Bicycle Security

Securing your Bicycle

As in other urban settings there are professional bicycle thieves operating in Houston. One thief can be responsible for stealing several bicycles in a single day. Properly securing your bicycle with a quality lock will drastically reduce the chances of your bicycle being stolen.

Locks

Using the right kind of lock is the first step in securing your bicycle. We recommend one of the large U-shaped locks, such as those made by Kryptonite. The U of these locks is too large in diameter for all but the largest cutters, and the metal is hardened to withstand most types of cutting action.

We recommend against any of the cable or chain locks on the market. With a few minutes and some basic tools a thief can usually cut through these locks.

Locking up Your Bicycle

1) This bicycle is secured with an easily cut cable lock.

2) A thief could pull the sign out of the ground and take the bicycle

3) A thief could remove the sign from the post and lift the bicycle over the pole.

Don't secure your bicycle to fences. You've heard the saying "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link"? Take a look at that fence. Even if a thief wasn't able to cut that cable, it would not take much to cut the fence itself.

Don't lock your bicycle to trees and shrubs. There are two problems with doing this.

1) A thief may break off enough of the tree to get your bicycle.

2) You can damage the tree. Our campus's many trees are one of the reasons we have such an attractive campus.

Don't lock your bicycle to stair rails. This really is more of a safety issue than a security issue. Often a bicycle on a stairway will impede people going up and down the stairs. Locking your bicycle to a stair rail could result in the impounding of your bicycle by the Environmental and Physical Safety Department.

Do it Right and Keep Your Bike!

Ok you've got the lock and you're at the bike rack, how do you secure it so a thief has the least chance of taking your bicycle? Pictured at right is how we recommend that you secure your bicycle. The lock is placed around both the frame of the bicycle and the front wheel.

Placing your lock around only the front tire as in the picture on the left, often results in the picture on the right, you're left with only a front tire. Look around the campus and you'll see several orphaned bicycle tires. Remember to secure both the front tire and the frame. The front wheel is easy to remove and a thief will take your bike and leave it behind. When a thief steals a bicycle with no front wheel the thief is going to need another front wheel. If you fail to secure the front wheel you might become his target.

	Use an approved bicycle rack
	Use a quality U-shaped lock
	Place your lock through the frame and the front tire
	Register your bicycle with the University of Houston Police Department