£129 to be sure your bike was never stolen?

[AndyPeace]

Hi, I'm in my 5th year of a part-time Open University course and am completing my project on bike security. I wonder if you guys might help me out by responding to the below please?

I've developed a (hypothetical!) built-in product, the idea of which is that if your bike is stolen you know immediately and can track its movements using a phone or PC so you/the police could recover it. A bit like you can do with iPhones and iPads. The product would be an invisible part of the bike and would add 30grams of weight.

My question is, if this product existed and really did give you the peace of mind of an extremely high chance of getting your bike straight back, would you consider buying it if it cost £129?

I'd appreciate any responses to help my user research for the course and remember, although there may be similar-ish products out there, this one isn't real! Thanks, Chris.

why £129? I'd research it and find that I could get the same style of product for less £'s and go with that.

 

[simon.r]

"£129 to be sure your bike was never stolen?"

Quite possibly, but your (hypothetical) product does nothing to prevent theft, it just allows me to track an already stolen bike,

 

[Davidc]

Make it £25 and I'd think about it for the more expensive bike to replace the £6.50 alarm that's fitted now.

Neither of my bikes is over £1000 to replace so the house insurance covers them and if thieves get past a D lock and a very loud alarm that's what I'll rely on.

 

[Bristol Sotonian]

Thanks for taking the time to respond guys, all very useful cheers.

 

[steveindenmark]

What does built in mean?

If you think you can track this to someones house and then call the police and expect them to knock on the door and get it. I would forget that idea.

How do you track it to a block of flats.

Where did the exact price come from.

There are cheaper products on the market that do the same job. What makes yours stand out.

 

[Drago]

The proposal seems a little at odds with the thread title. Surely its a potential recovery aid, not a means of preventing theft in the first place?

 

[subaqua]

some negatives I have sorry, unless the tracker is somehow integrated into the bike, you'll always have the problem if I have to put it on the bike, someone can remove it from the bike,
not sure how it would be "power on" 24 hours a day as bikes are as likely to be stolen from home and how would it affect a claim if bike stolen while charging etc.
anyway good luck, hope it works..

never really considered tracker on the bike, so googled found this http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/bikespike-tracks-stolen-bicycles-36806/

stick it in the seat tube then don't grease the seat post. you will never be able to remove it ! ( OK with a LOT of aggro)

 

[Tin Pot]

Hi, I'm in my 5th year of a part-time Open University course and am completing my project on bike security. I wonder if you guys might help me out by responding to the below please?

I've developed a (hypothetical!) built-in product, the idea of which is that if your bike is stolen you know immediately and can track its movements using a phone or PC so you/the police could recover it. A bit like you can do with iPhones and iPads. The product would be an invisible part of the bike and would add 30grams of weight.

My question is, if this product existed and really did give you the peace of mind of an extremely high chance of getting your bike straight back, would you consider buying it if it cost £129?

I'd appreciate any responses to help my user research for the course and remember, although there may be similar-ish products out there, this one isn't real! Thanks, Chris.

No, and here's why:

Three years ago my iphone was stolen, and I tracked it on findmyiphone. I took my lap top to the police station showed them where it was (this was actually a much much longer ridiculous part of the story), they refused point blank to go to arrest the thief and regain my phone. They also highly recommended that I not go anywhere near the house it was in.

Why?

Because it was in the house of a "known criminal".

So, unless your £129 includes the motley crew to actually retrieve it, I'm out. (No slight on your gizmo intended)

 

[Tin Pot]

Yup, saw it after I posted.

But was happy to revisit that little pocket of anger.

 

[TissoT]

There Is a product on the market already ...This may of been said in the Above posts
Cheaper and works well ... I use one

 

[TheDoctor]

Oh, another post-and-run student? Whodathunkit ?

 

[derrick]

Fitted with a remote control spring loaded spike that fires up the seat tube, and you'r onto a winner

Would have to work on an android phone aswell as one of those other ones.

 

[young Ed]

i realise OP has left and now us regulars are discussing for our selves but i thought i would join in

here our some much cheaper trackers already on the market
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bicycle-G...3?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item19edb985f3

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Anti-...075?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c441cdb1b

this one even shows us how to use it
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coban-TK3...3?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item566afb4619

i know for certain when i get my first landrover at 17 to make up for it's lack of standard security i will fit a pedal lock, steering lock and fit door locks and a gps tracker and chain it down to a ground anchor set in concrete at home. i don't want it nicked in case you hadn't guessed
Cheers Ed

 

[AndyRM]

i realise OP has left and now us regulars are discussing for our selves but i thought i would join in

here our some much cheaper trackers already on the market
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bicycle-G...3?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item19edb985f3

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Anti-...075?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c441cdb1b

this one even shows us how to use it
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coban-TK3...3?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item566afb4619

i know for certain when i get my first landrover at 17 to make up for it's lack of standard security i will fit a pedal lock, steering lock and fit door locks and a gps tracker and chain it down to a ground anchor set in concrete at home. i don't want it nicked in case you hadn't guessed
Cheers Ed

A ground anchor?! Do you live in a dystopian future or something?

 

[jefmcg]

A ground anchor?! Do you live in a dystopian future or something?

He's 15, so he will one day.