How to Keep Your Bike Safe

1. Register your bike.

Register your bike for free. The Boulder Police Department has a better chance of returning your stolen bike if you’ve registered it before it went missing. You can register your bike with the Boulder Police Department or at most bike shops.

• Online, you can fill out a simple form  to register your bike with the City of Boulder and Bike Index.
• You can also register your bike separately with CU Boulder – you don’t have to be a student. Keep the information up to date on BikeIndex.org if your details change.

2. Lock both the front and back wheels of your bike.

All locks can be defeated. Given the variability of bike shapes & sizes, no single lock fits all, so choose your locks wisely.

3. Always lock your bike when you leave it unattended.

Preferably, use a U-lock to capture the rear wheel, bike frame, and bike rack and use another U-lock for the frame and front tire. Cable locks should not be used as a primary lock because bolt cutters can easily cut through a cable lock.

4. Choose a sturdy structure to lock your bike to.

Make sure the bike rack is firmly anchored in the ground before locking your bike to it. Avoid locking your bike to telephone poles, street signs, trees, or benches.

5. Don’t leave your bike unattended for too long.

Don’t rely solely on cameras or crowds as deterrents.

6. Use secure bike parking when available.

Keep your bike locked inside your home if possible. If parked in a garage or storeroom, lock to an immovable object. Lock your bike in populated, well-lit areas, if you can’t keep it inside. Lock your bike to your car-mounted rack. Secure bike parking and free bicycle lockers are also available around Boulder.

Stealing is an opportunistic crime. Do what you can to keep your bike as secure as possible and avoid theft.

• Remove anything from your bike that can be easily separated and taken. This includes the seat, seat post, water bottles, and other belongings.
• Shift to a low gear when you park to make it harder for the thief to pedal off quickly.

What to do if your bike is stolen

1. If your bike is stolen, or if you see someone stealing a bike, report the theft as soon as possible to the Boulder Police Department. You can leave an anonymous report.
2. Sign in or create an account at BikeIndex.org, mark your bike as stolen and submit the details. Doing this makes your bike visible to law enforcement, bike shops, and other registries.

• Biking in Boulder
• Your Boulder Bike Map