I wonder how would they prove bike wasn't locked properly.

Would they bother to obtain CCTV evidence?

Well, as I was sharing in the other post, it was actually impossible/difficult to even find a way my bike could be locked to their standard so it's possible they could question how I managed it. I don't intend on lying in a theft situation but even if I planned on it, I only have photos of my d-lock and chain lock. I currently couldn't find a way to lock my bike with both of those, to their requirements. If you read their documentation one way, and take into account their example photos, then they expect a lock around a secure part of the frame (for me that's the back triangle) AND another around the QR front wheel, frame and immovable object. I emailed for confirmation that my way was acceptable, and asked for suitable suggestions of how to lock my bike but couldn't get clarification from Sundays, backpedal or Wisper in a timely manner so I switched insurance (still no answers). Even for locking the bike in the garage I was nervous I wasn't meeting their expectations so it was stressing me out whether I rode it or not.

 

Maybe if I'd never asked in the first place I could get away with lying about it but it's not really my way of doing things and I'd prefer to legitimately meet the requirements.

I currently couldn't find a way to lock my bike with both of those, to their requirements. f doing things and I'd prefer to legitimately meet the requirements.

 

It is quite easy really. Look at picture no 1.

It is quite easy really. Look at picture no 1.

 

You mean taking off the front wheel and securing to the back?

 

That's not easy or practical for short stops, especially if you have any kind of physical impairment which is the reason I got an ebike.

It also doesn't make any sense given that the insurance doesn't cover stolen parts, only theft of the whole bike. But I'm not confident an insurance company wouldn't use the fact I hadn't secured the front QR to get out of paying for the full bike if it was stolen while the QR was not also attached to an immovable object.

You mean taking off the front wheel and securing to the back?

 

Yes

 

That's not easy or practical for short stops, especially if you have any kind of physical impairment which is the reason I got an ebike.

 

It is totally ridiculous. Even if you lock your bike this way it will not increase security of whole bike at all. That is why I said I would cancel policy if I were you.

 

You can lock your bike to this post through front and rear wheel with use of two D locks. To do that bike must be vertical.

 

...but it is another ridiculous solution.

Yes

 

 

 

It is totally ridiculous. Even if you lock your bike this way it will not increase security of whole bike at all. That is why I said I would cancel policy if I were you.

 

You can lock your bike to this post through front and rear wheel with use of two D locks. To do that bike must be vertical.

 

...but it is another ridiculous solution.

Haha, you know maybe I read this early in the morning and didn't pick up that you were in agreement about the ridiculousness of it.

 

I have cancelled the policy but kept the backpedal recovery, more out of curiousity and the fact that I already paid for the tracker anyway. If I ever need to use it I'll update here. I'm awaiting clarification from backpedal on what their separate terms are for recovering the bike. Not sure if they have their own locking requirements.

 

It might be a good package for some and I hope in future having a tracker will reduce the cost of more comprehensive cover that includes mugging (is that what it would be called?) but for me it is not worth the daily hassle to stick to such strict terms when there was better cover available for about the same price.

To update, backpedal have assured me in writing that my bike will be attempted to be retrieved no matter what the circumstances of the theft are, no strict locking requirements etc. They have also had me add them to the PowUnity app now, to make sure they have access, even if the app is freezing for me and put me in touch with powunity to address the app issues.

 

I'm still waiting on any reply from Wisper regarding clarifying the insurance and a fault with my bike, unfortunately. And Sundays didn't respond either. It's all irrelevant now as I have new insurance.

 

Backpedal have replied very quickly to anything I've asked all week and asked me for feedback on cancelling my insurance portion so they could improve their services, so overall I've had great customer service from them.

Backpedal have told me that in the event if my bike being stolen, and the app not being accessible by me, they would be able to request access from PowUnity, with my approval presumably. So, overall that part is pretty well covered.

Hi, we still have not heard back from Sundays, I will write again today. It may be that we move insureres for the last lettle bit of the cover. Hopw are you getting on the the Power Unity app now? has iot stopped freezing?

 

All the best, David

Hi, we still have not heard back from Sundays, I will write again today. It may be that we move insureres for the last lettle bit of the cover. Hopw are you getting on the the Power Unity app now? has iot stopped freezing?

 

All the best, David

 

I think that would make a really good package if the insurance part was better, and more realistic locking requirements.

 

The app has stopped freezing for now, however I'm still not getting the alarm notification reliably. Today I moved my bike without turning the alarm off to see if I got notified, and it didn't tell me til an hour later, when I was already home. I will email them for more support when I get a chance this week, but it at least does still track the location, which is important for the backpedal guys if they ever need it. I liked the idea that I would be alerted though.

Before O2 disabled them, my cheapo GPS tracker light used to send me texts whenever it detected a "Shock", ie knock - this was a feature which could be turned off/on as required, and started operating 5 minutes after the light was sent a text switching it on, "noshock" to switch it off. I think this is a great feature which could be built into future bikes. Although this light can't send texts anymore because of the sacrificing of frequency bands to make room for 5/6/7/8/etc. G, I can still track my bike using the app over the internet, and for the moment at least this tracking appears to be free despite the device using data via a PAYG SIM. Sending texts to the thing used to cost 10p each, worked out at less than £10 a year overall. To get texted a Google Maps link of it's location, I'd simply send a text. If I got hopelesly lost, or wanted to note the location of a pothole or dead animal on the road for the council to deal with, I could get that texted to my phone by pressing a button on the side. I've lost access to functions which can only be activated by it receiving texts, but at least tracking works (for now). This was an excellent GPS tracking device, inexpensive to operate communicating using texts, didn't need an data plan.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Real-Time-Waterproof-Overspeed-Subscription-Motorbike/dp/B09X2Z1CYT/

 

 

 

Might try one of their newer hidden versions.

Edited February 12, 20242 yr by guerney

Bike theft .......

 

I saw this earlier,and thought to include it here. NOT OFFICE SAFE.

 

Trackers, GPS , really !!!!!!!!!! pointless sorry

 

I would rather stop the bike being stolen to begin with

 

Me I would rather spend the money on another lock to supplement what I have rather than hope someone finds a frame or a few bits a week later ROFL

Before O2 disabled them, my cheapo GPS tracker light used to send me texts whenever it detected a "Shock", ie knock - this was a feature which could be turned off/on as required, and started operating 5 minutes after the light was sent a text switching it on, "noshock" to switch it off. I think this is a great feature which could be built into future bikes. Although this light can't send texts anymore because of the sacrificing of frequency bands to make room for 5/6/7/8/etc. G, I can still track my bike using the app over the internet, and for the moment at least this tracking appears to be free despite the device using data via a PAYG SIM. Sending texts to the thing used to cost 10p each, worked out at less than £10 a year overall. To get texted a Google Maps link of it's location, I'd simply send a text. If I got hopelesly lost, or wanted to note the location of a pothole or dead animal on the road for the council to deal with, I could get that texted to my phone by pressing a button on the side. I've lost access to functions which can only be activated by it receiving texts, but at least tracking works (for now). This was an excellent GPS tracking device, inexpensive to operate communicating using texts, didn't need an data plan.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Real-Time-Waterproof-Overspeed-Subscription-Motorbike/dp/B09X2Z1CYT/

 

[ATTACH=full]56375[/ATTACH]

 

 

Might try one of their newer hidden versions.

 

A little update to the above post - a couple of months later, it's working again! As before, I can program the GPS bicycle tracker rear light... it sends GPS location and a Google Maps link via text, when I send "G123456" by SMS. I can activate tamper alert by sending "shock123456", disable with "noshock123456". SMS services even work again using Giffgaff/O2 my substantially dumber old HTC s710 smartphone. I have no idea why Giffgaff's SMS services stopped or resumed for old devices, or newer devices using old networks. They're supposed to be sacrificing old networks for 5/6/n G.

Edited April 30, 20242 yr by guerney

Trackers, GPS , really !!!!!!!!!! pointless sorry

 

I would rather stop the bike being stolen to begin with

 

You can't ride your bike locked with D locks, but you can be mugged. If my bike had better hill climbing performance, I might have been robbed - judging by the unhinged screaming of "Shall we grab ya? SHALL WE GRAB YA?!?!?? HAHAHAHA!", the occupants of the car and their mates giving chase on foot, were considering the possibility. Fortunately my bike doesn't look like much... but if I had been mugged, I would have rounded up a posse to raid their lair within an hour, after I'd obtained my bike's GPS location, and robbed them of their money guns and drugs to trade for a better looking bike at Cashconverters or Cashgenerators - they buy anything, their signages say so.

 

 

Edited April 30, 20242 yr by guerney