cycling
28. Juli, 11:32 Uhr
So after cycling through eight countries with me, my roadbike was stolen in Berlin last week. Sad face. It got me thinking about bike security and, although the best security is of course to NEVER let it out of your sight, I like the idea of not living in fear if I want to eat in a restaurant or something for 30mins.
So after reading and watching tests for approx 10hrs while ill this week, these are my thoughts:
1. **GPS systems** are essentially all shit, especially the well-marketed ones like [Sherlock](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKZ6ulLfz0). The best that I've seen tested is [Velocate](https://youtu.be/inMv0tYxT64?t=3m58s), but it was still unreliable and, given its fake reflector design, is not suitible for roadbikes out of the box. The most promising thing that I've not seen tested is the [Invoxia Roadie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg_uPil0rN0), which uses a 'low power' network / IoT. It's small enough to fit in a frame, has a good battery, no sim needed, free subscription for 3 years then v cheap thereafter. BUT, it seems new and so I haven't seen a single real-world connectivity test. It *is* available though.
2. Having **two locks**. It's clear that two locks are better than one in general (front and back, multiple cuts total required) but after watching countless attack tests, it seems to me that they all have their strengths and weaknesses agains different tools and methods. So I figure that diversity is the answer, e.g. a d-lock that's strong against manual hand-sawing and torque attacks, plus a material lock which is near-impossible to bolt-cut, freeze, etc. Options for the latter may be the [Lite Lok](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH1dCtyMW6w) or [Tex Lock](https://youtu.be/Gze-S_UosZ8?t=2m4s). Be advised, though, that despite their marketing these *can* be torqued and hand-sawn respectively, while they're v effective against the other attacks. On the subject of the primary d-lock, it's worth noting that some require two cuts themselves, and/or loud powertools, like the Abus Extreme 59, Kryptonite New York range, etc.
3. **Audible alarms**. From what I've seen, the deterrent element of a loud motion-alarm is huge, especially when it's attached to an actual lock, so can't be thrown over a wall, as I've heard of happening. So, I would likely go for a silver-rated, alarmed d-lock (like the [oxford](https://youtu.be/F5vA3s3S5_A?t=41s)) over a gold-rated, non-alarmed lock, especially if I'm using two as per my last point. I like that this also pretty much protects against picking. It seems some okay locks can often be [very pick-able](https://youtu.be/p9Y0-jykSRY?t=1m38s).
4. A **remote element**. This is where I'm stumped. For me, greatest peace of mind would come from getting an alert when my bike detects motion, either to an app or plastic receiver. However, most of the time this functionality seems to be an add-on to GPS trackers which, based on what I've seen, I really don't trust. They're expensive anyway, and usually from glamorous, fly-by-night Kickstarter companies with no track record or real-world, third party testing. As per my last point, I don't want or recommend a stand-alone motion alarm that goes off loudly at the bike, only to be kicked off by the thief.
The only trace of what I need that I can find on the internet is here, and is obviously **no longer for sale!**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDykFaNFq3k
http://www.joybien.com/product/P_GS101.html
**Does anyone know of a simple two-way motion/vibration detector?** Just for short/mid-ranges.
**What do you think of my conclusions on bike security / can you add anything?**
Safe riding,
Loki
**EDIT:** I should add that there are also a lot of "**Smartlocks**" on the market, which focus on the redundant feature of unlocking using your phone, a needless gimmick for anyone interested in actual lock safety. I mention these locks because, while they may/may not have GPS, they almost all have a tamper alert like I'm looking for, relying here on Bluetooth. However, a quick look at the Amazon reviews for well-known ones like [Ellipse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2VwDoAXAak) (prev. Skylock) or [Linka](https://youtu.be/LKxFC6KJTf0) shows that this feature functions TERRIBLY.
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