“If I could give one piece of security advice to every new rider…”

When you first get a bike, it’s easy to focus on sorting your riding kit and planning adventures, leaving security as an afterthought. Talk to riders who’ve had a bike stolen though, and a very different set of priorities appears.

Below is a collection of short pieces of advice that come up again and again in conversations with experienced riders. Think of them as distilled “I wish I’d known this earlier” moments.

Use them as prompts to check your own setup, both at home and when you’re out.

Locking and layers

“Don’t rely on the steering lock - lock the bike to something.”

A steering lock buys seconds, not safety. A chain that isn’t attached to anything solid is basically decoration. At home, aim for a ground or wall anchor. Out and about, look for a rail, hoop or post that’s properly fixed in the ground.

“Think of security in multiple layers and different product types.”

No single gadget is ‘the answer’. Build layers instead: a solid chain, a good lock, a disc lock, maybe a tracker, a cover, and alarms or cameras at home. The idea is that a thief has to get through several hurdles, not just one.

Home and garage security

“If you have a garage, secure the garage first.”

Plenty of theft stories start with “it was in my garage”. The building itself needs attention: stronger locks or bars on the door, a loud alarm inside, covered or frosted windows, and not leaving the door open for ages while you work on the bike.

“Don’t advertise your setup - offline or online.”

Try not to shout about what you’ve got. Avoid plastering bike brand stickers or racing flags on the garage door, and don’t leave it open so that everyone walking past can see a line-up of bikes and tools. Likewise, be cautious about posting detailed photos of your garage layout, anchors and camera positions on public platforms. Share general ideas, but keep the exact details of your home security to yourself.

“Use cameras and lights as force multipliers.”

Simple tech goes a long way. A doorbell camera or basic CCTV covering where the bike lives, paired with a motion-activated light, makes anyone hanging around your bike very visible. It doesn’t physically stop a theft, but it makes the whole job feel riskier.

Out on the street and on the move

“Cover it. A boring-looking covered bike gets far less attention.”

A plain, fitted cover hides the make and general condition of the bike. It makes casual window shopping harder and forces anyone messing with the bike to spend extra time and movement lifting fabric first. Some riders even report covers going missing while the bike itself was left alone.

“Make your bike look like the worst option in the row.”

It’s a grim truth, but thieves often work down a line of bikes looking for the easiest win. Your bike doesn’t have to be unstealable; it just has to look like more effort than the one next to it. Park smart, lock it hard, and don’t leave it looking like the soft target.

“Think about what you carry, not just what you own.”

Many riders own heavy-duty chains for home but rely on a more compact setup when they’re out. The important bit is consistency. A shorter but decent chain and a disc lock you actually carry and use beats a giant chain that lives in the shed and never comes out.

Going further and your mindset

“Remove something critical if the bike’s parked for a long stretch.”

For longer-term parking or particularly risky spots, some riders go further: taking out the front wheel, removing the handlebars, or disconnecting a key component. It’s not for everyone, and it’s only worth considering if you’re confident working on your bike and it suits how you use it - think of it as an extra for special situations, not a daily expectation. The logic is simple: a bike that can’t roll or run is far harder to whisk away quickly.

“Tidy up the obvious stuff - keys, documents, trackers.”

Plenty of avoidable thefts involve simple mistakes: keys left in the ignition, logbook and spare key stored in the same drawer, trackers bought but never registered or monitored. Keep keys separate, don’t store documents with the bike, and actually activate the kit you’re paying for.

“Security kills spontaneity a bit - that’s normal.”

Riders with serious security are honest - locking, covering and uncovering the bike can be a faff, and sometimes it does put them off quick rides. But almost all of them would rather put up with the extra few minutes than face walking out to an empty space. A bit of effort is simply part of keeping the bike.

If all of this could be boiled down into one message for new riders, it would probably be this:

Don’t wait until after a theft to care about security. Build habits now that make your bike the hardest one to take.

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