Lock your bike to something fixed, even for a minute

If you ride to work, a stolen bike takes your way of getting there with it. Many people say the quick way to protect a parked bike is to leave it in its hardest gear, so a thief cannot pedal away. Some people who ride say it does not work. The police pages read for this page are about locks, parking and written details, and none of them suggests a gear setting.

Lock the frame, and the wheels if you can, to something fixed every time you leave your bike, even for a minute, and do not rely on a gear setting to stop a thief.

Seattle Police put it this way: “Never leave your bicycle unlocked, even for a minute!” Police Scotland says to lock your bike up every time you leave it.

This page is for someone who leaves a bike outside at work, at a station, at a shop or at home, and who would struggle to replace it. If you have an e-bike or a very expensive bike, the police pages ask for more, and the last section says what.

What a hard gear does and does not do

The idea is that a bike left in its highest or lowest gear is hard to ride off fast, so the owner has time to react. Some people who ride say a thief can lift or carry the bike, or run it along and jump on, or shift to an easier gear as soon as it is rolling. One person says an owner on foot cannot outrun a thief who is pedalling, whichever gear the bike is in.

This page cannot say whether the trick slows a thief by a second or two. Seattle Police say: “Remember that locks are only a deterrent.” The same page says: “The majority of the bicycles stolen are unlocked or locked with poor quality cable locks!”

Lock the frame to something fixed

Police Scotland, Northern Ireland’s police service, Avon and Somerset Police and Seattle Police all say to lock the frame, and a wheel or both wheels, to a stand or a solid fixed object.

What counts as fixed matters. Northern Ireland’s police service says: “Do not lock your bike to an open-ended structure such as a signpost – thieves just lift the bike over the top of it.” It also says: “Avoid locking your bike against a gate or wall, thieves will often use leverage against the wall or gate to break the bike lock.” The same page says some cycle racks are security tested and others are not, so be wary. One person says that in some places organised groups steal whole bike racks.

How you lock it matters too. Northern Ireland’s police service says to lock the bike as close to the stand as possible, so a thief has little or no room to work, and to keep the lock off the ground, because locks are more vulnerable when they touch the ground. Police Scotland and Avon and Somerset Police say the same about the ground.

Police Scotland says to use two locks of different types if you can. Northern Ireland’s police service says double locking is the best protection, though it is not always possible. Northern Ireland’s police service adds that one approved high-security lock protects better than two untested ones.

Take or fix the parts that can be taken. One person says that in a college town, where many bikes look alike, thieves take wheels, seats and cranks rather than whole bikes. Seattle Police say to remove quick-release parts altogether and bolt them on. Northern Ireland’s police service and Avon and Somerset Police say locking skewers or nuts make it harder to take seats and wheels. Police Scotland says to remove things that cannot be locked, such as lights, pumps, water bottles, bags and saddles.

Choose the lock

Seattle Police say: “We recommend that you use a solid steel U-Lock, as these locks are very difficult to cut if secured properly.” A U-lock is called a D-lock in the UK. They say a flexible lock should be at least 3/8 inch in diameter, and: “Never secure your bicycle with a cheap lock.” Avon and Somerset Police advise against cable-style locks and combination locks, because thieves can defeat them quickly. Police Scotland says to choose a Sold Secure bike lock, one tested to a security standard, and to make sure it is a D-lock or a thick cable lock. The police pages differ on cable locks.

Some people say cable locks are nearly useless against a determined thief.

If money is tight, Police Scotland’s guide is to buy the best lock you can afford and spend about a tenth of the bike’s cost on it. Northern Ireland’s police service says it can take thieves as little as a few seconds to cut through some locks that have not met the Police Preferred Specification, and tells you to look for the Secured by Design (SBD) logo. This page cannot say which lock at which price is strong enough for your bike.

Park where people can see it

Seattle Police say to park in well-lit and highly traveled areas, and, when possible, not to leave a bike locked outside overnight. Police Scotland says to lock in a busy, well-lit place, in view of people or cameras, and to change your routine. Northern Ireland’s police service says to leave your bike where a thief will have to perform in public. Some people say places with constant foot traffic, such as busy transit stations and hospitals, lower the risk because there are witnesses.

Lock it at home too

Police Scotland says more than half of all stolen bikes are taken from the owner’s property. Northern Ireland’s police service says many bikes are stolen at home, mainly from sheds and garages. Avon and Somerset Police say to lock your bike at home, even in a garage, a flat or halls of residence, and to consider a ground anchor fixed to a wall or concrete floor.

Write it down before it is stolen

Northern Ireland’s police service says to write down the make, model, size, colour, frame number and any distinguishing features, and to take a photo. One person says a picture of you with the bike, and a mark that only your bike has, help prove the bike is yours when you claim on insurance or report the theft. The FAQ shows where the frame number is. There is a page here called “Photograph the serial numbers, not just the stuff” about doing this for everything you own.

On registering, Northern Ireland’s police service says to register your bike on a secure national database that Secured by Design recognises, and that the police will check these databases if they find bikes in the possession of a criminal or left in the street. Seattle Police say to consider registering your bicycle, taking photos and knowing the serial number, because this can make it easier to return your bike if it is stolen. Some people say registering helps prove ownership and get a recovered bike back. One person, writing about the US, says police there rarely check these private databases and rely on national crime systems. This page cannot say what your local police do, so ask them.

If it is stolen

Police Scotland says to report it and ask for a crime reference number; the FAQ has the steps. Some people warn that getting the bike back yourself, or using a trap or planted evidence, carries legal and safety risks. One person says the police are slow or will not act on a single bike, and one person says the police help when you give a specific location.

Who this page is not for

If you have an e-bike, Northern Ireland’s police service says that if you leave it in public parking for any length of time you should take the battery with you, because a thief can easily overcome battery locks. Avon and Somerset Police say theft of e-bike batteries is on the increase. For a high-value bike, both forces point to higher-rated locks.

If you are buying a second-hand bike, Avon and Somerset Police say to make sure the seller owns it, to ask for a receipt, and to check the frame number online to see if it has been reported stolen.

If you have nowhere safe to lock a bike overnight, this page cannot fix that. Seattle Police say not to leave a bike locked outside overnight when you can avoid it.

If a theft is happening and someone could be hurt, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK.