10 Tips To Keep Your Bike From Being Stolen

Skills + Knowledge

September 27, 2017

There is no worse feeling than coming out of your house to find that your brand new bicycle has been destroyed or stolen. With bike thefts increasing faster than car thefts (1.5 million bicycles are stolen every year in the U.S.), it’s critical to invest in the proper bike security for your ride. Here are 10 tips for bike theft prevention:

Invest in the Best Bike Lock

There are tons of different bike locks on the market, but some are better than others, including our Sunlite bike locks. Stay away from cable locks as these can be clipped easily with garden shears. Instead, opt for a U-lock or a heavy-duty chain.

Keep Your Bike in Sight

Whether you’re at work or out to dinner, park your bike in a visible location where you can easily see it. Keeping an eye on your bike gives you the ability to immediately jump into action if a crook is messing with it.

Keep Your Bicycle’s Serial Number in a Safe Location

While this is the easiest thing you can do to keep your bike from being stolen, most people don’t do it. While it can be tough to find your bike’s serial number (you may need a flashlight and a magnifying glass to locate it), it’s well worth the effort. If your bike is stolen, there is no other way to prove that it’s yours unless you have a serial number.

Most serial numbers are located beneath the bottom bracket where the pedal cranks meet.

Remember Your Bike Lock

Just as it’s critical to always wear a helmet, it’s just as important to bring your bike lock with you. If you stop and park and leave your bike unlocked and unattended, it can be gone within seconds.

Lock Your Bike to Something Heavy and Immovable

If you don’t park your ride in a garage overnight, lock it to something large and immobile, such as a tree, pole, or traffic sign.

Secure the Frame

This simply means you don’t just lock the front or back wheel. Lock your bike frame to a sturdy object. Thieves can easily remove wheels and steal your bike.

Take Your Bike Indoors if Possible

If you’re going to be leaving your bike unattended for long periods of time, keep it indoors, such as inside of your home, office, or a parking garage. It will save you the hassle of thinking about whether or not it will still be there when you return to retrieve it.

If Your Bike is Stolen, Report It to the Police Immediately

This is when knowing your serial number comes in handy. Not only do some people get their bikes back this way, reporting the crime also helps to build up a database of knowledge that tracks which areas are high in bike thefts, which can be useful to other cyclists.

Check Craigslist

If your bike has been stolen, monitor your city’s Craigslist as many thieves try to sell the stolen bicycle on that site. If you come across your bike, alert the police immediately.

Personalize Your Ride

To make your bike easy to spot if it’s been stolen, think about personalizing it with stickers or a custom paint job so that it’s easier to spot.

If you want to keep your ride safe and are in the market for bicycle accessories for sale, check out sixthreezero today.

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