Police have warned Cyclists to make their Strava accounts more secure against bike thieves after (reports the illustrious Grimbsy Telegraph) a gang of thieves targeted cyclists and stole bikes worth £35,000+.
Whilst the gang have been jailed for 14 years between them there are still plenty more thieves out there with designs on your bike.
Did you know that you can make your Strava more secure against bike thieves?
… and that it takes less than 5 minutes to do?
Setting up your home as a ‘Hidden Location’ is easy. You can do it on computer or mobile.
1. On your computer or mobile click the following link: https://www.strava.com/settings/privacy (you might need to log in).
2. Enter the postcode you want to ‘hide’ and click ‘Create Privacy Zone’.
3. Add privacy zones for your home, your office, your super BFF’s house, your girl/boyfriend’s house, your lock up … and anywhere else that you store bikes, tools or equipment.
Do you want even more Strava security?
If you want to go a bit further again you can chose “Enhanced Privacy” which stops anyone you haven’t approved from looking at your data or following you.
To activate in the app: launch the app > more > settings > privacy > slide ‘Enhanced Privacy’ so it’s lit up orange.
To activate on computer: launch the website > click your profile pic > settings > Privacy > click ‘Enhanced Privacy Mode’
You’ll then get to individually approve people who follow you. Make sure you only add people you know and trust.
And don’t forget…
You can do all of this but you still need to be sensible and subtle with your bikes. Thieves can still spot your bikes outside your house, follow you home from the trails or latch on to all of those stickers on the back of your van.
Keep your bikes hidden, don’t leave them outside the front of the house, don’t leave the garage door open for all to see inside. And, of course, it goes without saying – no photos of the bikes outside the house, in the garage or in the garden.
As always, if you think you see anything dodgy hit 999 for emergencies or 101 for non emergencies.
