Unremovable screws? (without special tool)

[Electric_Andy]

How do you replace the bottle cage when it becomes time?

drill out the head, attack with sharp implements, and/or mush a sacrificial driver bit in until it grips. Whatever you do, it'll take a lot of time, but that's the idea to deter opportunistic scrotes

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

EDIT - doh! It comes with anti theft screws already.

Trouble with the "anti-theft screws" is that the tools to unscrew them are readily available. To the point I'd expect any kitted-out bike thief to have most in their pockets.

 

[Webbo2]

I’ve had plenty of unremovable screws in houses I’ve moved in to. Usually slotted screws in wood and covered in paint.

 

[Pblakeney]

Here is what I said in my original post:

"I guess I'm thinking of this as a sort of catch them in the first hour or so thing. Once they've had the bike for a while and a chance to break it up into bits or attack it with tools, it's probably not coming back."

Okay. How do you envisage that playing out?

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Okay. How do you envisage that playing out?

I have read articles where individual had tracked their bike to a house, called the Police who attended but did not consider the tracker location from the phone adequate evidence to enter and search the property.

Sorry, didn't save links but would have been one of the online bike magazines as I don't read Social Media/YouTube.

 

[scotsbikester]

Okay. How do you envisage that playing out?

I would use my ninja skill to break down the door with my bare hands, break their necks with one flying kick, and recover my stolen property.

Something like that.

 

[Pblakeney]

I would use my ninja skill to break down the door with my bare hands, break their necks with one flying kick, and recover my stolen property.

Something like that.

Given your forum name I'm going to say "Aye, right!".

 

[cyberknight]

I’ve had plenty of unremovable screws in houses I’ve moved in to. Usually slotted screws in wood and covered in paint.

sounds like my door hinges , so much paint over them you have no hope of getting at the screws without getting a bit postal

 

[Happy_Days]

Trouble with the "anti-theft screws" is that the tools to unscrew them are readily available. To the point I'd expect any kitted-out bike thief to have most in their pockets.

A simple solution is 5-lobe security screws because they’re rare (or unique security screws if money were no object!).

I'd be more inclined to use the hammer-in-ball type. Those type came with my wall anchor bracket, you do the bolts up and then hammer a small ball bearing into the hole which you can't ever get out without a very strong tool and lots of time and effort.

While I agree that works, I’d personally pick 5-lobe security screws for a bottle cage.

 

[Profpointy]

How about these ?

The example is from westfieldfasteners.co.uk - who I've had no dealings with but came up in a search

 

[fossyant]

Some people are over thinking this.

 

[Electric_Andy]

A simple solution is 5-lobe security screws because they’re rare (or unique security screws if money were no object!).


While I agree that works, I’d personally pick 5-lobe security screws for a bottle cage.

This would likely flummox an opportunistic thief, but my point is, we have a £15 screwdriver and bit set that we keep in the house and even those cheapos came with the 5 lobe security screw bits. If I was targeting bikes and accessories seriously, I would carry around those bits. But you have got think - is this type of intelligent thief common, or is it more likely to be someone opportunistic with no tools, or just an angle grinder?

 

[fossyant]

No thief worries about a special screw. It's chop through the lock and off. Simple.

 

[Homers Double]

I'm assuming those allen heads are the security ones with a pin in the middle? These days most bit sets come with those anyway. I'd be more inclined to use the hammer-in-ball type. Those type came with my wall anchor bracket, you do the bolts up and then hammer a small ball bearing into the hole which you can't ever get out without a very strong tool and lots of time and effort. Drilling out the head so it's round is also an option if you never want it to come off. I'd assume a stronger insurance case could be made if you provided pictures of such an anti-theft mechanism

Great advice if you wanted to take a hammer to a carbon frame...

 

[Ming the Merciless]

drill out the head, attack with sharp implements, and/or mush a sacrificial driver bit in until it grips. Whatever you do, it'll take a lot of time, but that's the idea to deter opportunistic scrotes

Seems a lot for a bottle cage that no scrote is going to pay attention to.