Bicycle Registration

The East Carolina University Police Department is committed to reducing bicycle theft and vandalism. We encourage bicycle owners to properly lock their bikes at designated areas. Bicycle registration is free and easy! Parking and Transportation Services, located at 305 E. Tenth Street (directly beside McDonald's) will be happy help you register for a bicycle decal.

Bike Permits

A good lock and knowing how to use it properly are important ingredients to success. If you only use one lock, please consider using something other than a cable lock. Although we do not endorse any particular manufacturer of locks, of the many styles of locks that are currently available, U-locks have a good track record. Bicycle Thefts on Campus

Something to Think About

If you plan to have a bike with you on campus, consider how you will be using it. If you are going to keep it locked-up outside, overnight, or during class, know that thieves target expensive mountain bikes. Your enjoyment and efficiency of riding a bike should not, however, be diminished by your choice of bike. Be practical. In many situations, a simple, low-cost bike may serve your needs adequately. Instead of an inexpensive, poor quality, new bike from a department store, you may find better value in a well-functioning second hand bike. If you do not bring a bike with you from home, there is ample opportunity to purchase one locally.

Record Your Bike’s Serial Number

Please take a moment to record your bicycle’s serial number. If your bicycle is stolen, the serial number is the key piece of information that law enforcement agencies can use in attempting to recover your bike. Most bicycle serial numbers are located on the underside of the bottom bracket shell near the pedals (you may need to turn your bike over to find it). Make sure to keep your sales receipt. A picture of your bike can also be used to your benefit.

Register Your Bicycle on Campus

Bicycles used on campus are required to be registered. Bicycle registration is free. When you register, you will be given a permit sticker that goes on your bike. Bicycle registration is available at Parking and Transportation Services and the ECU Police Department.

If your Bicycle is Stolen

Report it immediately to the ECU Police Department. We take bike theft seriously. We do recover stolen bikes. If you see someone tampering with a bicycle on campus, report it immediately to the ECU Police Department. Emergency Blue-Light Phones can be found at several outdoor locations throughout campus.

Disclaimer

Some thieves will stop at nothing to steal a bike. Often this comes at the expense of destroying the bike in the process. Every lock can be defeated. Even if you do all of the right things, your bike may still be stolen.

More Locking Tips

• Don’t lock your bike to something weaker than your bike lock (small trees, chain link fences, etc.) On campus, bicycles must be locked to bike racks. Bicycles not locked to bike racks are subject to impound.
• When off campus and there is no bike rack available, choose what you lock your bike to carefully. Make sure your bike cannot be stolen by lifting it over what you have chosen to lock it to. Test the lock to make sure your bike is secure. Be respectful of other traffic. Don’t block pedestrian passage or use handrails, especially wheelchair ramps and structures near handicapped accessible areas.
• If a bike rack is full, find another. Don’t try to squeeze your bike into a space that will not allow you to lock it properly.
• Do not lock only one wheel of the bike. If you are parking head-in with a “wave” rack, park in the “U” part, not the inverted “U’ part.

Quick Release Levers on Wheels

We recommend securing your wheels to prevent theft. Quick release levers can make removing a wheel easy and without the need for tools. It can be useful to remove a wheel easily if you need to change a flat tire, transport your bike or want to use one lock to lock both wheels and the bike’s frame. Quick release levers can be replaced by slow release levers or nutted axles. Both of these options require tools in order to remove the wheel. A word of caution, even if your wheels are secured, the quick release levers themselves can be removed easily. Hose clamps can also be used to secure quick release levers, but don’t expect to be able to remove your wheel quickly with these on.

Quick Release Levers on Seat Tubes

A quick release lever on seat tubes serves to clamp your seat post in place, which holds your saddle at a desired height. Once your saddle is set at a comfortable height, you will probably not need to adjust it. If you have a quick release lever and you do not secure your saddle when you lock your bike, your saddle may be stolen. For more security, some people take their saddle and seat post with them when they lock their bike. Unlike a quick release lever on a wheel, a quick release lever on a seat tube is an item that you may want to consider replacing with a bolt. Even if you replace the quick release, a saddle and seat post can be stolen quickly with common tools. Other options include having a dedicated cable on your saddle or locking your saddle when you lock your bike.

Suspension Forks

For forks that can be removed quickly by releasing the handlebar stem, consider filling the stem bolt head with an adhesive. Including the fork when you lock your bike is another option.

Two Locks Are Better Than One

By using two locks a thief will have to work harder and longer to steal your bike. Added time and effort are good deterrents for bike thieves. Also consider using two different styles of locks as it would take different tools to defeat the locks. In this case, a cable lock may be effective as a secondary lock when combined with one of the recommended locks.

Accessories

Do not leave accessories on your locked bicycle. Lights, pumps, bags, etc. are very enticing to steal. Don’t tempt potential thieves.