More and more people are now opting to ride their bikes, not only as a leisure activity but for their daily commute as well. The reason behind this is that you can reap numerous benefits from riding your bike. Aside from being able to perform regular cardiovascular exercise, you even get to save on your gas bills and reduce your carbon footprint.
However, there are still those with malicious intentions who target bike riders and their gears. This article delves into the effective ways to protect your wheels and prevent bicycle theft.
1) Lock your bike in a safe place
The first step to keeping your bike safe is not making it an attractive target. So, lock your bike in a high-traffic area with lots of watching eyes. Also, be careful what you lock your bike to. Wooden structures can be easily sawed in half. And some street poles can be bent over allowing the lock to slide off the top.
2) Use high-quality bicycle locks
One of the primary ways for you to prevent bicycle theft is to use high-quality locks that will not be easily tampered with. Some of the top-rated bike locks consist of durable chains made from extremely strong steel. Others are made of strong metal cable rather than a chain to prevent scratching, but they serve the same purpose. Nevertheless, U-locks tend to be the best when it comes to durability and strength, but because of their shape, they tend to be limited in locking a single bike at a time.
Make sure to use your locks to secure the wheels of your bike too. You can also go for a smart lock that you can control using an app installed on your smartphone. With a smart lock, you will get alerted when your bike is in motion, and you can even track its current location or the direction where it is headed. Some locks are coupled with alarms, while others emit a smelly gas when tampered with.
3) Secure your wheels and seat
Another security measure that you can employ is to swap your quick-release seats and wheel skewers with the type that require keys. In this way, thieves will have a difficult time trying to steal your bike. The reason behind this is that most bikes now come with a quick-release mechanism to make it easy for you to dismantle your bike when you need to load it in your car. Nevertheless, if you don’t frequently remove your wheels and seat, then a quick-release skewer won’t be necessary.
4) Record your bike’s serial number
There are instances wherein, after all the security measures that you have implemented, you still get to be a victim of bicycle theft. It is in these instances wherein having noted down your bike’s serial number will come in handy because this can help the authorities track down your wheels. Alongside this, you can also exert an extra effort to make your bike unique or put certain distinguishing marks on it, making it easier to identify in case it gets stolen. Personalized elements in your bike will also make it difficult for the thieves to sell it.
And… rest assured
It sure is fun to ride your bike, but nobody wants to be a victim of bicycle theft. Rest assured that you can employ several security measures to prevent your bike from being taken from you, such as those listed above. Remember that when you are more vigilant, thieves will have second thoughts about your bike as a potential target.
We hope this article helped you learn how to prevent bicycle theft. If you have any more ideas, let us know in the comments below.
