Locking up your bike is not as easy as you would think it can be. People make little mistakes while doing it every day, and some of those mistakes will cost you your bike. But don’t worry, the good people at Kryptonite Locks are here to help! They gave us 5 amazing tips to help keep your ride safe, if it be riding to the office, out mountain biking, running to the store, or just out for a cup of joe, these 5 tips will help keep your bike where it belongs.
5 Tips to Properly Locking Up Your Bike
1) Always Lock to a Solid Object that it Cannot be Lifted Over
It may seem obvious… but even a taller pole could allow a thief to push your locked bicycle up and over; successfully walking away with your bike.
2) Always Lock-Up in a Well Lit, High Foot Traffic Area
While it may seem counter-intuitive to lock your bike up in the open, hiding your locked bike away is a bad idea. It gives a potential thief who finds your bike, the opportunity to do their work hidden away.
The more visible your bike is to the public, the bolder the thief has to be.
3) Make Sure What You Lock To, Cannot be Cut
Always be sure that what you’re locking to, is as least as sturdy as the lock itself. A thief will always take the path of least resistance. If your bike is the target, and it is locked to something like a chain link fence, or a small tree, it’s much easier for them to cut the fence or the tree to steal your bike. Also be aware of poles that are not sufficiently mounted into the ground. A sturdy pole that can be easily pulled from the ground, is just as bad as an easy to cut object.
4) Lock According to Value
Lock what’s most valuable on a bike first. Typically, this means making sure the frame is secure, then the rear wheel, and finally, if possible, the front wheel as well.
Not all lock up situations are the same. Often, due to an odd or large object that you’re locking to, you’re unable to capture both the frame and rear tire. In this case, secure the frame.
In a perfect world, you would secure both the rear wheel and frame with a primary lock to a fixed object, and then using a secondary lock, secure the front wheel either to the fixed object or the bicycle frame.
5) Get the tightest fit possible!
Less room inside the lock, means less room for a thieves tools to fit in an attempt to leverage the lock off of the bicycle. Sometimes this may mean wrapping a chain around a frame an extra time even when you’re capturing the rear wheel and the frame.
To find one a Kryptonite lock, go to your local KHS dealer. Kryptonite has been one of our trusted partners for many years.