Security Hacks For Protecting Your Bike From Being Stolen On Your Ride

Paranoid about your bike when you're enjoying coffee and cake on your ride? Here's some free or cheap hacks that will help you keep your pride and joy safe when you're at the café stop!

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[gcntech]

What are your mid-ride security hacks? Let us know! 🔐

[relaxedayax]

I personally always carry a welding kit with myself so I can weld mi bike to the closest fence when leaving it alone. Works 100% of the time! 👍

[nannenon]

My security tip is, NEVER leave your pride and joy unattended. Once I locked my bike outside of a mall. When I got out there was a dude trying to pry my lock open with a screwdriver. I had bought a fying pan, so I was prepared to smash his head in. Strange thing was, he was rather reluctant to stop stealing my bike when I told him it was mine and he better leave it alone.

[batterycock]

i completely disassemble my bike and lay the parts out in alphabetical order with a manual to build it, but it is to assemble a different bike

[spadaacca]

My hack is to always carry around a paint kit and paint your bike exactly the same color of the background (eg. cafe, bike rack, wall) everytime you lock it. Carry around a few different sized brushes for complex backgrounds. You only need red, blue, yellow, white, and black paint for most camouflage painting. If you get quick drying paint, it should only a few hours to paint it and an hour for it to dry. Perfect for a quick coffee stop!

[cliveramsbotty]

'or recovered by the police' yeah good one. the best effort you'll get out of the police is a guaranteed zero.

[davidhellyer]

Just be the first rider to the coffee shop. Your buds now have to lean their bikes against yours, protecting it😉

[MeFreeBee]

Always make sure your mate has a better looking bike than you.

[brianwillaman]

And if you do catch someone trying to steal your bike- break their knee caps so that, for the next few months they are in casts, they can think about NOT stealing other peoples property.

[BurningBird]

Been doing this for a lot of years. I'm currently around $11, 000 into my bulid on my custom carbon hardtail mtb. No locks, no hack, my baby is on my hip next to my whip at all times. If I have to stop anywhere, it goes in with me. Never really had a problem with stores or cafes, bars or any where else. You don't want it stolen? Keep it with you.

[heytreacle]

Another one I’ve done for years- when parking up, have it in the smaller front chainring and just slip the chain off that ring. If anyone tries to pedal then they spin and stopping to figure it out and put the chain back on could buy you very useful time.

[colinfitzgerald]

Get percussion caps, the type for cap guns, wrap in aluminum foil leaving a small tail at one end. Thread the aluminum tail through your bike chain. When the bike chain comes around to the sprocket: bang! Stunned, the thief will make a run for it without your bike. This really works. I did this with my bike when I was 10. Just remember to remove the “bike bomb” before you ride.

[minhnguyenle]

Dont disasamble the wheels
1.you will forget and Trap on your own trap.
And the more important 2. They /you will damage the fork and/or wheels when they/you fall.

[elisteiger]

I love my Otto Design lock. Gives me a piece of mind at the cafe or bathroom break. Especially on solo rides

[abelsousa]

I don't stop for coffee. Problem solved. By the way, Ollie looks great with the burglar costume.

[nevil]

I got an extra hack for you.


When your bike has a quick release on your seat post, then take the seat post with you and that way, thieves will loose interest on stealing your bike.
Trust me i did these a couple of times when buying something.

[john_cullen]

I just carry two locks which I connect through the frame and each wheel's spokes on the bike, with one also connected to a post or something. If its an extended stop I will take my seat post and saddle off and carry it with me to deter some folk just wanting the saddle. Although ideally it just never leaves my sight.

[sgbryant]

I always have the Allen key for my saddle tube, so I actually take my saddle and tube when I have a prolonged stop.

[JonFairhurst]

You missed the best one!

If you go regularly to the same cafe, gym, work, class, or downtown area, a thief might notice and plan to steal it, especially if you have a regular schedule. The hack is to buy a HEAVY-duty lock and leave it locked at your destination. You never have to lug it around, and you can use the most secure lock that you can afford. If you lock it in a busy place with security cameras, it’s unlikely that the thief would be so bold as to use a grinder and heavy tools there.

[GeekonaBike]

Just take the front wheel with you. If the business frowns on your wheel in hand, find another business.