Bike Safety Tips

For all you commuters who 'bike-and-ride' with transit, here are some bike safety tips to keep in mind when you lock up your bike at the skytrain station.

1) Don't. Period. The Edmonds skytrain station is NOT a safe place to lock up your bike! You would think otherwise, with all the bus drivers, transit personnel and the (occasional) transit police, but just about every bike that is locked up at the skytrain station is vandalized to some degree. Graffitti on the seat, stolen tires...We are now allowed to take bikes on the first and last carraige of the skytrain, so consider taking your bike with you rather than leaving it behind. Also consider renting a skytrain bike locker to safely store your bike if you choose to leave it behind. Contact Translink for more details.

2) Engrave your bike with your name or ID # on an inconspicuous place, preferably the bottom of the bike. This makes it easier to claim should it be stolen and recovered. By engraving it in a hidden place, thieves have less of a chance of seeing the engraving and thus less of a chance of filing the numbers off. Register your bike with the RCMP or through the National Bike Registry.

3) Lock your bike to a solid object (i.e.- no trees, wooden objects or chain link fences). Street signs and bike racks are ideal. Ensure the bike can't be lifted over the object, like a parking meter. Make sure the area will be well-light at night. Locking it up in the day time allows for plenty of ambient light, but if you return at nightfall, it should also be well illuminated.

4) Use a U-shaped lock and cable. The Kryponite brand is one of the best. The made-in-China copies are the worst, as they are easy to smash apart with a hammer or pry open. Also, Kryptonite and other high end bike locks allow you to register your bike with them. Plus, they offer anti-theft guarantees.

5) Leave as little space as possible within the "U" of the lock to make it harder for thieves to pry it open.

6) Keep the lock off the ground to avoid giving the thief leverage to hammer or smash it.

7) Position the keyhole of the lock so that it faces the ground. This will inhibit the thief's ability to manipulate the lock.

8) Remove the front wheel and lock both the wheel and the frame together with the U-lock if it's a quick-release wheel. Take your bike seat with you if it's easily removable and/or expensive.

9) Consider buying an old, cheap bike for commuting to/from work and/or the store. Save your fancy bike for trail riding or the Whistler bike park ;-)