GeraldF

I'm tired of removing blinky lights whenever I lock up my bike. It's ridiculous that bike shops don't offer blinky lights requiring tools for removal. Anyone ever alter their blinky lights to prevent theft? I'm considering super glue. The one thing I'll have to factor in is that I'll need to be able to change the batteries with the lights still attached to the bike.

spectastic

thieves steal lights? there no resale values for those things. why would anyone bother? unless you're talking about teenager punks who don't have anything better to do...

digger531

Thieves steal anything and Craigslist creates value. Anything can be sold.

I agree there should be a more permanent solution to keep the honest people honest but then the price would get to high and real thieves would start stealing them. Maybe just use really cheap lights and carry extras.

no1mad 

I remember seeing this on Kickstarter and it looks like they are now fully operational. https://blinksteady.com/.

dynaryder

Yep. I've had two cheapies stolen(I remove the good ones). A quality set of lights can be $50 or more,so not surprising someone would boost them.

dynaryder

$125!

And bolted to a seatpost that has a regular binder bolt on the collar. Plus it can only be used on certain sized seatposts,and you can't adjust the angle to get it perfectly level.

Pure bling.

no1mad 

I currently have a 4D Toplight mounted on the seat post using this bracket- https://www.biketechshop.com/busch-an...er-p-2380.html. Gotta take a screwdriver to remove the front housing to remove the batteries, which leaves the back casing still mounted to the bike. A thief wants that light, they are gonna have to take the whole bike and work on it somewhere else

no1mad 

Made in Brooklyn and you can use a Pitlock skewer to replace the binder bolt, but I agree with the apparent design limitations.

Flying Merkel

Worked in security for years. I saw a prosthetic lab get broken into & several limbs stolen. Just because was the reason given. A lab close by had a break-in and had a spectrograph taken. The kids didn't know what it was, so they launched it out the window at 60 mph. $50,000 destroyed.

Never underestimate the stupidity of thieves. Never assume they won't take something. Never expect them to make rational decisions.

GeraldF

Now we're talking. Do they make a headlight that requires tools to detach? Thanks.

xenologer

the blinky is removed from its bracket by sliding upwards
so, mount the bracket up high at the top of the seatpost; thus the light cant be slid out -it hits your saddle
bonus, higher mounting is better for being visible

also, gorilla glue, expands and fills space as it dries. better odds than thin superglue that will flake off the nonporus engr. grade plastic


it goes like this,
student gets caught by campus police for riding at night with no light
recieves a fine, and must also show that they now have a light
pissed off student doesn't want to have to buy a light on top of paying the fine
steals light from other bike

ol geezer

Not very useful if you have a seat bag, I'd think.

CB HI

Use Shoe Goo
https://www.rei.com/product/679240/so...9-001b2166c2c0

GeraldF

Thanks for all the tips. I've got to admit, I never thought of raising my red blinky to the top of the post so that it will hit the underside of the seat (or rear reflector), thus preventing a thief from sliding it off.

I also like the Shoe Goo and gorilla glue ideas.

On a side note, I'm pretty sure people from Holland would laugh at this thread, as most of their bikes come with generator/dynamo lights. They never remove their lights.

One last question: Can anyone recommend a cheap white blinky? I've heard Harbor Freight has one for under $10, but I don't have any Harbor Freight's near me. Thanks.

TromboneAl

The Planet Bike superflash uses AAA batteries. Thus you could superglue the mount, and just replace the batteries as needed.

Wanderer

You can order on line from HF.

Myosmith

Depending on the design of the light, you may be able to run a zip tie through the light and around the bar/post. Still not hard to cut, but at least not a quick walk off and may thwart opportunistic thieves who don't have a cutting implement with them.