Must renew my scooter insurance by 24th, but stumped at the question of which mechanical device (i.e., lock/chain) I’m using. Mine isn’t listed methinks, so am saying ‘none’ (still getting a good quote, though), but which one should I get? Especially should I get a big bike, which one would be The One to get to make stealing it just that little bit more difficult and professional?
Damn, can’t copy the long list from eBike. It has about 100 options from Abus ones to Almax, Artago, Datatool, Konig, Kryptonite, Luma, Motoloc, Motrax, Oxford, PJB, Squire, Viro, Xena. The Oxford alone has about 20 different ones.
Bearing in mind I can’t have a ground anchor and I hate chains (they get so dirty, so the bike gets dirty, so I get dirty, plus they take the entire top box; but I will get a chain if that’s what a girl’s gotta do!), I was thinking of a U-lock. Should I get a chain instead?
Advice?
Also, is £620 premium good for comprehensive cover with £150 excess for both the Vespa and the Monster? That’s what eBike are offering, am calling Carole Nash tomorrow to see what they say.
I suggest the Almax Imobiliser. Expensive at £ 140 or so, but comes with a gurantee that it cannot be bolt cropped. Tie this in with a good ground anchor and that should stop all but the real professionals.
I have two of those on my bike into a chemically glued and concreted ground anchor (I live in SW london, the insurers favourite; not)
The Almax lasted the longest of all chains in a “Ride” test, lasting 3 minutes of Level 3 attack (i.e with machines), as did the Squire padlock it comes with. Tie this in with the Motrax Vichy (spelling?) disc lock and it could cause some delay. That also took 3 minutes of level 3 attack to get through. Needless to say I have one of those as well.
75mm diameter loop is all that is needed/ Sadly that is bigger than the standard Oxford ground anchors, but then they did not do too well in the last test I looked at.
Is that Almax Immobiliser a chain? I’m renting and parking on the road, so cannot install any ground anchors, so will have to go for a good chain/lock. There isn’t even anything for me to attach the bike to, as usually I can’t get next to the lamp post. Perhaps I’ll get a vicious dog to tie to the handlebars.
Phone Chelsea Metalworks in Parsons Green good blokes and Bikers too see what they can do dont have the number to hand but I will be passing them today so I will get the number for you
Almax are fantastically good chains. No question. But if you got nothing immovable to chain the bike to as in Paivi’s case, then the best chain in the world is a complete waste of time. It will get lifted whatever’s round the wheels. In your situation Paivi, I would personally get a decent bike cover (the out of sight/mind approach) with locking loops for a little lock to stop it being removed at a tug, and a couple of 20/30quid locks for f+r wheels.
A few years ago I made an anchor that could be fitted to a drain grate purely for this reason. Basically a metal T piece with a threaded shaft. A cross bar that went over the shaft and a threaded collar that clamped it all down. In the shaft was a hole drilled to take a lock to stop the thing being undone. I used the lock on the chain ofr this so one key undid the lot.
Ok so its not going to stop a pro taking the bike but give an added measure against just leaving the thing freestanding with a chain thru the wheels. It stopped one bike getting taken and is really handy if theres nothing else to lock the bike to. Buggered if you couldn’t find a drain grate tho! Still sits under the seat if I’m off into town for meetings.
Anything is better then nothing and I would heartily recommend the purchase of disk locks. Paivi said she doesn’t like chains, but most come with covers to prevent the build up of dirt.
The Dog is an option but I feel the RSPCA might not approve.
Kao5 said: “Has anybody been cheeky enough to fit a ground anchor to the public highway yet ??”
Funny you should say that… I read Almax’s pages with great interest, and am thinking of getting the Immobiliser chain (which Carole Nash had not heard of, so no discount!), and was seriously thinking of getting a ground anchor and doing just that! Must be better than the U-lock I’ve got!
Their Hardie ground anchor looks discreet enough to be bolted down on Her Majesty’s highway without a council busybody noticing. The only problem is that it’d probably end up underneath a car or used by another biker. There really isn’t anywhere near my house where you can attach the bikes to, as everywhere is ‘no parking’ and the lamp posts or any such solid items are few and far between. The only road that has anything solid is also a very busy road for late night revellers with no CCTV, and that’s where my bike’s been vandalised a few times, as have loads of cars. As I now park it elsewhere, tucked between parked cars, I can’t even place the ground anchor at the end of the bays.
As there is no guarantee I’ll be able to lock my bike/s to a lamp post or anything else, would it be best to loop the chain around the seat as some people do, or let it lie loose on the ground?
Oh, well, I best check the visiting hours at the Battersea Dogs’ Home to see if I could pick up a nasty vicious dobermann or pit bull terrier. Or start developing a portable telescopic easy-to-install lamp post. Damn, I knew I should have studied engineering at Uni!
If poss keep the lock and chain off the floor when its on the floor the toe rags can get more leverage on the chain so try and get a chain that will go though the wheel and over the seat
I thought as much, so I’m thinking of the 2m chain, as it gives me more leeway in parking close to the lamp post. Because of my topbox in my current bike, I can’t park directly infront of the lamp post, so will have to go a bit to the side. Also, my rear’s very wide (ahem…), so I definitely need 2m to go round the body.
Just out of curiosity, how heavy would something like the Immobiliser be? Would it be in hundreds of grams or stretch to a couple of kilos?
might be a odd question, but do you know anyone who parks their car there? lock the bike onto the towing eye of their car, probably best to give them a key as well…
Poss what could be done get a lock that will go round the rear wheel but over the swingarm motor on the scooter make sure that it will go in such away that when you turn the wheel the suspension stops the chain going on the floor If you find out how long you need I can cut a chain to this length
No, mate, this is Central London, we avoid eye contact, let alone talking to people to see if I could attach my bike to their car/bike! To be honest, I’d worry about them forgetting my bike was attached to the car and driving off! None of the other local bikers park where I do, so I can’t even attach my bike to theirs. They seem content to risk scratches etc in the tiny bike bay, but my bike’s so fat and pristine that I need & want more space. I’m always a bit wary parking my bike next to a very scratched and dented scooter…
Erm, my bike’s the Vespa GT (the Big One, or so they’re saying!), so the only way is up, around the seat. Nothing’s exposed, everything’s nicely tucked away behind the £800 side panels.
I haven’t been to Frith Street for ages, so I suppose I could make the effort! Check out the talent, so to speak! What time are you planning to be there? Or are you going to the Ace first? Ace might be better, as Soho is past my bedtime! As is now, as I’ve got a job interview at 8am tomorrow, so should have been in bed hours ago! Talk to & see you tomorrow!
