Digital_Cowboy

I don't mean to open a can of worms or anything, and I have done a search and the results were less then statisfying. But I've been trying to figure out some way of setting up an alarm system for a bicycle. Yes, I know that space is limited on a bicycle. Moreso then on a car or even a motorcycle/scooter or moped. But there ARE places on a bicycle that an alarm can be hidden.

One place is it can just be dropped into a pannier bag. That way it's out of sight and would be thieves would never know that it is there. It could be hidden in a saddle bag under the saddle, again would be thieves would never know that it is there. It can be incorporated into the locking mechanism of a lock. It can be incorporated into either a head or taillight. Again, doing so would be thieves would never know that it is there.

It could also be placed in a nondescript box and mounted on the underside of a pannier rack. Hell, it could be made as part of a pannier rack, or it could be made as part of a saddle. Or it could be hidden in/on a trailer, particularly if the trailer is always attached to the bicycle.

The truth is that with a little bit of creative thinking that an alarm can be hidden in several places on a bicycle. The only real question(s) would be how big to make it, the power source and the method of arming it. I would think that for arming it that a "keyless" remote system that many cars use would be the best way to go. That way would be thieves wouldn't see you flipping a switch, or entering a code.

Has anyone considered using one of those "loss prevention" tag things that department stores use? What have been the ideas for an alarm system for a bicycle? I saw something that looks as if it might have potential but it needs to be wired into a cars system to measure a change in voltage or something.

Of course if it's built into either a head or taillight then it can be setup so that if the bike is messed with that not only does an ear-piercingly LOUD siren sound, but the lights can be programed to flash the lights as well.

iambikeman

I have put some thought into just such a system it would be mounted inside the seat tube under the post remote activated and contain a GPS locator BUT LIKE I SAID LOTS OF THOUGHT NO TECHNICAL KNOWLAGE TO BACK ME UP

Looigi

Do a search on motorcycle alarms. It should provide some ideas.

https://www.google.com/search?q=moto...=1512&bih=1017

alaskanb3arcub

https://www.ecrater.com/p/11929007/mo...-bicycle-steal

this looks like a GREAT candidate. I found this by googling/froogling bike alarm. Using motorbike alarm will, most likely, only show you systems that would be a more complicated install that would require external power.

Digital_Cowboy

I've seen that one, but the only "problem" with it is that would be thieves would see "us" arming it as well as being able to see it for what it is.

The main goal (besides theft deterrent) is stealth, i.e. we don't want an alarm that LOOKS like an alarm.

This is the alarm that I was thinking of: Car Burglary Alarm Kit

Then install it in a custom built taillight the one that I was thinking of was something on the lines of a custom taillight that resembles the "scanner" from the Cylons from Battlestar Galactica or KITT's "scanner" from Knight Rider. Add remote arming, and the taillights briefly flash to let you know it's armed. It could also be programed so that if the bike is messed with that the LEDs all light up and flash. As well as setting off an ear-piercingly loud siren.

I'm also thinking that the alarm could be built into a lock such as a U-bolt or a cable lock with the lock built in. That way the lock could be part of the circuit. And if the loop is broken the alarm sounds. Kind of like that the "foil" trace used to secure windows.

Or take the loss prevention devices that many retail stores use to secure their merchandise and instead of having it sound an alarm when pulled too tight it sounds an alarm have it setup so that if the pressure is released it sounds an alarm.

CaptCarrot

Did a quick Google search for "bicycle alarm".

Top link was for this - Bike D Lock Alarm

A bit more searching and I came up with the following

Kabrus Locks

They have 2 alarmed U/shackle locks, one of which secures to the frame to prevent slipping and unnecessary vibration, 1 alarmed cable lock, 1 alarmed disc lock, and several alarmed padlocks.

RaleighSport

Simple: Armed stun gun embedded in the seat.

2manybikes

I have all kinds of bike alarms, at least 10. They don't work well. Either it takes a hard hit to trigger it or you get false triggers. They also were not quality items. Apparently most lock buyers don't want to pay extra for a bicycle alarm, or they know they are not helpfull anyway.

In any case, it does not matter, unlike a car, or the hidden alarm I built for my motorcycle, one can just put a hand or a rag over the noise maker on a bicycle alarm. Or you can hit it with a rock or a hammer. Or just stand there, no one responds.

I have been experimenting with bicycle alarms for more than a decade. Cables, motion detectors, U lock with an alarm, etc.

christ0ph

What you want is a gps/gsm tracker. They are really cheap now as the economics of scale has brought the cost way down.

(GPS modules are required hardware in many nation's phones. )

You may be able to buy an unlocked phone on ebay and convert it into a tracker for next to nothing. That may be by far the cheapest and best quality way to go. You could use Bluetooth proximity to have the phone call your real cell phone or upload its data to a web site that then sends you an SMS. if it both moves AND goes out of range of some paired Bluetooth device you keep on your person and on at all times you want to know ASAP. You could also use a piece of android/iphone/whatever software to trigger alarm if both bike is moves more than x distance and remains outside of a circle for more than the typical error glitch length.. (you'd have to analyze it to see what that is, each GPS is different as to the amount of "smoothing" it does.)

I would suggest RFID except that I don't know of any phones that can read RFID tags yet. Bluetooth has better range, it can be several hundred feet if one of the antennas is semi decent. Wifi is better still but the interference with both can be substantial (they use the same 2400 Mhz band) bear in mind that phone may not know where it is if, for exampe, the bike theif puts it inside a metal van.. (not unlikely) or it goes indoors, especially underground or into a metal building.

Zigbee can have pretty good range, too, I hear. The lower the frequency the better it is at going through walls. Hide the sucker well. I would put the tracker and antenna inside the saddle and the antenna somewhere facing back.. (it wont work if its underneath someone's butt, either) all the antennas need to be out and away from metal ideally at least an inch or two.

Digital_Cowboy

The goal is or should be to have something that is a bike alarm but not look like it's an alarm. Hence it "camouflaging" it by building it in either a head or taillight. Or into a head and taillight set, where it's built into one half of the unit but when the alarm is tripped it sets both lights to flashing.

smasha

https://www.xenasecurity.com/product/...alarm/showall/
https://www.xenasecurity.com/product/.../main/showall/

i've thought about alarms, and the xena alarms seem to be tops.

okane

Digital_Cowboy

Those are pretty nice.

CaptCarrot

Apart from aesthetics, what is the difference between the Xena and the Kabrus? after saying the Kabrus was not what you were looking for, you like the Xena *confused*

Digital_Cowboy

I guess for me, it's more or less an aesthetics thing. As the Kabrus locks look clunky and the Xena look more streamlined and "sexier." Looking at both web sites again the Kabrus locks look "off" i.e. blocky/clunky and something that looks like it'd be relatively easy for a thief to remove (I'm not saying that they are but to me that's how they look) whereas the Xena look sleek, sexy, and as if they're well built and sturdy. And up to the job of securing a bike.

Digital_Cowboy

The other night while watching TV (I think Inside Edition was the show) they did a story on bicycle theft. And they had a bicycle equipped with a tracking device from a site called BaitBike.com. They're working with law enforcement to deploy bicycles that have been outfitted with their trackers to catch thieves red handed with the goods. The reporter purchased a nice Specialized bicycle outfitted it with their tracker and locked it up. The first person who attempted to steal her bike wasn't successful in getting past her cable. The next day (I think) a couple was successful in stealing her bicycle and they were able to track them down. The gal ran off leaving the man holding the bag.

They called the cops on him, and they came out and arrested him, as surprisingly he stayed on the scene and waited for the cops to show up.

One of the options that they have is as I've suggested building the tracker into a taillight, called a "spylamp." Another option is to place the tracker into a threadless headcap.

Both are good ideas and places to hide a tracker. From watching the video on the threadless headcap version it has a "dongal" that one uses to arm it. The taillight version uses either the taillights on/off switch to arm the tracker or a second on/off switch to arm it.

TornadoCAN99

Any word on SkyBike or SkyLamp's water resistance? My bike is exposed to a lot of rain.

looks like an interesting system...sweet justice if it leads to a recovery of a bike and capture of a thief. But, as the baddies catch on, I'm not sure of the long term utility of the SkyBike/Lamp...

Digital_Cowboy

I couldn't find anything on the web site that addresses that issue. But presumably the inventor has taken that into consideration. One thing that I think would make sense for the SpyBike option is to:

a) have it come in an array of colors
b) have it come with the ability to swap the cap so that it "blends" better with the bicycle and isn't as obvious as to what it is

Somewhere on the site I remember reading about how it was the theft of his girlfriends bicycle that prompted him to come up with this system. And when he set out his first "Bait Bike" that he had also dusted it with a UV powder, which he was able to use to confirm that the person who had his bike was the thief.

mdcom

There are several thing which make such product hard to be produced:
1. Battery - it is the main component on which depend how long the alarm will work without recharging and how loud will be the siren sound
2. Durability - how easy it can be damaged in order to stop it functioning
3. Waterproof
4. Alarm sound level
5. How it react - normal alarms work with shock sensor, but it is inapplicable for bike alarm

It seems that there is some attempt (i found recently on youtube) for production of new kind bike alarm - www.bicycle-alarm.com
Checked their site and the tech characteristics seems to be very good, but in my opinion the price is little bit higher.

Forrest74

RFID is interesting as christ0ph briefly mentioned. It made me think of the chip they embed in pets. That infrastructure is fairly well developed and could easily fit in a bicycle frame. I guess the problem would still be tracking.

It is a shame the bicycle theft is essentially a zero repercussion crime.

cyclefreaksix

https://dx.com/p/vibration-activated-...d-keypad-27127

https://dx.com/p/vibration-activated-...n-23633?item=1 I actually have this one. It has a magnet on the underside and if I'm in a hurry I just stick it on my frame. Arms and disarms with a remote. I get some funny looks when I pull up, lock up then activate my bike alarm with a "chirp chirp"...

Lars Halstrom

I like it. We have a bike thief in my neighborhood that has stolen 5 bikes in 2 months from our apartment quad. Some of the bikes were just junkers too. Cops can't be bothered with it. However this thief will be graduating to the big time soon. Greed wins every time.

Lars

smasha

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22S...S+Bike+Tracker

Digital_Cowboy

Actually, if we stop and think about it a bike equipped with either a Byonx (or similar) system or a dyno hub would be able to provide power to keep the battery charged. Why Byonx doesn't include an alarm in their control panel I don't know. Or maybe configure their system so that it locks the rear wheel so that the bike can't be ridden. And as heavy as a Byonx is I don't really see anyone just "throwing" it over their shoulder and trying to walk away with it. Likewise with a bike with a dyno hub.

Digital_Cowboy

You'd think that the police would take interest, if for no other reason then what you've said, eventually they'll "graduate" to bigger crimes.