When you leave your bike unattended for a day or overnight, it is put at risk of being stolen. Even if you have an excellent U-Lock to secure your frame, other components of your bike may still be vulnerable to theft. The best way to protect your bike and all of its parts is to secure it in a well-lit, high-traffic area with a quality locking system that protects all of the major parts of the bike.
One of the parts that has the greatest chance of being stolen while you are gone is the front or back wheel. Even if they can't get the whole bike, thieves will notice unlocked or poorly locked bikes and will take advantage of this weakness to the fullest, getting away with whatever parts they can. It is therefore important to keep your wheels secure and minimize the opportunity for theft.
Locking Your Wheels
A quality U-Lock can be used to secure your front wheel and frame to the bike rack. While this takes care of your front wheel, the back wheel is still vulnerable. An additional thick cable lock can help to protect your back wheel from theft. The following is a description of how you can combine a U-Lock and a cable lock to effectively secure both wheels and your frame to a bike rack:
- Thread one end of the U-Lock through the spokes on your front wheel, then turn the lock upwards to include the frame and the bike rack. Secure the lock within the triangle of your frame for maximum security. Do not attach the end of the U-Lock yet.
- Thread the cable lock through the spokes of your back wheel and bring both ends forward towards the triangle of the frame
- Thread one end of the cable lock through the loop at the tip of the other end and cinch it tightly. The cable lock should now encircle the back wheel and the frame together.
- Place the loop of the remaining cable lock end over one end of the U-Lock, then secure the locking mechanism of the U-Lock onto the U portion within the triangle of your frame.
- Look over your bike. The U-Lock should be securing your front wheel and frame to the bike rack, and the cable lock should be securing your back wheel and frame to the U-Lock.
Knowing how to properly combine a sturdy U-Lock and cable lock can be an effective deterrent against opportunistic thieves looking for an easy target. When they see the complicated system securing your bike, they will likely bypass it and look for a more vulnerable bike.
Contact Us
To learn more about the types of bike lock combinations that you can use to effectively protect your bike from theft, please contact the bike lock experts of A&Js' bike locks today at 708-460-2999.
