how to Fight Bike theft There’s more to locking up a bicycle than the turn of a key. Lots of factors — where you’ve locked it, how it’s locked, what it’s locked to — can affect how secure (or at risk) a bicycle really is. While there’s no theft deterrent that’s 100% guaranteed, the following tips from Toronto cycling experts can reduce your chances of being left with nothing but a busted lock. joshua sherman
Take care of your bike
One misconception among cyclists is that if a bike looks dilapidated, it won’t appeal to thieves, says Brent Robinson, manager at Sweet Pete’s Bike Shop. On the contrary, he says, “If your bike looks run down, a thief is going to expect that nobody’s going to miss it, and nobody’s going to look for it.” So how can you easily fix up your ride to show it’ll be missed? Accessories such as an upgraded saddle, a bell, or even colourful grip tape can do the trick. Adding these things to your bicycle sends a message, Robinson explains: “It says to everybody, ‘Hey, listen, this is my bike, I care about it, if it goes missing I’m going to look for it.’”
Fight theft with flowers
Try fixing a basket adorned with ornate plastic flowers to your handlebars. “It’s a deterrent. It’s kind of crazy. It’s almost like guys don’t want to steal a bike with plastic flowers, because it’s not cool,” says Nadir Olivet, owner of La Carrera Cycles. This flamboyant tip is particularly geared
towards deterring male miscreants, who Olivet believes make up a majority of bike thieves. It may seem like strange advice, but for Olivet, it’s a matter of psychology; he says it’s effective because, when on the prowl for bikes, male thieves are looking for ones that will appeal to men.
Change up your routine
“Thieves prey on people’s routines,” says Ian Smith, sales manager at the cycle shop Giant Toronto. If a certain bike is seen locked in the same place and at the same time every day, thieves are more likely to target it, says Smith. “They want to work on something that they know they have time to work on. They don’t want any surprises,” he says. Therefore, locking your bicycle in different places makes it less vulnerable. They don’t have to be faraway spots — a block or two can make a difference, or even just across the street. “Try to mix it up a little bit and that’ll definitely improve the chance of your bike still being there [when you return],” Smith says. s photo by Eric Parker SPACING.CA » 61