How to Make Bicycles Less Attractive to Bicycle Thieves

Whether it’s the beach cruiser you keep in the garage for afternoon rides or the old mountain bike you’re using to help your kids practice their climbing skills, most of us have bikes we love. Unfortunately, that also means we’re susceptible to the same kind of thieves that target cars and houses, too.

Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do to make it more difficult for someone to steal your bicycle. One of the most obvious is to make sure your bike is visible. Bright colors, reflectors, and unique stickers can all help.

Locking your bike to something permanent can help, too. Parking your bike in a spot where there are lots of people—like right next to the door of a busy apartment building or near a streetlight—means that more eyes will be on your bicycle and the boldest thieves might be deterred.

Another great way to make your bike less attractive is to install security bolts. Most of the screws on your bike can be unscrewed with a standard hex key, but you can get security bolts that require a specific tool—like a wrench designed for the job—to remove.

Of course, it never hurts to register your bike at a program like BikeRegister, too. This will help law enforcement track down a stolen bike and make it harder for thieves to resell the bike later. If your bike is already registered, you can even share your bike’s details on social media, letting others know that it’s been stolen and to report the theft to police.