Bicycle Commuting Guide
How to Lock Up
How to Lock Up
| Ride an ugly bike! Your bike is less likely to be stolen if it looks old or just ugly. Consider getting a used beater for commuting. You can uglify any bike by wrapping the frame with old inner-tubes or handlebar tape, or covering it with stickers and enamel paint accents. |
Lock your bike to something that's permanent and not easy for a thief to take. Lock to a bicycle rack, a parking meter, or metal fence post. Don't lock to another bike, a door handle, or small tree. Depending on building security and the value of your bike, you may even want to lock it if you park it inside.
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.
You
should put your chain, cable, or U locks through your frame and wheel(s).
If you have a quick-release front hub, you might want to take it off and
lock it with the rear wheel and frame.Cross Locking: A good way to foil thieves is to use more than one kind of lock. For example, put a U lock through your frame and rear tire, and put a cable or chain through your frame and front tire.
Placing the 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.
Removable Items: When you leave your bike, remove any parts you can't lock and a thief could steal easily: a quick-release seat, horn, bike bag, pump, cycle computer, or lights. If removing quick-release parts is a hassle, replace them with permanent ones.
On to: Bike Parking…
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