Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Datatag UV Stealth Pro

9
£26.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Brilliant, unobtrusive back up security measure to help you get your bike back
Weight: 
0g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

 

DataTag is pretty much the last line of defence when it comes to protecting your bike from thieving scum and with this Stealth Pro kit you can code your components as well as the frame. It certainly makes it a sensible investment for expensive bikes which tend to get broken up into parts before being sold on.

The Stealth Pro kit has three pronged approach to making your bike traceable should the worst happen. UV stencilling, DataDots and deterrent labels are all used plus internet registration to store the bike's and your details. The process is so simple it did make me wonder why I hadn't actually got round to marking my bikes up in the past.

In the box you get stencils showing the DataTag name, individual ID code and the phone number to contact should the bike be found. Each stencil has adhesive backing so that they can be applied to the frame and forks. Literally stick the stencil to the frame, apply the UV reactive liquid with the included cotton bud, leave for thirty seconds and remove. You can see the stencil as it leaves a white film on the details on removal of the stencil but using the supplied alcohol wipe it soon disappears. That's it, job done.

DataTag supply you with four stencils to do frame, fork and two wheels but as my carbon rims are covered in transfers I didn't have anywhere to apply them so I just did a couple on the frame and one on the fork.

Next up are the DataDots, microscopic dots which contain a unique code and the DataTag website address suspended in a UV sensitive glue. There are around a thousand of them in a small vial with a mini brush that you use to just dab them on your components. As each dot is only the size of a grain of sand they are never going to be seen by the naked eye once the glue has dried clear, thankfully though at the point of application the DataDots are darker in colour than the glue so you can at least see that there is one attached to the kit as you are applying it.

To check that this has all worked I bought a cheap UV torch and turned out the lights and hey presto. The stencils are clear and bright under the black light as is the DataDot glue highlighting where the microdots are hidden. With a thousand to play with you can put the DataDots on each component a multitude of times in really hard to scan places so that a thief would never know for sure if they've got them all.

Bear in mind though if you have a bare metal frame, i.e. no laquer, painting or powdercoating, you cannot use the UV stuff. You'll need to purchase the electronic transponder kit that DataTag sell for cycles.

The tamper evident label wants to be placed somewhere visible (I went for under the downtube) so that it acts as a deterrent and once applied it can't be removed in one piece. It includes your reference number and a QR code.

I registered the system at half seven on a weekday evening and by half eight the next morning my documents had come through confirming that my bike was on the database.

This kit costs £26.99 which I think is good value for security marking that's permanent, well this side of a respray anyway. Apart from the physical product you are also getting membership to DataTag's database to which the police have 24/7 access. DataTag also supply police forces with free scanning equipment and training so if your bike gets retrieved there is a pretty good chance you are going to get it back.

Should you want to sell your bike, DataTag supply documents for transfer of ownership, a bit like a V5 when selling your car. You have to provide the details and signature of the new owner and for a one off admin fee of about fifteen quid the database is updated.

For the ease of installation and peace of mind it offers I pretty much think it's a no brainer to mark your kit up with the Stealth Pro. Its obviously not a replacement for good security but its an extra measure in place. You may also get a reduction in your cycle insurance of around 10%.

Verdict

Brilliant, unobtrusive back up security measure to help you get your bike back

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Datatag UV Stealth Pro

Size tested: includes datadots

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The Shield Pro kit uses UV sensitive liquids to mark your bike and components to help retrieval should it be stolen. DataTag provide police forces with equipment and training to enable the bike be traced back to you via the database. Its a simple system install with what looks like good results.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

"Stealth" UV Etching

The system contains 4 UV "Stealth" Etches to permanently mark your frame, forks and wheels.

The unique, almost invisible UV etching system, form a major part of the risk deterrent and subsequent identification. These "stealth" UV etches won't visibly mark your cycle paintwork!

Ultimate Tamper Evident Label

Ultimate TE Label

These specially designed Datatag tamper evident labels contain a unique cycle identification number and QR code.

They warn off any potential thieves and are both attractive and impossible to remove without damage.

Datadots®

Datadots®

A superior microdot identification system developed for ease of use. The Datadots can be applied to any surface, thus making it virtually impossible for the criminals to locate and remove them all.

The Datadots® can be used to mark all your cycle components and accessories.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

The stencils are sharp and precise, so the results are clear on the frame. Everything stuck as it should and peeled off in the same way.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Pretty much as above. The UV light picks everything up making it glaringly obvious that its been marked.

The glue has dried hard and flat over each DataDot making them practically impossible to remove plus DataTag don't warn against using anything to clean your bike which would cause any issue.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

There are other systems on the market, such as Alphadots which uses similar microdot technology. Thats priced at £14.99 so with the four stencils added I think the DataTag is good value for money mostly because the stencils are going to be the easiest to find and permanent. A 10% reduction in your cycle insurance brings that value up to.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Really well, it responds to the UV light clearly and everything was a breeze to fit.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The ease of the whole thing from fitting to registration

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

An option to upload photos to the database would be good for a visual verification.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

I think the kit is brilliant in its execution and can't really see much of a way round it without wasting huge amounts of time removing every DataDot if you can find them all. Obviously how effective it is comes down to the entire system and without out purposely getting my bike stolen I can't vouch for that.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Whatever needs testing or Genesis Flyer, fixed of course!  My best bike is: Kinesis T2 with full Centaur Red

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

7 comments

Avatar
Bobthebald | 2 years ago
1 like

It would be interesting to know if the Police are now aware of this technology.

Going back almost 20 years, I got a free Data tag with the purchase of a Marin Mountain Bike. 

It got stolen, and I reported it. It turns out that the Transport Police had it, but were unaware of how to scan a data tag!  They hadn't even bothered attempting to scan it, despite the bike having a large, prominant Datatag Sticker.

Avatar
Sriracha replied to Bobthebald | 2 years ago
0 likes

I would guess the police are aware of bikeregister.com , who do a similar micro dot scheme they call "UV Covert Kit"

Avatar
Martin Scherer | 5 years ago
0 likes

Read motorbike forums which conclude Datatag is worthless.

This may be the reason

I recently purchased a used ATV, that had a Datatag label. Despite owning three ATVs, I didn't know what the label was, so looked up Datatag on the Internet. Registration is £15, every year? Does it work? 

The reviews said being datatagged is no deterrent to theft, their bikes still stolen and broken up, and the police showed no interest. Not even as good as a Beware of Dog notice on a house or yard. Most burglars know what a dog is, but few theives know what Datatag is. The professional theives quickly ignore a dog with no teeth.    

I decide not to register my ATV, sent Datatag photos of the ATV, registration number, receipt for purchase from the reputable seller, Lambert & Foster, and asked Datatag to remove my ATV from their registration. 

Datatag refused. Multiple e-mails, pointless phone calls from Datatag but still refused. 

That means Datatag's register is incorrect and out of date. 

Datatag even refused when I said if they did not then I'd post this review and ask the Consumer Association, Which?, if Datatag is in breach of the Data Protection Act. Incredible refusal.

Datatag showed no evidence their registration is a deterrent, or that the police pay any attention to Datatag.

But if Datatag's claim is accurate, then any subsequent buyer who does pay the fee and register is at risk of being arrested and their bike impounded.  Feels like blackmail. That is likely to suppress resale values. 

That makes Datatag worse than useless.    

 

 

 

Avatar
smileyT | 9 years ago
0 likes

I think the main point here is the deterrent effect a datatag kit has - in the motorcycle ind. almost all brands, Honda Yamaha etc now fit datatag under the guise of the industry wide MASTER Scheme as standard and its had a dramatic affect on reducing theft - am sure as thieves know they'll get caught 100% they'll just avoid bikes fitted with this tech and look for others not protected. Just registering your details on a database i'm not sure is enough these days myself - my sti levers alone make my bike worth taking and as soon as they are off the bike knowing the frame no. is registered won't help me get them back.

Avatar
hectorhtaylor | 9 years ago
0 likes

I like this, especially the unobtrusive bit. My insurance company sent me a graffiti kit that I refused to use on my £7k work of art. I will ring them and ask if Datatag is acceptable...

I used Datatag on motorcycles and never tested its usefulness although I know people who did - it works. Whether it will work on a cycle that will be broken down in minutes is another story - getting a stem back two years down the line will be of little comfort.
Still, if it proves to an insurance company that you took every precaution £30 will be money well spent when they can't quibble over a claim.

Avatar
Bob's Bikes | 9 years ago
1 like

Al_s when my local boobies (sorry Bobbies) were doing the bike data marking thingy all they did was put a sticker with my postcode written on it, on the frame then gave me the website address for me to do the registering. No micro dots. No UV stencil. No good.

Avatar
Al__S | 9 years ago
0 likes

£27 DIY kit, or free and on a database used by the police at various railway stations when they set up to do bike marking. Now THAT'S a no-brainer.

Latest Comments