Your Bike Security in London

Out and about in London, let’s take a look at how you actually lock your bikes, highlighting the good and bad examples of how to lock your bike.

This conspicuous rider has decorated their bicycle in yellow and black hazard warning tape. A very novel idea, and no, it is not a nomination for this year’s Turner Prize.


A hideous work of aesthetic-butchery it may be, and for this reason it scores maximum points for being highly unattractive as far as a bike thief is concerned.

As mentioned in the recent three-part bike security article, thieves prefer homogenous branded bicycles that are recognisable, and easy to sell-on (e.g. A Trek mountain bike, a GT Mountain bike, etc). Being individualistic with the style and appearance of a bike is a good thing for bike security.

Even the functional and boring mudguards do not escape the decorative treatment! Bonus points!

However, this particular example is let down by the incompetent steel chain wrapped in a thin plastic covering. The erroneous locking techniques accumulate: The chain is loose, not tightly wrapped. The chain only lightly secures the frame, leaving both wheels free for disassembly.

Despite all this, this unique bike remains happily on the bike stand. Which is more that can be said for the next example…

Yellow Vest With Speed Display

The Speed Vest is a high visibility yellow cycling vest, with reflectors and a large inbuilt speedometer display, which broadcasts the cyclist’s speed to following traffic.

The inventors Brady & Mykle pitch this vest worn over your cycling jersey as a road safety tool, supposedly impressing drivers by demonstrating that any cyclist can ride at 10mph to 15mph.

No. Drivers stuck behind cyclists are not going to enjoy the reminder of how slow they are travelling. Road safety? Not really: Vehicles approaching from behind the cyclist, have plenty of time to judge the difference in speed, and the biggest factor is visibility, for example; lots of red flashing lights on the bike.

The Speed Vest, would serve the biggest road safety offering, if the speed readout was on the front of the vest, and drivers waiting to pull out of a junction, could use the speed information e.g. "10mph" or "25mph" to help decide whether to pull out in-front of the oncoming cyclist or not. This would be very useful because some drivers regularly misjudge the oncoming speed of other road users.


Popular Cycling Vest

This product could be hugely popular, but who is going to buy it?

• Men.

More specifically; men competing in the Great Unspoken London Commuter Race.
What more tantalising a motivation, than a Speed Vest 100m ahead, reading 15mph while your own speedometer reads 18mph. Think; red flag to a bull, and hare to a greyhound.

In London’s apparently competitive and aggressive society, it has to be one of the most harmless and fun games going. Like most games, it is ultimately pointless (professional footballers take note!). Can you imagine the scene as one hurry-on Harry pursues the next speed target ahead, in a silly but effective stress-burning ride home.

If the inventors manage to start producing this for the mass market, I guarantee it will absolutely fly off the shelves! These boys are due a trip to Dragon’s Den!

Various designers have been muting the concept of wearable technology for a while now, but that seemed mostly ridiculous; like parading down the catwalk with a radio on your head. However, here is a genuinely usable idea, which if released, will create a market for something we did not know we needed.

View the official Speed Vest site.

Technorati tags: Speed Vest. Commuter race. New invention.

Roads Closed For London Freewheel

Cyclists of all ages made their presence known this Sunday, as an environmentally friendly yellow snake made its way leisurely passed some of London’s major attractions.

Around 50,000 cyclists enjoyed an ideal cycling environment; 100% free from motorised transport, experiencing only the sound of celebratory horns and excitement, and only the taste of cleaner air.

Perhaps if oil prices continue their natural escalation as fossil fuels diminish, the sight of a car-less London is a very real possibility in the not-too-distant future.


London Freewheel

The first London Freewheel was developed by the former Mayor of London; Ken Livingstone and Transport for London (TfL), to promote the transport mode of cycling in the capital. Since the first London Freewheel in 2007 was a roaring success, it was no surprise that Sunday's cycling event was hugely popular once again.

This year previous sponsor Hovis was replaced by Sky Sports for the 2008 London Freewheel.

Hub locations fed the main route with a keen supply of bright cyclists from the Emirates Stadium, Victoria Park, Clapham Common and Ravenscourt Park.

The main route at 12km (7.45 miles) long, offered London’s bike riders enviable views of the capital highlights such as;

• Houses of Parliament
• Buckingham Palace
• Tower of London

Olympic Cycling Presence

Boosted by Britain's Olympic successes on the world stage, ambassadors for UK sport supported the event, including Beijing heroes; Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, Ed Clancy, Jamie Staff and Shanaze Reade.

Bike rental firms helped quench the massive demand for everything two-wheeled, and if the Freewheel event is an inspiration for non-cyclists to try eco-power in the capital, the option to rent a bike in London, is always available.

Technorati tags: London Freewheel. Cars Banned. Roads closed

Part III - Bicycle Security: Conclusion

Concluding this three part guide on the topic of avoiding bike theft, which started with; Part I - Bike Theft Choices, this article also looks at bike parking locations and decisions.

Statistics show that, depending on who is consulted;

“A bike is stolen every 71 seconds in the UK”

(Source)

“A bike is stolen every 65 seconds in the UK”

(Source)

Neither choice makes for happy perusal. The fact remains that stealing bikes remains a low risk and high reward combination for thieves. The Metropolitan Police are not interested in the problem and it is largely treated as a paperwork exercise.

The cycling adage of “strength in numbers” seems not to apply to public bike racks. London's selfish individualism is exposed in this respect, where no-longer can you rely on reserves of have-a-go heros, to tackle the bad guy busting a lock in 17 seconds.

Many “official” cycling tips advise that bikes be left in busy public areas, in clear view of passers by. Personally, I disagree, based on the fact that everybody does exactly that; passes by.


Where to leave your bike?

Professional criminals will ultimately steal something if they really want it, and bike theft centres on desire. If you lock a desirable bike in a public place, the bicycle thieves on patrol will eventually see it. So an underrated logic is; don't show the bike thieves the bike in the first place.

The traditional idea is that if you leave a bicycle in a secluded room, the bike thief has an uninterrupted opportunity to go to work on the locks. True, but as we've seen, a public spot is not much deterrent anyway.

Personally I'd feel happier locking my bike in a store cupboard or locked garage, because no attention is being drawn to the bike while it is hidden away.

Alternatively, I've had office jobs where the (conventional) bike has lived next to my desk at work. Aside from the benefit of having a permanent security guard (me), the bike became a talking point and encouraged others to cycle to work, whilst also reminding the employer that the need for secure bicycle parking is genuine.

Folding bikes then, have a huge advantage in terms of security because they need not be left unattended, and can be stowed pretty-much anywhere convenient; under desks, on shelves, completely off the thief's radar.


London bike theft

Stepping back to ask why bikes are stolen, aside from international criminal gangs who ship stolen bikes abroad, it brings the simple domestic mechanics that we the riding public are willing to buy stolen bikes: Sometimes we are duped, sometimes we are suspicious, and sometimes we irresponsibly turn a blind eye.

It doesn’t matter if the story is; “it’s second hand…” or “clearing out my old gran’s house…” it is inexcusably obvious that a bike worth £500 being sold for £50, is stolen. Short-sighted buyers who help perpetuate the demand, receive a severe dent in karma-phala and a path strooned with guilt-ridden punctures.


Open question: Where do you lock your bike during the day?


Technorati tags: Bike theft. Secure bike locks. Bicycle parking security.