How to keep your bike safe at home ?
Even with your bike parked in your home there is still a very high possibility it could be stolen. According to British Crime Survey, two-thirds of bikes are stolen in or near the owner’s home. This is majorly because most people believe once their bikes are parked at home, it would be completely safe from theft.
When parking your bike around your home in a garage, shed, hallway or on the street outside but not actually secured with a lock, this is counted as not being safe. The Office of National Statistics reports that you are more likely to be a victim of a bike theft from the home if you live in an urban area. You are also more likely to be targeted if you are a student because students’ household are the most targeted buildings.
Depending on your home type or the area you live, the best way to keep your bike safe at home is by keeping in a less open place and guarding it with a high-quality locking system.
Here are some key ways to keep your bike safe at home.
- Ensure that your bike is kept in the safest place in your home
- Make sure your bike always locked
- Always keep your bike out of sight
- Install a security camera
- Take removable parts away with you
1. Ensure that your bike is kept in the safest place in your home
Where you should keep your bike at home largely depends on your home type. You can keep your bike in your garage, shed, outbuilding or even your bedroom. If you are going to keep your bike in a shed or garage, make sure it is locked with a good quality lock preferably a type stated in your insurance policy.
However, a precaution to always keep in mind is to never leave your bike in the street or front garden locked up overnight. A bike thief would have more time and access to cut whatever you use to lock your bike when you leave your bike parked in the street or front garden.
2. Make sure your bike always locked
A mistake you don’t want to make is believing that you don’t need to lock your bike while it is parked in your hallway, shed or outbuilding. Using ground anchor, hiplock AIRLOCK or locking your bikes to one another if you have more than one is very good ways to keep your bike when you store in a shed or outbuilding.
3. Always keep your bike out of sight
Although storing your bike around your home is much safer than storing it outside, you need to make sure it is stored somewhere that is not too open in your home. The safest in your home to store your bike should be your bedroom. If you do not have enough space to store it in your bedroom then you can store in a conservatory, garage or another outbuilding. Just make sure it is kept out of sight as much as possible.
Also, avoid locking your bike to the railings of Victorian homes. The railing can easily snap if a thief should hit it hard enough with a hammer. This is a very simple trick used by most bike thieves to get away with bikes.
4. Install a security camera
This is a very effective way to safely keep your bike in your home. A high quality and properly installed security camera would save you a lot of physical and mental stress. It would scare off potential bike thief, alarms you immediately if any attempt whatsoever is made towards your bike and also helps in catching the thief and eventually get your bike if it gets stolen. An HD security IP camera is very reliable and appropriate for protecting your bike from theft.
5. Take removable parts away with you
It is always advisable not to park your bike at a particular spot all the time. This way a potential thief doesn’t have eyes on your bike. But If you would be storing your bike at a spot for a long period, it is best you take removable parts away with you to a safer place. For example, saddles and wheels. This makes your bike less desirable to steal because it would be harder to sell and cheaper.
One of the greatest precautions you can take while you store your bike at home is to check up on it as often as possible. This would also allow you to be aware immediately if there is an attempt to steal your bike or if it has been stolen.
Additionally, you simply can’t go wrong by getting your bike insured with a reliable bicycle insurance company. With a good bike insurance you get a 100 percent refund (minus the deductible) if your bike ever gets stolen provided you follow necessary safety precautions. You also get a lot of amazing services such as material damage protection, assistance on the road at any time and you can file your claim in 5 minutes.
