In more recent times, a combination of congested roads and people becoming more environmentally and fitness conscious has seen the pedal make a resurgence in popularity. Pedal cycles come in all shapes and sizes but all remain basically the same with a frame, wheels, handlebars, saddle, pedals, a chain and often-complicated gear sets. They are constructed from numerous metals and even one-piece fibreglass and carbon fibre such as Chris Boardman’s Lotus cycle, which he won an Olympic gold medal. The cost of 
pedal cycles has increased quite dramatically over the years with prices ranging for about £40 for a toddler’s cycle up to £2,500 for a competition cycle. Cycles of over £l,000 are commonplace and are a target for theft.
Protecting Your Investment
With the average pedal cycle costing between £300 and £400, it is important to protect such an investment.
How Do We Do This?
Most pedal cycles come with a frame number, which is either stamped, on the crankcase or on the flange at the rear wheel. This number should be shown at the bill of sale, or other associated paperwork when you purchase the pedal cycle and should be recorded in a safe place in case the cycle is stolen.
Postcoding
You then need to security mark your pedal cycle. By far the easiest way to do this is to engrave or stamp your postcode followed by your house number onto the cycle crankcase or some other suitably solid part of its structure. This method of marking is not suitable for all pedal cycles. Stamping or engraving can weaken some frames and damage paintwork and consequently alternative methods have to be used. An alterative to this is a system, which involves marking the postcode onto the cycle frame, wheels and other components using an ultra violet pen and covering the area with labelled clear sticker. In addition, plain clear stickers are provided for a hidden mark on a different part of the cycle. This marking is not permanent and may only last a few years. Also new electronic tagging and DNA chemical coding products are now on the market. For further information please contact your local crime prevention officer. Another useful item usually available from the Crime Prevention Officer is a small descriptive card in which you can write down all the details of the pedal cycle, including all small dents, scratches and marks. It is also suggested that a photograph is taken of the pedal cycle with its owner standing beside it. usually this is not a problem because the pedal cycle is either a Christmas or birthday present and someone usually has a camera out at that time.
First Priorities
The first priority when you purchase a cycle is usually safety equipment. If you wish to keep your bike, you need to have a second priority and that is some form of security equipment, perhaps a chain or ‘U’ bar. Is essential if you are out and about and have to leave your cycle that you secure it, preferably to a cycle rail or rack, or alternatively to a lamp post or street sign which cannot be lifted, or to railings or a fence post. If it has a quick release wheel this should be removed and put onto the ‘U’ bar or chain. Some cycles now also have quick release saddles, which are not readily secured and need to be taken with the user.
Cycle Security at Home
Is your cycle safe and secure at home? Most people keep their pedal cycle in the garage or in the garden shed. Just take a few minutes and look at the items in your garage and your garden shed. Power tools in including lawnmowers, sometimes washing machines, tumble dryers, freezers and their contents, golf clubs and other sports equipment are often targeted by the thief. Add to that two or three pedal cycles valued between three and four hundred pounds each and it is clear that such buildings are a great incentive to the would-be thief. How secure is your garage or your garden shed? Do you have an up-and-over door? Try moving it - is it possible to force it? You will probably find that the answer to that is ‘yes’. There are additional locks available for these types of doors at very little cost. Your garden shed really needs a hasp and padlock on the door as the lock that comes with it is usually not strong enough. How strong is the construction of your shed? Is it easy to pull boarding from the side? What you can do in these situations is to fix ringbolts into other wall in the garage. This allows you to chain your pedal cycle and garden tools to the wall. You can do the same in your shed, however, a more appropriate method would be a piece of steel, through the floor and concreted into the ground below, on which to mount a ring bolt to secure your cycle.
Secure Cycling
Following the advice given above should go a long way to ensuring that you keep your pedal cycle for as long as you wish.
Enjoy safe and secure cycling!
