Bicycle theft has gone through the roof. Thanks to the average bike price having increased by 400% over the last 15 years, cyclists love cycling and love their bikes.

This is why just like on automobiles, cyclists should also prioritize anti-theft features on their bikers. Fortunately, some smart bike lights are already equipped with anti-theft technology. 

How common is road theft?

From 3.1% last 2019, bicycle theft has gone up to 4.4% last 2021. That’s an increase of almost 20% each year and 14% for all previous years.

A staggering 25% of these thefts occur in casual settings such as pit-stop cafes, mini marts, and other public places where a lock has not been implemented. But the most surprising part is that 75% of these thefts occur while the bike is locked up at either the cyclist’s home, work office, etc. 

This data means that the old technique of chaining and locking your bikes won’t work now.

How to prevent road theft?

A study run by Smart Bike Lights tested the effectiveness of anti-theft alarms on bike lights. 200 individual tests were conducted in which Subject 1 had no lock and no alarms, and Subject 2 had no lock but was equipped with Cliq and Farina attached, and their alarms turned on.

Based on the overall tests (within controlled environments), 10 bicycles under the Subject 1 category were stolen while only 4 bikes under Subject 2 had the same fate. 

This means that anti-theft alarms can reduce bike theft by 68% on an overall scale, which translates to a 17% reduction in worldwide cases.

How do anti-theft alarms work?

Anti-theft alarms usually come with smart brake lights. These alarms use the accelerometer or motion sensors of the brake lights.

Premium brake lights like the CLIQ of Smart Bike Lights come with inertia-powered motion sensors. The brake lights go off not when the cyclists come to a complete stop but when they slow down. This way, other road users can be alerted in advance of their movement.

These kinds of accelerometers are ideal for anti-theft alarms. The alarms won’t go off at a slight touch, so the owners don’t have to worry about false alarms.

Aside from these, Smart Bike Lights units, including CLIQ, can be connected to your smartphone using the Rayo app. You will be alerted of a possible theft within your palms. This way, you can fully enjoy your coffee break without worrying about your bike.

It’s high time that cyclists worldwide admit that their beloved bike is now a new subject of road theft. So the next time you’re buying a bike light, don’t just think about brightness. Choose a brand that also comes with anti-theft alerts.