I've seen various posts on Facebook regarding stolen bikes, looks like as many as 30 bikes were lifted during lastnight from Lord Stones Country Park in the early hours.
Seen this on Fb... shocking
is there a link to the story?
No story as such but a few Facebook posts.
My mate is just back from there and got woken in the night by someone warning of bikes being stolen, his was locked in his car while he was in a tent, a few bikes were found stashed in the woods apparently so sounds like they stole so many they couldn't get them away from the site.
Similar problems at PMBAs this year, like someone had figured out these events are easy targets for high value bikes.
Yeah heard that Gisburn PMBA had been targeted. The odd bike has gone from Ard Rock in the past but nothing of this scale.
An organized gang has figured out a lot of high value unguarded bikes are easy pickings.
What's with all the comments on those FB posts regarding contacting certain Instagrammers to help track/find them?
Is that a legit thing or a scam of some description - googling one of the Instagrammers tags they are mentioned on lots of FB stolen posts for motorbikes/crossers/cars/mtbs etc.
Seems like scammers offering to find your bike
Scammers probably the same lot that did the robbing.
Absolutely shit.
From what i have seen on some of the groups, they charge to "find" your bike then you never hear from them again!
apparently took some trails bikes as well.
we where commenting on saturday night about the amount of people who still leave bikes on show locked to bike racks on there cars, makes it to easy for the thieving bastards
I wondered as such but I'm not on IG. They are as culpable then as the scum nicking the bikes.
Is there no security at these events ... or are they targeted by people also staying on site purporting to be riders?
Have done Boltby twice with no issues, and got Ard Rock coming up ... Will probably look to beef up our security.
Not really surprising, unfortunately. Easy pickings.
Very minimal security snd the camping area is quite open with a public footpath running through it. You can be sure that the same person/people will target Ard Rock.
the amount of people who still leave bikes on show locked to bike racks on there cars, makes it to easy for the thieving bastards
Unfortunately it happens time and time again and no matter how many people remember it happening at whatever event 5, 10, 15 or 20 years ago it's still never going to happen to them. Until it does.
All the people who dismiss lock picking or croppers as an attack vector should probably have a long hard think as well. Trust me, they were not using angle grinders.
Keep it in your car or in your tent. It ain't difficult, thieving shits will always be about to take advantage if you make it easy for them.
... was it something we said here about gout that stirred up the Middlesbrough locals?
i was up there and a chap about 20 metres from us had both his bikes nicked. They were locked to his van, but i didnt ask with what kind of lock, as mentioned there was no whirring of angle grinders. There was a car next to him with bikes on Thule roof racks, they werent touched.
Thankfully ours were locked in a van.
pretty gutting for all those involved.
Clearly a well organised group. 20 - 30 bikes. a trials motorbike. And they must know that some freehubs can wake the dead these days, so i assume they carry them out.
Whenever I hear about this kind of thing I'm always reminded about the brazenness of the thieves that targeted a race ay Margam Park a few years ago. Drove into the pits in a white van, all dressed up in riding gear. Literally went around the site just picking up bikes and popping them into the van in broad daylight while there was stuff going on. No-one thought to query a guy in riding gear putting a bike in a van so they drove away with well over £30k of bikes for about 30 mins work! They must have just gone for the unlocked bikes and been lucky that none of the owners were near them at the time.
It's the old Hi-Viz technique, no-one queries a workman with power tools. Just dress and act like you're meant to be there and you can get away with one hell of a lot.
I'm always amazed that bikes don't go missing from the event village at ardrock. Admittedly, I just prop my bike up or hang it on one of the racks like everyone else whilst I wander off to the bar or to get food and every time I think what's to stop someone just riding off on it. Scrotes just need to wear some MTB gear and they could ride off on whatever they want. I'll be locking mine up this year.
I've often wondered about this when I've been at various events. I know at triathlons and similar multisports events I've done that bikes are usually stickered with the sticker matching a wristband for when they are in the "transition" area with somebody checking each entry/exit and the last one I entered also sold optional theft insurance specifically for the event too.
I've no idea what ard rock or mtb events are like and how big they are but is it not possible for something similar in terms of bike storage, at least for those without vans/locks etc? If it was me, I would gladly pay rather than risk it.
A couple of bikes went missing on the first night of the Ride Across Britain (LEJOG) last year. That is an event where all the bikes are racked together with a security guard. Obviously they picked their moment.
Quite a few experienced mountain bikers that I know haven’t been aware that the lock that comes with a bike rack isn’t adequate for security. It takes 20 seconds, without any tools to get a bike off one of those, even a high quality Thule or similar.
If I’m leaving my bike on top of my car unattended for any period of time, I lock it to the roof bars using a motorbike chain. Even then I’m cagey about it.
Even better if possible, to put it inside.
Quite a few experienced mountain bikers that I know haven’t been aware that the lock that comes with a bike rack isn’t adequate for security. It takes 20 seconds, without any tools to get a bike off one of those, even a high quality Thule or similar.
Yeah, we got to spain last year and I realised I'd left my bike rack keys at home, after some initial shouting and cursing I just opened the locks with a screwdriver. Locks even still work with the keys.
Atera Strada btw.
Noted the same last year when I was there. Got up for 2 am piss, no one about, completely quiet, £XXXXXs sat on car roofs or "locked" with cables to the back wheel of a van.
I really dont want to victim shame, as it absolutely sucks and they are horrid f*ckers with a special place reserved in hell, but it was almost inevitable.
Your bike needs to be inside your car or your van.
ETA - it would be nice to see some sort of statement from Ard Rock, Especially with Ard Rock in Swaledale coming up soon. I hope they do not try and distance themselves from it. They should really be providing round the clock security now. I fully expect the scumbags will turn up there too.
Is that a legit thing or a scam of some description
SCAM
Stolen photo's and stolen and fake accounts.
Yes similar stories from PMBA
At the National Champs in Dyfi they had a large security guard in a large 4x4 (with a ridiculously cute 'guard pug') doing the rounds
He said theyd been warned by police that gangs were targeting races events, hence his very visible presence
They should really be providing round the clock security now
They could barely supply water on the way round, so i doubt they could provide security!
A couple of bikes went missing on the first night of the Ride Across Britain (LEJOG) last year. That is an event where all the bikes are racked together with a security guard. Obviously they picked their moment.
I'd quite fancy some of this sort of event - but you can never be sure what is included when someone says "secure storage" - which is really putting me off.
They should really be providing round the clock security now
And therefore your costs go up and then the entry fee, which people will not pay.
I have been to 24hr races in the past where bikes could be kept in a central tennis court with security. Trouble is how the hell do they know its your bike there is no way to prove it.
IMO 3rd party security would not work.
Was it actually 30 bikes? I've seen 4 missing from the general public, but think the organisers had a similar amount stolen from their trailer plus trials bike which sucks for everyone. I was shocked to see a security van/cctv at the entrance to the field but that obviously didn't help things, but guess its a sign organisers are trying to do something.
They should really be providing round the clock security now.
The amount it costs for Ard Rock these days, I'd want Chuck Norris himself personally guarding my bike for the weekend...
I’d quite fancy some of this sort of event – but you can never be sure what is included when someone says “secure storage” – which is really putting me off.
In the case of RAB. This is the first time it has happened so I'm not sure they were really be expecting it & they will probably improve security as a result. Also: There was something like 800 bikes there so you'd be unlucky for it to be yours. Even a thin cable lock would probabbly be enough to make sure they chose someone else's bike.
Some scrotes used to either threaten or take potshots at the riders on one of the XC events (NEMBA i think) that used to happen up in that corner of the world when i used to race ~25 years ago.
They've upped their game.
Mountain Ash used to have scrotes riding MX bikes up the track mid-race, before then also taking potshots at riders too. Lovely place to visit I believe
I am a bit surprised that folk still leave bikes in the open, but I suppose if you haven't been around to see bikes going missing at events before then it just doesn't flag up on your radar (first I can remember was an SDA at Ae about 20 years ago)
In the case of RAB. This is the first time it has happened so I’m not sure they were really be expecting it & they will probably improve security as a result. Also: There was something like 800 bikes there so you’d be unlucky for it to be yours. Even a thin cable lock would probabbly be enough to make sure they chose someone else’s bike.
Hardly when other events have had this regularly... Ard rock and Tweed were hit simultaneously either last year or the one before...
Also: There was something like 800 bikes there so you’d be unlucky for it to be yours. Even a thin cable lock would probabbly be enough to make sure they chose someone else’s bike.
I know people had them nicked from both... it's value related and scoped out and they have cutting equipment.
One of my kids mates had his e-Bike taken and his race bike cut off to get to it and left. (Maybe they planned to come back for that one)???
Yeah, we got to spain last year and I realised I’d left my bike rack keys at home, after some initial shouting and cursing I just opened the locks with a screwdriver. Locks even still work with the keys.
Atera Strada btw.
Hmmm. Noted.
Bike rack locks are a deterrent nothing more - steal mine or the one next door with no lock? Even better get yourself a rack which attaches to the fork axle and a wheel bag to store the wheel securely somewhere else. Then its a case of steal 80% of my bike, or 100% of someone elses?
They're not even that, stop kidding yourself. They're cheap shit wafer locks that duplicate keys (if for some reason you're incapable of operating a jiggler) are readily available for. It's been proven time after time after time that roof bars have **** all security if you're out of line of sight.
Chaining through the roof bars just means they'll get lifted off as well, if it's going in the back of a van what's a little extra that can be whipped off easily enough?
Have the organisers responded at all, anywhere? All I'm seeing is pictures of people razzing down dusty trails. Seems a bit deaf to the reality of people's experiences.
Hmmm. Noted.
Quite a few experienced mountain bikers that I know haven’t been aware that the lock that comes with a bike rack isn’t adequate for security. It takes 20 seconds, without any tools to get a bike off one of those, even a high quality Thule or similar.
The niaivety on display here is incredible to see.
Surely nobody in the UK sees integral bike rack locks as being of any use whatsoever.
Basically this:
They’re not even that, stop kidding yourself. They’re cheap shit wafer locks that duplicate keys (if for some reason you’re incapable of operating a jiggler) are readily available for. It’s been proven time after time after time that roof bars have **** all security if you’re out of line of sight.
If I’m leaving my bike on top of my car unattended for any period of time, I lock it to the roof bars using a motorbike chain. Even then I’m cagey about it.
That's rubbish for the bike owners and maybe a reminder for all of us to take a bit more care. I commented to a mate at BPW this weekend how easy it would be to just wheel a bike away at the end of the day when everybody is standing around chatting, quite often people sit inside or pop to the toilet/shop while several grands worth of bike hangs from the rack.
Surely nobody in the UK sees integral bike rack locks as being of any use whatsoever.
I bloody hope not, even if you couldn't get into the lock (which you obviously can), they print the number on the front so you could just go through your keyring and find the right key to open it.
FWIW i forgot to unlock a mates roof rack a while ago, not a cheap one either.
Thought the handle was a bit stiff to turn, still, got the bike off without having to use the key...
