I swore I locked my bike before I left it. I did, didn’t I? Did I even leave it here? Am I lost? Where’s my bike? If these thoughts have ever run through your mind, you’ll know how quickly confusion turns to panic, when you realise that in fact you are in the right place, yes you did lock your bike but not well enough and now it has been stolen! That’s right, some light fingered thief has ridden away with your bike. To avoid this feeling, there are plenty of things that you can do to keep your bike secure while you are out and about. Bike security is no joke, it’s you against them, so make sure you win.
How to lock your bike properly
That’s right, how to lock your bike properly. You would be surprised at the amount of people who don’t lock their bike securely.
Here are a few good rules to follow:
Your bike should be more secure than the one next to it. Make your bike the least accessible, the thief will go for the easier target.
Never rely solely on a cable lock to secure your bike. They are far too easy to snip off.
In the case of u-locks, small is better. This is because they provide less room for a leverage based attack.
Use more than 1 locking mechanism. The more difficult you make it, the better.
Other forms of bike security
Register your bike at www.immobilise.com, which is a property register scheme.
Give an alarmed bike lock a go. Take a look at the screamer bike lock available from Asgard. This is enough to scare any bike thief and provides extra bike security alongside existing bike locks.
Get some cycle insurance, if theft is a big problem in your area, this will come in handy.
Don’t leave your bike parked in the same place every day.
If possible, take any removable items with you.
Sources: TFL and Life Hacker
Filed under: bicycle alarm, bicycle cable lock, bicycle combination lock, Bicycle Security, bike alarm system, Bike locks/security, cycling Tagged: | bike, Bike locks, bike security tips, cycling
