dibdab
New Member
- Location
- staffordshire
Hi i'm a newbie and i need some advice, does anyone use these?[Datatags] Are they any good/worthwhile 
Datatags?
- Thread starter dibdab
- Start date
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PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
Do you mean the tag which is supposed to identify your bike when it has been stolen? If so I'm still waiting for mine to be returned and I'm not too sure the Datatag company ever activated the tag!
I think it's more likely to be a waste of money than to help find your bike. Get a really good lock and chain.
I think it's more likely to be a waste of money than to help find your bike. Get a really good lock and chain.
On a note of locks, the only locks which I believe are 99% theif-proof are the large D locks. Pain in the arse to carry round....but it is also a pain in the arse to walk home. If I am commuting or going to the shops on my road bike then I allways D lock the frame to a secure location, then using a chain pass through the frame and the front wheel (to come to think of it maybe rear wheel would be wiser) in a figure of 8 and then through whatever I am locking it to.
Personally, after having my last bike nicked (this was before my intense locking tychnique) I may look into data tagging myself
Personally, after having my last bike nicked (this was before my intense locking tychnique) I may look into data tagging myself
OP
OP
dibdab
New Member
- Location
- staffordshire
yes i do PaulSB, I know nothing about these products which is why i was asking. Until i know more or speak to someone who is more positive i think i'll do as you suggest, a good lock and chain.
thanks for your reply
thanks for your reply
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OP
dibdab
New Member
- Location
- staffordshire
Good idea!
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Datatags don't get 'activated' - it's only if the bike get's found does it get scanned.
My commuter is done - it's often dne for free by the local police - Manchester do it very often - met Sharky at one (I've met him before)....
Locks - ideally gold standard, and two types of defence - well secured D - no gaps - i.e. frame wheels stand in the way for a bottle jack - I see so many badly used d-locks... and some other form - e.g heavy duty chain (not portable) or something like an Abus Bordo. I just bought the Bordo for less secure parking - neat, not too heavy, but fairly secure as a backup to a good D.
My commuter is done - it's often dne for free by the local police - Manchester do it very often - met Sharky at one (I've met him before)....
Locks - ideally gold standard, and two types of defence - well secured D - no gaps - i.e. frame wheels stand in the way for a bottle jack - I see so many badly used d-locks... and some other form - e.g heavy duty chain (not portable) or something like an Abus Bordo. I just bought the Bordo for less secure parking - neat, not too heavy, but fairly secure as a backup to a good D.
I'm not totally convinced that the police take bicycle theft seriously enough to scan every stolen bike that comes through their doors. Going by the amount of bikes sold at police auctions I'd be surprised if they even properly checked the descriptions on victims statements.
A good and totally free way of tagging your bike is to take a few pieces of paper and write something like "this bike is stolen, please call 'your name' on 'your number'". Then you put the bits of paper in the BB shell, inside the stem and bars, under the bar tape, in the seatpost/seat tube etc. It's easy for the police to check for (as long as you tell them) and also means if it ever ends up in a bike shop for any work they can phone you and alert the police. Just make sure you tell the shop the bits of paper are there if you take it in for a service. It won't stop it getting nicked, but neither will a datatag.
A good and totally free way of tagging your bike is to take a few pieces of paper and write something like "this bike is stolen, please call 'your name' on 'your number'". Then you put the bits of paper in the BB shell, inside the stem and bars, under the bar tape, in the seatpost/seat tube etc. It's easy for the police to check for (as long as you tell them) and also means if it ever ends up in a bike shop for any work they can phone you and alert the police. Just make sure you tell the shop the bits of paper are there if you take it in for a service. It won't stop it getting nicked, but neither will a datatag.
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OP
dibdab
New Member
- Location
- staffordshire
I'm going to find out what the police do about tagging in my area [staffordshire] but i'm not convinced about electronic tagging as yet. Perhaps it's just a peace of mind thing.
luke's fleche
New Member
- Location
- durham
I have got a datatag system in the house but did not use it as it looks like a faff on tbh
but if you can be bothered to fit it and everything then it is well worth while as you might aswell pay £20 or somthing to save a 4/5/6/7/8/900 pound bike
if you get my drift
but if you can be bothered to fit it and everything then it is well worth while as you might aswell pay £20 or somthing to save a 4/5/6/7/8/900 pound bike
if you get my drift
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
Some years ago Marin gave a free Datatag with every new cycle purchased. This worked by dropping the tag down the tube and then applying a number of hologrammed stickers to the frame. I had one under the bottom bracket, on the stem and under the seat. The stickers fixed verfy well and never came off.. As I understood it when the bike was stolen one rang Datatag who advised the police the cycle was stolen. The police are then supposed to scan any bikes they find with some device and return it to the owner.
As I said before I'm still waiting............. ):
Where I think a similar system has potential and I would pay a reasonable amount is some sort of GPS device. If one could attach a GPS tag in some way so the bike's location was known I'd be happy to pay for that.
As I said before I'm still waiting............. ):
Where I think a similar system has potential and I would pay a reasonable amount is some sort of GPS device. If one could attach a GPS tag in some way so the bike's location was known I'd be happy to pay for that.