Keeping your bike secure on campus
Did you know that October sees the highest number of bicycle thefts? Check out our top tips to help prevent your bike from being stolen.
Cycling is a fantastic way of getting to and around campus; it’s cheap, fast, and gets your blood pumping! But did you know that October sees more bike thefts than any other month of the year?
Don’t make it easy for thieves. Here’s our top five simple tips to keep your precious pedals safe on campus and how to keep those Tour de France aspirations alive:
- Lock the bike through a wheel AND the frame: If you lock just the wheel then the bike can be removed by removing the wheel. Sure, the thief won’t be able to cycle very far, but they’ll have more of a bike than you will!
- If you can, use two locks: The best things come in pairs; Ant and Dec, chips and gravy... and it’s no different with bike locks. If you’re able to lock both wheels to the frame and to a bike rack, you’ll go a long way to securing your bike effectively.
- Lock your bike somewhere busy: Thieves are opportunistic creatures and are less likely to target bikes where their crime will be spotted. Aim for busy thoroughfares (making sure the bike isn’t in the way), brightly lit areas, and places with obvious CCTV coverage, such as University Square, opposite Costa Coffee.
- Lock your bike to something immovable – or better still a designated bike rack. Make sure what you attach your bike onto can’t just be removed by any prospective thief
- Use the ‘Sheldon Method’ – here’s a top method developed by bike enthusiast Sheldon Brown:
- Lock the rear wheel and frame to the bike rack using the smallest D lock possible, reducing the ability of a thief to tamper with the lock.
- Position the lock within the triangle frame at the rear of the bike.
- Add a chain to the font wheel and frame to provide extra security.
Get your own D lock
A D lock is the most secure bike lock available if you use it correctly. Other locks – cables, chains etc – can be cut easily by thieves.
If you’re a student, you can pick up a free high-quality D lock (worth £53) from the UBSafe Hub, next to Spar in the University Centre.
To collect your D lock, book an appointment at the UBSafe Hub:
Book online at the UB Safe Facebook page
Book by phone on 0121 414 2253 (42253 from an internal phone).
If you can master these simple steps, then you’re on the way to becoming a bike security expert. Remember, your bike is only as safe as you can make it, so take action and help reduce bike crime on campus.