Is there any good reason why i can’t replace my stem bolts, top cap bolt and seatclamp bolt with torx ones?

I know it’s hardly Fort Knox but it might deter the odd opportunist thief.

None whatsoever. Go nuts.

Other than the ability to turn Torx bolts with an allen key, therefore achieving nothing, fill your boots

Woop 😀

Other than the ability to turn Torx bolts with an allen key, therefore achieving nothing, fill your boots

Ah, ballsack. I knew there must be a reason why it wasn’t a “thing”.

Small ball bearings super glued into the socket head are the usual theft deterrent.

That sounds sensible, unless something slips on a ride. How does one get them out again when required?

Acetone / Nail polish remover (not the acetone free version)

You need security torx, it has a little post in the centre which means you need a specific torx tool to remove it and cannot use an allen key. Otherwise there are specific security fittings available like these http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=33192

This all sounds like an anti-theft approach which only inconveniences the owner tbh.

This all sounds like an anti-theft approach which only inconveniences the owner tbh.

Essentially, every anti-theft device is an inconvenience. However, they usually outweigh the inconvenience of having your bike nicked.

And will this stop your bike being nicked?

And will this stop your bike being nicked?

Whole bike? No, why would it? But if someone’s wandering round with an allen key and wants a new saddle and a seatpost, yes.

You need security torx, it has a little post in the centre which means you need a specific torx tool to remove it and cannot use an allen key. Otherwise there are specific security fittings available like these http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=33192

Thanks. I’ve seen those pinhead things, but i’m after a cheap alternative. I’ll have a look for security torx bolts.

finbar – Member

Whole bike? No, why would it?

That was in response to TooTall.

Saddle can make sense. Wheels, if you’re concerned, should be locked. Bars? Who steals bars?

My brother had stem, handlebars and STI levers pinched from his bike. Security torx bits would probably have been enough to persuade the thief to pinch stuff from the next bike along.

Doubt it- that takes a fair amount of effort to nick, it’s not pure opportunism. Security torq are almost an irrelevance, anyone who wants to nick a bike can get them easily (or, can knock out the central pin with a screwdriver)

that takes a fair amount of effort to nick

Huh? Three bolts, and a cable cutter to four cables. No more than 30 seconds.

Obviously the thief came equipped, so not pure opportunism, but almost certainly not targetted – it wasn’t particularly nice kit.

It’s not a case of being secure, it’s a case of being more secure than the next bike. Until security torx is common place on bikes, it’s probably a useful deterrent.

pdw – Member

Huh? Three bolts, and a cable cutter to four cables. No more than 30 seconds.

But requires bringing suitable tools. The security torqs would make zero difference to a thief that’s planning ahead. Hammer and chisel are standard bike-nicking kit and they turn security torqs into not-security torqs instantly, even if he lacks the right bit.

(otoh, the tools required to cut brake and gear cables will also cut a lot of cable locks!)

I’m not against sensible security- I’m against false impressions of security.

Find a mains power supply and link it to your bike while you’re at work? Then you can put in torq bolts if you want and it doesn’t matter about the Allen keys

Security torx would make all the difference against a thief that’s only carrying a bunch of hex keys. Component theft is a growing problem because you can stick a couple of allen keys and wire cutters in your pocket and easily walk off with some pretty valuable bits. No need to carry security torx, because there’s no shortage of pickings using hex bolts.

It’s not going to stop someone who really wants to steal stuff from your bike, but most thieves don’t want to steal stuff from your bike. They want to steal stuff from a bike.

pdw- like I say, you don’t need special tools, you can snap the pin out of security torq with next to no effort. It’s one of the 2 things that makes them a joke, their only purpose is to irritate legitimate owners.

Now it’s always true that they can just go to the next bike- is there another nearby, in as accessible a place? Is your kit nicer? My commuter’s pretty much theftproof, there’s nothing nice on it.

How about something like this?

http://www.securityfasteners.net/Security-Machine-Screws/2-Hole-Pan-Security-Machine-Screw.html

The PinHead stuff is pretty good, just a bit pricey…Just don’t lose the specific ‘key’ you gt with it or you’re knackered! 😀 I did the Torx thing, coupled with a seat collar for the Reverb to stop the opportunist, seems to work so far but the bike is hardly out of my sight.