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This article come to us courtesy of guest writer, Rebecca Siggers and this topic comes at the just the right time. Now that we're out riding a bit more, our precious bikes will be more exposed and at risk for theft. Hopefully, this article has some tips you can put to good use. And don't forget to register your bike with BikeIndex.org to increase the likelihood of getting your bike back to you in the event that it is stolen. Read on!
By Rebecca Siggers
The biggest fear of a cyclist is the theft of their bike. The rate of bike theft around the world is twice that of car theft. One of the reasons for that could be because it’s more simple and easy to steal a bike in comparison to a car. Most thieves dismantle the stolen bikes and sell the parts separately, or even worse, use it for various other criminal activities. According to statistics, the number of bikes stolen globally every year is around 1.5 to 3 million. And of the total bikes stolen, the percentage of recovery is mere 26%. By the statistics mentioned above, the need to secure your bike against theft is evident. So here are ten tips for doing so.
One thing every cyclist should know is that no lock is theft-proof. However, if you invest in a more reliable and complicated lock, it would be really challenging for a thief to tamper it and might move on to a less secure bike. If the locking system of your bike is more complicated and time-consuming, it is definitely more secure against theft.
No matter how busy your schedule is, take time to register your bike when you purchase one. You can look up the internet to find out the concerned authorities for bike registration in your city and register your bike by providing the required details. By doing so, it becomes easy to track and recover your bike in case of theft. Most people miss out on registering and regret it later.
If you happen to park your bike in a closed garage or a closed balcony that is difficult to access, you still need to instil the habit of locking your bike. Bike thieves are professionals, and they know their ways to enter closed spaces as well. So just like you lock your honda crf250 you should instil a habit of locking your bike also even when parked indoors to avoid theft.
It’s essential to park your bike in a place where the thieves have to worry about witnesses. Parking in subways, secluded backyards and other places as such only make it easy for the thieves to prey on your bike. It’s better to park your bike in a place where it is visible to you and other people making it difficult for the thieves to steal it.
We all know that bike insurance isn’t as mandatory as car insurance. However, if your bike is expensive and you are concerned about its safety, consider spending some money to get it insured. That will not only secure the bike against theft but also in case of any accidents. Discuss the terms of the insurance and parking with the insurer thoroughly before getting your bike insured.
If you have invested in a better and reliable lock for your bike and been practising safe parking habits, but still the safety of your bike hinders you, then it’s better to install a GPS tracker in your bike. The hidden GPS tracker activates when the bike is taken without your key and alerts you via SMS and uploads the coordinates to cloud at regular intervals.
Most of the modern bikes come with easily removable seats and wheels to serve the purpose of carrying your bike in a car or a truck. However, that also helps the thieves who prey not only on the bike but also its parts. So it’s better to have a seat post and wheel that operates with a key rather than easily removable skewers.
Always make sure to lock your bike against something stable that is immovable. The best way is, by locking the bike only to railings and cycle anchors, at all times. If you happen to lock your bike to a post or a pole, make sure that it is high enough, so it is not easily accessible.
Many registration authorities offer warning stickers that a bike is registered, you can get one too after registering your bike and stick it to your bike in a clearly visible spot. That way, it alerts the thieves that the bike can be traced back to them and therefore prefer a less secured bike over yours.
Lock the bike onto something stable in a way that the rear wheel and the bike frame are locked together. And make sure that there is no gap between the frame of the bike and the object you’ve locked it to, making it really complicated and difficult to access for the thieves.
Those were the top ten tips on protecting your bike against theft. Always make sure that you lock and park your bike, in a safe and secure location, to protect against theft.
Rebecca Siggers is a passionate writer & guest blogger. Writing helps her to improve her knowledge and understanding about the specific industry. She loves writing and sharing her knowledge mostly in the Travelling Industry. She believes travelling is the key to a peaceful life and wants to spread her belief across the world. Apart from writing, Rebecca loves travelling and reading.
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