SA Cycle Register - Will you register?

[Andrew_ew]

The assumption that the said bike is already registered....

 

Precisely. Joe Soap steals a 2014 carbon spez epic with roval carbon wheels, He registers the bike - which hasn't been registered before. He sells it here or on OLX, gumtree or other online site for R25k.

 

Fred Visagie sees it, checks the register, all seems legit now because its registered and buys the bike. The owner spots it at a race and suddenly Fred Visagie has a lot of explaining to do before he gets to spend the weekend with papa.

 

My question still remains - what measures are there in place to stop this registration being abused and actually helping people sell stolen bikes? I don't know what the answer is other than some sort of RICA type process, providing of copies of ID books, proof of residence and certification of accuracy of details from LBS - all of which is not infallible. Maybe only apply it to new bikes which is not always practical given the big 2nd hand market?

[morne101]

All this is good and well, but how many people actually stop the person on a suspicious bike just to get the bike to someone to inspect the bike.

 

With all due respect, nowadays if you stop such a person, you stand a good chance of landing up in court.

[Neil Davidson]

Precisely. Joe Soap steals a 2014 carbon spez epic with roval carbon wheels, He registers the bike - which hasn't been registered before. He sells it here or on OLX, gumtree or other online site for R25k.

 

Fred Visagie sees it, checks the register, all seems legit now because its registered and buys the bike. The owner spots it at a race and suddenly Fred Visagie has a lot of explaining to do before he gets to spend the weekend with papa.

 

My question still remains - what measures are there in place to stop this registration being abused and actually helping people sell stolen bikes? I don't know what the answer is other than some sort of RICA type process, providing of copies of ID books, proof of residence and certification of accuracy of details from LBS - all of which is not infallible. Maybe only apply it to new bikes which is not always practical given the big 2nd hand market?

Hi Andrew, 

 

There are measures in place to mitigate against this. You can register you bike and list the components, upgrades and upload a picture of your prized possession on the Register This information will be UNVERIFIED until such time that it is taken into one of the registered bike dealers. At this point the bike shop will verify that the details are correct and that in fact you are the legitimate owner of the bike, they will then mark the bike as VERIFIED, they will then fit your bike with DataDot and register the unique serial number that appears on the microdots to your profile so in the event your bike is stolen and the serial number removed they are still able to trace the owner.

 

We unfortunately cannot do anything about the bikes that are already stolen but this system will allow us to put a stake in the ground and prevent any bikes being stolen in the future. This is why the REGISTER is so IMPORTANT!

 

Hypothetically -  If I steal your bike today, register it on my profile tonight and trade it in tomorrow I will essentially be able to introduce another stolen bike into the system without the risk of being caught! HOWEVER if you register your bike now, I steal it tonight, you flag it as STOLEN tonight, I try trade it in tomorrow the bike shop trading it in will be able to do an immediate spot check on the Register, it will be flagged as STOLEN and I'll be BUSTED and spending the night with PAPA...

 

First prize would to have every new bike fitted with DataDot and I promise you we are working towards that but there are THOUSANDS of bikes out there so the availability to the criminals is abundant! When guys take their bikes in for a service they need to ask to have DataDot fitted. RRP is only R199 so its not going to break the bank!

 

I've attached an image illustrating the size of a DataDot as well as the information that is laser etched on each of them. A DataDot is 0.5mm in diameter and there are 3 500 of them in each pen.

 

We're only in JHB for now for the launch phase and intend on rolling out to the remaining provinces in the new year. 

 

Look forward to hearing more feedback. 

[Andrew_ew]

Hi Andrew, 

 

There are measures in place to mitigate against this.......

 

We're only in JHB for now for the launch phase and intend on rolling out to the remaining provinces in the new year. 

 

Look forward to hearing more feedback. 

 

Hi Neil,

 

Thanks for answering the question - I suppose any system will be open to abuse but it seems like you guys are doing everything possible to minimise the risks and cut down on abuse.

 

A publicised register of bike or second-hand shops that certify too many stolen bikes could also dissuade bike shops from being complicit in any attempt to legitimise stolen bikes. 

 

Well done on a great initiative - now we just need micro dot in KZN.

 

Deals with insurers to cut down on premiums if registered and micro dotted will hopefully follow.

[Dirkitech]

won't criminals be able to easily generate and imprint fake numbers and register it as "apparently real"?

[Dirkitech]

won't criminals be able to easily generate and imprint fake numbers and register it as "apparently real"?

quoting myself to let it stand out. If this goes as far as developing rfid tags or gps trackers that get implemented in such way that theft is greatly inhibited... heck, take my money!

[Stretch]

Hi Andrew,

 

There are measures in place to mitigate against this. You can register you bike and list the components, upgrades and upload a picture of your prized possession on the Register This information will be UNVERIFIED until such time that it is taken into one of the registered bike dealers. At this point the bike shop will verify that the details are correct and that in fact you are the legitimate owner of the bike, they will then mark the bike as VERIFIED, they will then fit your bike with DataDot and register the unique serial number that appears on the microdots to your profile so in the event your bike is stolen and the serial number removed they are still able to trace the owner.

 

We unfortunately cannot do anything about the bikes that are already stolen but this system will allow us to put a stake in the ground and prevent any bikes being stolen in the future. This is why the REGISTER is so IMPORTANT!

 

Hypothetically - If I steal your bike today, register it on my profile tonight and trade it in tomorrow I will essentially be able to introduce another stolen bike into the system without the risk of being caught! HOWEVER if you register your bike now, I steal it tonight, you flag it as STOLEN tonight, I try trade it in tomorrow the bike shop trading it in will be able to do an immediate spot check on the Register, it will be flagged as STOLEN and I'll be BUSTED and spending the night with PAPA...

 

First prize would to have every new bike fitted with DataDot and I promise you we are working towards that but there are THOUSANDS of bikes out there so the availability to the criminals is abundant! When guys take their bikes in for a service they need to ask to have DataDot fitted. RRP is only R199 so its not going to break the bank!

 

I've attached an image illustrating the size of a DataDot as well as the information that is laser etched on each of them. A DataDot is 0.5mm in diameter and there are 3 500 of them in each pen.

 

We're only in JHB for now for the launch phase and intend on rolling out to the remaining provinces in the new year.

 

Look forward to hearing more feedback.

Ok..I bought my bike second hand a million years ago...no way of knowing the bike shop....how will I register?

[Stretch]

Duplicate

[Neil Davidson]

quoting myself to let it stand out. If this goes as far as developing rfid tags or gps trackers that get implemented in such way that theft is greatly inhibited... heck, take my money!

Hi Dirkitect, 

 

Criminals don't have access to the technology to manufacture DataDot so this isn't a concern. We also have strict control measures in place that manage the distribution and allocation of the kits/serial numbers. The registered bike stores are the only entities that will be able to link a serial number to your profile so even kits were stolen from a store they would be useless to criminals because they don't have access to a system to authenticate or transfer the serial number.

 

As far as GPS trackers are concerned, these devices come with multiple challenges, i.e power supply, size, cost, fitment etc. These work well in the automotive industry but unfortunately won't translate well into bikes.

[Neil Davidson]

Ok..I bought my bike second hand a million years ago...no way of knowing the bike shop....how will I register?

Hi Stretch, 

 

Go to www.cycleregister.co.za register your bikes profile, won't take you more than 5 minutes. Your next step is to take it to one of the registered bike dealers, (Cycle Lab Fourways is currently the only stockist) alternatively I'll be at the Nissan Trailseeker #5 on Saturday, bring it to the DataDot gazebo and we'll do the installation there. 

 

We are in discussions with a number of other bike shops to list the product, but paperwork sometimes takes longer than expected but we'll hopefully be in everyone's local bike store soon.

[Stretch]

Hi Stretch,

 

Go to www.cycleregister.co.za register your bikes profile, won't take you more than 5 minutes. Your next step is to take it to one of the registered bike dealers, (Cycle Lab Fourways is currently the only stockist) alternatively I'll be at the Nissan Trailseeker #5 on Saturday, bring it to the DataDot gazebo and we'll do the installation there.

 

We are in discussions with a number of other bike shops to list the product, but paperwork sometimes takes longer than expected but we'll hopefully be in everyone's local bike store soon.

Ok..so it's only in jhb then...was just wondering how you handled guys on secondhand bikes where they can't verify where the bike was bought from...let me know when you make it down to kzn

[LoveMyRide]

How does this register differ from the http://www.nbrza.co.za/ that has been running for many years.  The list of stolen bikes is testimony to the shocking stats of stolen bikes.

[Neil Davidson]

How does this register differ from the http://www.nbrza.co.za/ that has been running for many years.  The list of stolen bikes is testimony to the shocking stats of stolen bikes.

Hi, 

 

Thanks for bringing them to my attention, first time I've heard of them. I've had a brief look at their site and at first glance it appears to be a fairly similar concept, I tried registering but no activation email is being sent so I'm unable to log in.

 

I'd like to do a log on and have an in depth look at their site before making any comparisons between the two platforms.

 

On difference that we have that no other platform is able to offer is the secondary layer of tracing an owner. With the installation of DataDot we essentially give you bike DNA which becomes an extension of the owner, the unique serial number is linked to your profile so we have a point of reference to trace it back to when a bike is recovered, traded in etc. The primary action we and the competitors will take is list the serial number of the bike, these however can be removed without too much effort. When we DataDot a bike (Secondary layer) we apply over 3000 unique identifiers across 30 - 40 areas on the bike which would be nearly impossible to remove. 

 

This initiative was launched off the back of an extremely successful vehicle platform which has seen over 2 million vehicles in SA fitted with DataDot (BTW since 2012 all new vehicles entering the country have to have Microdots fitted and DataDot do 80% of all new vehicles including BMW, VW, Mercedes etc.) Click here for more.

 

The main drive behind this initiative is to make bikes unattractive to the criminals and the syndicates. If we are able to DataDot all the bikes out there they will essentially be "Dirty" bikes and syndicates will not be able to trade in them. We have seen the numbers in DataDot'd vehicle thefts significantly decline and we are essentially trying to replicate this in the bicycle industry . We have over 16 000 police officers trained nationally so the footprint and infrastructure is already in place to manage this for us. 

[LoveMyRide]

Hi, 

 

Thanks for bringing them to my attention, first time I've heard of them. I've had a brief look at their site and at first glance it appears to be a fairly similar concept, I tried registering but no activation email is being sent so I'm unable to log in.

 

I'd like to do a log on and have an in depth look at their site before making any comparisons between the two platforms.

 

On difference that we have that no other platform is able to offer is the secondary layer of tracing an owner. With the installation of DataDot we essentially give you bike DNA which becomes an extension of the owner, the unique serial number is linked to your profile so we have a point of reference to trace it back to when a bike is recovered, traded in etc. The primary action we and the competitors will take is list the serial number of the bike, these however can be removed without too much effort. When we DataDot a bike (Secondary layer) we apply over 3000 unique identifiers across 30 - 40 areas on the bike which would be nearly impossible to remove. 

 

This initiative was launched off the back of an extremely successful vehicle platform which has seen over 2 million vehicles in SA fitted with DataDot (BTW since 2012 all new vehicles entering the country have to have Microdots fitted and DataDot do 80% of all new vehicles including BMW, VW, Mercedes etc.) Click here for more.

 

The main drive behind this initiative is to make bikes unattractive to the criminals and the syndicates. If we are able to DataDot all the bikes out there they will essentially be "Dirty" bikes and syndicates will not be able to trade in them. We have seen the numbers in DataDot'd vehicle thefts significantly decline and we are essentially trying to replicate this in the bicycle industry . We have over 16 000 police officers trained nationally so the footprint and infrastructure is already in place to manage this for us. 

Thanks for the explanation.

[jaypaul]

The SA Cycle Register has been developed to help protect SA Cyclists by providing a system where bicycle details can be uploaded, bicycles may be flagged as stolen and most importantly; 2nd hand bicycle buyers, retailers and law enforcement have the ability to query bicycle flag information based on the serial number or DataDot PIN number of the bicycle.

The register also allows retailers to upload bicycle service history and verify details loaded by users.

This system is user generated and free.

 

The SA Cycle Register would appreciate any feedback on usabilty of the site as well as any thoughts on the issue of identification in the cycling industry. www.cycleregister.co.za

 

Remember - Assets which have their identitites protected cannot be legitimately sold if they are stolen, which deters criminals from stealing protected assets. 

 

@SACycleRegister

Hey guys,

 

so, first of all, happy new year to all.

 

To the point: I have been looking into Cycle-Register for a while, wanting to register the details of my previous bike but, as an Xmas present, I got myself a brand new steed (what can I say, the big child inside me still loves presents ). Thing is, I'd be completely heart-broken if it got stolen while I'm out on the mountains and I decided to take all necessary precautions to make sure that one way or the other, should that happen, chances are that the bike can be found.

 

The problem though is, and I am sure that I am not the only non-SA national living here who enjoys cycling, but the Cycle-Register form only allows SA ID numbers on the registration form and therefore wouldn't allow me to register with say my passport number. That kind of exclude a whole bunch of people with expensive bikes, who live here and well would like to Data-Dot their precious toys as well.

 

I guess the question is, is there any other way to get my bike registered or should I just move on and only have it with the insurance and that's it?

 

I did try looking on the website to see if there was any support email address I could direct this query to but nothing came up (Yes they do seem to have Twitter and Facebook but I use none of those - social networking isn't my thing and I'm sort of ol' school). Anyways, I thought, maybe the community here might have an idea.

 

Looking forward to your replies. :-)

[Neil Davidson]

Hey guys,

 

so, first of all, happy new year to all.

 

To the point: I have been looking into Cycle-Register for a while, wanting to register the details of my previous bike but, as an Xmas present, I got myself a brand new steed (what can I say, the big child inside me still loves presents ). Thing is, I'd be completely heart-broken if it got stolen while I'm out on the mountains and I decided to take all necessary precautions to make sure that one way or the other, should that happen, chances are that the bike can be found.

 

The problem though is, and I am sure that I am not the only non-SA national living here who enjoys cycling, but the Cycle-Register form only allows SA ID numbers on the registration form and therefore wouldn't allow me to register with say my passport number. That kind of exclude a whole bunch of people with expensive bikes, who live here and well would like to Data-Dot their precious toys as well.

 

I guess the question is, is there any other way to get my bike registered or should I just move on and only have it with the insurance and that's it?

 

I did try looking on the website to see if there was any support email address I could direct this query to but nothing came up (Yes they do seem to have Twitter and Facebook but I use none of those - social networking isn't my thing and I'm sort of ol' school). Anyways, I thought, maybe the community here might have an idea.

 

Looking forward to your replies. :-)

Hi Jay Paul,

 

Happy new year to you too.

 

We have built in a validation within the ID number cell which validates SA ID numbers to ensure they are captured correctly, with the numerous foreign passport number formats we unfortunately cannot build in functionality to validate all of these hence the reason you were unable to capture your details.

 

We obviously welcome everyone on the SA Cycle Register and therefore if you would PM me your contact number I will happily contact you and manually setup an account for you.

 

BTW, Congrats on the new ride, wishing you many happy miles!