You've rode to your destination and now you need to secure your
bike. We all know that bikes are an easy and popular target for
thieves. Follow these 8 tips to parking your bicycle safely and
securely and you'll return to find your bike right where you left
it.
1. Busy Place
Don't park your bike somewhere secluded rather pick a spot in
a busy public place where there is lots of foot traffic. This
will deter thieves.
2. Well lit
We don't recommend leaving your bicycle outside overnight but
sometimes it can't be avoided. If you must leave your bike outside
overnight lock it to a secure post such as a parking meter that
is in a well lit location
3. Luggage Racks
If you want to get up in the morning and find your bicycle where
you left it, then don't leave it attached to luggage racks or
on your porch. Even if you lock it to these types of places
it's simply not secure enough to deter a thief.
4. Lock it up
When you buy a bike lock, get the best possible one you can
afford. Don't go cheap on a lock because it's the only thing
keeping your bike from a thief. The U-locks are the strongest
but they can still be broken. You can reinforce the lock by
sliding a cast-iron plumber's 'T' connector, over the locking
bar. These connectors are available in most hardware stores.
You can also combine two locks for added security. Use one U-lock
and one cable lock to secure more parts of your bike.
5. Supervised Bike Parking
Some of the larger cities offer supervised bike parking lots.
This means that there are patrol units that continuously pass
through the lot watching for the activities of theft. Although
there is usually a fee for using these lots, it certainly is
a good use of your money.
6. Bike Racks
Most popular destinations such as shopping malls will have designated
bike racks which will allow you to securely fasten your bike.
If there are no bike racks where you need to park your bike,
use the base of a parking meter, a lamp standard, or anything
secure enough that thieves can't drag your bike away with lock
still intact.
7. Quick Release
Remove your quick release items from your bike, and do not leave
anything personal on your bike when you leave it. Besides the
locking mechanism on the frame you should also have special
locks for the wheels so they cannot steal the wheels from you.
8. Personalize it
Make your bike stand out by personalizing it. Use paint stickers,
name tags, engravings, whatever you can think of to make your
bike not so attractive to would be thieves. You should also
have your bike engraved with a serial number or some type of
identifiable mark so that police can easily identify it. You
should also keep a written copy of the make, model, color, frame
size, components, serial number, date and location of purchase,
and any other pertinent information that can be given to the
police should your bike become stolen. Photos are also very
helpful
Having to park your bike is a fact of life that you simply cannot
avoid. With that parking comes the risk of theft but by following
these 8 simple steps you reduce the risk of becoming a victim.
The thieves will move on to easier targets.
