Bicycle Security
Using a bike as part of your everyday life means leaving it outside places. If you don't lock it it will get stolen. At best this is inconvenient, at worst it can be like losing an old and dear friend.
 
To stop your bike being stolen,
 
Always lock it. Even if you are just popping into a shop for a minute, lock it.
 
Lock it to something solid. The steel tubing racks provided by the council are good, as are steel railings. Cast iron railings are less good, as they are brittle and can be broken with a hammer (cast iron railings are more ornate). Posts for street signs are not a good idea as the bike and lock can be lifted over the top by a determined thief.
 
CCTV cameras offer some protection, but will only discourage thieves.
 
Use a proper lock. The best locks are the solid metal shackle locks, preferably with flat keys. There is little difference in security between a £10 and £80 shackle. The more expensive one may have a guarantee if the lock is broken, but if you read the small print it will say that the warranty is void if power tools are used to break the lock. All locks can be broken in under a minute with the correct power tool.
Cable locks, especially if they are armoured cable, are next best. Thin cable locks can be snipped through very easily.
Chain locks can be good. The very heavy motorcycle locks, with a good padlock, offer good protection. The thin chains with a combination lock are a joke. You would be better with a well knotted bit of rope. Everything in between is a compromise between security and portability.
 
Don't leave your bike locked up outside overnight. Even if it isn't stolen, it may be vandalised. This can still happen during the day.
 
At home, the best place for the bike is inside the house. Bikes are frequently stolen from closes, even if they are locked up. If the bike has to live in a shed, then chaining it to some kind of ground anchor is a good idea.
 
What kind of bike gets stolen?
Until 2008 or so, bikes with drop handlebars were seldom stolen and could be left locked without worry. Indeed, one of our founding Directors, Colin Guthrie, came back to his £2000 Airborne bike in one of Glasgow's less salubrious streets to find he had forgotten to lock it and it was still there. No-one had stolen it because it looked like it was locked up, it had drop handlebars, the brand name isn't famous and it was filthy.
 
The most likely bikes to be stolen are ones that are easy to sell on. The famous brands are thief magnets, especially Specialised, with Cannondale and Trek close behind. The famous Flying Scot will attract thieves, but the equally good Milano is unlikely to have the miscreant reaching for his boltcutter.
 
Things to put thieves off
 
Bad paint, particularly garish, unfashionable colours. Pink handlebar tape will mean the bike can't be sold quickly.
 
Dirty bikes do seem to get stolen less, if what we have seen at the police auction of recovered bikes is anything to go by.
 
 
Help the police get your bike back
 
The police do take the problem of bike theft seriously. They have no idea what happens to the bikes that are stolen in Glasgow. If they did, they would do something about it. Where all the stolen bikes go is a mystery.
 
To help you get your bike back, you should make a note of some details about it. You may be able to get a form from your local police station, or they hand them out at public events.
 
Details you will need
 
Make
 
Model
 
Frame number
 
Colour
 
Wheel size (this is printed on the tyre)
 
Frame size
 
A photograph of the bike is a good idea too. You could go further and note down what every single component and accessory is, but the above will change your chances of getting the bike back from none at all to some.
 
Advice from Strathclyde Police is here.
 
If you can't find the frame number or don't know how to measure the bike, bring it in and we can help.
 
Sometimes bike locks wear out. This can be bad if the lock mechanism fails when your bike is locked up in the street. If your lock is old and starts to stick, get a new one before it fails.