Project 529 Garage: Skeptics Demand Proof of Local Law Enforcement Involvement

@elliek asks: Q4. We have our bikes registered with project 529 Garage. https://project529.com While it does look to be excellent for tracking a bike that's been stolen, there seems to be no local support for it. Have you ever used it and gotten local shops or law enforcement involved? How did it go? (Please see additional questions and context: https://zeroes.ca/@elliek/116403454353992104 ) #BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite

@ascentale @elliek @bikenite #BikeNite A4: I have all my bikes registered with 529. But luckily have never had to use the tools, or involve local law enforcement.

@ascentale @elliek @bikenite A4. First I've heard of it. I've used bikeindex and while I haven't had a bike stolen, I've heard modestly good things for it helping with recovery. #bikenite

@ascentale @Amgine @bikenite A4. I think the surveillance aspects of the tools I'd use to do this have dissuaded me. I'm not really interested from a "personal best" aspect, but from being able to retrace where I went when I'm somewhere new and can't remember where I saw something. I have even more interest in retracing routes for walking, but same surveillance worries. #BikeNite

@ascentale @[email protected] @bikenite #BikeNite A4. My ebike has been registered with Project 529 since 2022, but I have not had a bicycle stolen since 2003, in New Jersey, when my 1999 Specialized Hardrock Comp was stolen out of my home garage, so I haven't been in a position to attempt to recover a registered bicycle, since.

@ascentale @elliek @bikenite #BikeNite A4. No, I have always registered my bikes with databases and marked them with the corresponding stickers, but mainly as a (marginal) deterrent. If my bike is stolen, I figure it's gone for good. Try not to get it stolen in the first place if at all possible -- by locking up well, not leaving it out/unattended in the first place, uglifying (to not look worth stealing), and/or personalizing in ways that would make it identifiable as long as possible after being stolen (paint jobs, etching, stickers, anything you can do to the frame that takes effort to undo).