I am about to change jobs, and I am losing the garage cycle parking that I very much loved. My new job is right near LSE, and there are a couple of bike racks in the university area, but they are almost always full and I’m nervous about leaving my bike on the street everyday, especially in a student area. I was wondering if you know of anyway to rent storage space in a garage or to find more secure cycle parking?
If not, do you have any advice about trying to switch to a folding bike?

First of all:

How much is your bike worth?

I would say if it exceeds £400 you should get bicycle insurance. If it is a cheaper bike then I would be less worried.

If it’s worth 1000’s of pounds then you may want to consider something cheaper if it will be left for a long time in a high risk area.

Next..

Do you have a good bike lock? Do you know how to lock your bike correctly? Are your accessories secured to your bike? Is your bike tagged?

Secure bicycle parking in London

Secure bicycle parking is in limited supply in London. The one I’m aware of is by London Bridge at On Your Bike. Your options are..

• Ask around local businesses and see if one will be kind enough to let you leave your bike in their garage
• Ask around local bike shops who may let you leave your bike on a one-off basis – It would be hard to convince them to keep your bike there regularly
• Talk to your employer and see if there is a possibility of introducing secure bike parking – remind them they can get government and LCC funding to help with this.

Folding bikes to the rescue?

This is another option but a costly one. I would start off by looking for a second hand bike (even if it is not folding). You can also see this article about choosing a folding bike.

More bike safety articles:

• Bicycle insurance
• Locking your bike
• Stop your bike from getting piranha’d
• Best bike locks
• Get your bike security tagged

Image via Fix Pena

A couple of my cycling friends have recently been victims of bike piranhas. They’ve come back and noticed their bike is missing a saddle or a front wheel. In the worse cases friends have reported coming back to their bike to find nothing but the frame and the bike lock.

Unfortunately, even using the correct bike locking technique not all parts of a bike a secure. A quick release saddle can be removed in a matter of seconds. What some people opt to do if the components are worth the money is to use lockable components.

This basically involves replacing the standard component fasteners with ones that can only be opened with a unique key. It is almost impossible for a bike thief to then remove parts off your bike.

This not only secures each component to your bike but it also makes it less attractive to bike thieves and reduces the number of locks you need to carry with you to secure different components.

Of course there are two downsides. The first major downside is it’s not cheap. But neither is it expensive compared to replacing those components. The second lesser problem is that you obviously need to keep the keys with you at all times in case you need to fix something on your bike.

Pinhead do a four pack of bike component locks for around £50. There is also a two pack just for wheels at £36.

So is it worth investing in something like this?

I personally haven’t invested in this and so far my bike components have stayed safe. I tend to lock my back wheel and frame whenever I leave my bike. The front wheel is not a quick release and so bike thieves would need a spanner to remove it.

If someone did steal my front wheel they are welcome to it. It needs replacing anyway! I think I can definitely attribute the lack of theft to my aging bike components. If I had an expensive new wheel or saddle I may re-consider.

The big potential advantage here is that the component locks are more robust than using cable locks.

I’d love to hear if you guys have this kind of security on your bike and whether you recommend it?

Leave a comment below..

Image via Dans Le Grand Blue

Luckily, it’s a quick and easy fix. Police are holding various security marking sessions around London and the nice people at TfL have sent me a list of where they are happening next.

Bike tagging sessions in London

Updated these today (6 September)

11-Sep 10am to 4pm Chiswick Common near Turnham Green, W4
19-Sep 11am to 5pm Wanstead Festival, Christchurch Green, High Street, E11
21-24 September All day Fresher’s Fair, Queen Mary’s University, on Mile End Road E1
22-23 September 4pm to 7pm Battersea Park, Battersea Park Road, London SW11 4ND
23-Sep 8am to 1pm Narrow Way junction with Mare Street, Hackney (inside St Johns Church Yard)
8-10 October All day Cycle Show Earls Court, Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, London, SW5 9TA

When you arrive at the marquee an officer will turn your bike upside down and place one sticker on the underside of the frame. This is the one that cannot easily be removed. He will also give you one more sticker to place in a more visible location. A copy of the frame number is then made, if you wish, to be registered into their database.

This means that the next time someone is stopped by the police they can check the frame number and see the security marking. Hopefully re-uniting the bike with its rightful owner.

Don’t have time to go to the police sessions?

If you’re pressed for time you can also use the power of the internet. A new start-up called Bike Revolution is aiming to get all bikes in the UK registered. They sell the Pulse ID tags which is  one of the cheapest and best ways to get a bike tagged. The tags are tamper proof and can be read by police.

The company is also aiming to build a big network of followers and make it possible for anyone to check if a bike is stolen using their mobile phones. This should hugely aid your chances of bike recovery if it is tagged as there is a much bigger army of people out there looking for your bike.

Bike Revolution is also developing various strategic partnerships with sites such as newly launched GoingGoingBike to make it harder for someone to sell a stolen bike. They seems to have great momentum behind them and have learnt from some of the mistakes of other bike marking companies.

Could we see bike crime drop by 50%?

Using similar techniques to those Bike Revolution is pioneering Norway saw a drop in bike theft by 50%. Therefore they are definitely pursuing a worthy cause.

Oh, and by the way the 57.5% figure is of course completely made up. Unfortunately, I have no way of scientifically judging how much less attractive a bike is to a thief though it would be interesting to see that figure.

Related posts:

• Bicycle insurance
• Spending the day with the police cycle task force
• Guide to good bicycle locks
• How to lock your bike so it never gets stolen

A couple of weeks ago I got a knock on the door, signed the parcel and opened it up. What I saw inside shocked me. I didn’t know if someone had by mistake sent me Rambo’s knife or a bike lock. I mean, look at this thing!

Once the initial shock was over I thought about the two most important factors with a bike lock. Price and safety.

Before I tell you the price can I just check you’re sitting down. Okay, good. The price of this bike lock (The Abus Bordo Granit XPlus 85 CM Folding Bike Lock) is… £100. Yep.

The reason for this high price tag may be why it’s not carried in a lot of the mainstream bike shops (I couldn’t find it on Evans Cycles, Wiggle or Amazon). In comparison the Kryptonite and the Steel O Flex each cost around £55.

The second most important factor is safety. This comes with the maximum rating of 15 from the Abus team. It also has a Sold Secure rating of Silver. Therefore, it ranks mid-to-high in terms of security. In comparison both the Kryptonite and Steel O Flex both have the highest rank of Gold.

While other folding rivet style locks by Abus around the £50 mark have been known to be possible to break through in under a minute this one doesn’t mess around with your bikes security. In tests it was proven very difficult to break into this lock without the use of some seriously heavy machinery. Therefore, the Abus Bordo Granit Xplus can be used as your main lock.

The main benefit from this lock comes from the portability. It can fold down into a small size. The carrying case is also easy to attach to any bike frame with its Velcro straps. However, don’t expect it to be lighter than the other locks. It weighs roughly the same as the Kryptonite if not slightly more.

Another disappointment with the lock was also the fairly limited radius it covers. This was only slightly wider than a typical D-lock. In tests I also found it a little fiddly to use. By the time you had folded it out, messed around with the key and struggled to lock your bike you find yourself wishing you’d just brought your £50 cheaper D-lock with you.

Overall this is the first ever product by Abus I haven’t been too impressed with. The only person I can see that would find it useful is someone who is very keen on their portability and doesn’t want to carry their bike lock in a bag or around their waist.

eTredz carry the lock for £89.99

See also:

• Abus Granit Steel O Flex review
• Kryptonite New York Standard review
• Best bike lock
• Safe locking tips

He turns to me and tells me “Registering your bike makes all the difference”. I promise him I’ll pass it on to London Cyclist readers.

P.C. Johnson loves his job in the cycle unit. He tells me he has 8 bikes and spent 3 years cycling around the world. He also tells me he has never had a bike stolen and that he locks it with an Abus Granit lock.

Bike theft is the main priority for this unit. Of course cycling around London is only part of their role. They are also running covert operations targeting sites such as Gumtree and using methods such as decoy bikes. This was the part I was most interested in but it’s also the part they are least able to disclose any information on.

I press the officers for some more tips as to how someone can keep their bike safe. They told me the old tactic of using two bike locks is the best. Then, making sure a bike is security tagged also helps. Anecdotal evidence suggests that bike thieves are now checking for registration markings when picking their target. The small sticker that informs people the bike is security tagged can be enough to put them off.

The officers also had a stern warning for anyone buying a second hand bike. If you are stopped and the bike is found to be stolen then you are technically handling stolen goods. They advice people that if they are buying off a second hand site such as Gumtree to insist the seller brings some form of ID, you meet at their house and you try to judge whether the bike they are selling is something they themselves would ride.

Policing on bikes gives the officers a lot of speed and flexibility. It also provides a very visual presence that can be reassuring for the everyone around. The approach of information, policing low level crime and targeting gangs through undercover operations should help bring down London’s bike theft.

To get your bike security tagged either head along to one of their sessions or use a free site such as Immobilise or Bike Revolution. I know for certain the Immobilise database links into the police computers.

See also:

• Why bike thieves should be very afraid
• Recommended bike locks
• How to lock your bike
• Would you like a fine or a safety course for jumping that red light?

Today this is set to change. A new 30 strong police force will now be guarding London’s bikes. They will be tackling both bike theft as well as vandalism.

As you will have guessed from reading this blog, I’m rarely a negative person. Therefore, my response to this news was to rejoice! My friend on the other hand, who likes to provide me with the negative viewpoint, pointed out that 30 people for the whole of London is hardly enough. But I’ll explain why he is wrong.

By tackling the organised side of the crime and catching a few of the key players you will see a major reduction in bike thefts. As long as these people are properly sentenced. The new team will be using methods such as police stings and covert operations that are likely to target these key players.

There will also be a renewed, and likely much more successful, effort to target thieves selling bikes on websites such as Gumtree and eBay. This will involve working with the websites to make it harder for people to list bikes without their full details and also targeting sellers. By removing the thieves access to a large audience you make it far more difficult for them to sell their stolen bikes.

Steve Burton, TfL’s Director of Community Safety, Enforcement and Policing, said:

“London’s a great place to get around on a bike, but the experience of having your bicycle stolen or damaged, or the fear that it will happen, stops many people from cycling – which makes us even more determined to crack down on cycle theft in the Capital.

The new Cycle Task Force policing team will be dedicated to cracking down on bike thieves but will also work with Londoners to show them the steps they can take, such as ensuring they lock their bicycles securely, to help prevent themselves from becoming victims of theft or vandalism.”

While this is very good news for the capital and for encouraging more cyclists I recommend that for now you buy yourself a good lock such as the Kryptonite and know how to lock your bike correctly.

Hopefully one day we will be able to secure our bikes with one lock and know for certain it will be there when we return. This police force seems like a very good step in the right direction to achieving this.

See also:

1. How to lock your bike
2. Bicycle insurance
3. Kryptonite New York 300 review
4. Abus Granit Steel O Flex review

For a start due to the small diameter of the lock it’s tough to lock my bike around lampposts. It is also tough to carry around unless I have a backpack. Finally, locking it around the frame and the front wheel is rarely possible. Therefore, I’ve been searching for another lock that could take Kryptonite’s crown.

The lock that instantly stood out was the Abus Granit Steel O Flex 1000. It is one of the most secure locks you can buy. Sold with a well earned gold standard security rating, it is capable of resisting a wide range of attacks. The lock is a favourite amongst London bike messengers as you can secure it around your waist for quick access.

The main selling point for me is the wide diameter that means I’m able to lock my bike to wider objects and at the same time lock my front wheel. 

For the past week I’ve been using it in place of my Kryptonite and so far I’ve been very impressed.

Comparison of different Abus Steel O Flex locks and Kryptonite

When I travelled to the book launch for “Bicycle” I realised the convenience of this lock. Using my trademark behaviour of always setting off too late I saved time by securing the lock around my waist. Then, upon reaching my destination, I knew I could lock my bike to pretty much anything thanks to the wide lock diameter.

Now, of course, I realise securing this lock around my waist won’t earn me a position as the head of health and safety, but you have to love the convenience. If you cleverly choose not to take the risk then you will need a decent sized bag as the size and shape of the lock makes it tough to carry around.

The size isn’t the only thing that makes it tough to carry. The sheer weight is enormous. Though no more than other similarly secure locks. Once again you will have to make the tough decision between the price you are willing to pay, the weight you are willing to carry and how much you value your bike. If someone can come up with a bicycle lock that is highly secure and weighs next to nothing then I’ll be the first in line to buy.

I will be using the Abus Granit Steel O Flex 1000 when I don’t want to take a bag or I don’t have enough room in my bag. Otherwise, my old faithful Kryptonite will be in charge of bicycle safety.

What to like

• Wide diameter which gives you more locking options
• Option to store around your waist if not enough room in bag
• Gives you good peace of mind as it is one of the most secure locks

What not to like

• Weight, though this is a problem with all good bike locks
• Size, very tough to store in a backpack so often no other option other than around the waist which isn’t particularly safe

Where you can buy the Abus Granit Steel O Flex

Here is a quick comparison of the prices. Note these are correct as of when I published the article but they are of course likely to change.

• Amazon.co.uk -£57.22 < cheapest
• Wiggle – £61.65
• Evans Cycles – £59.99
• Amazon.com – $106

See also:

1. Kryptonite New York 3000 lock review
2. How to choose a good bike lock
3. How to lock your bike
4. 10 cheap and easy DIY bike projects anyone can do

I’ve already talked about the first time I had a bike stolen and don’t want to talk about it again or my eyes will swell up. Hence, with my recent move to Swiss Cottage I decided it was about time to step up my bike lock to the next level. To ramp it up. To push the boundaries. To take it to the professional level. To go up to the next gear.

I think you get the picture.

The lock I decided to buy for myself needs no X-factor style introduction but I will give it one anyway. It has won many safety awards, kept many bicycles safe on lonely nights left outdoors and has made many would be bike thieves cry at their inadequacy. It is the Kryptonite New York 3000 NYL.

Okay, perhaps that is a little extreme. If a thief is dedicated enough they will get through any lock.

However, people smarter than me and with much deeper pockets have tested out the lock and they found it to be extremely resistant. The lock completely resisted the first attack which involves a hammer, a steel bar, bolt cutters, a chisel and an axe!

The second attack involves a portable angle grinder! It took a total of 1 minute 5 seconds to get through it which in the world of bike locks is a very long time indeed.

Therefore it is a lock that provides great peace of mind.

Comparison of different Kryptonite U/D locks

The Kryptonite New York 3000 lock comes with a bracket to attach to your bike, 3 keys including one with a tiny light and various guarantees. You get a free replacement set of keys as long as you have noted the key registration number (I’ve already lost one my keys!)

There is also a second guarantee though it’s one of those with so many terms and conditions you would struggle to get the money. Basically as long as you send back a copy of your bicycle receipt and some other documents to Kryptonite within a few days of purchasing the lock then you are guaranteed up to £1200 if someone breaks the lock and steals the bike.

Unfortunately I haven’t managed to attach the included bracket as it didn’t fit onto my bike frame so I’m just carrying the lock around in my bag.

What you need to ask yourself with this lock is how much you value having peace of mind against how heavy a lock you want to carry around. The Kryptonite New York 3000 weighs in at roughly 1.9kg.

I’ve been using the Kryptonite New York for about a week now and I’ve felt much happier about leaving my bike locked up. When locking the bike around just the frame I find I find the diameter large enough to lock it around most objects. When I use the proper locking technique which is around the back wheel and through the middle of the frame the diameter is a little short but this is a problem with all bike locks not just this one.

The below picture is a comparison of the Kryptonite New York 3000 with my standard D lock and as you can see it is a lot thicker.

I tend to complement the Kryptonite with a chain lock and I think I will be very surprised the day someone bothers to go to the trouble of breaking through both the locks.

Overall I’m happy with my choice though I probably would get most the security benefits with another one of the locks such as the Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 and at the same time benefit from a little less weight.

What I like about the lock

• Peace of mind – I know it is a beast of a lock that is not easy to crack
• 3 keys – I like the fact you get three keys and free replacement keys because it is the sort of thing I’m likely to lose

What I don’t like

• Weight – it is heavy to carry around and a big additional weight for anyone cautious of how much their bike weighs
• Size – not easy to carry around and takes up a lot of space in my bag but not majorly more than most D locks

Where you can buy the Kryptonite New York 3000

Here is a quick comparison of some of the prices. Note: this is likely to change over time.

• Amazon.co.uk – £56.95
• Evans cycles – £79.99
• Wiggle – £71.99
• Jenson USA – $79.95
• Amazon.com – $59.95

My first time was outside my college when I was 16. I remember it well. Everyone remembers their first time. She was beautiful. The most gorgeous mountain bike you have ever seen. Sure it was just a £200 bike from JJB Sports but I was young and I was in love. I looked around at the exact spot where I had left it but it was nowhere to be seen.

I’m sure a lot of people can recall their first time. Now we all know how to lock our bikes but maybe some times in takes more than that. Maybe it takes a little bit of thinking outside the box. A little bit of “blue sky thinking” if you will.

The first way to achieve this enlightened state of mind is to step into the shoes of a criminal. In my criminal heyday I stole a packet of cigarettes and maybe a few sweets from the local shop. The packet of cigarettes was a long time ago and the sweets was last Sunday. I’m kidding, they were both a long time ago. So, I’m not exactly what you may call a criminal mastermind. Yet, despite not been a criminal mastermind this is where I come across my first obstacle to unconventional prevention ideas.

If I was a thief and I liked stealing things what I would not steal is beat up old bikes. Yet, both my bikes that have been stolen were not worth more than £50 second hand. This puts a major dampener on my first unconventional idea: making your bike look ugly.

So if making your bike look undesirable isn’t a guaranteed solution what is?

My second idea is removing parts of your bike when you leave it locked. For example taking off the front wheel and locking it in a separate location? Then Mr Thief comes along, sees a bike with a missing front wheel and thinks: “unless I’m the king of wheelies there’s no way I’m stealing that”.

I don’t think this is such a bad idea. Though of course it is a pain having to find a location to leave my bike and then another location to leave my wheel and then having to rejoin the two. Even with a quick release it still takes time.

Another idea which may work well is to personalise the bike. When research was done into which wallets were returned and which were not they came to an interesting conclusion. Putting a picture of a baby in your wallet greatly improved your chances of being reunited. Perhaps this could also work with bikes. Perhaps I should print a picture of a baby and put it on my bike. I would certainly get some funny looks. Though a funny idea, I would presume a bike that had been heavily personalised would not be as sellable. So maybe you should litter it with stickers? The obvious downside to this is I don’t particularly want to make my bike look silly.

However, this is good, were definitely getting somewhere with our unconventional thinking. Let’s take it to the extreme level.

What if bikes were so cheap there was no point stealing one? What if everyone in the world was automatically given a bike for life as soon as they are born? What if we banned selling of second hand bikes? What if all bikes were fitted with GPS tracking? What if your bike wouldn’t move without finger print identification?

Okay, let’s cut back on the extreme thinking a little. For a start whilst the price of bikes may continue to fall, the most desirable bikes will no doubt remain expensive and thus there will still be a market for them. Banning second hand bike sales would be unworkable and wasteful and GPS tracking would no doubt be expensive. A bike for life could potentially work and would be very interesting.

Throwing these ideas around is a good thought exercise but one day I’m hopeful our bike theft problems may eventually solve themselves. If the number of cyclists continues to increase then maybe one day a bike will become such a commodity that we don’t even think about it. It would be like someone trying to steal your vacuum cleaner.

For now I’ll continue locking my bike with two different locks, in well lit areas, near to other bikes but I just might add a few personal touches.

See also:

• How to lock your bike
• Bicycle insurance