The Art of Bicycle Locking

There are several methods for bike locking, but it all comes down to asking a few questions:

• How long does it take to defeat my lock(s)?
•  What can I afford to lose?
•  Does the other guy’s bike look easier to steal?

When locking your bike, you are basically buying time. The goal of any bike lock is to increase the time needed for someone to defeat it and also increase the conspicuity of the person who wants to steal it. For you engineers and business majors, this is just a simple maximization optimization equation. Your goal is to maximize the time, effort, and risk involved in stealing the bike to the point where it’s not economical for the thief to do so.

A high-end bicycle lock is only as good as the thought process of the person who locked it. photo: flickr/salim

Consider the locking location factors
If you are locking your bike outside at night, you need to take into account that there will be many hours where no one is in the area, and thieves have plenty of opportunity to take it. While being locked at a distant rack probably increases the likelihood it’s attractive to a thief, off campus folks in quiet neighborhoods still need to remember that your porch does not have a magical force field that prevents people from walking up to it and riding off with a bike.

If you are locking your bike during the day while going to class or grabbing lunch: you have lots of witnesses, good lighting, and it’s likely you’ll be returning pretty soon, so you might not need to spend 15 minutes setting up a complicated lock set up.

Make sure all valuable parts are locked.

Note the two different type of locks, a heavy duty secure chain and an auxilarly cable lock. The frame, wheels, and seat are locked to a solid bike rack. photo: flickr/krackowbicycles

There are two ways bicycles are stolen: as whole bikes, and as parts.

The first goal is to make your bike undesirable as a whole bike – lock the frame securely, and it’s difficult to ride off with the bike.

After that, you need to look at the wheels/tires and your seat post and saddle. Do they have quick releases? Do they have any intrinsic value?  If you can’t afford to replace your wheels, you need to keep them locked. If they aren’t particularly valuable, switching your wheels’ quick releases for a locking skewer or using a DIY clamp will make it that much harder for a thief to grab: but still entirely possible. If there is a chance that someone wants your wheels, you need to make sure you have a u-lock or heavy cable through them to make it that much more difficult.

Lock Your Bike to a Secure Object

This bike isn’t actually locked to anything, though the owner did drape a $30 lock over it.photo: flickr/juicyrai

Your lock is only as good as the object to which it is locked. Many signs can be disconnected from the ground with a $4 wrench. Chain Link Fence is really easy to cut. A thing hollow aluminum pipe can easily be cut. Make sure that you actually lock your bike to something that can’t easily be removed, or expect to find both your bicycle and the thing you locked it to gone when you get back. Also, make sure you don’t accidently lock your bike to someone else’s at a crowded rack.

Park Where Thieves Must Think Twice
I like to park where people see my bike. There are bike racks all over town that hide in corners, behind dumpsters, and in places no one goes. I don’t park there. Park in front of the Police station, or near a high traffic corner, choose places where people are often out and about on foot. Thieves don’t want to get caught, so do what you can to increase the risk that someone will notice them trying to steal your bike.

Learn How to Lock Properly

Hal is a bike mechanic. Hal is also a character. Hal wants you to lock your bike:

Sheldon Brown really loved bikes and were he still with us, he wouldn’t want yours to get stolen. So read his advice on bike locking.

How to (Not) Abandon a Bicycle

Every year, several bikes are parked on campus and then never reclaimed by their owners. While these bikes are upset, alone, and probably have a lot of issues to work through while locked to a forgotten rack, this this problem is not unique to Virginia Tech, and bikes are abandoned all over the world. Most universities, towns, and apartment complexes have policies for “abandoned bicycle” eyesores that take up valuable space.

This is a sad, abandoned bicycle. It used to work and have value. photo:kvasov/flickr

Abandoned bikes are a problem. Basically, they take up much needed space at bike racks for months, then they become a target for opportunistic thieves, and then finally, they waste someone’s time – tagging bikes and cutting locks is really time intensive, and the university staff who do this task each year have other responsibilities – and this task takes them away from their jobs. Also, because these bikes have been sitting outside, broken, rusting, and perhaps missing vital parts, they lose a lot of value and are generally are non-functional: they become “bike-shaped objects” and someone else will need to put a lot of time, effort, and money into making them work.

At Virginia Tech, bikes that are suspected of being abandoned are “tagged” with a notice instructing the owner that his/her bicycle is suspected of being abandoned and that he or she needs to remove the tag to indicate that the bike is still cared for and wanted. If the tag is not removed within a reasonable amount of time, then the bike is impounded and stored for several months before going to the VT auction as surplus property. After that – who knows where it goes?

If you or someone you know has lost interest in a bicycle, you have options for getting rid of it while it’s still useful or, at least, almost useful. This is really the responsible choice and more preferable to abandoning it at a rack.

Donate It

While you can always just dump it with the Y or Goodwill, you have two options that ensure your bicycle will get recycled into a useful transportation device in the local area. By donating it to either of these organizations, you know that your bike will find new life for someone who needs it.

Blacksburg Bike Co-op
This grassroots group provides bike parts, tools, and space to for people who want to have a bike, build a bike, or learn how to build and maintain bikes. My first Blacksburg bicycle came from the Co-op and my initial $35 donation and several hours of hard work gave me a functional bike that lasted for several years. I also met people who were able to give me advice, ideas, and a connection to the bicycle community of Blacksburg.

The Bike Kitchen
This is a new project and involves collaboration between the NRVBA, VT, and the town of Christiansburg to get working bicycles, and bike know-how to the 19% of the NRV living below the poverty line. Basically, a bicycle is the cheapest and most efficient way to travel under your own power – a bicycle might help someone without a car get to a job, or could help a teenager learn valuable mechanic skills and get around town to participate in after school activities.

Sell It

Whether by Craigslist, EBay, or CT Classifieds, you have a lot of options. Essentially, your bike is probably worth something to someone. If it can be fixed into rideable condition with minimal effort, or scrubbed of enough rust that it functions, someone will think it’s worth a few bucks. Bicycles depreciate pretty quickly after they are purchased (just like cars, motorcycles, and diamond rings), so don’t expect to get a whole lot of cash, especially if the bike isn’t in like-new condition.

But,wait! I didn’t abandon my bike!

If your bicycle doesn’t look abandoned, then it probably won’t be treated like an abandoned bike, which means it is less likely to be a target for thieves, and it will be worth more to someone else if you ever decide to sell or donate it

Keep it in working order
Bent wheels, flat tires, solid rust, and missing parts make a bike look ugly and abandoned – a target for bike thieves and even casual cheap skate thieves looking for parts fix their own broken bikes. If you park a bike in front of your dorm or apartment for weeks at a time, visit the bike, keep the tires full, and make sure that it’s lubed well enough to avoid rust.

Move it occasionally
Riding a bike is the best way to keep it functional. You break up newly formed rust, redistribute lube, and hopefully you’ll pump up your tires and keep your brakes in working order.

Register It
A registered bicycle is the only bicycle whose owner can be reached by Virginia Tech if the bike is suspectd to be abandoned or if it is recovered after being misplaced or stolen. Registration is free, and you can do it online. You just need to have your bike’s serial number, your Hokie Passport number, and know your own address. Bike regestration is available to all members of the VT community.

The Best Parking in Blacksburg

Several weeks ago, I needed to go to the University Mall at about 6:30 p.m. I was running late and drove my car. I spent more time trying to find a parking space than I spent driving from my home to the lot. This served as a reminder for why I don’t typically drive there (or most popular places in town): it takes too long to park.

If you’ve driven downtown or to the Math Emporium at the University Mall during the evening or any time during a football weekend, you might have noticed: convenient parking can be hard to find and you might end up walking at least ¼ to ½ mile to your destination.

Because of this, I renewed my commitment to bike to these locations – no matter the weather nor time of day. Why? The best bike parking spots are easier to find and much closer to my destination than the spots for cars, and I can always find a good place to park my bike.

This Google Map shows the locations of all the bike racks that I’ve seen near some popular Blacksburg locations, but by no means is complete. It also shows a snapshot in time: the map was current as of Fall 2011, but construction and renovation projects in retail areas often contribute to bike racks moving to new homes, or new racks can get installed. There are also several bike racks that are located at small offices and apartment complexes that aren’t included on this map.

View Larger Map

Some of these racks are really popular and often you might not be able to find a space (the bicycle rack near Bollo’s comes to mind), so it’s good to note some other racks to check out that aren’t too far from your destination.

Winter by Bike

Some people put away their bike each winter, but I really love commuting by bike year round. The biggest perks of riding through the winter?

A little known fact: bicycles love playing in the snow almost as much as dogs and small children. photo: baggis/flickr.

• there’s no windshield to scrape.
• there’s no parking crunch at the bike racks
• I always have extra room for holiday pie/potlucks/treats
• I can pedal fast without breaking a sweat
• it’s always faster than walking home in the cold/wind/snow
• biking in light snow beats biking in drizzly rain any day
• the varied reactions of others always entertain me (with those ranging from encouragement to astonishment).

That said, being prepared for winter weather is key to being happy while travelling by bike December through March. Luckily for us, the roads here are plowed, and we very rarely experience more than a couple inches of snow on any given day. You don’t really need special equipment in the winter (unless you just really want some new stuff), and sometimes you might need to take a different (plowed) route or go a little slower (black ice has the same effect on bikes as it does for cars), but it’s not much more complicated than riding the rest of the year.

Avoiding Accidents and Close Calls

Bicycling is safe. Despite concerns about a lack of facilities or respect from other road users, travelling by bike is still a safe way to travel. The likelihood that you’ll be involved in a serious accident on a bike is exceptionally low, however, most cyclists can share with you a few “close call” stories involving near misses and minor crashes. There is a perception that certain locations or activities carry a lot of risk, but the risk and reality are pretty far away. A UNC study on perceived bicycle/pedestrian risks showed that the locations that people felt were the least safe did not correspond to the areas at which crashes and injuries were actually observed. Overall, these attitudes are motivated by an unrealistic level of fear: the perception of risk is much greater than the likelihood of injury.

The numbers tell a different story than the media: despite cycling being portrayed as a dangerous activity in many news stories, deadly accidents are extremely rare, much more rare than deadly car accidents, skydiving accidents, and even swimming accidents. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration FARS data shown above. A 3-year Seattle study showed that of all Emergency Room admissions of cyclists injured in crashes, less than 0.5% received fatal injuries, and less than 10% required hospital admission. Crashing is rare, and serious injuries are also very rare.

 

While many cyclists (and potential cyclists) are concerned about the danger of getting hit by cars, only 17% of bicycle crashes involve motor vehicles, and while these are the scariest to think about, almost 1/2 of these accidents are avoidable.

Breaking Barriers to Bike Commutes: The Car Problem

Cars can be a multiple-ton security blanket – they offer protection from bad weather and can often be a way to quickly get from point A to point B. However, you still have options to have a productive day and a safe trip home even if you arrived on campus by bike before a bad storm rolls in, you or a family member end up needing a sick day, or you have non-bikeable errands to run during the day.

FACT: your car and bicycle will not get jealous of each other. Some people even train their bicycles and cars to happily travel together. (sometoast/Flickr)

Four easy ways to avoid getting stuck:

• Ride Solutions Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) – open to anyone registered with Ride Solutions, which is 100% free.
• VT Emergency Ride Home (ERH) available through Parking Services to those registered with Bike, Bus & Walk or VT Carpool parking permits – free ride to your local residence or vehicle. M-F, 8 -5.
• Blacksburg Transit routes hit all of campus and the CRC (in case you have a suit-and-tie meeting on the opposite side of campus), and head to the edges of town (in case that dentist appointment is keeping you from biking to campus).
• U Car Share – register once and then pay hourly for using any of the U Car Share vehicles on campus. An annual parking permit costs about the same as registration + ~20 hours of U Car Share driving — and there a few promotional deals each year in which registration fees are reduced or free hours are up for grabs.

Think Flexibly
You don’t have to commute every day by bike to be a bike commuter. If you ride the bike a few times a week or when the weather is more agreeable, that still makes you a bike commuter. Consider joining the Bike, Bus & Walk program if you only need your car occasionally, or even just register with Ride Solutions to get access to GRH.

Too Far Away?
Need to cross a few unfriendly highways or travel for many miles before getting here? Consider biking part of the way. Take a bus, catch a ride, or drive to a closer location and bike the rest of the way in to campus.  If you do choose to drive to a closer location to start your bike commute, make sure your parking place of choice allows all day parking. Some folks store their local bike with a trusted in town friend, or park a “junky”
commuter bike at a distant lot.

Do you have other solutions to this problem? Please share them. Also, we’d like to continue to address other perceived barriers to bike commutes, so let us know if there is something you would like us to discuss.

Riding your bike for fun and profit

Only a few speedy/talented folks will ever be able to profit directly from riding their bicycles, but even those of us who can’t make money on the bicycle can keep more money in our wallets by replacing car trips with bike trips.  While some people are motivated to ride through their environmental commitments or a desire to live a more active life, many people are motivated by the almighty dollar.

This is how the professionals do it. Amateur cyclists can stick to toting groceries or work-stuff with no penalty (rnyk/flickr)

A recent study has made headlines by putting a dollar figure on being stuck in traffic – showing that the average driving commuter wasted $713 in lost fuel, time, and the increased costs associated with everyone else on the road being delayed as well. When you compare the cost of driving vs. biking, bicycles win. When comparing the owning and operating costs per mile over typical use, the cost of driving is over 300% more expensive than riding a bicycle. Even if you own and use your car, but ride your bike when possible, your bicycle costs per mile are still a fraction of your driving costs. This doesn’t take into account the additional health benefits, environmental contribution, or other feel-good benefits of cycling that are a little harder to convert into dollars.

New Bike Racks Coming Soon!

Earlier this semester in front of Torgersen there was machinery and caution tape, but now, if you stop by, you'll see the 38 new bike parking spaces.

It’s hard to go anywhere on campus without seeing bicycles, and with more people choosing bikes as their favorite way to get from A to B, more bike racks are needed so that bikes can have a safe place to relax and socialize while their owners are hard at work (or play) on campus.To help facilitate better bike parking options, 17 new racks
are being installed on campus. The goal is to make sure that all new bike parking is consistent with APBP guidelines, so that bikes have appropriate support and space while parked, cyclists have adequate locking options and bike parking locations are conveniently located near building entrances – or at least closer than the closest parking space for a car.These 17 racks will provide more than 230 new spaces for cyclists to park near academic buildings on campus. Some of these racks have been placed on existing concrete surfaces, but many of the new racks will require fresh concrete – so it’s taking a little bit of time to get all of them in place. When these new racks are in place, there will be more than 4000 bike parking spaces on campus.

Get Your Commute Started (or Recharged)!

Lights + Cool Weather + Early Evenings make a picturesque commute. Portland, OR 9/15/2011 (Anomalily/Flickr/Creative Commons)

The days are getting shorter, but the cool weather is ideal for a bike commute: you end up at your destination refreshed and recharged (not sweaty or tired). Also, you can make the most of the pleasant weather without shirking responsibility, because riding to that group meeting, coffee meet-up, or dentist appointment will get you there on time, and help you sneak in some extra activity.

However, sometimes the first step is the most difficult. Below we present links to tips for bicycle commuting, some local resources, and a little bit of inspiration. If we’ve missed anything that you think would be valuable to share, please comment on the post or contact us. Also, if you want to start small (always a good option), you can use the 2 Mile Challenge tool for figuring out some good bike trip destinations all within 2 miles of the place your bike lives.

Active Commute Celebration!