Cycling is a sustainable, cheap, and easy way to travel around campus and the local area.
While this is great for your pocket, health, and the environment, it also makes bicycles an attractive target for thieves. Luckily, there a few tricks you can keep up your sleeve to keep your bike safe and sound.
Use a D-lock
A D-lock is the most secure bike lock available if you use it correctly; all others, including cables and chains, can easily be cut by thieves.
That’s why we offer high-quality D-locks to all students for free – pop along to the Community Safety Hub to pick up yours, just bring along your bike and your student ID.
How to use your D-lock
When securing your bike with a D-lock, make sure to pass it through the frame and wheels of the bike for complete security. We also recommend locking your bike in a secure purpose-built bike rack. This will be covered by CCTV, unlike trees, posts and railings.
Get it property marked
As part of the University’s ‘Lock It, Mark It’ scheme, you can register your bike on the National Cycle Database for free. Simply book an appointment (email communitysafetyteam@contacts.bham.ac.uk) at the Community Safety Hub or drop in with your ID card and bike to get started. We're open. We also host several pop-up events during term time, so make sure to look out for these.
Be a safe cyclist
- Wear a helmet
- Understand and obey the rules of the road: traffic lights, road signs, pedestrians etc
- Make sure you can see and be seen
- Signal clearly
- During the darker months, always use front (white) and rear (red) lights and wear reflective gear
Read more cycling safety tips from Sustrans
Make the most of cycling on campus
You’ll find a range of services and facilities at the University to make it easy for you to cycle on and around campus, from bike hire schemes to traffic-free cycle routes. We even have our own bike shop on campus, which offers free bike health check-ups and a range of repair services, plus over 1,000 cycle spaces and 50 showers.
Read more about cycling on campus
Abandoned bicycles
Sometimes when students leave us, they leave their bikes too. This can take up valuable space in our bike racks and make it more difficult for our cycling community to access the facilities they need.
That’s why we’d love for you to let us know if you think you’ve spotted an abandoned bike. Typically, they’ll be rusty with flat tyres, and won’t have moved for a significant amount of time. Please send a description of the bike and its location, plus a photo, to sustainabletravel@contacts.bham.ac.uk. We'll tag the bike and donate it to charity or sell it at one of our second-hand bike sales if left unclaimed.