10 Ways to Prevent Your Bike from Being Stolen

2 Nov 2016

Riding a bicycle is a great way to get more exercise and reduce gas consumption. It costs less money than a car as well, which can be a major bonus. Unfortunately, you need to pay a little more attention to how you lock up your bike so it doesn’t get stolen, as bike thefts are occurring all across the U.S.

Here are some excellent ways to prevent having your bike stolen.

  1. Use More than One Lock

Locking up your bike is an obvious way to prevent it from being stolen, but you aren’t restricted to just one lock. Consider using more than one lock so that if someone can get one lock off, they still have others to remove in a brief period of time.

  1. Get the Best Locks Available

The quality of lock you use for your bicycle also makes a big difference. Try to avoid using the old cable locks, since they tend to be easier to break off by someone skilled at stealing bikes. There are ratings on different locks, such as a Sold Secure rating. Look for these since they will show how difficult it is to break into.

  1. Register Your Bike

This won’t prevent you from having the bike stolen, but it makes it easier to replace it. If you register your bike and the thief is caught with it, they can’t talk their way out of it and assume it belongs to them. The bike will be registered to you with its unique characteristics.

  1. Get a GPS Tracker

Another piece of advice for getting your bike back after it is stolen is with the help of a GPS tracking device. These tracking devices are hidden on the bicycle where a thief doesn’t see it. You get an alert right away if the bike is moved, and can alert police to its whereabouts.

  1. Bring the Bike Inside Whenever Possible

You might have found the perfect spot outline to keep the bike locked up, but it will never be as safe as indoors. If you are heading in for the night, and can bring the bike up the stairs or elevator, do so. It is worth the extra effort used in bringing it inside and significant decreases the risk of having it stolen.

  1. Keep the Bike Somewhere Visible

Try to avoid locking up your bike in a remote area where there aren’t a lot of people around. These are the areas where thieves tend to steal bikes since there is a less chance of getting caught. Try to keep the bike either where it is visible by you if you look out the window, or in front of a public place.

  1. Mark the Bike

Carve your name onto the bike, preferably in an area that is less obvious. The thief won’t be able to remove the marking you make if you use a drill, even if they paint over it. This is another good way to get it back without them trying to claim it is theirs. Some thieves will see a name carved in a bike and won’t even bother stealing it. Alternatively or in addition to carving, you can considering using invisible ink to mark your bicycle.

  1. Watch What You Lock it To

Don’t’ just lock up your bike to anything the lock fits around. You need to have something durable and solid, so the thief can’t just pull it off a flimsy post. Choose tings such as a bike rack or a railing that looks nice and solid.

  1. Move the Bike to Different Locations

If this is an option, you can keep your bike from becoming a target by not making it familiar. Keep moving your bike to different locations when locking it up, such as choosing different store bike racks all in the same area, but not always in the same exact spot.

  1. Don’t Assume Your Bike Will Be Fine

A common mistake is when you will only be inside for a couple minutes, the return to find your bike stolen. Some people hang around and take advantage of bikes that aren’t locked up. Take a minute to put the lock on, no matter how long you will be inside somewhere.

Keep in mind that a bicycle is much easier to steal than motorcycles or vehicles, so you need to be extra careful about protecting it when not in use.
To get a personal GPS tracking device for your bicycle, contact us here at LiveView GPS or browse through our selection of GPS tracking devices.


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