Bicycle Security
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Whatever type of bike you have it is essential to keep it secure. Almost 400,000 bicycles are stolen every year in England and Wales. For more information please contact Kingston Council’s Cyclist Training Coordinator on 020 8547 5865 or email cycling@rbk.kingston.gov.uk. |
The basic rules
- always lock up your bike when leaving it unattended -- even for only a few minutes
- choose a location that is easily visible
- if a purpose built cycle stand is not available choose a fixed piece of street 'furniture', making sure the bike cannot be lifted off (e.g. lamp post, short post)
- please be careful not to obstruct the way for other users (e.g. wheelchair users, the visually impaired, and people with baby buggies). Please respect any specific requests not to use a particular fixture
- make sure that any detachable items such as wheels, saddles and lights are secured or removed.
Choosing a bike lock
There is a variety of locks available -- the main choices are chain and padlock combination (cheap and flexible), cable locks (useful for securing parts of the bike such as the saddle) and solid metal D-locks.
There is a government backed system to test and grade cycle locks depending on the level of security offered, with D-locks generally offering the highest level of security.
Security marking and registration
Keeping photographs and a record of the frame number could help the police identify and recover your bike if stolen. Most bike shops should also be able to advise you and sell micro-chipping on new bikes.
Security at home
A recent survey found that over half of all cycle thefts take place on the owners property, including thefts from garages, sheds and gardens. Make sure the place you keep your bike is secure, and consider installing a steel loop or other fixed anchor point to a wall for locking your bike. If this is not possible try to keep your bike out of sight so not to attract the opportunist thief.
Insurance
It is a good idea to insure your bike. An easy way to do this is to extend your home contents insurance to cover your bicycle and make sure it covers you for thefts outside the home too.
If your bicycle is particularly valuable you may need to insure it separately and the insurer may require you to use certain specified levels of security. Some insurers will offer a discount for using an approved security marking and registration scheme -- check the requirements and see if your local bike shop can help you provide it.