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OK, I know this gets done often but what ground anchors and chains have you got in your garage / shed / outbuilding? Recommend what you got. Thanks in advance.
Best chain I have is a 16mm 3m Almax thing. Weighs a ton. Don't think they're going any more though.
After doing a bit of research I settled on Hiplok bits - the Ankr anchor and DXXL chain/ lock. The Ankr's pretty easy to fit; and the chain and lock are really heavy duty and robust. Obviously you could also swap in another chain if you wanted
I have this for the motorbike. It's a pretty substantial sold secure diamond thing, set into the concrete floor with resin bonded bolts. The chain is not as beefy as it could be and I keep meaning to get a better one. But then it lives in a locked garage with a car parked in front of the door and has a steering lock, tracker and immobiliser.
And this for the push bikes. A relatively cheap anchor (from Screwfix I think) mounted on a green oak beam and thick plastic covered cable. It wouldn't bother an angle grinder for long. I look on it a as a minor deterrent for opportunists at best. I don't think my bikes are posh enough for anyone to target them specifically and I live in a relatively low crime rural area. The big issue here is thefts of plant and farm equipment. People doing that wouldn't trouble themselves over my bone shakers.
I have this for the motorbike.
My MTB's are locked using these, 2 of them into the floor under my work bench - with 16mm chains and the very highest level of locks. If they get nicked, it will be through cutting the frames.
Bought from Pragmasis who sadly shut down as documented here, however their products are now sold elsewhere:
https://securityforbikes.com/collections/ground-anchors
I repurposed a herris fencing base, mortared it to the garage floor with a short chain through it. I then have two long wires and u-locks.
To be honest - if it's opportunistic then they are locked.. If they have broken into a metal, alarmed door already, then nothing else is going to stop them. So I just have good insurance.
concreted U and a length of lifting chain covered in old inner tube, with an ABUS bolt type lock.
Definitely a vote for pragmasis from me. They rose from the ashes and are in business again, SecurityForBikes site is them.
I've bought several of their chains and ground anchors in the past. All been great quality.
Pick one that takes your fancy:
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_cat/126
As for chains - the bigger the better. All of them can be cut through given enough time, bigger ones just take longer, but going too big/heavy is often not practical for push bikes. Better off preventing them getting into the building in the first place, or just have something lighter for insurance purposes.
Pragmasis.... Just over 10m of the stuff IIRC. Tbh with that weight I don't really need an anchor!
Also have a tyre o' 'crete which vexed the removals company greatly 😆
Pragmasis are still trading - they got bought by someone they'd previously partnered with....
https://cyclingindustry.news/pragmasis-is-back-relaunched-brand-with-new-owners-and-vision/
Thanks everyone. It looks like Pragmasis are all out of stock for chains at the moment. But lots to think about and research.
I got a 16mm Oxford chain from sportsbikeshop.co.uk up there ^^ but its MASSIVE, an absolute beast and weighs a ton..... Reckon 12 or 14mm are probably big enough for push bikes.
Haven't got a ground anchor yet as most seem to only take up to 14mm. To be honest though, the expensive bike are hanging from the roof and I can put the chain through the frames and round a roof joist so thats pretty much as good. Others are hanging from another rack and chains go round other fixed objects.
Pragmasis ground anchor and almax chain (I bought cheap 2nd hand, nothing wrong with pragmasis's).. had to replace my kyrponite GA as the almax chain wouldn't fit through it 😀
@ads, the biggest advantage of 16mm is it's just physically too big for most bolt cutters. It's a huge step up for security over 14mm. It's also about 33% more metal, for grinder attacks
Pain in the bum to live with, though. Combining it with good d-locks can be effective, I have one big 16mm chain that doesn't go through the bikes, and then the bikes are d-locked to the chain (through links). Means I don't have to thread the chain out every time.
Are almax reliable for actual delivering again? I love those guys but they went through a pretty bad phase there, it felt like the company was barely going.
Pragmasis's Roundlock is the absolute bollocks. Good padlocks are expensive, this thing is incredible value but also more protective, because the chain protects the shank. Can be keyed alike with their other locks too. Just brilliant kit. Compatibility is slightly fiddly, I had to grind mind down a little to work with my Squire chain and they're not selling the "fits more chains" version currently.
I have a pragmasis double doofer I brought from our last place. It's paired with a 16mm chain and padlock.
It's big, it's heavy and as noone has tried to nick them, I can't comment on it's efficacy
