Tips For Securing Your Bike

Don’t let your summertime fun get spoiled by a miserable bike thief whom chooses to ride off with your beloved two wheels. Pay attention to the following steps and use them as a guide to help make sure that when you park your bike you have plenty security and piece of mind it will still be where you left it when you return.

1. Use A Lock Best Suitable For The Intended Environment of Use

Think about the different places where you will be locking your bike, are there bike racks, sign and light posts, fences, trees, railings? — The kinds of things available in an area that you can secure your bike to can help determine a style of lock best suitable for your needs; for example, a u-lock most likely will not fit around a big tree trunk or street light post, so in this case a heavy duty steel cable or chain lock will enable you to secure your bike to larger diameter fixed objects. Do not be afraid to use more than one lock to secure your bike, in fact using two different kinds of locks in combination can be enough of a deterrent to thieves simply because of the additional effort and tools needed to get to your bike.

2. Avoid Parking In Desolate AND Overcrowded Areas

Kind of a catch-22 situation. It is already widely understandable why it is a good idea to avoid locking your bike up in isolated areas, with fewer people and fewer sight lines of your bike it makes it very easy for a thief to take their time to defeat any security measures. On the other hand, it is also unfavorable to lock your bike in an overly crowded high traffic areas because in the event a thief attempts to steal your bike passers-by will be unlikely to intervene because of a social psychological phenomenon called the bystander effect — which is when individuals are less likely to step in and help because there are so many other people around individuals believe “someone else will help.” What can you do then? — Secure your bike in exposed areas with plenty of sight lines where people can still easily see it. Also, take advantage of building with exterior security cameras and park your bike within view of the camera.

3. Take Your Bike Inside

Probably the simplest and most effective of solutions — take your bike inside with you, when and if you can. If you commute to work or school on your bike consider bringing it into the office or classroom if you can. If your bike is indoors with you and out of sight then the chances of it being stolen by a thief are far less likely.

4. Redundancy Is The Best Kind of Redundancy

As mentioned in Tip #1, think about using more than one lock to secure your bike. It is important to remember to secure not only the bike itself but also any removable components of your bike as well. Consider routing a cable lock through your rear wheel, saddle rails, frame, and front wheel AND THEN secure your bike to an appropriate fixed object. Alternatively it is good practice to use two u-locks through the bike frame to secure the front and rear wheels and then run a cable or chain lock through the frame to a fixed object. Ultimately, the more locks means the more difficult it is to gain access to your bike and then the less likely it is your sweet ride and/or removable components will disappear. Additionally, even in the garage or a storage shed at home keep your bike locked up in the event of an intruder.

5. Fight’em With Technology — GPS Trackers, Theft Alarms, Security Cameras, etc.

Take advantage of advancements in modern technology to decrease the likelihood of your bike getting stolen. There are numerous kinds of devices available today that can do everything from tracking your bike with GPS and connecting to your smart phone on a map to alarms that sound in the event a thief attempts to tamper with your bike or lock. Also, take advantage of the rapid growth and use of wireless security cameras — if you pay close enough attention you can strategically lock your bike up within view of a security camera.

6. Keep It On The Down Low — Avoid Overly Showcasing Your Ride

Chances are if you have a cool and expensive looking bike then you are probably attracting more than the attention of your buddies, thieves love cool and expensive looking things too. Cover your bike while transporting it on a rack or in your car and if you store your bike locked up outside at your home make sure it is covered to make theft less tempting to any would-be thieves in the area.

7. Register Your Bike With Your Local Police Department

In the unfortunate event your bike is stolen you will have a much better chance of finding and identifying it if local authorities have your bike’s unique serial number on record. Registration means authorities will know the manufacturer, model, color, and serial number. Make sure to keep a copy of your bike’s serial number for your own records and an up-to-date color photo of it.

8. Change It Up — Avoid Locking Up In The Same Spot All The Time

Believe it or not hardcore bike thieves work methodically and often with other thieving buddies. Avoid locking up your bike in the same spot all the time, thieves interested in your ride will have a better shot at successfully stealing it if they can anticipate when and where it will be locked up on a day to day basis, this means they can more easily plan and bring tools to defeat most locks if they have enough time to do so.

 

Keep Your Bike And Accessories Secure With Serfas® Locks

Serfas® Locks are built to provide piece of mind and protection you can count on to keep thieves from riding away with your property. Check out our range of security products below.

Cable & Heavy Duty Chain Locks
Compact & Portable Folding Plated Locks
High-Security U-Locks
Bike Transport & Travel Hard Shell Polyethylene Bike Cases