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8 bikes stolen at recent Half Ironman

I have always had this worry too - that on leaving a bike in transition you are ultimately relying on the event staff to mind it for you.



Will be leaving my bike overnight come the UK Ironman - guess, I can bring a lock for that and I may have read about overnight security that is provided.



I do have bike insurance, but it would be messy.



Like you penguin, I'd be interested to hear of peoples experiences and views.

Comments

  • penguinpenguin Posts: 37

    I recently completed in the Germany 70.3, after a few days of painful recovery, the organizers sent an email around in German which essentially said.



    8 bikes were stolen from the transition area between midday and 4 pm and a 25,000 Euro reward is offered for information.





    The stolen bikes that were mentioned in the email were:

    > CERVELO R3 SL,



    > SPECIALIZED, S-Works Tarmac SL



    > ORBEA ORA, Special Edition Vitesse



    > LOOK 595 Pro Team



    > CUBE Litening HPC



    > SCOTT Addict Limited,



    No mention of the other 2 bikes.



    My question is…is this a ‘semi-regular’ problem to have bikes stolen at triathlon events?



    My next event has the possibility to check-in on the day prior, but I am a little worried after reading this email.



    Any thoughts would be appreciated,



    Cheers

  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    That is so nasty, the last thing your going to want to worry about during the race is whether your bike will still be there at transition, it makes you want to have a rubbish bike! Maybe I will paint the new P2C brown, then no one will steal it!



    You could always find out where froggie puts his bike, then put it next to it, they will nick his instead! I use the same theory when I park my crappy 306 in a car park, in the last few months I've left it unlocked 3 times owing to the key not working properly and no one has stolen it yet!
  • I have had to check my bike in the previous day at several events over the last few years, in my experience if the event organisers provide overnight security it is fine as no-one is allowed into the transition area after a certain time. Where I sometimes have a concern is when the bikes are being 'collected' after the event if there is no-one to check them out, most the events I take part in will not let you take a bike out unless you have a matching race number to the bike.



    I am more concerned when the bike is made to 'sleep' outside in the rain as you are often only allowed to cover the saddle and handlebars/computer.



  • Sounds lke the guys who stole those bikes knew exactly what they were looking for and were stole to order - as with most bike thefts now (they're rarely opportunists who steal cheap mountain bikes). I guess like Tommi suggests the solution may be to make your bike look rubbish!! [&:] i don't have this problem since mine really is rubbish heheh [:)] but in my experience (very very limited) also you cant take a bike out of transition unless you have the same number (but how easy is this to fake with a marker pen on your arm!). except at the really small events - they just let you walk out with them!!



    really off putting though. Tommi - you now have everyone trying the doors of 306s!!
  • The bigger (more secure) events normally have wristbands with your race number and your bike also has to have a matching number so the marker pen trick hopefully would not work if they check properly, this is the case for the IMs that I have done.
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    I have raced a few events where timing chips are used & I have not been drawn on, so there goes the basic check that my bike is..well my bike, sure my helmet stocker matches..but it would would it not since both are together in tansition after the bike leg....this has troubled me recently, some one running off with my pride & joy.
  • penguinpenguin Posts: 37
    On that particular day we each had bar codes attached to our start number. 5 or 6 large firemen had hand held scanners which were used to check out the bikes - very thorough. I think the thief’s cut a hole in the fence... How in the hell can organizers or individuals try and prevent such a thing happening.



    I am glad I have a non-fancy pants Giant Road bike... I hope to keep it.

  • bathtubbathtub Posts: 280
    I can remember reading about a similar situation at the 2006 UK Ironman 70.3. 3 elite triathletes Raynard Tissink, Chris McCormack and Richard Allen's bikes went missing overnight from the secure! transition area. The organisers managed to supply all 3 with a replacement bike but Raynards was'nt the right fit and he pulled out, but Macca went on to win the race. Not sure if they ever got their bikes back.
  • paulfitzpaulfitz Posts: 67
    I have left mine overnight at Windsor and London and not heard of a problem. I would normally D lock it to rack, just as deterant.

    My bike is not mega expensive but not bad. Not exactly cricket I know, but just need to make it slightly less easy to nick than the one next to you.



  • penguinpenguin Posts: 37
    "Sounds like the guys who stole those bikes knew exactly what they were looking for and were stole to order - as with most bike thefts now "



    that is part of the problem....My next event (somewhat worried about the distance and my bike being stole) has on their webpage (http://www.koelntriathlon.de/index.php?lg=en)



    a 'show your bike contest', which has a nice web page containing nice juicy pictures of full carbon speed weapons with the owners name attached. One quick little click on the web pages starters list, and the potential thief’s now know the owners stater number and therefore were to find it in the racks...a thief’s catalogue if you will.



    I like the advice of D-lock in transition overnight (thanks paulfitz!), as the fun day is ending in a marathon which stops in another location from T2( around 15km away) I think I might even D-lock it after the cycle portion of the race. Sad but not worth loosing a bike over a 1 minute delay in T2.



    Running with my keys might be a bit of a pain....more thought required perhaps.





  • paulfitzpaulfitz Posts: 67
    If you are anything like me, you have a big box full of crap....... I mean vital Tri essentials.......in transition anyway. So if you do lock it after T2, just hide keys in bottom of there. Just the sight of the lock will prob be enough and unlikely someone will route through wetsuit, change of pants etc on off chance of finding key.

    But WHATEVER YOU DO..........don't drive to race the next morning and leave your only D-lock key by the front door at home, where you swore you would not forget it!!! [:@]
  • I asked a police officer at London Tri this year if she thought it safe to leave my bike on my rear car rack post event and she advised they only had one bike theft reported in 2007 and none on Saturday this year.



    Not heard of any problems at any of the events I've entered by the T area always seem very well policed by marshalls.
  • penguinpenguin Posts: 37
    Are sarcastic and childish Triathlon event organisers normal?



    As mentioned before, I am entering a triathlon with some friends, we contacted the triathlon organisers pretty much saying:



    your 'show your bike contest', is perhaps a cause for concern given the recent thefts in the Germany 70.3. One quick little click on the web pages starters list, and the potential thief’s now know the owners stater number and therefore were to find it in the racks.



    This was sent in good faith, just a friendly heads up, none of us have a Cervelo :(. We assumed they would have heard of the thefts.



    They emailed back a sarcastic email offering us a stall at their triathlon to hand out free locks to the other competitors. They asked what do we consider tight security, guards every five meters or barbed wire fence? And they asked whether triathlon magazines should be banned cause it advertises fancy bikes and gives the location of triathlons, which may attract thieves. Finally asked whether they should call off the triathlon and let the thieves win.



    I expected better, considering I ASSUMED it is their responsibility to protect the property of the competitors.



    Childish and sarcastic in my opinion…

  • triadtriad Posts: 62
    Are sarcastic and childish Triathlon event organisers normal?



    As mentioned before, I am entering a triathlon with some friends, we contacted the triathlon organisers pretty much saying:



    your 'show your bike contest', is perhaps a cause for concern given the recent thefts in the Germany 70.3. One quick little click on the web pages starters list, and the potential thief’s now know the owners stater number and therefore were to find it in the racks.



    This was sent in good faith, just a friendly heads up, none of us have a Cervelo :(. We assumed they would have heard of the thefts.



    They emailed back a sarcastic email offering us a stall at their triathlon to hand out free locks to the other competitors. They asked what do we consider tight security, guards every five meters or barbed wire fence? And they asked whether triathlon magazines should be banned cause it advertises fancy bikes and gives the location of triathlons, which may attract thieves. Finally asked whether they should call off the triathlon and let the thieves win.



    I expected better, considering I ASSUMED it is their responsibility to protect the property of the competitors.



    Childish and sarcastic in my opinion


    I HAVE TO SAY PENGUIN THAT I THINK THAT'S DISGRACEFUL AND HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH UNHELPFUL AND UNFRIENDLY COMMENTS FROM A RACE ORGANISER. OF COURSE IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ORGANISERS TO ORGANISE AT LEAST SOME FORM OF SECURITY, AND IF NOT, AT THE VERY LEAST IN A FRIENDLY MANNER REMIND PARTICIPANTS OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN EQUIPMENT. I AM SHOCKED. HOWEVER BEING BENEVOLENT, PERHAPS YOU CAUGHT THE WRONG SIDE OF A VERY STRESSED RACE ORGANISER WHO REACTED AS A RESULT OF STRESS (PERHAPS THEY SHOULDN'T BE ORGANISING A RACE IF THEY CAN'T TAKE THE PRESSURE). MAY I JUST SAY THAT EVERY RACE ORGANISER AND REFEREE I'VE MET HAVE DONE WONDERFUL JOBS WITH FANTASTIC ATTITUDES.
  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    I suppose that man is not a triathlete himself!!??

    Responding in such a way is a proof of his incompetence. Don't get wound up guys, he/she probably doesn't know better. (sadly)
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    penguin wrote:


    Are sarcastic and childish Triathlon event organisers normal?



    As mentioned before, I am entering a triathlon with some friends, we contacted the triathlon organisers pretty much saying:



    your 'show your bike contest', is perhaps a cause for concern given the recent thefts in the Germany 70.3. One quick little click on the web pages starters list, and the potential thief’s now know the owners stater number and therefore were to find it in the racks.



    This was sent in good faith, just a friendly heads up, none of us have a Cervelo :(. We assumed they would have heard of the thefts.



    They emailed back a sarcastic email offering us a stall at their triathlon to hand out free locks to the other competitors. They asked what do we consider tight security, guards every five meters or barbed wire fence? And they asked whether triathlon magazines should be banned cause it advertises fancy bikes and gives the location of triathlons, which may attract thieves. Finally asked whether they should call off the triathlon and let the thieves win.



    I expected better, considering I ASSUMED it is their responsibility to protect the property of the competitors.



    Childish and sarcastic in my opinion…







    Name and Shame that race! That is a disgraceful response to a (seemingly) earnest concern.
  • starcherstarcher Posts: 126
    Thats an unusual attitude for a race organiser, although to some of them our beloved passionately loved sport is only a way of making money.



    However in my experience Ive always found them to be more than helpful
    (although they seem to always have a bad taste in event music).



    As for getting your bike nicked thats real shitty.....worrying about our pride and joy is the last thing that we should have to do. I lock mine if its in Tranny for any amount of time even though its only worth £750 I cant afford to replace it, I use a cheap combination lock that'll hopefully deter would be asshole theives and obviously I always try to get on the rail next to a felt or Cervelo....(they never nick the cheap bikes)



    Mat.

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