How to Avoid Bicycle Theft

Nothing can ruin your day faster than finding that thieves have made off with your loyal two-wheeled friend. Here are some steps you can take to keep that from happening.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• All-purpose Bike Tools
• Bike U-locks
• Bike Locks And Cables

1. Whenever possible, lock your bike to a permanent fixture in a secure room. If you must leave it outdoors, park it in an open, well-lit area, ideally near bikes that look more expensive than your own.

2. Using a steel U-shaped lock and cable, lock your bike to a fixed object, such as a bike rack or street sign, and wind a cable through both tires. Make sure that the bike cannot be lifted over the object, such as over a parking meter.

3. Leave as little space as possible within the "U" of the lock to make it harder for thieves to pry it open.

4. Keep the lock off the ground to avoid giving the thief leverage to hammer or smash it.

5. Position the keyhole of the lock so that it faces the ground. This will inhibit the thief's ability to manipulate the lock.

6. Remove the front wheel and lock both the wheel and the frame together with the U-lock if it's a quick-release wheel.

7. Take your bike seat with you if it's easily removable and/or expensive.

Tips & Warnings

• Register your bike through the local police department or through the National Bike Registry and engrave your driver's license number and state's initials on the bicycle frame as identification for police.
• Consider buying an old, cheap bike if you live in an area where bike theft is common.
• Consider popping off the bike chain to slow down or confuse potential bike thieves.
• Wooden bannisters and chain-linked fences, as well as lightweight or cable locks, can be broken or cut and thus are not reliable for locking bikes.
• Common targets for bike thefts during the day include school yards and playgrounds; lawns, porches and unlocked garages are popular targets at night.

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[gclefspeaks]

on 9/30/2009 I've heard it said the happiest days in a bicycle owner's life are the day when
he buys his dream bicycle. Then the saddest day in a bicycle owner's life is when the dream bicycle gets stolen. They say that a theft will not take time if he sees there's a bicycle alarm lock or something. I stumbled upon a website that has cheap options on lock alarms. What's nice is that ITS SIREN SCREAMS VERY, VERY LOUD. I saw them at www.etipinc.com. I hope this can help.

on 8/19/2006 There is a problem with U-Locks. A can of compressed air (the type you use to clean your keyboard and computer) will freeze the already compressed metal, making it very brittle. A good hammer blow from any thief will shatter it. Using a combination U-Lock and thick cable combination is your best bet if you can't bring it indoors.

Also, don't ride your expensive touring bike to work, get a beater and save the nice one for the road rides on the weekend.

on 8/3/2006 Putting the keyhole downward will not make it any harder to manipulate the lock, I can pick any lock pointing down, just as well as I can pointing up. An no matter what, any lock can be bypassed.

on 7/8/2006 Thieves tend to adjust the padlock so another key can fit in. To avoid this, try using a combination lock instead of a lock that requires a key. This way, you will always know the code and it's virtually impossible for anyone else to decipher it (unless you tell them the code).

Try to get a combination lock that is also fire resistant. A plastic lock is easy to burn. The thief will burn the lock, remove the plastic, and sabotage the lock from the inside. Also, the fire resistant lock should be made out of metal or steel (it makes it harder for thieves to smash the lock between two hammers).

on 6/30/2006 Chains can be cut easily. A plastic tube around a chain doesn't make it harder to cut. Probably any flexible cable system will be targeted.
U-locks seem to work.