Keep Your Bike Extra Protected With These 15 Tips!

Bike Thieves Are Everywhere. Are You Doing Enough To Protect Your Investment?

 

Adapted from a Road.cc article

1. Lock your bike to a secure, immovable object. If you lock your bike to a tree, the limbs can be sawed through. Bollards and signposts are sometimes low enough to pull the bike right over the top!

2. Your wheels are the most vulnerable part of your bike. Make sure that your lock goes through both wheels and the frame. OR, you could use two locks - one for each wheel. There are also locking wheel skewers you can buy for your front wheel.

3. Stealing a bike is not a lengthy process. Even if you are only going to be leaving your bike for 30 seconds, lock your bike up properly.

4. Grab up your lights and other accessories that aren't secured to your bike. Some have even been known to take their saddle to the office or school!

5. It's a smart idea to keep your bike locked up even when it's in your garage. No matter how safe you may feel at your home.

6. When it comes to bike locks - you really do get what you pay for. If you love your bike, buy the
best lock you possibly can. It's a wise investment.

7. If you come back to your bike and it's got a mysterious puncture or damage, walk it home. It's probably been marked in the hope that you'll leave it there overnight.

8. Use a registration service, such as Bike Register, to physically mark your bike with an identifying feature and link it to your identity on the police database.

9. If your bike does go missing, you must report it. The police will only take a bike crime more seriously if they have reason to do so.

10. If you're down to one lock, or are particularly worried about the security of your wheel, taking your front with you eliminates half the risk of theft immediately.

11. Use secure bike parking whenever possible. Even if you have to pay, your bike will be far better protected from theft.



12. Make sure your bike is locked in the most public place possible. Having lots of people around is enough deterrent for most thieves.


13. Make the lock mechanism itself hard to access. For example if you're locking your bike to railings, point the lock mechanism away from the street so it's harder for a thief to attack


 14. Don't leave space in your shackle - any extra space gives evil bike stealing tools the room they need to do their dirty work. Don't give them that opportunity.

15. Most importantly, wherever you're going, please do not forget your lock!