[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/bikelock.jpg” caption=”It’s wise to protect your bike with more than one style of lock. Photo credit: Deborah McIvor”]Summer is almost here and it is a great time of the year to start riding your bike to the campus. McMaster has many bike racks on campus for your bicycle to be stored while you are working and learning.

The campus bike racks have been placed in particular areas to provide easy access to your destination while providing a location that considers traffic patterns, lighting and other crime prevention elements. There are numerous bicycle racks to choose from, so select a location that is comfortable to you. That could mean choosing a bike rack in a high-traffic area compared to one that may be closer to your building.

Other ways of providing optimum security for your bike is to lock it with a good quality lock. U-locks are good locks, but they are not foolproof. This style of lock, like all others, works best if is locked tightly to the bicycle, leaving minimal room around the lock to allow tools to be inserted. It is also a good idea to include as much of your bike in the lock as possible. At times criminals may remove parts of your bike, and leave the locked frame. To prevent this from happening to you, be sure to lock your tires as well as other removable parts to the bike rack, or alternately, you could take them with you.

Another security tip is to protect your bike with more than one style of lock. Using more than one style of lock provides added protection to your bike. This is because two different locks require a criminal to access different equipment to open the lock. Also, two locks will take twice as long to circumvent than one; thus taking double the amount of time to steal your bike.

It is also a wise idea to register your bike with Hamilton Police. This can be an effective crime prevention tool, since criminals usually wouldn't want to be found with items that can be proven to belong to someone else. Security & Parking Services will assist you in registering your bicycle. The registration process involves engraving your bicycle with an identifiable number, such as your drivers – license number and placing a sticker on your bike identifying that your bike is registered. This will allow a law enforcement agency to identify you as the owner and assist in having a stolen bicycle returned to you if recovered.

As members of the McMaster community, it is important to look out for each other, and that includes each other's property. If you ever see something suspicious in or around the bike racks, please contact security services immediately by either: