Bicycle ownership in Manchester has been an ever-growing trend over the past few years.
With more effort from the council on sustainable transport, the bicycle is an obvious choice and it’s clear Mancunians have taken heed of its popularity.
Indeed, Transport for Greater Manchester has expressed its aim to have at least a 300% increase in the levels of cycling across the city region by 2025.
But with the growth of its popularity and practically across the city, it is inevitable that it would also result in an increase in bicycle-related crime.
Last year saw Manchester’s version of the “Boris Bike” scrapped due to vandalism and the issues with cycling don’t stop there.
So far in 2019, there have been 651 recorded bike thefts.
Unsurprisingly most of these centred around the most popular part of the city, Piccadilly Gardens with 7 thefts being reported in May alone.
Last year saw the total number of bikes stolen at a dizzying 2,107. And this is merely the thefts that have been reported!
This begs the question of what can be done for cyclist wanting to use their bikes around the city.
Perhaps one of the best ways is to make use of the Cycle Hub scheme.
For £10 per month, members can safely store their bike in the designated centres, with access being open only to other club members. And for £20 per month, on-site shower facilities are also available.
But the simple chaining to the bike racks remains the overwhelming provided option for Mancunians.
And so, the best way for most of us is too double up on the locks – have one D-Lock and have another chain lock.
The best way to do it is to make sure that they go through BOTH the frame and the wheel.
Whilst it’s by no means a sure-fire way of protecting your bike; it at least serves to be a better deterrent to would-be thieves.
