‘Don’t give bike thieves an easy ride’ warning ahead of Tour de France

As cycling lovers prepare for the Tour de France to come through Calderdale on Sunday an insurance company is warning people not to be caught out by bike thieves.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Jul 2014, 09:04 BST

According to recent figures, one in five cyclists has had their bike stolen, yet despite this almost a third (30%) admit they leave their bikes unlocked or unattended when out and about, and more than half (54%) say their bikes are not insured.

Halifax Home Insurance warns many bike thefts are opportunistic, and with the average price of a bike in the UK now at £233 it is well worth taking steps to avoid becoming a victim.

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Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager, Halifax Home Insurance, said: “Bike thieves looking for an easy ride will choose the path of least resistance, so making bikes harder to steal and having the right type of insurance cover means cyclists are protected by more than just a helmet.

“Keeping receipts and taking photographs of the bike after purchase, and also noting any modifications such as additional lights or mudguards can help speed up an insurance claim should the worst happen.

“Anyone who is unlucky enough to have a bike stolen should report it to the police as soon as possible and obtain a crime reference number, which will be needed in order to progress a claim.”

The most common places for cyclists to leave their bikes are outside a shop (47%) in a park (20%) in a bike park (18%) and outside work (16%).