The bicycle alarm appeared again. If it weren't for the large number of hijackers, it wouldn't be needed. Until now, cases of bicycle thefts in villages are the work of “tourists”.
The problem of theft of any vehicle is very acute in our country, where you can sell stolen property in Kaliningrad, and find a car, for example, in Vladivostok.
With bicycles it’s quite simple: you don’t need to change the numbers, you repaint the frame and that’s it. As a last resort, I threw out the previous owner’s “baubles” that made the bike too recognizable.
Here, for example, is the Novosibirsk car of one good man. Not only is it equipped with a two-stroke Comet engine, but the whole car also bears the imprint of a design in a mixture of “rockabilly and steampunk”. The thief needs to strip everything, depersonalize it, and then sell it. Therefore, such cars are looked at in advance.
There is a heartbreaking site for finding stolen bicycles: lostbike.ru.
Since every fifth, if not tenth, bicycle ends up on its pages, the statistics are more than depressing. Here are typical situations: “The bike is almost new. They took me out of the stairwell after cutting the cable.” “Two guys cut the cable and drove off towards the outskirts.” “They stole it along with the chain. There was a piece of chain left near the porch at work. The police failed to do anything. It’s been poisoning my soul for three months now.”
The situation is aggravated by imperfect legislation. Even car thieves during the investigation stated that they had no thoughts of stealing, that is, forcibly appropriating other people’s property. Like, let's take it for a ride and put it in place. And it is almost impossible to prove that theft was intended. With bicycles it’s even easier: I could bite the chain, ride it and put it in place. Only when theft is legally equivalent to theft will bicycle thieves think about whether or not to take someone else’s property.
Simple rules that make life difficult for a hijacker
- The simplest and most effective rule is not to leave your bike unattended;
- In the event that there is a combination lock, chain and padlock and so on, you can take your eyes off the bike in about 40-60 seconds. Then it is advisable to get out of line at the pharmacy and take a look at the porch and the bike.
- Before driving up and dismounting and leaving the bike, you should place the shifters on the largest driven sprocket and the smallest driving sprocket. In this case, the attacker will be forced to drive very slowly until he figures out how to switch. And these are seconds, the opportunity to attract attention, the threat of falling. Anything is better than the quiet disappearance of a thief with a bike.
- Remove everything “beautiful and expensive” from the bicycle - a rare brass horn, audio speakers, a beautiful rear-view mirror. If you return, you won’t find it.
- Never fasten the bike by the wheel. Remember that the frame and front fork are the most expensive parts, just like the car body.
- Advice from the “experienced” - repaint the bike in a poisonous luminescent color or “zebra” in the most tear-inducing shades. Most likely, they will not mess with this.
What can a bicycle alarm do?
- The bicycle alarm can sound a sound signal when the vibration sensor is triggered at the pain threshold level, up to 120 dB.
- The setting allows you to ignore vibrations that last less than a certain time, for example, 2 seconds. This time is enough not to disturb the owner while the tram is passing near the parking area.
- A bicycle alarm with feedback not only beeps very loudly, but also sends an alarm signal to the remote control.
Therefore, if you see a feedback alarm on sale, it means that you, like a car owner, will have a device with a remote control or a key fob.
The alarm and anti-theft bicycle lock were combined. This is how locks with alarms appeared.
The advantage of this device is that a loud and unpleasant sound signal is emitted not only when an attacker opens the lock, but also when trying to get by with “little loss,” i.e. when the cable is bitten or at the slightest vibration. This significantly increases the owner's chances of reacting.
The device runs on 3 batteries. In addition, if desired, the alarm can be turned off and the device can be used as a simple lock.
The second option with alarm is a rigid frame type made of hardened steel. At a price of about 2.5 - 3 thousand rubles, hardened steel perfectly resists both hacksaw blades and double-lever bolt cutters.
What a smart bike lock can do
In connection with the development of cellular telephone communications and GPS navigation, it would be surprising if sooner or later these innovations did not begin to help not only car enthusiasts, but also bicycle owners.
One such example of the use of communications in bicycle alarms is the Lock 8 smart lock, which entered the market about a year ago, in May 2014.
Its distinctive properties are:
- Electronic locking is controlled through a special application on a smartphone.
- Data exchange is carried out via a wireless Bluetooth connection.
- It is possible to send a copy of the electronic key to those people whom the owner of the bike trusts.
- The lock is equipped with a mobile communication module and a GPS receiver in case of theft.
- It is important that the blocker does not have batteries, but is recharged while driving. This means the device is energy independent.
Read more about this wonderful castle here:
By the way, this lock also has a “miracle price”: about 8,500 rubles without delivery throughout Russia.
The second option for a pure GPS tracking device is Spy Bike – GPS Tracker.
This alarm does its job quietly and unnoticed. It hides in the steering bushing and is activated via SMS. The vibration sensor sends an SMS to the owner’s phone about the theft. The work of this sleeve is to send coordinates from the processor, which can be sent to the owner’s cell phone in the form of terrain coordinates at a certain time interval, which can be represented as a trajectory.
Naturally, this requires a SIM card. The device runs on batteries for several months. SMS messages received from the device show the battery charge level.
A wonderful thriller with a happy ending about the use of this device is shown below.
What are the “disadvantages” of an anti-theft alarm?
High current consumed by devices in “standby mode”, which is explained by powering motion sensors, gyro position sensor and other devices. Typically this current is 0.7 milliamps per hour. Considering the battery capacity of 0.5 A/hour, you can understand that the average service life is about 1 month.
And therefore the following situation is possible: having forgotten to change the power source a month later, you are horrified to see that the bicycle is gone, and the device “didn’t work.” The need to frequently replace batteries dictates certain restrictions on the ease of use of an alarm system with an autonomous power source.
In addition, the alarm itself sounds for 15 seconds to save energy. Sometimes she falls silent at the most inopportune moment, for example, when she “shouted out” in deserted garages and the thief drives out into a crowded place in silence. A lot can happen while the next 15 seconds pass.
In order to make a bicycle alarm with your own hands, it is not at all necessary to have knowledge of radio engineering.
To do this, it is enough to purchase a wireless bell for the front door and slightly rearrange the contact so that it works to “open”.
After this, you can mount it in the end of the steering grip and, changing the bell to “howler”, use it calmly. To do this, you need to press the button and, while pressed, lean the steering wheel against a tree, for example. Now, when you try to move the steering wheel away from the support, a sound signal will be heard.
Of course, a DIY alarm system is more vulnerable than an industrial one. What if it doesn’t work, or the water gets wet. Trust the professionals!
Of course, it is best to combine GPS control, a lock with an audible alarm, and a powerful chain.
Finally, you can watch a good piece from Galileo about bicycle locks.
A bike is a more than convenient means of transportation, both within the city and in rural areas. In the first case, the advantages include the absence of the need to stand in traffic jams for hours, and in the second, the ability to quickly cover long distances in the warm season. For bicycle lovers, in addition to the issue of caring for their two-wheeled friend, the problem of a place or method of storing it has always been relevant. Some cyclists fiddle with inconvenient chains and padlocks, which, due to their massiveness, constantly have to be carried in a backpack. Others trust completely unreliable cables with primitive codes, although they can easily be disabled and your vehicle stolen.
Recently, as a solution, I often suggest that cyclists install an alarm on their bike, which would allow them to hear at a certain distance that a cable or chain connected to it is subject to physical influence.
Such devices have a number of significant disadvantages:
- The battery can be easily removed from the device
- The device itself is quite noticeable
- The battery charge of such an alarm can run out quite quickly
- Not sensitive to non-theft actions, such as frame damage
- Bicycle alarm with remote control
The modern market offers to secure your bike with another device. This type of alarm also produces a powerful sound that can attract the attention of passers-by and, most importantly, notify you, the owner. You can hear the corresponding sound signal in your pocket from the control panel. For example, now leaving a bicycle at the entrance to a store you will not need to worry about its safety.
There are two buttons on the control panel of such a device, one of which activates the alarm, and the second turns it off.
Principle of operation
The block is equipped with a rather sensitive element that reacts to vibrations occurring in the frame area, similar to those that occur when using a bicycle. After detecting the changes, the device begins to emit a sound with a volume of 110 dB. In some modifications of the alarm system, a short warning signal may be emitted. In parallel with these actions, the owner is also notified of the manipulation of his vehicle. The battery of this type of alarm holds a charge for quite a long period of time. When the charge does begin to deplete, the alarm will simply periodically emit sound vibrations that will warn the bike owner that it is time to charge the battery. Vibration sensitivity modes can be changed; there are three: low sensitivity, medium and high.
Installation method
It is best to install the alarm unit on a pin under the saddle, making sure that the base is not subject to significant vibration. To do this, you need to mount the device above the shock-absorbing parts. Manufacturers recommend tightening the fixing bolts completely.
Nuances of use
Before installing the alarm, install the battery. After fastening, use the remote control to activate the operation, wait for the characteristic sound, hear it after about 5 seconds. The alarm for your bike is ready for use. Using the same actions, only with a different button, the system turns off. Many people advise using the device in tandem with a classic cable or chain along with a padlock. You can count not only on the fact that the sound will notify you and scare the thief, but also on the fact that when you try to break into a mechanical device, corresponding vibrations will occur and the alarm sensor will go off.
This device can protect not only your bike. For example, you can simply install the block on the handle of your bag and take a quiet nap in the waiting room or go to the toilet.
Young parents are often justifiably afraid to leave their children's strollers in the hallway. In this case, you should install the device on an inconspicuous area of the base of the structure; if someone tries to take possession of your property, you will certainly hear it. The same goes for your garden tools or even utility room doors.
How else can you prevent theft?
Experienced cyclists advise simply not to leave your bike unattended, even for short periods of time. Even the latest alarm system or powerful circuit is not a panacea for swindlers who are ready to steal your vehicle, but the presence of such devices will allow the owner to leave for a few minutes without worrying.
If you need to step away for a longer period of time, try to find an opportunity to look at the bike from time to time.
Before stopping, while still moving, change gear on both rows of sprockets. The front row should be switched to the largest chainring, and the rear row to the smallest. All these actions can prevent the thief from starting quickly. Not only will it be difficult to ride, but there is also the possibility of the chain coming off. This will give you a few seconds, in such a situation they are never superfluous. Try not to add expensive accessories to your vehicle, as this will attract too much unnecessary attention.
Yesterday I opened the cycling season. I drove to the nearest Auchan (5 km), discovered there that Philips had new LED bulbs, bought 7 pieces (and at the same time 4 pieces of Wolta and 3 pieces of REV), today I’ll test them. While the bike was fastened with a lock, I honestly was very much afraid for its fate and thought that in addition to the lock, I should put a simple alarm on the bike so that it would scream loudly if someone moves the bike.
The cheapest bike alarm costs $2.7.
The alarm is powered by a Krona battery and is triggered by vibration. It can be armed by pressing one button and disarmed by entering a four-digit code.
Alas, from the reviews it turned out that the alarm eats up the battery in a week, and even if you use the battery, everything is very inconvenient - to replace it you need to remove the alarm from the bike.
And after watching this video, it becomes clear that it is of little use.
Reviews of this alarm:
http://mysku.ru/blog/tinydeal/17927.html
http://mysku.ru/blog/aliexpress/35168.html
http://mysku.ru/blog/dealextreme/1422.html
The second option is the same, but with remote control for $5.60.
Alas, here the battery only lasts for two weeks and it’s just as easy to knock it off the bike.
The third option is a non-bike alarm starting at $4.90.
This alarm has a switch that allows you to turn it on only when you need it. It is recommended to attach the alarm to the frame with Velcro strips so that they cover the switch.
They write that it screams very loudly and responds well to vibration. There is a magnet inside the case that makes it easy to install this alarm on metal objects. For example, you can set an alarm on the refrigerator. :)
Serious uses - you can put it in a bag with your things when you go swimming (and hide the remote control somewhere separately), you can use it for garden equipment in the country (for example, leave a pump or generator outside and know that if someone tries to for your goodness, everyone will know about it).
Reviews of this alarm.
A conventional anti-theft device for a bicycle rarely stops a thief, who is sometimes able to drag the bicycle away by hand. There is no perfect protection against theft, but a short alarm can scare off the occasional thief.
Proposed bicycle alarm It is activated if its position barely changes, or if it is touched. The alarm sound produced by the piezoelectric emitter continues for 30 seconds. After the first alarm series has completed, it repeats until the alarm is turned off.
Description of how a bicycle alarm works
The security alarm for a bicycle has three main blocks: a vibration sensor, a siren activation delay timer, and an alarm sound generator.
The vibration sensor for a bicycle alarm is made of a rather long and flexible spring, one end of which must be soldered to a small piece of double-sided fiberglass (10 mm x 10 mm). Then this fragment must be soldered perpendicularly to the printed circuit board from the solder side. The second end of the spring is threaded through a tinned washer, which is also soldered to the board. Thus, at the moment of impact, the spring either closes to the washer or not, which leads to a change in the signal on the inverters DD1.1 and DD1.2.
When a positive pulse appears at input 1 of the DD2.1 element, at the same moment a negative pulse appears at input 2 of the same element and vice versa. A pulse from output 3, passing through the inverter DD2.2, triggers a one-shot on logic elements DD2.3 and DD2.4, which runs for 30 seconds. delay. This delay is calculated by the formula: t1 = 0.7 x R7 x C6, where R7 is in megaohms, C6 is in microfarads.
The circuit of elements R4 and C3 provides a time delay after turning on the alarm power, necessary for the spring sensor to calm down and avoid false alarms. The time delay is calculated as follows: t2 = 0.7 x R4 x C3.
The sound source is a piezo emitter. Rectangular signals to the piezo emitter come from element DD1.4. Its frequency is determined by the parameters of elements C7, R8, R9. To create sufficient power of the sound signal, this frequency of the generator must coincide with the resonant frequency of the piezo emitter. To attract the attention of others, the sound signal is replaced by a low-frequency sound signal created by a second multivibrator.
To select a different duration of the intermittent sound of the bicycle alarm, you should select the capacitance of capacitor C6 from 10 to 100 μF.
Types
Electronic anti-theft protection systems for two-wheeled vehicles are conventionally divided into several categories:
- Sirens - scare away intruders with a loud sound. When trying to dismantle, the “squeak” of the alarm intensifies, which has an extremely unpleasant effect on the hearing of the thief and passers-by.
- Sirens with remote control - function in the same way as the previous solution. The only difference is the ability to turn off and activate from a distance.
- Bicycle alarm with code lock - locks the lock until the bike owner enters the correct combination of symbols.
What possibilities does a bicycle alarm with remote control offer?
Bicycle anti-theft:
- It emits a noise signal, the power of which is on the verge of the pain threshold and is about 120 dB.
- Special settings allow you to delay the response time for a certain time, which becomes useful, for example, if the system receives vibrations that come from nearby city traffic. This functionality does not force the bicycle owner to respond to a false signal every time.
- The bike alarm not only makes a loud sound, but also sends alarm alerts to the remote control, which is always at hand for the bike owner.
Disadvantages of anti-theft alarms
Like any other electronic device, a bicycle alarm has several disadvantages. First of all, it is worth noting the high energy consumption in standby mode. The reason for this is the need to power special position and motion sensors. Therefore, owners of such systems often have to burden themselves with replacing batteries.
Devices that have an energy saving function sound for 15-30 seconds. Often the system goes silent at the most inopportune moment.
Bicycle alarms are quite vulnerable to aggressive environmental factors, in particular high humidity and temperature.
How to make a bicycle alarm with your own hands?
To make a means to prevent the theft of a two-wheeled vehicle, it is not at all necessary to have a good understanding of the basics of radio engineering. To do this, it is enough to find a high-quality one by rearranging the electrical contacts so that the device functions as an “opening”.
A homemade alarm can be placed in the end part of the steering grip. The system can be improved by replacing the standard sound signal with a more powerful “howler”. To activate such an alarm, it is enough to rest the steering wheel on a hard surface. At the first attempt to move the bike, a sound alert will sound, which will force the attacker to experience not the most pleasant moments.
Naturally, a self-made alarm system is not as perfect as factory samples. Therefore, it is better to trust professional developments, combining protection in the form of a sound device with a powerful lock and chain.
Finally
When it comes to the best way to protect your bike from theft, it is worth considering the available options according to the degree of reliability, functionality and potential speed of hacking.
How much does a bicycle alarm cost? The price of the simplest devices in the budget category starts from 300 rubles. However, bicycle owners who are really concerned about the safety of their property should pay attention to systems costing 1,000 rubles and more.
As for capabilities, this implies the degree of functionality of the alarm, the presence of truly practical qualities. Thus, the main advantage of systems with a control panel is the ability to communicate with the bicycle at a distance. Programming the device to respond to certain influences makes it possible not only to attract everyone's attention to an attempted theft, but also to cause physical discomfort to the thief. After all, the volume and frequency of sound waves in high-quality alarm systems often reaches values that are dangerous for the safety of hearing.
