Keep Your Bike Safe

A bicycle is stolen on average every minute in the world. With less than 5% of those returned as they're difficult for the Police to identify the owner. It is difficult for police to help the owners find back all their bikes with less than 10% for those returned. According to a current research, it suggests that cyclists are more likely to have their bikes stolen than motorcyclists their motorcycle or car owners their cars these day!

Here are ten things you can do to keep your bike safe and secure and not miss a chance to log those bike trips.



Do remember Your Bike's Serial Number.
What’s the first thing to do when you get a new bike? Write down the serial number and keep it in a safe place. Look for the number on the underside of the bottom bracket shell where the cranks attach. Serial numbers are sometimes stamped on the head tube, seat tube, or on one of the frame's rear dropouts, where the wheel is mounted.

Do give It Identifying Marks.
Discourage thieves and increase your chances of recovering a stolen bicycle by engraving your name or driver’s license number on your bike frame. You can also put a card with your name and phone number inside the handlebar or seat tubes. This will help you prove it’s your bike if you find it at an auction, junk shop, or flea market.

Do choose the right place to park.
There are a lot of place to part your bike and keep your bike safe. Parking meter, bike racks& corrals, parking lots & garages, bike lockers, and indoor…it is not so easy for your bike to miss.

But remember: don’t park your bike in sign poles or under the tress. They are not the place to lock your bike. Before locking to a pole, check whether you can pull it out of the ground. Also check how easily a thief could remove the sign and slide your bike over the top of the pole. Locking a bike to a tree can hurt even large trees if the bark is damaged; please be kind to our trees and find another place to lock up.



DO always lock your bike.
It sounds simple, but even in places where it seems like it would be okay to keep it unlocked — like in your backyard, the hallway of your apartment building, or your porch — there’s a chance of getting your unlocked bike stolen. It is dangerous for your bike missing everywhere if you don’t lock your bike. As a result, we should come into the good habit of locking your bike, you will begin to do it automatically without even thinking about it.

Do lockyour bike correctly.
We are not kidding. Someone lock his bike but he couldn’t lock it correctly. Lock the Whole Bike. Never lock through your wheel without locking the frame because thieves can remove your wheel and steal the rest of the bike. And make it difficult to break a lock. Thieves may break a lock by putting it against a wall or sidewalk and smashing it with a hammer. If you use a padlock, try to put it where it’s not close to the ground or against a wall or another solid surface, leaving little or no slack in your cable or chain. When using a U-lock, leave little or no space in the lock’s middle to prevent prying.



DO lock it to something solid.
Always lock to the sturdiest object that you can find. Small trees that a bike lock can fit around can be cut down. If you lock up to a signpost, it is possible for a tall thief to take the top of the sign off and pull your bike over the top. (It has happened before.) Ideally, you would lock to a bike rack, but in our less than perfect world, you have to make do. When you are scouting out a location to lock your bike, consider locking your bike in a well-lit, high traffic area. If you can, lock up where there are a lot of other bikes.

DO use U-locksor a hefty bike chain.
With the U-lock or a hefty bike chain, it is more difficult for someone to break the lock. Remember: don’t choose cable locks. They are flexible and can make it easier to lock your bike in danger, but they can be cut quickly with bolt cutters or a hacksaw. They may keep honest people honest, but are little deterrence for someone intent on stealing your bike.

Optional: use anugly bike.
If you have a really nice bike, even the strongest lock might not deter a thief from stealing it. If you have to park your bike outside for long period of time during work or school, consider investing in a cheaper bicycle to ride on those days. It’s not a good idea to spray paint your fancy bike to make it look less valuable. A thief with a good eye will still be able to recognize it.

Bicycle Insurance.
If you own a nice bicycle then you’d better insure it. There are several ways you can do this: insure your bicycle on your home contents insurance – don't forget to cover it for thefts away from home. More expensive bicycles may require specific insurance cover against theft and accidental damage.



Report Your Stolen Bike.
If you find your bike stolen, there are several actions you could take. First, find your bike’s serial number if you have it. Then call your local police and tell them where and when your bike was stolen. Try to get a police report number that you can use for an insurance claim, and ask how the police will contact you if they find your bike. Call your local police to learn whether they auction off recovered, unclaimed proper.