Bicycle Safety…For Your Bike

Submitted by Steve Price, Member-at-Large

We are offering a little different twist on the issue of bike safety this month. After all, you can’t safely ride a bike you don’t have. Here are some tips on effectively securing your bike.

U-locks are your friend. Leverage is your enemy. That is, leverage a thief could use to defeat a lock. Accordingly, use the smallest possible U-lock that will attach your bike to a secure object. This will make it difficult for a thief to insert a tool inside the lock to defeat it. Aside from the frame, the rear wheel is the most valuable part of a bike. Therefore, use the U-lock to attach the rear rim and the rear triangle to a secure object.

If need be, just lock the rear rim (inside the rear triangle) to the secure object. Most thieves will not go to the effort of sawing through a rim in order to steal a bike that has no rear wheel.

Better yet, use a U-lock and a cable so you can secure the front wheel to the U-lock. Cables and U-locks require different tools to defeat. A thief would need to carry both kinds of tools to defeat both.

Make sure the bar portion of the U-lock is on the bicycle side of the secure object. That way, if someone locks another bike to the other side of the rack, you will still be able to get your key in the lock. While you are at it, lock the right side of the bike to the secure object. This makes it more difficult for a thief to get to drivetrain components.

If you regularly lock up at the same place – such as at work – leave your lock at your destination. That way, you won’t have to carry the extra weight on your commute. Put the lock in a sheltered area to eliminate rain damage and put it key-side down for the same reason.

Lock up in an area open to public view. Remove easily removable items, such as lights and computer, and take them with you. If you have a quick release seat post on your commuter bike, consider replacing it with a nut and bolt.

Lastly, consider locking your bike or bikes in your garage to each other or to a heavy or otherwise secure object. One of my neighbors had a bike stolen by someone who broke into her garage to get to the unlocked bike. Also, at night turn off your garage door opener. This will prevent a thief with a remote opener from opening your garage door in the middle of the night.

Overkill? Maybe. But after 30 years in criminal law, I have learned that you can’t be too safe.