Learning About Locksmith Tools and Services

Bicycles can be very expensive, which is why if you ride and commute on your bike, you need to make sure that you lock it up properly in order to keep it safe. Here are a few tips that will help you ensure that your bike is locked up properly and that no one will be able to steal it.

Find Something Sturdy

When locking up your bike, the first thing that you need to do is find something sturdy to lock your bike up to. You want to make sure that the structure you are locking your bike up to is sturdy and strong. Shake it and make sure that it is securely attached to the ground and cannot be easily dislodged.  You don't want to hook your bike and lock up on to something that can be moved.

You also need to make sure that whatever you are hooking your bike up to is rounded. You don't want to hook your bike up to something that a thief could lift your bike and lock up and over.

Use A Chain, Not A U-Lock

Don't use a u-lock as the only way to secure your bike. If you put a u-lock around the front tube of your bike, it could be easy for a thieve to use the frame of your bike to open up the lock. If you use a u-tube, you need attach it to the down tube on your bike.

The best way to secure your bike is to use a chain along with the u-lock. Make sure that you purchase a thick chain; a very thin chain will be easy for thieves to break through. When you use a chain, take the front wheel off your bike, then lock it together with the back wheel and then finally around the structure you are securing your bike to.

Mark Your Bike

Thieves like bikes that are not easy to identify. They want bikes that they can quickly sell and make money off of. Make sure that your bike is easy to identify and hard for someone else to sell. Have the serial numbers of your bike engraved on it. Write your name or initials in sharpie on multiple parts of the bike. Put your name on the top tube and cover it with clear tape.

Additionally, make sure that you take pictures of bike that show all of these identifying marks, as well as a picture of you holding up the serial number of your bike. This will help you prove your bike is yours if it does ever get stolen. If you have any additional questions about how to keep your bike safe, consult your local locksmith, like one from Redmond Lock & Key.