How to properly secure your bike (or e-bike)

Although 400 bicycles and e-bikes are stolen in France every year, here are some tips on how to properly secure your bike carrier and reduce the risks.

Every day in France, 1 bicycle is stolen, or 076 400 a year. If a quarter of them are found, most of them will disappear into the wild forever. The real trouble that the authorities are trying to stop. If labeling of new bicycles has become mandatory in France since 000 January 1, users should also be aware of this. After all, often criminals are attracted by the negligence of cyclists. Here are the 2021 rules to follow to avoid bike or e-bike theft!

Tie your bike systematically

Bad news always comes when you least expect it ...

In a rush, you didn't think it was important to keep your bike safe. After all, you were only going to leave your bike for a few minutes, and the secluded and peaceful view of this place did not require vigilance. Unfortunately, when you left the building, your two-wheeled vehicle was gone. 

Regardless of the circumstances, always secure your bike before leaving it.

Always attach the bike to a fixed point

Pole, net, bike rack ... When securing your bike, be sure to use a fixed support. Thus, the anti-theft device cannot be disconnected from it. For increased safety, the support should be much stronger than the anti-theft device.

Today, this basic rule is not followed by 30% of cyclists.

Choose a quality anti-theft device

How much did you spend on the bike? 200, 300, 400 or even more than 1000 euros in the case of an electric bike. However, when it comes to protecting this sizable investment, some are stingy. 95% of cyclists use substandard locks. Unsurprisingly, this largely explains the resurgence of abductions in two-wheeled vehicles.

Recommended by law enforcement, U-shaped locks allow you to easily attach the frame of your two-wheeled bike to the fixed support. Admittedly heavier and cumbersome, these systems are much more effective than a basic anti-theft device that can be overcome with simple pliers.

Install the lock correctly

Mainly, don't let the castle hit the ground! The ground is firm and level, and a few blows of the sledgehammer are enough to overcome it. On the other hand, if the lock is in the air, it will be much more difficult to try to break it.

Likewise, do not tie the wheel. To avoid unpleasant surprises, be sure to padlock locks both wheel and bike frame... More careful ones can add a second lock for the second wheel (some bikes have built-in locks for the rear wheel).

Remove valuable accessories

Remove any removable parts that are worth their weight in gold before leaving the two-wheeled motorcycle. Baby carriers, battery-powered headlights, meters, bags, etc. If they cost you dearly, keep them in sight.

In the case of an electric bike, the battery must also be securely fastened.... Usually it is attached to the frame with a lock. Otherwise, or if you feel the device is fragile, it is best to keep the battery with you.

Make your bike branded

Prevention is better than cure. To make it easier to find if your bike is stolen, apply anti-theft engraving to make it easier to find and especially return if your mount is found.

In France, from 1 January 2021, the label is mandatory for all new bicycles. In other cases, you can contact the bike dealer to request information on existing devices.

Specific devices on e-bikes

Much more expensive than their mechanical counterparts electric bicycles attract the greed of malevolent people. In addition to the above strategies, securing them also includes the use of monitoring software. Thus, some models are equipped with GPS geolocation tools that can indicate their location at any time.

In case of loss, using the application will allow you to find them in the blink of an eye. Another element not to be overlooked: remote locking. On some models, simple pressure allows the bike to be secured to the ground by locking the wheels completely.