# Warning to all cyclists - Must read.



## Psyclist (20 Jan 2013)

Saw *this* and thought I'd share it. Seems that people are being targeted on sites, and having their bikes stolen. Something to think about anyway.

Cheers,


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## HLaB (20 Jan 2013)

My mate in the polis up north was warning about it too


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## Drago (20 Jan 2013)

Any thieving scumbag reading this should note that I own a crossbow.


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## Thomk (20 Jan 2013)

I don't believe in this nonsense. Anyway I have a rusty old £5 30 year old worthless BSO.....AND a couple of starving rottweilers let loose.....AND a shotgun....AND I'm a psycho.......AND I live in a castle with a moat and electificational stuff around it AND......I have leprosy.....and loads and loads of other stuff too.....oh yes and I'm a Jehovah!


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## BrianEvesham (20 Jan 2013)

Thomk said:


> I don't believe in this nonsense. Anyway I have a rusty old £5 30 year old worthless BSO.....AND a couple of starving rottweilers let loose.....AND a shotgun....AND I'm a psycho.......AND I live in a castle with a moat and electificational stuff around it AND......I have leprosy.....and loads and loads of other stuff too.....oh yes and I'm a Jehovah!


I think I went to school with you.


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## Thomk (20 Jan 2013)

Awrite Brian


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## Cycleops (20 Jan 2013)

Thomk said:


> I don't believe in this nonsense. Anyway I have a rusty old £5 30 year old worthless BSO.....AND a couple of starving rottweilers let loose.....AND a shotgun....AND I'm a psycho.......AND I live in a castle with a moat and electificational stuff around it AND......I have leprosy.....and loads and loads of other stuff too.....oh yes and I'm a Jehovah!



The last bit is the most scary.


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## Thomk (20 Jan 2013)

Would you like to come into a private room with me and talk about it?


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## BrianEvesham (20 Jan 2013)

Eye.

Oh and I don't own any thing worth nicking, in fact I actually ride my old school bike.


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## BrianEvesham (20 Jan 2013)

Cycleops said:


> The last bit is the most scary.


I wanted to post that but didn't have the balls.


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## Thomk (20 Jan 2013)

Same old Brian. If you want to be part of the 144,000 you'll have to be a bit more proactive than that


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## 400bhp (20 Jan 2013)

Gotta be STRAVA and people not protecting their privacy, be that creating an exclusion zone around their house, or stating the bike's details in all its glory.


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## gaz (20 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> Gotta be STRAVA and people not protecting their privacy, be that creating an exclusion zone around their house, or stating the bike's details in all its glory.


If you know what you are doing, there are ways to get around the exclusion zones on strava.


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## 400bhp (20 Jan 2013)

gaz said:


> If you know what you are doing, there are ways to get around the exclusion zones on strava.


 
I guess so, and I seem to recall Strava giving you the option to set the diameter of your privacy zone circles. This seems to have now been set to a default 1km.

The other perhaps scary thing is that someone could target you whilst out on the bike, in particular if you commute at a set time each day.


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## Buck (20 Jan 2013)

BrianEvesham said:


> I wanted to post that but didn't have the balls.



Well, he does have leprosy so that explains it!


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## Melonfish (20 Jan 2013)

i fix this by having a bike nobody really wants to steal...
but i love it all the same.


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## Accy cyclist (20 Jan 2013)

It's a bit wrap yourselves up in cotton wool and lock all your doors i'd say. People like to show off their mostly hard earned bikes and other possessions so why hide them away because of the slight chance that some low life might come and nick them?


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## d87francis (21 Jan 2013)

I'd doubt it's from thieves looking on forums, it's more likely there are shed loads of bikes stolen every week and the police do sod all about it.


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## MrJamie (21 Jan 2013)

I'm really not impressed with Strava's privacy/security, its ridiculously easy to get around and has been for ages, which suggests they aren't particularly bothered about it. I don't know if id blame it for bike thefts though, but I guess you could quite easily look through it for people with nice bikes locally.

I've also heard warnings of cyclists being followed home, so their bikes can be located and later stolen.


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## DCLane (21 Jan 2013)

If you've got an expensive bike, put it onto Strava then I'm not surprised you're targetted. Mine are on there but they are just model only.


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## Pale Rider (21 Jan 2013)

The answer often lies close to home.

The lad who stole my mountain bike was the son of the couple next door.

Slightly off topic: it was when I was cycling regularly in the 1990s and the burglary put me off riding - no point in buying another bike for him to steal.

My fitness went the journey, weight piled on, and 12 years in the cycling wilderness followed.

That simple bike theft had quite a big impact on me, albeit I let it to a degree.

I always sympathise with victims of any crime, however minor the crime might look to someone else.


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## Andrew_Culture (21 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> Gotta be STRAVA and people not protecting their privacy, be that creating an exclusion zone around their house, or stating the bike's details in all its glory.



One of the reasons I give my bikes silly names on Strava.


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## lulubel (21 Jan 2013)

This was one of the things I was concerned about when I joined Strava, and the reason I have my account set so I have to approve follow requests, which I could change now, actually. I wanted to know who had access to my ride details because I didn't want "some weirdo" being able to use the start/finish points to find out where I lived. (I never thought about bke theft, though.)

Now, I've discovered another advantage to living in the middle of town, on a busy street lined with 4+ storey apartment buildings above shops and restaurants. Knowing where my rides start and finish wouldn't be much use to anyone trying to find out where I live.


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## jefmcg (21 Jan 2013)

There doesn't seem to be much evidence to back up this fairly strong claim. 3 members of the same club had their bicycles stolen? Doesn't that suggest someone near the club, or getting physical access to the club records? Also, despite them saying that thieves are targeting nice bikes, the only brand they mention is Ridgeback.

There seems to be an increasing attitude of blaming the victim. There are ads on the London Underground suggesting it's your fault if you are robbed for having an expensive phone; ok, not for having it, but for using it. I'm waiting for someone to be told they should protect their high end bike by making sure no one knows they have it. 

(bit grumpy having to take public transport to work)


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## redcard (21 Jan 2013)

Did you get this from snopes.com?


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## thegravestoneman (21 Jan 2013)

The local 'scrappies' always have a bike or two on the back of the transit and they come round near enough every day they can't all be scrap bikes ! You can see into every ones back yards when you are in a trannie. They had my Record Ace and Holdsworth neither was rideable or much cop but they were mine .....


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## Rob3rt (21 Jan 2013)

DCLane said:


> If you've got an expensive bike, put it onto Strava then I'm not surprised you're targetted. Mine are on there but they are just model only.


 
IMO, you should only add names meaningful for yourself, E.g. Road Bike, Mountain Bike, Time Trial Bike, Fixed Wheel etc. If you have more than one of a certain type, name them something meaningful to you, but ultimatelly meaningless to others.


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## Rob3rt (21 Jan 2013)

jefmcg said:


> There doesn't seem to be much evidence to back up this fairly strong claim. 3 members of the same club had their bicycles stolen? Doesn't that suggest someone near the club, or getting physical access to the club records?* Also, despite them saying that thieves are targeting nice bikes, the only brand they mention is Ridgeback.*
> 
> There seems to be an increasing attitude of blaming the victim. There are ads on the London Underground suggesting it's your fault if you are robbed for having an expensive phone; ok, not for having it, but for using it. I'm waiting for someone to be told they should protect their high end bike by making sure no one knows they have it.
> 
> (bit grumpy having to take public transport to work)


 
I am fairly sure I know of the club who had 3-4 people burgled for bikes, at least one of them lost £9000 worth (4 bikes) another £10,000 worth (6 bikes). All of these thefts happened in/around the same suburb and to people in the same club.


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## Licramite (21 Jan 2013)

o well look on the bright side , if they are nicking better bikes it will up the quality in the police stolen goods sale.
last one down my way the bikes were rubbish.


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## Rickshaw Phil (21 Jan 2013)

I notice the report says the stolen bikes are all from the same _mountain_ bike club.

A couple of mountain bike forums I look at have been warning their members about a spate of thefts where people were discretely followed home after a day at a trail centre and the bikes then stolen either that night or a couple of days later. (Edit: I notice that MrJamie has made mention of this)

Also, people don't always bother to lock their bikes at trail centre cafe's, especially remote ones, so the scrotes cycle up to the cafe on a BSO, pop it in the rack, pick up a nice unlocked Orange or Yeti and ride away unchallenged. I know it sounds obvious but this has apparently happened several times now at trail centres in North Wales so it's worth being aware.


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## Accy cyclist (21 Jan 2013)

jefmcg said:


> There doesn't seem to be much evidence to back up this fairly strong claim. 3 members of the same club had their bicycles stolen? Doesn't that suggest someone near the club, or getting physical access to the club records? Also, despite them saying that thieves are targeting nice bikes, the only brand they mention is Ridgeback.
> 
> There seems to be an increasing attitude of blaming the victim. There are ads on the London Underground suggesting it's your fault if you are robbed for having an expensive phone; ok, not for having it, but for using it. I'm waiting for someone to be told they should protect their high end bike by making sure no one knows they have it.
> 
> (bit grumpy having to take public transport to work)


 

" Also, despite them saying that thieves are targeting nice bikes, the only brand they mention is Ridgeback." and what is wrong with Ridgeback?!


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## davefb (21 Jan 2013)

it may not be 100% "true" , but I'd say it was pretty good advice to be 'a bit careful'. especially since now thieves now know what to do 

tbh, I thought the same generic advice has been mentioned for social networks before... "for crying out loud don't advertise the fact you have goods to nick"

[edit]
if it was strava, wouldn't they have access logs?


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## Psyclist (21 Jan 2013)

Facebook groups are bad too. Especially for sale groups. People on fake accounts can message you, ask your address to 'view' the bike, not turn up. Then they'll steal from you garage or shed when you're out, or asleep.

I always advise people to meet at a police station when selling/buying a bike. Because if you don't, you can either be robbed of money for the bike, or the fact when selling, you don't meet at your address, where all your personal property is.

Strava is also an issue. I guess that's why I don't use it. But if I did, I'd start my recording of my route at least two streets away from my place. Also, I'd ride on random days, so that I couldn't be stalked/followed.


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## User16625 (21 Jan 2013)

Licramite said:


> o well look on the bright side , if they are nicking better bikes it will up the quality in the police stolen goods sale.
> last one down my way the bikes were rubbish.


 

Theres a potential problem I see here. What happens if the owner of the nicked bike you bought sees you and recognizes it? He will think you are the thief and probably put you in hospital. I would. Or follow him home and burn his house down sometime later.


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## Drago (21 Jan 2013)

Andrew_Culture said:


> One of the reasons I give my bikes silly names on Strava.


Me too, mine are...

Burglar Slasher

Thieving Scumbag Stabber

And...

Chain Link and Paving Slabs.


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## Pedrosanchezo (21 Jan 2013)

Regarding Strava safety i would say there are a few pointers:

Use the "request to follow" feature. Rides only accessible to those who you allow to follow. Don't join a club or group as this will allow anyone to look at your rides through the group. The club or group will be advertised on your profile regardless of privacy.

Don't start your GPS until you are at least at your road end. Further if you prefer. 

Use Strava privacy zone if not the above. 

Crop your rides if you use an iphone gps or similar. The gps will start at your house but you can quickly crop the start and end of any rides after you upload them.


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## Licramite (21 Jan 2013)

RideLikeTheStig said:


> Theres a potential problem I see here. What happens if the owner of the nicked bike you bought sees you and recognizes it? He will think you are the thief and probably put you in hospital. I would. Or follow him home and burn his house down sometime later.


 
No it's ok , as soon as you wheel the bike out of the auction the cops nab you for handling stolen goods, confiscate it and put it back in the sale. - and you in the nick.
simples.

its a good point though. - but the ones I saw you wouldn't want back other than for parts.


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## 400bhp (22 Jan 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Regarding Strava safety i would say there are a few pointers:
> 
> Use the "request to follow" feature. Rides only accessible to those who you allow to follow. *Don't join a club or group as this will allow anyone to look at your rides through the group*. The club or group will be advertised on your profile regardless of privacy.
> 
> ...


 
Really? Even if you have the "request to follow" feature turned on?

Not good.


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## Hacienda71 (22 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> Really? Even if you have the "request to follow" feature turned on?
> 
> Not good.


That is why I wouldn't put my full name on Strava. Only takes someone to put 2 + 2 together by checking the phone book.


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## Pedrosanchezo (22 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> Really? Even if you have the "request to follow" feature turned on?
> 
> Not good.


Yeh as the group info is public so all user rides show up. Quite annoying actually.


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## 400bhp (22 Jan 2013)

rightio - will change my settings.


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## Pedrosanchezo (22 Jan 2013)

Hacienda71 said:


> That is why I wouldn't put my full name on Strava. Only takes someone to put 2 + 2 together by checking the phone book.


Yup, no point in using real names on the likes of Strava. I have a friend who uses his first and last name, open public profile and starts his gps from his home!!  He won't listen to me.


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## Pedrosanchezo (22 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> rightio - will change my settings.


Request to follow is a must IMO. After that if you use another name and start gps away from your house you will be well protected.


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## Hacienda71 (22 Jan 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Yup, no point in using real names on the likes of Strava. I have a friend who uses his first and last name, open public profile and starts his gps from his home!!  He won't listen to me.


 
and lists his bikes as Cervelo, Colnago, Venge, etc etc........


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## 400bhp (22 Jan 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Request to follow is a must IMO. After that if you use another name and start gps away from your house you will be well protected.


 
Just checked-as far as I can tell you can only see "recent rides" on the group page, so not too bad I suppose.


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## 400bhp (22 Jan 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Request to follow is a must IMO. After that if you use another name and *start gps away from your house* you will be well protected.


 
But but but, I'd lose valuable miles.

Another thing - use the "exclusion zones" around common places you visit too - work, family etc.


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## Crankarm (22 Jan 2013)

The local filth attempted to break into my garage. They have denied it, but now it transpires they did as I have witnesses. They are refusing to investigate themselves or pay for the damage they caused. Lying scumbags.

I am thinking of getting one of these.


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## Psyclist (22 Jan 2013)

Crankarm said:


> The local filth attempted to break into my garage. They have denied it, but now it transpires they did as I have witnesses. They are refusing to investigate themselves or pay for the damage they caused. Lying scumbags.
> 
> I am thinking of getting one of these.
> 
> View attachment 17854


 
You're saying the filth = police?? 

Why on earth would they want to break into your garage, as officers of the law?


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## Crankarm (22 Jan 2013)

Psyclist said:


> You're saying the filth = police??
> 
> Why on earth would they want to break into your garage, as officers of the law?


 
Correct. Why do cops abuse their positions, fabricate evidence (Hillsborough, Birmingham 6, etc), pervert the course of justice, lie, take payment for selling information, cosy up to journos and Murdoch, beat people up, kill people - Ian Tomlinson, they do and some of them get away with it.

Campaign of harrassment, malicious falsehood and intimidation by a neighbour who knows I have things in my garage. Police broke into my gargage under their instruction.


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## Arjimlad (22 Jan 2013)

Did they nick anything ? 

Independent Police Complaints Commission ?


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## Crankarm (22 Jan 2013)

Arjimlad said:


> Did they nick anything ?
> 
> Independent Police Complaints Commission ?


 
Well my pride and joy I had taken out a few days before to put indoors. For the rest I don't know as I don't like going out there for fear of meeting the neighbour and the trauma of it all. Came home one night to find the garage door hanging off it's hinges and frame chewed up from crowbar being used to gemmy it open. I am going to have to make a full check although but can't bring myself to do it at the moment as the scrote neighbour is always home on my days off and it is dark when I get back from work so not enough light at the moment. Need to get a garage door specialist to come and look at it.

I'm in the process of IPCC complaint and solicitor suing them.

Apparently another neighbour caught them in the act.


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## fossyant (22 Jan 2013)

General good advice.

Usual stuff if you aren't on a cul-de-sac, wheel bike inside as you get home, and then later take out to shed/garage. Don't go servicing and cleaning the bike in general view, shut garage door rather than leave contents on view, and beef up security.

A guy on my road has been 'done' at least once, getting away with a downhill MTB and racing BMX's - went in through the roof of his garage (concrete prefab type garage).


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## Pedrosanchezo (22 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> Just checked-as far as I can tell you can only see "recent rides" on the group page, so not too bad I suppose.


Not so bad as long as you haven't come from your home on your "No:3 De Rosa King R3" on your recent rides.


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## Pale Rider (22 Jan 2013)

I always leave and return with the bike as swiftly as possible.

Any messing about with panniers, clothing etc is done in the seclusion of the back yard.

The seclusion is double-edged, no one can see what you have or what you are doing, but equally a burglar can work on breaking in largely unobserved.


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## SportMonkey (22 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> I guess so, and I seem to recall Strava giving you the option to set the diameter of your privacy zone circles. This seems to have now been set to a default 1km.
> 
> The other perhaps scary thing is that someone could target you whilst out on the bike, in particular if you commute at a set time each day.


 
Triangulation.

Annoyingly my postcode lops out one of my KOMs, so I use exclusion on a different postcode. That said, I only upload in the evenings, and my wife doesn't work.


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## Nofers (22 Jan 2013)

Thomk said:


> Would you like to come into a private room with me and talk about it?


I'll nick your bike and donate some blood for you


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## Licramite (23 Jan 2013)

I know its obviouse but I will mention it (as this thread has made me do it , I hadn't up to now)
Take a photo of your bike - and write the frame number on the back.
so if it is nicked and turns up in a police stolen goods compound they have some way of identifing it.
just saying its a blue whatever isn't going to help them.
you can get invisible untraviolet light marker paint , or put something under the saddle , bike theives aren't necesserily that bright.

cycling magazine had an article on bike locks with lots of good advice, on best chains ect. - by a supposd bike theif.
the D locks it advised putting through the back wheel and though the frame, apparantly they use a crowbar to lever it off but by puting it through the back wheel it will mangle the back wheel if they try.

and I wouldn't go on my bike is so crap no-one will nick it. - I had car like that , it got nicked.


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## Davidc (23 Jan 2013)

I must do it on my present bike - in the past I've put my postcode on bikes and computers in very visible enamel paint as a deterrent (as well as UV ink). Don't know what security experts think but it's struck me a good idea.

Good locks and floor/wall bolts + alarms as well.


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## 400bhp (23 Jan 2013)

Licramite said:


> I know its obviouse but I will mention it (as this thread has made me do it , I hadn't up to now)
> 1. Take a photo of your bike - and write the frame number on the back.
> 2. so if it is nicked and turns up in a police stolen goods compound they have some way of identifing it.


 
Sorry, how does 1. lead to 2. [the police itentifying it]?


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## Psyclist (23 Jan 2013)

Licramite said:


> I know its obviouse but I will mention it (as this thread has made me do it , I hadn't up to now)
> Take a photo of your bike - and write the frame number on the back.
> so if it is nicked and turns up in a police stolen goods compound they have some way of identifing it.
> just saying its a blue whatever isn't going to help them.
> ...


 
Also write on laminated paper your name and mobile number, nothing else. And put it in the bars, seatpost and bb.


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## Pedrosanchezo (23 Jan 2013)

Psyclist said:


> Also write on laminated paper your name and mobile number, nothing else. And put it in the bars, seatpost and bb.


Won't that add weight?


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## ianrauk (23 Jan 2013)

*RegisterThatBike* is a new website where you can find out where and when the Police are doing free bike registration marking.


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## Psyclist (23 Jan 2013)

ianrauk said:


> *RegisterThatBike* is a new website where you can find out where and when the Police are doing free bike registration marking.


 
Owned by my friend  Bugger is, I had a bike registration event last week, and get my bike this week. The police said I have to wait until the next one which is ages away


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## Psyclist (23 Jan 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Won't that add weight?


 
lol, weight weenies may not approve.


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## Boris Bajic (23 Jan 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Won't that add weight?



Use invisible ink.

This also prevents identity fraud by the thief.


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## MrJamie (23 Jan 2013)

Veloviewer encodes the image URL for signatures now, so worth generating a new signature code if you don't want people on here to be able to find your Strava profile and potentially view your rides through Strava's lapse security.


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## 400bhp (23 Jan 2013)

MrJamie said:


> Veloviewer encodes the image URL for signatures now, so worth generating a new signature code if you don't want people on here to be able to find your Strava profile and potentially view your rides through Strava's lapse security.


 
Sorry, in English please.


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## potsy (23 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> Really? Even if you have the "request to follow" feature turned on?
> 
> Not good.


This is why I took myself out of the CC group and our 'works' group, stopped a certain someone getting any more info


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## Gary E (23 Jan 2013)

To whom it may concern,
If you're reading this to locate bikes worth stealing - go ahead punk make my day!
All you need to do is get past the 2 armed guards on the gate to the base.
Guess the combination to my block.
Pick the lock on my door.
Silently extract my bikes that are never more than a few feet from me.
In fact, sod it! If you get as far as my room I'll help you carry them to your car


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## MrJamie (23 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> Sorry, in English please.


The old code it gave you to copy paste into your signature used to include your Strava ID, which essentially is the same as giving someone your Strava profile link. The new version of the signature image code hides the ID. From someones profile page on Strava regardless of their security settings you can view some/all of their rides without much effort. There is the potential for someone who knows or finds out your Strava ID/profile, to see your rides and figure out where you live or work. The problem is entirely Strava's, but the newer Veloviewer sig. code (which you are already using) helps to hide your Strava account.

Apologies if that isn't very clear, I don't want to post anything that might be helpful to stalker types


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## 400bhp (23 Jan 2013)

Thanks-I think it's sorted. You could delete most of your post above.


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## 400bhp (23 Jan 2013)

potsy said:


> This is why I took myself out of the CC group and our 'works' group, stopped a certain someone getting any more info


 
Yeah, how do you remove yourself from a group?


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## potsy (23 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> Yeah, how do you remove yourself from a group?


Can't remember exactly but I managed it so can't be that difficult


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## 400bhp (23 Jan 2013)

found it


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## Pedrosanchezo (23 Jan 2013)

400bhp said:


> Yeah, how do you remove yourself from a group?


Go to the group page and select "Leave" at the top right (in blue) of the page.


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## SomethingLikeThat (24 Jan 2013)

Licramite said:


> you can get invisible untraviolet light marker paint , or put something under the saddle , bike theives aren't necesserily that bright.


 
I had done this to mine on the bottom of the frame, last year it was stolen. Wasn't expecting anything good, but when they found some arse with it in Leicester that's how they identified it got it back. So it does work. Although you could go on and on with the 'what if' situations if you've got a garage full of carbon it'd make sense to at least insure it.


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## Psyclist (24 Jan 2013)

SomethingLikeThat said:


> I had done this to mine on the bottom of the frame, last year it was stolen.


This, it's better to mark your frame, as thieves tend to sometime change parts over to change the identity of the bike.


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## SomethingLikeThat (26 Jan 2013)

Psyclist said:


> This, it's better to mark your frame, as thieves tend to sometime change parts over to change the identity of the bike.


Something like a UV pen is very inconspicuous as well, but can be easily detected by police.


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