And there’s no such thing as an ‘un-stealable’ bike. Professional thieves can break virtually any lock and an estimated 80,000 bikes are stolen in London every year.
It’s a question of proportionality – how valuable is your bike, how long are you leaving it for, and so how much effort should you put to keep it reasonably safe?
Opportunistic thieves go for easy targets. So here are our top tips to beat the thieves and keep your bike secure:
Buy the best lock you can afford – it’s much cheaper than replacing your bike! A rule of thumb is to spend 10-20% of the value of your bike on a lock/locks. A £2000 bike is a magnet for thieves: a £50 second-hand roadster less so.
Using two locks helps deter thieves. A company called Sold Secure rates locks from Gold to Bronze. We recommend at least one lock with ‘Sold Secure’ Gold rating. (The downsides of a stronger lock are it’s often big and heavy.) For maximum security, use two different types of lock – thieves generally need different tools to cut D-locks versus chains.
D-locks
Fit them tightly around your bike (makes it harder to prise them open) and lock them with the lock facing down (makes it harder to pick the lock).
If you’re using just one D-lock, don’t lock your bike through the top bar (1 on the diagram below) as people can lift and twist the whole bike as leverage to try and break the lock. Lock it through one of the other parts of the main frame instead.
Chains with solid padlocks
Keep chains raised up off the floor – they are harder to cut in mid-air. These should be thick chains, with solid padlocks. Bendy wire cables are okay for securing wheels and saddles onto the frame, but are never enough to lock up a whole bike.
Wheels and saddles
Parts of bikes get stolen as well as whole bikes. Wheels and saddles are a particular target, especially if they’re only held in place by quick-release levers rather than needing an Allen key to undo them.
If you want to keep your quick-release wheels, lock up more effectively by taking the front wheel off and placing the lock through both the frame and also the rim of both wheels. Or take the front wheel with you…!
You can improve security by replacing quick-release levers with bolts. For a further upgrade, switch your general bolts for ones requiring unique customised Allen keys – Pinhead, Pitlock and Hexlox are all good brands.
Accessories
Remember to take anything that can be carried away (lights, bags etc.) with you.
The longer you are planning to leave your bike somewhere, the more secure a location you need. If you are struggling to find safe places to store your bike, get involved in our campaigning work in your area!
A. Indoors - communal areas
The best way to reduce the risk of theft is to store your bike indoors.
For a shared indoor space like a communal hallway, we’d still recommend locking your bike to a solid object, or at minimum lock the frame to the front wheel. And make sure everyone using the space knows they need to lock up properly.
B. Indoors - in your home
At home in London people are often short of space.
Some people use hooks or brackets to hang their bike from the wall (£10-£30), or even pulley systems (pictured) that let you lift the bike up to ceiling level.
If you have to lift your bike to store it - whether up stairs or onto hanging storage - think carefully about your strength vs the bike's weight. It's harder to lift heavier cycles (Dutch style bikes, or cycles with baskets, pannier racks, etc.).
For these reasons, folding bikes like Bromptons are a popular option in tight indoor storage situations.
C. Private cycle parking
You'll often find new residential developments have private cycle parking - fully secure, enclosed and under cover. Remember to ask about this if you're moving home and check if it's an option where you live.
D. Cycle hubs
The most secure shared outdoor options are card-entry cycle parking compounds – there are several dotted around London, particularly at train stations – for example the Hammersmith Cycle Hub, Lea Bridge Cycle Hub, and Finsbury Park Cycle Hub.
E. Closed cycle lockers
Outdoor on-street lockers like those provided by CycleHoop are another popular place to store bikes. But many boroughs in London are chronically oversubscribed for on-street cycle lockers and the waiting list for a space can be years. Please register for a locker space anyway – this helps show demand and informs where the council puts future storage.
F. Garden sheds and garages
Normal garden sheds are considered very vulnerable to theft. You should lock the bike to a fitting firmly attached to the wall or floor – these heavy ring fittings can be found in your local bike shop.
We also recommend the same approach for garages, particularly for more valuable cycles.
G. Open cycle lockers
You often find these at train stations - first come, first served. They're sturdy, protected from the rain, and generally in well-lit locations. But we find they're often designed with lightweight bikes in mind - it's hard to lift heavier cycles (with baskets, pannier racks, etc.) up to the top racks.
H. On the street
Often the closest option for your destination!
Check what you’re locking your bike to is solid and secure. That means it doesn’t wobble when shoved, and someone couldn’t just lift your bike up off it.
Check the stand isn’t already cut through (these gaps might be concealed with tape) and that it's attached to the ground. Avoid stands that only grip your front wheel.
Avoid anywhere you can see evidence of past thefts – cut locks, abandoned bike frames, wheels with no bike attached…
Choose a well-lit public place in full view of nearby buildings, security cameras and passers-by, that you would feel safe coming back to later.
Know how to mark and ID your bike. This means that if it gets stolen and the police find it, they can return it to you. It’s not common sadly, but it does happen!
When you get a bike, take a photo of it and write down its make, model and frame number. Each bike has a number stamped somewhere on the frame (usually around 6. In the diagram below). These frame numbers are generally individual, but not all are unique.
For a unique bike ID, you can add a ‘bike marking’ – an etching or UV code that is individual to your bike. Bike marking kits cost about £20 or are sometimes provided for free by the police at local community events.
Then use the frame number and/or your unique bike marking to add your bike to BikeRegister, a free database used by police forces across the UK to identify lost or stolen bikes.
Kits include a Bike Register sticker to put on your bike and deter potential thieves, because it shows your bike will be harder to resell.
Some people use battery-powered GPS trackers inside their bikes that link to their phone, but these are expensive.
No lock is perfect, so consider insurance.
You might already have theft insurance under another insurance policy, like household contents insurance. Check insurance conditions carefully: they might specify where/when you can lock your bike or require a specific type of lock.
LCC works with Yellow Jersey to provide cycle insurance for our members, including a renewals discount and a multi-bike discount – this focuses on theft and damage to your bicycle. (We also give all LCC members free third-party liability insurance.) Find out more about LCC membership benefits.
Report your stolen bike to the police immediately in person, by phone or online – if you are looking to claim insurance, you will need the crime reference number.
Register your bike as stolen on BikeRegister.
You can sometimes find your own bike for sale second-hand online after it’s been stolen – distinctive markings on your bike can help identify it. There are sites that comb the web for suspicious second-hand bike sales and post them online e.g. Stolen Ride, Stolen Bikes UK and the London Fixed-Gear and Single-Speed ‘Stolen bikes’ thread. It is worth notifying the police if you identify your stolen bike online. If you are certain the bike is yours you can also report the seller to the site itself. Ideally, the police would track down the thieves with information you supply but this doesn’t often happen. (You can read our top tips for avoiding accidentally buying a stolen bike on our buying second-hand page).
When the police don’t act, people sometimes try and get their bike back themselves. This generally involves telling the police what you are going to do, going to see the bike for a ‘test ride’ and cycling away. We don’t support this approach: direct contact with thieves can easily become dangerous and you do so at your own risk.
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