Beating bike thieves: Making your garden shed bike secure

As winter draws in and many bikes retreat to the comfort of the garden shed, it's a good time of year to review your security. In the run up to Christmas, fewer cyclists may take to the roads, but thieves are as active as ever.

It doesn't cost a fortune to make your shed more secure. Motion sensitive halogen lights cost less than £10, as do rudimentary wireless alarms, ground anchors and fence spikes. Basic security measures that are easy to install, but make life harder for a cycle thief.

Win a Christmas security hamper for your shed

To enter the prize draw for the security hamper, which includes a PIR security light, wireless 100dB alarm, ground anchor and fence spikes, simply 'like' our Facebok page at https://www.facebook.com/Environmental.Transport.Association and we'll draw a winner at the end of November 2014.

Storing your bike in a shed, garage or outbuilding

If you have cycle insurance with the ETA, and store your bike in a shed, the external doors of the shed itself must be locked. We do not require a specific type or rating of lock on the shed – just one that could reasonably be expected to act as a deterrent and that would need brute force or tools to overcome. If these conditions are met, we do not require you to lock your bike to an immovable object once inside the shed. However, it must not be visible from outside. If your shed has a window or similar meaning your bike could be seen from outside, your bicycle must be concealed from view (bicycle covered with a blanket or similar) Our sympathetic policy towards shed storage is just one of the reason we stand out from other cycle insurance companies. Compare us or see the policy wording for full details.

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