a year and a half ago I got a new bike (yay) - kept it in my garden, locked it up every night. Maybe late autumn I left it unlocked for no more than ten minutes, went back into my garden and it had gone.

Insurance company sent me a nice new bike, and all was good.

Then 2 weeks ago or so, the bike was locked to a bolt in the wall (wont leave it unlocked AT ALL now) - and theives took the seat, handlebars, and wheels. Now that just takes the ****...

So having just recieved a new bike from the insurance company I am not sure what to do.

To explain a little:

Our garden backs onto a little path, the wall is 6foot + high on the outside - I have to stand on tip toe to look into the garden - and about 8 foot from the inside (odd design)
our next door neighbours have right of way through our garden, and it is designed in an L shape, sort of around our house, so there is no possibility of a shed.
Its a 2 up 2 down with kitchen + loft conversions, so no storage space inside the house (other than the cellar, so it is highly impractical)

I was thinking I should take some spray paint to it, give it an ... ameteur paintjob, to deter theives (tbh I am not arsed what state it looks to be in, if it works it works)

Do you think this will deter the theives?

Any other ideas?

Who knows what will deter thieving scum bags, they have no brain as such so are unpredictable.

Wires/ mains seems tempting though

I'm trying to find serious solutions. I imagine its local kids (some of whom I vaguely know) - and they wouldnt dare be seen with the bikes, etc. so I think they must be nicking for resale (is there a market for second hand bike seats???)

so mythoughts go, if the bike looks **** (spray painted) they wont get any cash for it

Which bit would you spray? they took all the bits you wouldn't spray this time.

I like the mains idea, but it may be a little impractical ;)

I'll have a think :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Carl_Malibu
I'm trying to find serious solutions. I imagine its local kids (some of whom I vaguely know) - and they wouldnt dare be seen with the bikes, etc. so I think they must be nicking for resale (is there a market for second hand bike seats???)

so mythoughts go, if the bike looks **** (spray painted) they wont get any cash for it

There would be a market for second hand bike seats if they belonged to Brittany spears or Kylie

Can you get an alarm for it? Other than that, a steel cable and padlock going through all the detachable components may be an option.
Personally, in your situation I would sit at the window looking out with a baseball bat and a phone that had had "99" dialled and my finger hovering over the redial and "9" buttons.

lol I like that plan phil.

We made sure the insurance company took all the "quick release" things off this time, but that it seems isnt much of a deterrent; after all, how hard is it to carry a load of alan keys with you.

with regards to paint, the frame would be easiest, and I could make some attempt on the spokes. Anything that'll help seperate parts stand out.

Gah, I dunno, I have yet to hear of a bike lock that keeps the seat/handlebars secure. :(

Suspend a piano above the bike on a quick release fastening triggered by a motion sensor? :D

I can sympathise with you, couple of years ago I had my bike nicked while living in Derby and two weeks later - having replaced the bike with a shiny new one - I had the seat and front wheel nicked from Derby station.

At home I have an old outside loo where I keep my bike now but when it’s at the station I double lock it. So the front wheel is secured to the frame with a cable and use a d-lock to secure the rear wheel. Both locks are secured to the bike rack. I no longer have a quick release seat.

Another thought. Can you not fit one of those lean-to tool boxes against the wall? Some of them a big enough to fit a bike in.

I'm sure that you can get small "bike safe"'s to bolt to the wall/floor as an extra level for them to get through.

I can only see the Motorcycle ones on the web like this (http://www.site-safe.co.uk/bikesafe.htm) at the moment but I'll keep looking and maybe someone else has heard of them.

my yard is a similar shape to yours by the sounds of it. I managed to fit in a 6' by 2.5' lean too shed, which keeps the bikes out of site.

Failing that, you could make access more difficult somehow (is broken glass cemented into your wall tops illegal now?).

Is it just 1 set of neighbours who have access, fit a gate with a lock, give them a key.

You could also fit a cctv camera (or the fake ones) overlooking the area, a security light, or a big sign saying i'm going to brake your legs if you touch my bike.

When someone pinched my scooter a few years back I was given the same advice re 'customising' various parts of it as a deterent (oh yeah and to lock it next time!) My replacement scooter doesn't look so tempting now what with the reg number scrawled in several parts in permanent market pen but I've still got it so who cares (sod law says I'll get it nicked tonight!)

In the age of broadband and the like, fairly cheap to set up a webcam overlooking your yard, a thought.

Apart from that, there's only so much you can do, if someone is going to nick it then they'll nick it, living in this country unfortunately makes that a reality, cheers Tony B I've bet you've never had a bike pinched from outside no.10!!!

Latex,

Dave.

im thinking maybe a dummy camera would work...

to give you an idea of why we cannot build a shed..

http://members.boards.ie/carlmalibu/gardenplan.JPG


Bow in awe at the paint skills :S

but yes, you see the problem? The only possible place would be where the bins are, but then the bins could not go anywhere.

Originally posted by webkey
Tony B I've bet you've never had a bike pinched from outside no.10!!!
Have you seen the gate across his road?
And how many coppers? :suspect:

Why can't you put a lean to on that green bit, against the wall?

You could lower the raised and uneven bit, so they break their necks on the drop :hihi:
There may also be space for a small shed then :thumbsup:
Sorry, couldn't get a perspective on the scale from supplied architect's drawing ;)

well I forgot to point out that we have wall plants/trees/general rose bushy things growing all round the sides of the garden, and it all slopes towards the house, making a shed a little bit impractical.

This is worrying also because I am planning on purchasing a motorbike soon enough, and if that gets nicked..

*remembers the guns and ammo store down the road*

How about a rickety trellis arrangement?

A pergola that's constructed in trellis will form a barrier to hte intruders whilst maintaining the right of way for your neighbour.

It needs to be rickety to stop them from using it to stand on to break into the house :thumbsup:

By the time you have some plants growing over it (pyracanthasis nice and pointy) the bike will also be hiden from view :thumbsup:

Most of the above suggestions are good, but as Webkey said, there is only so much you can do - I've had many bikes/wheels/parts nicked (locked and unlocked) hence started using a big thick steel cable wound through the wheels attached by a £50 D lock BUT some gibbon actually tried to take one of my wheels off!? He/she/it obviously failed, so kindly stole just the quick release nut... how kind... grrr
Now I have my wheels bolted on super tight and left to rust a bit to ensure they stay on!

yeah I live off abbeydale road and once left my absoltely brand enw 1 week old !80 pounds bike outside and my boyfriend left his outside too, his was more expensive but a bit older and they both got nicked!!!! aaargh it was so annoying, he got his back because he has house insurance but i did not get mine back and his was at my house anyway!!!:rant:

i like the webcam idea, you can buy a wireless one on ebay for just over £40... have a look for quickcam cordless.

Set up surveillance software and catch the blighters in the act.

I hope you manage to do something though.

I once left my bike outside unlocked, fortunately it was still there the next morning as it wasn't visible from the street. You should have seen me go downstairs when i remembered though, nearly broke my neck.

"Failing that, you could make access more difficult somehow (is broken glass cemented into your wall tops illegal now?)."

who cares if it keeps the scum suckers out,

i like the shared gate idea,although a security light will just make it easier for them to see what they'r doing,maybe a p i r one that switches on when they poke their gaunt looks like they could do with a decent meal inside em sun starved faces round the corner,

JJ..

Maplins also sell tiny wireless spycams

I'm after one myself...
Have a read through this:
http://rotherhamchat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=355&b=1&st=&p=&#entry
They are small enough to fit into a bird box with the lense pointing out through the hole at your property.

If you recognise the culprit present them with a copy of the video & 24hrs for return of items or refund. :heyhey:
Then there's the baseball bat referal :D

In the meantime get some cheap carpet gripper & nail it round the top of your fence. A few torn hands tends to put them off AND you get DNA evidence in blood trails :thumbsup:

Carpet grippers, glass etc could land you in court.

I would definitely say some type of lean-to, maybe something here...

http://www.letsgogardening.co.uk/Shopping/Storage.htm

And get some bigger thornier bushes next to the wall - they're more effective than just something on top of the wall, and perfectly legal.

spiky plants (http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_trees_shrubs_other/article/0,1785,HGTV_3648_3059952,00.html)

My wall is 6ft high at the back- i had trouble with yobs climbing over trying to nick my bike,so i put thick car grease on the top of the wall, only £2.99 a large tub and its legal....i think!
-stopped the yobs anyway

Does it prevent cats too, eguin?

never heard of that before??

Halfords stock a huge range of bike locks??

This paint never dries; hence a good way of adding your own 'brand' to the yobbo's designer Argos gear!
http://www.nwepaints.co.uk/acatalog/AntiVandal.html
:thumbsup:



I see awhudds first post is that of a toe-typer
:suspect: :suspect: or a bike thief!?

the problem with spikey/greasey wall tops is our cats need constant access.

Originally posted by Carl_Malibu
the problem with spikey/greasey wall tops is our cats need constant access.

Cut a Cat-Hole in fence!:)

our cats are too stupid to realise


trust me, took em 3 years to work out what a cat flap does

Originally posted by Strix
Does it prevent cats too, eguin?

I don't have a cat but it stops stray cats(not the group) from coming into my yard as well.

why dont u try connecting a car battery to the frame of ur bike? u could switch it off from inside ur house when you want to use it and u will be able to smell bbq chav as they try to nick ur bike.. or at least hear them squal as they grab it :hihi:

if its a nice bike i dont see why u should have to vandalise it yourself just so they dont want it... i say booby trapping it is a mmuuuuccchh better idea :clap: