kiyo

Hi all,

I was thinking of getting one of the locks from bikealarm.com as a gift for Christmas. Seems to be a good looking little product for added security. Ideal for touring, or day trips. Super light and long battery life. Probably not secure enough to be used exclusively around the city. Almost too good to be true, when you look at the battery life of the competition.

After looking into it, the site is brand new; was indexed by Google in September. There are basically no backlinks, reviews, or any evidence of anyone ever actually buying one of these things. Also, they have a 'no returns' policy.

So my question is, has anyone had ANY experience with this product. Is it for real?

Thanks,
Kiyo

2manybikes

Don't bother, get a thick cable lock with a metal locking device. Plastic locking parts can be easily defeated with a rock.
I used 8 or 10 different bike alarms. They are not as strong as a good cable lock, they eventually wear out and are then unreparable. One can cover the noise maker with something, or smash it with a rock, before cutting the cable. No one responds to an alarm sound. I used one in high pedestrian tourist areas before it wore out. It was light weight.
They false trigger on windy days. Like any cheap cable lock they just prevent unplanned grab and run events, when someone has no tools. With a quality cutter the cable can be cut in a second.
I repeat, spend the money on a thicker cable that has a metal locking device, the plastic ones can be destroyed by a few hits from a rock.

kiyo

Yeah but think of the application to touring in friendly rural areas. When it's either this or no lock at all. If it even goes off for a second, it will wake you from your tent. Similarly for a day ride, it you want to stop at a cafe or bar. I agree it's useless as your only locking mechanism in the city when you will be far from your bike.

It's not a motion sensor, so no false alarms.

Snydermann

I think I agree, it might make a great lock four touring, securing your bike outside your tent, or making a quick run into a convenience store for supplies. I wouldn't trust it for long term security.

2manybikes

That's what I used mine for. It will wear out if you use it a lot. It's Ok in the touristy areas unless someone really wants your bike and is not worried about other people. like most stupid bike thieves. But, yes it will stop someone without a small wire cutter a rock, or a rag to silence it.
Not being a motion sensor is a good thing.

Outside your tent is a good aplication. If you are close by and can hear it, it's as not quite as good as a $5.95 cable lock, but close.

silmarillion

I always thought some kind transponder that could be dropped down into the seat tube that worked on the same technology as Low-Jack would be cool. Probably not too practical though.

Bikes are certainly beginning to become expensive enough to justify something like this...

rekmeyata

The lock would indeed make a great lock for touring with, it's light weight, and will wake you if someone tries to mess with the bike. But it would be completely useless for locking it at a store and walking away for a bit. A pair of simple wire cutters or a serrated knife would defeat the cable, and any noise it would make most people walking by wouldn't even care...just look at peoples reactions when car alarms sound off in parking lots!

By the way, the idea of getting a thicker cable for security...don't waste your time, those can be defeated in seconds, get a really good U-Bolt lock and lock it like this: https://www.missinglink.org/page/how-lock-bike Do not lock it the way Sheldon Brown describes, his method allows the rim and tire to be cut and the bike is gone. Personally if you have a really nice bike and are afraid of getting it stolen while parked outside someplace like college campus or work etc. then buy a cheap used beater bike and lock that up instead using a less expensive U lock, and leave the nice bike at home.

chefisaac

I still think our industry is lacking when it comes to bike security and ways to secure your bike. Just my opinion.

Found this. sorta interesting:

https://mybikealarm.com/index.html

rekmeyata

I agree fully. It wouldn't be that difficult to put a high pitch annoying alarm into a U Bolt lock or any other lock for that matter. It may cost another $10 for the lock but you wouldn't need a $120 lock anymore either. That video was weird though on the MyBikeAlarm site, he didn't lock the bike to the rack, just locked the rear wheel to the frame.

chefisaac

and the funny thing is that its in the water bottle. If I was a theif, I would chuck that thing and cut the locks.

chefisaac

rek: your own to something..... think of an alarm in a u lock that can be turned on with a key fab like most people have that lock and unlock their car. Could be good.

Or something in the seatpost.

why does this industry lack stuff like that?

Ira B

Like a 12 gauge shell on a pressure switch.

2manybikes

I own a U lock with an alarm in it. It's maybe 10 years old, I can't remember. Just about any style of lock you can think of with an alarm has been made. I probably have one. They stopped making most of them years ago.

I did not seriously try to buy the one that fits in the seat tube, It was only marketed in the U.K. The problem is, to make the price close to the non alarmed lock of the same style alarmed locks are mostly made cheaply. There were a couple of really good cable locks with nice metal housings that were hard to break into. However all you need to do is put a rag over the speaker and cut the cable. In the end the result is almost the same as any other cable lock. I would rather have a thicker braided cable than a lesser cable with a good alarm box. I stopped using it. It's a few years old. I can't remember how old it is. I had at least four different alarmed cable locks. At least five motion detector locks that bolt to the seat, etc,etc,etc,..............

Did anybody try to search the interwebz for "alarm lock bicycle" ? That's how I found mine. Nothing is really new.

One really needs to bump the U lock hard to set it off. Even before the round key problem it was not very good, one almost has to dent the bike to make it work It would be fairly easy to cut without trigerering the lock . It is the round key however. Anybody want it? I still have most of the alarms.

rekmeyata

Cables looks are very poor deterrent to theft no matter how thick...unless the cable is about 2 inches in diameter! Any cable used for locking bikes with currently on the market can be defeated in less the 10 seconds by simply using a cable cutter or a angle grinder.

I have always been an advocate of using two different locks to secure a bike, the first one a U-Bolt, and the second a armored cable, with each using their own lock-not sharing a lock. And probably the best cable lock on the market is the Master Lock Quantum 30 Armored Cable Lock, 6-Foot that only cost $30.

I did find a really thick cable lock with an alarm, see: https://www.bikebone.com/page/BBSC/PROD/AC/TAL2548

And this one has both shock and movement sensors that will sound a siren: https://www.greenspeed.us/bike_alarm_lock.htm

And they do make a U-bolt with an alarm and a pager!? See: https://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...ith-Pager.aspx

Or this U-lock: https://www.alarm-padlocks.co.uk/inde...od&productId=6

They also make padlocks with alarms; see: https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Sir.../dp/B00178WLU6

As you can tell they do make these items but for some reason are not embraced by the cycling crowd.

chefisaac

this one does look pretty neat and the reviews are great:

And they do make a U-bolt with an alarm and a pager!? See: https://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...ith-Pager.aspx

chefisaac

I would think getting some former bike thiefs together (key word former) and help come up with a better bike lock would be a good idea.