Mainers Are Bicycling to Work. Prevent Bike Theft!

Warmer temperatures have bicyclists out in full force. Keeping the air clean and working those glutes, good for you! Today's bicycles are no joke either, you can drop a lot of money on them, and for some folks they are the primary source of transportation. Protect your investment from theft!

Whether you are biking to work intown Portland, heading to the beach or out visiting a friend, these tips are for you!

• O.K., so I've read that U-locks can easily be picked by a tiny tool that is discreet enough that it looks like the thief is just unlocking it. Then I read that the cable locks are easily cut using bolt cutters. Since your lock is about buying time, experts recommend the thickest chain you can use to delay thieves the longest. Run that chain through both your tires too.
• There's no theft if there is no proof of ownership! Write down your bike's serial number on paper using a thick marker and have a friend take a picture of you holding it while standing next to your bike.
• Lock up your bike in a well lit area that has a lot of traffic around it.
• Make sure you are locking your bike onto something secure and that a thief can't just lift your bike over it.
• This is my favorite tip that I found: Use your mini-tool to turn your seat backward, a thief will take one look and think, "aint nobody got time for that!"
• If you've got a nice bike and you return to find that it has a flat, don't leave it where it is. Some thieves will puncture your tire hoping that you will be discouraged and retrieve it the next day, giving them an opportunity to steal it after traffic around it dies down.

Do you have any tips to share with fellow bicyclists? Comment here or tweet #mainecyclist

I miss my Big Wheel.

Celeste