Guest post courtesy of  Steven, Manager of Goldstream Bicycles in Victoria.

Bicycles are widely known as an environmentally friendly alternative to other forms of transportation, but how do you keep your bicycle as earth conscious as possible? Some of the answers are obvious: maintain it, rather than replacing it, trade it in, rather than disposing it of it, and buy a good lock!

How can buying a good lock be eco-friendly?

When a bicycle gets stolen, it’s often not by a professional bike thief, but by someone needing temporary transportation, or
someone who’s just going to take it for a joyride.  In both cases, they’re likely going to abandon it when they’re finished, leaving it damaged and hidden in the bushes where it will sit and rust.  Any bicycle stolen this way is unlikely to ever be
recovered, repaired, or used again as the repair costs will likely exceed its replacement value.

What if a bicycle is stolen by a professional bike thief?  In our experience, they steal a wide range of bicycles and mix and match parts amongst them to make it difficult for people to recognize their bike.  These bikes may be resold, but since they have parts on them that weren’t meant for the bike, and weren’t professionally installed, they often won’t last long.  If they end up recovered by police, the original owners (or the person who buys it at a police auction) can sometimes find that the repair costs of putting parts appropriate for the bike back on it, including labour costs, exceed its value.  In that instance, the bike often ends up as scrap metal.

A good lock may have prevented not only cost and inconvenience to the bike’s original owner, but prevent a lot of recycling, parts packaging, and shipping…  all things that have an environmental impact, compared to keeping the original bike running nicely in the original owners hands.

Many people think that they only have to protect an expensive bicycle from theft, but go down to any auction of stolen/recovered bicycles and you’ll likely see a lot of very inexpensive bicycles.  Some people will steal anything, either because of a short term need, or simply because they can.

How to protect your bicycle from theft

There are several elements to consider.  The most direct way to stop theft is a lock. There are several options in locks, starting with the choice between a combo or key lock, and there are also many styles and grades of locks.

A cable lock is appropriate for high security situations and emergencies only, when you don’t plan to let your bike out of your sight for more than a minute or two.  Even the most expensive cable lock offers only a very small amount of protection.

A jointed lock offers significantly more protection than a cable lock, while preserving some of the cable’s versatility.  Jointed locks are similar to cable locks internally, but covered by armoured steel links for additional security. They are difficult to cut through without lots of time and special equipment. The length and flexibility makes it possible to use a jointed lock to lock your bicycle around a wide variety of objects.

A U-lock (sometimes called a D-lock) can offer the strongest protection, but at the cost of versatility in that you may have a harder time finding something to lock your bike up to.  There are varying grades of U-lock, starting at the approximate strength of a jointed lock and going up from there.

Of course, there is a cost associated with more security, but excellent locks can be had for as little as $29.99.

Locking skewers are a way to secure the most easily removed portions of your bicycle – the wheels and seatpost. Most bicycles come with either quick-release or bolt-on skewers. Quick-release skewers allow for quick adjustability in seat height and easy removal of wheels for transport, but also quick and easy removal of those parts by a thief. Bolt-on skewers take more time to remove, but doing so requires only simple tools. Locking skewers, however, require tools specific to locking skewers to be removed, making it significantly more difficult for a thief to abscond with your wheels and seatpost.

Where you store your bike is also a part of theft prevention – it is much more secure indoors, either in your home or a secure bicycle storage area.  Ultimately, you simply have to show the world that you want your bike more than anyone else does.

Goldstream Bicycles carries a wide selection of all the locks and skewers listed in this article, and we would be happy to show you the benefits of each in person. Please visit the Goldstream Bicycles FAQ section for tips on how to lock bicycles, store bikes, clean bikes bikes, and much, much more.

Check out the current Goldstream Bicycles Victoria ethicalDeal for 50% off a lifetime bike tune-up package! The deal ends this Sunday, Jan. 29, so don’t miss out!