Atomic 22 / Infiniti 3D security system and skewers

Oh ok, so a light lever in the form of an allen or spanner, plus key. Still, I don't fancy holding two tools together in one hand, reaching round either side of the wheel to tighten, whilst pulling on the wheel with the other. I guess tensioners would be necessary, I don't like the look of them.

I imagine like all 1/4" or 1/2" sockets they have a little notches on the inside so that they click onto the a spring-loaded ball bearing on the drive ratchet. So you use one hand to hold the drive ratchet, just like you would a normal wrench.

Here are the two keys that secure all my components, and the spanner I used to secure them, I used a 30cm one too for the higher torque requirements like the cranks, they can clearly be seen with the grooves for the spring loaded ball in the torque wrench

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Just got a new prototype for a slick new bolt on, really discrete and looks lovely!

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Hi
I got to this post after doing some research into Atomic22. I'm replacing my seatpost and Brooks saddle which were nicked recently, and it looks like this might be the solution to secure the new ones I get.
Can I ask you what kind of seatpost you have on the bike?
Cheers

The seatpost is a Nitto S83, really nice, as with all things Nitto! The seatpost and clamp are the most useful components in that they protect what is most readily stolen. Really good system, couldn't fault it, an the couple behind it are super nice. If you need any help finding out what type of binder you have just send them a pic of yours and they'll let you know. Go for it!

Thanks for your quick reply! Yes, Nitto's stuff is really nice and classy.

I have now approached Atomic22, and they are helping me figure out a solution for my bike. They seem really dedicated and they have a very pleasant manner; they seriously take time to answer queries, and explained a number of issues with great patience. It's refreshing to deal with people like that: sometimes bike technicians can be really snotty (particularly if you're a woman).

Thanks again for your advice - your experience has been a significant factor in my decision to go for this security system. They should employ you as an ambassador ;-)

Its a pleasure. You will be really happy with the peace of mind the system gives you when your bike is locked up. The bolts also look lovely, super great machining, they deserve every customer that comes their way.

sweet. I googled "security stem bolt" and they were first up.

Ah that's awesome news, no sarcasm intended. They'll be really pleased with that, you in the market for some?

1st three actually

yeah I do want security and will pay for it, but am just getting a feeler for what's out there at the moment. not in a mad rush....

thinking about:

seat collar bolt
stem cap bolt (1 1/8 not quill)
stem faceplate bolts for Thomson X2

That + double D lock should do nicely.

Thoughts?

For which machine?

Atomic do all of those components really nicely, the cap and collar bolts are l really high quality and nicely anodised in an array of colours so they can match, and although I alwayse prefer black, it's nice to have a choice.

The stem face plate bolts look super sweet, and like them all are so well machined they improve the look of whatever they're going on.

I can only speak highly of them, in all respect, especially in terms of efficiency, when I ordered their washer fabricator was in a muddle so they knew it wod take some time, so they sent be temporary washers, and yesterday I received an exciting box of beautifully made washers. And on one the logo was very subtly etched, looked the biz.

And before you ask, no I don't work for them :) but they dealt with me and my abnormal requests to the highest degree of efficiency and for that I feel the least I owe them is my spreading the word.

I would offer for you to take a look at what I have, but I think you dwell in the islington area and I don't go up there much, in the next few months I'll be up visiting family, and if your minds not made up by then you can have a look for yourself.

For the Fort. Its the bike I'm more likely to lock up (although it is obviously NOT a pub bike!). The road bike gets taken on longer solo/group rides, and is hardly ever locked up or out of sight.

Just want to protect it from opportunists etc. Thanks for the offer, I'll happily take you up on it if I'm not sorted by then.

Atomic22 seems like such a simple yet well thought out and executed solution, and these 2 pages are only convincing me more.

Defiantly, and it won't detract from the looks of the Fort like Pitlock etc do (not that Pitlock is really an option anymore).

Some people get slightly confused at the target market, but you seem to see that it's not for your best road bike which is never locked outside, but for you everyday bi which will most likely have cost over a grand and will be much more exposed to opportunistic theft.

The peace of mind it offers is invaluable.

Some people get slightly confused at the target market, but you seem to see that it's not for your best road bike which is never locked outside, but for you everyday bike which will most likely have cost over a grand and will be much more exposed to opportunistic theft.

That's kind of my reasoning. I think you've gone borderline overkill Barney - not sure if many thieves carry crank extractors ;) - but it definitely seems like the best option for seatpost/saddle/cockpit protection. I'm going to try the seat binder bolt and seatpost bolts and go from there. Maybe upgrade the superglued ball bearing in the stem bolt at some point.

Not cheap but their communication and customer service seems fantastic so far.

Haha I have to agree with you, the cranks are perhaps a tad to far, but I had to go for the set...I did avoid getting roped in to pedal protection, who steals pedals...and my levers can be removed, but other than that, I managed to convince myself everything else wow worth it! The hub bolt ons where prototypes which I got for cheap, so there was nothing to loose, but the cockpit, saddle area was my main concern, like you.

Glad people are seeing the benefits, they are really worth it, and the guys deserve every customer that comes there way.

One argument that Patrick @ Atomic22 puts forward is that bikes are increasingly "professionally stolen" to be stripped and the parts sold on, as they're generally untraceable. In which case if you have very obvious security bolts on everything, that might dissuade a professional thief more than using a very strong lock, since they wouldn't care about cutting through the frame just to steal the parts. So I can see the rationale there. But then (as Patrick acknowledges) the thief might not notice the security bolts, or realise how effective they are, until after they've stolen the bike anyway.

You're effectively betting on the chance of the bike being stolen and/or the type of thief the bike meets vs. the amount the bike has cost you plus the amount of money you spend protecting it (as Velocio was discussing earlier in the thread). There's a balance to be struck, and for me I'd rather just not run bling wheels than spend as much as they're worth again on security bolts, and then end up losing the whole bike one day anyway.

Fair point, I run goldtec and h plus wheels, not very bling and cost under £140 so I wouldn't spend that again on protecting them. I had also thought about the descreteness of these bolts and they are not all that noticeable. But if you're a pro thief, you would examine the components first and most likely spot the bolts.

I still feel the saddle and binder bolts are the most useful as they protect what is targeted most readily. The great thing is though that you can always expand your range of bolts over time all using the same key.

Out of interest, are the key's person specific or general?

Seems a bit pointless if they're general. Once people cotton on.

Person specific, and unique (everything is CNCed). Once they generate the pattern it's kept on file for when you want replacements or new parts.

That's really good.
Seem more worth the money they charge. With service like that.

it's a great product from all i have read, but it looked like i would need 3 sizes of key, and to spend a great deal to secure my entire bike.

given that most components do not need to be adjusted/moved around very often, the ballbearing trick still seems to be the best budget solution, because if the bike is locked upright it will be very difficult to get solvent in to remove the bearings

if a thief is removing the entire bike then they will be able to remove any secondary security system (ball bearing/pitlock/atomic 22) at their leisure

That's really good.
Seem more worth the money they charge. With service like that.

The service is fantastic - I am actually giving them vernier calliper measurements from my current seat binder bolt so they can manufacture it to be exactly the same fit in the frame.

1st step, emailing them, done.

The service is fantastic - I am actually giving them vernier calliper measurements from my current seat binder bolt so they can manufacture it to be exactly the same fit in the frame.

This is what I did, as my Craft stem wasn't on the system. Many companies would be like, 'sorry, don't have it' but Patrick made ones specifically for me.

As you can tell, I can not recommend them highly enough.

if a thief is removing the entire bike then they will be able to remove any secondary security system (ball bearing/pitlock/atomic 22) at their leisure

I know nothing is completely safe, but I have thought long and hard about this, and wondered how you would be able to remove them, even with any tool in an arsenal. I know Patrick lost his prototype key once, and nothing he could do could loosen the bolts, and until he found the key again he was f'ed. If he can't do it and he's the designer, I don't really know who could.