Collegiate Times

Signs all over Blacksburg read, "Look out, bicycles are everywhere."

Unfortunately, this applies to police reports as well.

With the increase in bicycle use comes and increase in demand for bikes, and that -- unfortunately -- means an increase in theft.

Virginia Tech police reported that from Jan. 1 to Oct. 9, there were 42 bike thefts on campus, up from 29 during the same period last year, a 45 percent increase.

Blacksburg police spokesman Sgt. Nathan O'Dell said thefts had not been a problem off-campus, with only a half-dozen unsecured bikes reported missing since the beginning of the school year.

"People get tired of walking, they see an unsecured bike and they ride it and ditch it when they're done," O'Dell said.

With the recent spike in fuel prices and even following the current dip, more and more people are biking to work and school as a way to get exercise and save money.

Parking Services Assistant Manager Bo Frazier said that he had seen a marked increase in bicycle registrations and that the department was working hard to keep up.

"Registrations are up," Frazier said. "It's a simple thing that can be done online and it helps us out a lot."

Local bicycle shops are reporting some increase in sales, but mostly they are seeing a serious growth in people pulling their old Schwinn out of the attic and having it serviced.

"We've seen sales go up some," said Ashley Bird, a manager at Hokie Spokes. "We've definitely been seeing a lot of people saying, 'With these gas prices, I might as well get my old bike fixed.'"

East Coasters' Floor Manager Anne Thompson echoed a similar sentiment.

"We haven't really seen an increase in sales so much as an increase in service," Thompson said.

"With gas prices up, we're seeing a lot of people pulling their old bikes out and having us fix them up," Thompson said.

Tech Police Lt. Deborah Morgan said all but two of the on-campus thefts were secured, but with an easily cut cable-type lock.

Morgan said it's likely that thieves are simply cutting the cables. O'Dell agreed, saying a pair of bolt cutters can easily snap a cable lock.

Morgan, O'Dell and Frazier agreed that there were several simple steps an owner can take to protect -- and failing that, recover -- their bicycle.

Frazier said that the simplest thing to do is register your bicycle with Parking Services, a quick process available at Parking Services' Web site. This allows Parking Services as well as the Blacksburg and Tech police to notify an owner if their bike is recovered or to contact them if they're parked inappropriately.

Tech and Blacksburg police also strongly encourage owners to lock their bikes to either a bike rack or a handrail. Locks run anywhere from a few dollars for an off-brand chain or cable lock with no warranty to $90 for high-end industry benchmark locks with $4,500 warranties.

Police said the U-type shackle lock was a much better choice, as the chain and cable locks are easily cut by bolt cutters or a hacksaw.

However, many round-key shackle locks are easily picked with the plastic barrel of a simple Bic pen, according to several bicycle owners' clubs online tip lists. Flat keys are now the norm for new locks.

Police also recommend bikes be secured in well-lit areas, and that bikes be secured through the frame and not a wheel, as thieves with an adjustable wrench can easily remove it.

Police also advise removing the bike's seat or a wheel to deter casual thieves from simply riding off with an unsecured bike.