Stolen bicycles are rarely recovered, and it only takes a moment of distraction for your bike to vanish! So, how can you protect your bicycle from theft?
**Where Do Bikes Get Stolen From?**
The number one place where bikes are stolen is at home—especially in the garage. Many garages open directly onto the street, making your bike visible to anyone passing by. If you can't guarantee that your garage door stays closed all the time, we recommend locking your bike to something solid inside the garage. Talk to your family and remind them how important it is to keep the door closed.
Public bike racks in cities, train stations, or on campuses are also common targets. This is likely because bikes are often locked to these racks for long periods. You might be surprised to learn that YouTube is full of videos showing people "stealing" their own bikes using grinding tools, with sparks flying everywhere. Yet, very few people seem to pay attention, possibly because they don’t want to question someone with a cutting tool.
If you're a regular cyclist who locks your bike to an outside rack, make safety a top priority. Use strong, high-quality locks and secure methods. A thief is more likely to target a bike that's left with a weak cable or lock.
**How to Choose the Right Bike Lock**
Imagine this: you come back to your bike, only to find it locked to the rack with an unfamiliar lock. What do you do? If you leave your bike locked overnight, it could be gone by morning. When you call the police, how do you prove it’s yours? The lock you used can’t be opened, and calling a locksmith brings the same problem.
Be smarter than the thieves. Register your bike with the local police. Keep a copy of the registration card in a Ziploc bag inside the seatpost or handlebar. Alternatively, engrave the registration number on the frame. Show the police or a locksmith the matching card or engraving.
Another situation: you return to your bike after work and both tires are flat. Don’t leave it behind thinking you’ll come back later. Instead, unlock it and push it home or take it to public transport. If you leave it, it’s likely to be stolen. Once the crowds disappear, so do the bikes that are left unattended.
If you ride the bus with your bike on the front rack, always lock it to the rack itself. If the transit authority doesn’t allow this, at least lock the back wheel to the frame. Bus thieves often wait at stops, looking for nice bikes. They then board the bus for one stop, get off, grab the bike, and ride away. Locking the back wheel makes it impossible to steal, and the thief will likely give up.
**Why You Need a Good Bicycle Lock**
Bicycle theft is a growing issue. According to FBI statistics, a bike is stolen every two minutes in the U.S. High-value bikes are especially targeted. The best way to prevent this is to make your bike as hard to steal as possible. Spend around 10% of your bike’s value on a strong U-lock and heavy chain. Even if your bike isn’t expensive, a good lock can mean the difference between riding home and walking.
Protect your investment. Invest in quality security today.
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