Bike Locking Mistakes

Remy Rossi

Making a mistake while locking your bike is surprisingly easy to do and can leave your bike vulnerable to theft. Protecting your bike against theft isn’t all about having the biggest and baddest lock— there are several other tips and strategies to reduce the chance of thieves even targeting your bike in the first place.

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9min

Stay one step ahead of bike snatchers and avoid these common bike lock mistakes, ensuring your bike and all its parts stay right where you left them.

Preventing Opportunistic Bike Theft

Bicycle theft prevention can be thought of as a game of probabilities. The main goal is to not only make it as difficult as possible for a thief to succeed in stealing your bike, but to reduce the chance that a potential bike bandit is even interested in your bike in the first place.

Bikes are stolen more often when circumstances make it easy for a thief to swipe the bike, such as unlocked bikes, even if left unattended for just a minute. Additionally, opportunistic bike thieves look for bikes with cheap locks or that are locked incorrectly, focusing on bikes that are “easy-pickings” or the “low-hanging fruit” of the bike rack. Experienced thieves make quick judgments to know which bikes aren’t worth their time and which aren’t— and you want to make sure your bike is part of the latter group.

By following proper locking technique and avoiding the common pitfalls mentioned in this article, you’ll steer well clear of anyone making off with your precious set of wheels. But, then again, we can’t speak in absolutes. If an experienced thief is committed to stealing your particular bike and has adequate time, tools, and audacity, virtually any lock can be broken eventually. Bikes locked out in the open can never be 100% safe but riders can set up an effective defense to discourage these villains from even attempting a bicycle burglary.

Biggest Rule of Locking Your Bike

The guiding principle of bicycle security is two-fold: have a good-quality lock and use proper bike locking techniques. Following this golden rule gives you the best shot at preventing potential bike theft or at least convincing thieves to attack other bikes before eyeing up yours.

Bicycle law expert Rick Bernardi, J.D. makes a great point when he explains that we don’t want to reduce bicycle security into a contest of “Steal that other cyclist’s bike, not mine.” Ideally, we could stop all bike theft in its tracks but the reality is that there will always be opportunistic bike snatchers looking to turn a quick profit. What we can do together is refuse to buy stolen bikes, encourage fellow cyclists to use quality locks, and keep a vigilant eye out for any shady bike rack tampering.

Most Common Mistakes When Locking Your Bicycle

1. A Cable Lock is Sufficient, Right? Think Again.

I highly discourage using a cable lock as the primary lock for your bike. Cable locks may seem secure enough to protect your bicycle, but they can be easily cut in a mere second. Cable locks are attractive because they’re lightweight and affordable, but those benefits will go out the window once your bike is stolen. Bike security is all about deterrence and thieves won’t be put off by a cable lock since one snip with compact bolt cutters is enough to release the bike.

This is not to say, though, that cable locks aren’t useful. Heavy-duty cable locks are a great complement to a D-lock in order to properly secure the frame, front wheel, and rear wheel. A flexible cable lock can be convenient when locking your bike in a low-risk area for a short time, such as a café stop. But if you require more protection in the city, on campus, or in higher-risk areas, cable locks simply won’t cut it. Keep in mind that cable locks are not approved by Sundays when filing a claim for bike theft.

2. Remember to Secure Your Wheels

Neglecting to lock both bike wheels is perhaps the most common locking mistake. And I get it— even I am guilty of this cardinal bike security sin more often than I care to admit. But locking both wheels not only better protects your bike, it also shows potential thieves that you take your bike security seriously and aren’t an easy target.

Wheels can be removed with a swift turn of a wrench while wheels equipped with quick-release skewers are even easier to take off. Unless you possess professional-level wheelie skills, getting a wheel stolen means that your bike is out of commission and your day (or week) is sufficiently ruined. Wheels are some of the most expensive parts to replace on a bike with rear wheels costing more because of their gears.

Remember that locking only your bike wheels is also an incorrect locking technique. Thieves can simply undo your wheels and make off with the rest of your bike. The so-called “rim holder” racks that allow you to slot your bike wheel into the rack encourage this ill-advised practice. If you find yourself at one of these racks, lift your bike frame over the top bar of the rack so you can lock the frame to the rack, or lock your frame to the side of the rack. You’ll take up more room but at least your bike will be secure!

The most common method for securing both wheels is to use a combination of a D-lock and a heavy-duty cable. The D-lock secures the frame and rear wheel to an immovable object (like a bike rack) and the cable loops through the front wheel and back to the D-lock. Riders can also use two D-locks to achieve the same result. Seeing a bike locked up and missing a wheel is a truly sad sight that’s almost worse than stealing the entire bike— do yourself a favor and secure those wheels!

3. Always Lock to a Sturdy, Immovable Object

This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s a crucial detail when locking your bike. Bike racks and signposts that are in good shape are typically perfect places to secure your bike. Their thick metal construction is firmly stuck into the ground so thieves can’t tamper with them and make off with your bike. However, these convenient pieces of urban infrastructure can fall into disrepair or be manipulated beforehand.

A common situation that I’ve come across is a bike rack that isn’t securely attached to the ground. Bike racks are bolted into the concrete below but can loosen up over time or become damaged if backed into by a car, for example. Stay clear of bike racks that wiggle because thieves can attempt to simply slip your locked bike off the rack. The same is true for unsecured posts— some signposts can be easily lifted out from the ground, rendering your locked bike defenseless.

In addition to conducting a classic “shake test”, check to make sure the bike rack hasn’t been tampered with. It’s unlikely, but thieves have been known to cut bike racks in strategic spots— even cleverly covering up the cut with a sticker— in order to later remove locked bikes! Chain link fencing or wooden fences aren’t smart places to lock your bike either because they can easily be manipulated. The thin metal or weak wood isn’t as strong as a heavy-duty bike rack or thick steel pole.

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“Make sure that whatever you’re attaching your bike to can’t be easily dismantled. Sundays has reported many claims where bike racks have been unscrewed and the thieves have simply carried the bike off”. —GCN

4. Don’t Forget About Your Seat! (and Accessories)

Bike thieves love to steal bike saddles. But why the need for so many saddles you ask? Maybe to sell them back to the same people who had their saddles stolen. Regardless of the reason behind it, getting your bike saddles stolen happens far too often than it should. Many seat posts are secured with a quick-release lever that makes it easy to take the seat without any tools. Even hex bolts can be loosened in just a few seconds with a 4mm or 5mm hex key.

Extreme commuter bike safety —Seat attached to bicycle frame with a bike chain

Protect your bike seat by installing anti-theft bolts or locking your bike seat to your frame. You can loop a thin cable lock through the saddle’s rails and around the seat tube junction of the frame. Or if you want extra style points, you can use a bit of spare bike chain to do the same job— this is my preferred method. In addition to securing your seat, take steps to protect the accessories you use on your bike. The best strategy is simply removing accessories like lights, GPS, or cycling computers and taking them with you when locking up your bike.

5. Out of Sight ≠ Peace of Mind

The age-old adage of “out of sight, out of mind” doesn’t apply to bike theft. Bicycles that are hidden from view or in less-trafficked areas are often sought out by thieves because they can do their burgling without being seen or heard. This means they can spend more time breaking the lock or use loud angle grinders with less risk of getting noticed.

Leaving your bike in a concealed or covered spot may seem like a good idea at first, but it can easily veil any thief while at work. I remember that my university dorm had outside bike racks that were surrounded by low concrete walls. This design effectively hid the busy bike racks from view from the sidewalk in an attempt to beautify the campus, but made bike theft far too easy. Already an epidemic across the campus, bike theft was rampant at these styles of bike racks and several of my friends were victims of bike snatching.

It’s always preferable to lock your bike in a well-lit and highly-trafficked area as thieves are less likely to risk being seen. Even if you have to spend a few extra moments or walk slightly further after locking up your bike, leaving it in a safer spot provides better security and peace of mind.

6. Register Your Bicycle Now

The best time to register your bicycle in your local registry was yesterday. Having your bicycle already uploaded into your local police’s database or national registries like Project529 increases the chances of tracking down your stolen bike. It also allows you to prove that a found bike actually belongs to you in case it is recovered. Have photos and a record of your bike’s serial number to post on social media in case someone in your community comes across your stolen bike. Having bicycle insurance from Sundays is another way to be prepared for bike theft. Sundays covers you for theft of your securely locked bike when locked with approved bike lock.

7. Carry Your Bike Lock Properly

It’s also important to carry your bike lock in a way that won’t damage your bike. I often see people with D-locks freely hanging on their bikes while they ride, producing that notorious rattling sound. D-locks are heavy and can easily damage brake calipers, cable housing, or scratch your bike’s frame when they make contact. As a mechanic, I’ve had to fix plenty of broken rim brake calipers and replace kinked cable housing because of this reason. A chain lock loosely wrapped around the frame can have similar effects. Use a frame mount to carry your bike lock or place it in a hip pouch or backpack while riding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you double-lock your bike?

Yes, the most secure way to lock your bike is by using the combination of a heavy-duty lock and an auxiliary cable to go through a wheel. Use the lock to secure both the frame and one wheel to the bike rack while the thick cable loops into the remaining wheel and connects back to the lock. You can also use two D-locks to achieve the same result.

Should you lock your front or back bike tire?

Many riders prioritise locking their rear wheel because replacing a back wheel is more expensive than a front wheel. The best strategy is locking both wheels and the frame, of course. Sometimes, however, I lock my front wheel because it has a quick-release skewer and is more vulnerable than my rear wheel which is secured by axle bolts.

What can break a bike lock?

Any bike lock can be beaten with enough time and the right tools. Common tools used by thieves include bolt cutters and portable angle grinders. Weak locks can be broken using a crowbar or similar tool with a lot of leverage. Heavy-duty U-locks, folding locks, and chain locks offer the best protection from a range of attacks.

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