Hands Off My Bike!

About a month ago, a close friend of mine had his brand new Bianchi Volpe stolen from him. This was to be his summer touring bike, for a cross-country trip he's been planning for almost a year now. Many hours of work and saving went in to the ultimate purchase of this fantastic ride, only to have it taken away a mere few weeks later.

Many of you have likely at least heard of this particular theft already. Our cavalry of friends went immediately to action, posting fliers, searching craigslist, calling local bike shops, asking everyone we knew to keep a look out. While we still haven't found the bike, and it seems the odds of that happening become slimmer by the day, it brought to light an issue that doesn't come up until it hits home. Even though the bike only belonged to one of us, it felt like a stab at our neighborhood, a violation that we all felt on some level.

Being wrapped up in that situation has led me to research and read more on the topic of bike theft...why does it happen, where and when is it more likely to happen, where do stolen bikes end up, and most importantly, what can we do to prevent it from happening?

Starting with prevention, there is a seemingly obvious solution: lock up your bike. But my friend's bike was locked. With two locks, both cable locks, both cut through in a matter of seconds. The lesson here? Spend the extra money on a heavy duty lock, and just as crucially, learn how to lock your bike in a way that makes it as difficult as possible for a thief to maneuver it.

As far as locks go, there are countless options on the market, ranging from the flimsy cable lock to heavy duty U-locks (that can weigh up to five pounds), to what's been dubbed the “New York Chain.” Named after what some believe to be the number one city for bike theft, the New York Chain is just what you might imagine; a heavy duty linked chain that is secured by a tiny U-lock. While extremely effective in preventing bike theft due to the almost impossibility of sawing through it by hand, the sheer weight of one of these beasts keep most small city people from even considering it. Really, no matter what type of lock you personally choose to use, just look for something sturdy,  not susceptible to wire cutters, without any obvious weak points. And if you go for a U-lock, try it out on your bike before purchasing to be sure that you can lock up your front wheel as well as the frame.

The next issue to address with locking your bike: What are you locking it to? While Lakewood is currently in the process of providing its residents with a wide array of bike racks, for the time being you may often find yourself in the position of choosing between a tree, a parking meter, a street sign...and while this may be unavoidable at times, some decisions will bode better than others. Lock your bike to something that cannot be lifted up and taken away. If you're locking to a street sign, give it a good shake to make sure it's solidly grounded. Don't lock to something that your bike can be lifted over, such as a parking meter. And something else to consider: be careful of how you lock your bike when leaving it close to the street. The back of the frame can sometimes slide easily into the street, leaving it to be freely slammed into by anyone driving by in a car.

A major prevention measure that many of us don't take seriously is bike registry. If your bike was stolen, unregistered and recovered by the police, it may be impossible for you to get it back unless you have some other sure-fire way of proving that it belongs to you. In addition to registering your bike with the city of Lakewood, there is also the National Bike Registry (www.nationalbikeregistry.com). The National Bike Registry is a database that can be accessed by police departments in any city in the U.S. If your bike was stolen in your hometown recovered by police hundreds of miles away, they can link it back to you in a matter of minutes. While both city and national registration costs money, it's likely to be the only form of insurance you'll have for your bike, and it's worth it.

If you end up having to deal with the unfortunate circumstance of having your bike taken from you, make sure to report it immediately, with the most detail possible. In my reading on the subject, I found that countless bike thefts go unreported (or at least under-reported), because the owner of the bike feels a strong sense of embarrassment, of being taken advantage of. Another piece of advice I came across many times: don't fall in love with your bike, fall in love with the ride. While you can't replace the feeling of riding, you can ultimately get another bike to experience that with. Even though I can easily see the logic in this, I'm extraordinary guilty of loving my bike, I mean come on, it's my bike.

The ultimate lesson here is to practice caution with your bike. Don't make obvious mistakes such as leaving it outside unlocked “just for a minute.” Keep it in your house instead of on your porch or in the garage. Take an extra minute to make sure you've locked it securely, in a place that is easily visible to many people. Love your bike, but love the ride just a little bit more.