripping ti off or stripping off the engine?

I know i could lock up the front and back wheels via lock but i need something more reasurring.
 
ocho ninja

ocho ninja

Member
Jan 14, 2012
564
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San Jose, CA
Well I used a u lock and one of those thick cable lock combinations to lock up my front wheel.

The rear wheel was hard to take anyways cause of the pesky double chain and I had a band brake that also held the wheel in place. It takes me five min to get my wheel of my bike.

It also helps locking it up in a public place with plenty off foot traffic.

I always parked my motorized bicycle in front of a small coffee shop at school along with other bikes.
 
Andyinchville1

Andyinchville1

Manufacturer/Dealer
Dec 26, 2007
502
1
18
Scottsville, VA
HI,

I think locking the bike with good quality chain and lock (or for even greater security a "U" type tube lock and / or an alarm type cable lock (I have a cable lock that has about 1/4" thick cable that it is attached to an alarm mechanism so if the cable is cut a battery operated alarm goes off) and parking it in a more "secure" or public type place (well lit) would help deter theft.

As far as securing the engine itself, that may be harder since you can't simply U bolt it....Maybe it could be hard welded to the mounts and frame (there are disadvantages of doing this tho BUT it would keep the engine from being easily unbolted and removed).

Hope this helps.

Andrew
 
Moto

Moto

Member
Jan 7, 2012
403
15
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San Francisco, CA.
I live in san francisco were bike theft is relatively common. I wouldn't trust a cable lock for sh$t, my friend has his nice bike stolen with one. I use a thick a$$ u lock, the kind one curved end so you cant pop it off with a car jack. If im leaving the bike for more than an hour I use another u lock the lock the rear wheel to the frame + a cable to the front wheel. A good tip for those of you with expensive saddles, use a length of old bike chain between the rails of the saddle and the rear stays of the frame. Cheers! Moto
 
dracothered

dracothered

New Member
Jul 25, 2012
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Lock the bike up with a good quality lock and cable or chain. For the engine use security style nuts and bolts that take specialized tools to undo. Such as security torque screws like these.

 
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xenodius

New Member
May 23, 2012
150
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Spokane, WA
Do not use a cable lock.

Do not use a cable lock. Please. Don't do it. I'm sure there are thick ones out there, but just don't bother. I can break a combination cable-lock in less than a minute with no tools and I'm not a thief. I just had some prankster lock up a cable lock onto the front grill of my car...

A good U lock will stand bolt cutters, but not an angle grinder. Not even the oft-mentioned kryptonite fahgettaboudit can stand up.

I have a huge 12lb hardened steel chain and mini-u from Harbor Freight, $10 on sale for both, regularly $12 IIRC. Woke up at 4:30AM and heard the chain banging against the apartment stairwell, took me at least a minute to get outside and the rat ran into his truck and peeled out before I could do anything. He was going to town on the lock but he barely nicked it, although he did bend it enough to make it impossible to unlock without a hammer:


I trust U locks, but I saw a thief on campus last year grab a cable lock and literally just pull it apart and ride away... super cheap locking mechanism just broke when he pulled on it.

But mine survived! zpt
 
d_gizzle

d_gizzle

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May 29, 2012
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Combination locks? Really? Try a Brinks cable and key lock. Let's see you break that,tough guy. Oh,and I more than know my way around a lock. All they do is keep an honest person honest. The rat that tried to steal your bike? He was a novice. I grew up dirt poor on a dirt floor and I may or may not know what I'm talking about. Combination locks-shaking my head.
 
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bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
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Lebanon, PA
I have a 3 foot long hardened steel chain that weighs about 5 lbs and a case-hardened steel padlock. It may not be impossible to pick or cut, but I park it on the sidewalk in front of my house (no yard) and I live on a city street. No one has messed with my bike in the almost 9 months I have lived here. As far as anyone stealing the engine, if you are that worried about it, use security bolts or weld it to the frame. I have never had anyone try to steal any parts off my bike.
 
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xenodius

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May 23, 2012
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Spokane, WA
d_gizzle said:
Combination locks? Really? Try a Brinks cable and key lock. Let's see you break that,tough guy. Oh,and I more than know my way around a lock. All they do is keep an honest person honest. The rat that tried to steal your bike? He was a novice. I grew up dirt poor on a dirt floor and I may or may not know what I'm talking about. Combination locks-shaking my head.
Click to expand...
I also hate combo locks, mine was a deadbolt-- dual-sided key. And I doubt I could break that Brinks setup, I can't pick a u-lock like that. Though a sharpie barrel will work on some of those ring-keys... that's why Kryptonite discontinued them. The plastic is just soft enough to deform correctly, and just strong enough to turn the lock.

I'm definitely interested in a super-beefy cable lock, because I'm hoping to build a monster ebike from scratch after I graduate and move-- weld up compartments for everything in the frame with my dad, he'd love the project-- and even though I expect it to weigh nearly 100lb's, it'll cost at least $2,500 (My car was $900! I have good priorities...) and I simply can't let it get stolen. But a U-lock won't fit in the modified frame I'm scheming and sketching. I'll remember that Brinks lock =) Or I'll coat a chain like the one I have-- identical to this one-- so it doesn't scratch my frame. And I'll definitely have a wheel lock...

Although... with an ebike, I could install a hidden always-on GPS tracker in one of the compartments... it'd cost at least $100, but with a 3kwh battery it'd last forever and the drain would be insignificant! I can an inline, custom DC-DC adapter with Anderson powerpoles from LYEN for cheap, it'd be easy to do...! =D
Edit: first GSM-based live gps tracker I found uses 5.4 watts. The smallest battery pack I'm considering-- ~2.2kwh-- would run that for over 17 days =) I think I'm okay with that level of drain =)
 
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d_gizzle

d_gizzle

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May 29, 2012
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Xenodius,that sounds awesome for the gps tracker. If I can ever get battery,charger,etc. I would like to do that as well. Might just get a battery pack and tracker soon. I really like that idea.



As for the brinks cable and lock,hardware section of wally world. They have 6ft,9ft,and/or 12ft & 15ft. I have the niner but....I never use it. I keep my bikes(MBs & bmx) in the house and I don't usually stop except for gas.


If you are making a custom frame,can you not put a hole through the frame for a u-bolt or a cable? Sorta like a fake bottom bracket? I just got it! Use a u-bolt and put a clip for the lock further up the downtube. Let me know whatcha ya think.
 
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xenodius

New Member
May 23, 2012
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Spokane, WA
You know, I probably will do that; All I really plan on doing is welding some compartments onto the down-tube and sides and possibly fiberglassing it, so there will be plenty of places to drill a hole. Might even evolve into a lock holder! =)That's the nice thing about an ebike... you have extra power around for accessories, and their draw is insignificant. The LYEN controller I'm considering comes with an optional output for dual 1000 lumen Cree headlights that I could run for at least a week. And the NuVinci dev-kit needs power, too. And now the GPS tracker =)
 
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xenodius

New Member
May 23, 2012
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Spokane, WA
You know, I probably will do that; All I really plan on doing is welding some compartments onto the down-tube and sides and possibly fiberglassing a cover over it, so there will be plenty of places to drill a hole. Might even evolve into a lock holder! =)

That's the nice thing about an ebike... you have extra power around for accessories, and their draw is comparatively insignificant... so 2000 lumen headlights, GPS tracking, and a dev-kit are no big deal =) What's that? No, I'm not obsessed...
 
d_gizzle

d_gizzle

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May 29, 2012
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Sounds like you got it. Now I have to see the bike! A lock holder is what I was talking about on the front of the down tube.
 
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xenodius

New Member
May 23, 2012
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Spokane, WA
d_gizzle said:
Sounds like you got it. Now I have to see the bike! A lock holder is what I was talking about on the front of the down tube.
Click to expand...
I have to build it first =) And I have to graduate before I do that... But it's going to happen. I even have the Google SketchUp models...

But do you have any idea how hard it is to find a steel full-suspension 29er? They don't exist! I really want to go with steel, I don't want the fatigue of aluminum...

I probably need to get a thicker lock for my gasbike too!
 
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