Students: as cycle thefts soar, here’s how to protect your bike

For hard-up students, a bike is a low-cost way to travel. But with cycle theft at an all-time high, experts are urging young people not to skimp on insurance and to buy a good lock.

Recent data from Aviva shows one in five (19%) of insurance claims involving student possessions relates to bicycles.

James Brown, managing director of BikeRegister, a national database used by police to match stolen bikes to their owners, says they often get reported stolen shortly after the university term starts. “Speaking to university security teams, we know that in freshers’ week, and the weeks following, there are spikes in cycle theft,” he says.

Hotspots are all university towns, with Oxford recording the highest number in 2025, followed by Cambridge, York and Cardiff, says bicycle insurer Bikmo.

One of the reasons, Brown says, is that some students try to save money by securing their bike with a cheap cable lock bought online, “which isn’t worth anything because it could almost be cut with a pair of scissors”.

Brown recommends investing instead in a bike lock road-tested against specialist thief tools – such as angle grinders – by Sold Secure, a security testing organisation owned by the Master Locksmiths Association.

These are graded from bronze to diamond, but you don’t necessarily need to shell out for diamond. A gold-rated Sold Secure lock should offer a high level of protection against dedicated bike thieves, even in high-risk areas. We found some D-locks for less than £20.

It is also a good idea to insure your bike the moment you arrive at university.

“If you’re relying on a bike to get to class, then losing it could really affect your education,” says Kara Gammell, a personal finance expert at MoneySuperMarket.com.

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Probably the first thing to do is check if you are covered under your parents’ existing home contents insurance policy. You may automatically be covered against theft or loss under its “temporarily removed from the home” section while you are living away in student accommodation or a shared flat.

Alternatively, it may be that their policy can be extended to cover your possessions.

For example, Axa Insurance UK and Admiral will automatically cover bikes worth less than £350 that are kept both in and away from the home – including at university – as standard.

While this sounds like a good deal, the problem with relying on a parent’s policy is that if their child’s bike is stolen, making a claim could affect the main policyholder’s no-claims discount and future premiums.

If you also have to pay a chunky excess for an old bike, you may end up thinking whether it’s worth making a claim in the long run, says Gammell.

Also, be aware that some insurers will expect students to come home every 90 days, and will refuse to cover a bike left in unoccupied student accommodation.

A better option could be to shop around for specific standalone cycle insurance with a low excess – for example from Bikmo, BackPedal, Cover4Cycles or Laka.

If you are moving into halls of residence, you may find the package you signed up to includes some contents insurance, but it can be basic and may not cover you if there is no forced entry.

Meanwhile, if you are moving into a shared house, check with the landlord or letting agent what insurance – if any – is in place.

If none of the above is a runner, you (or your parents) may have to sort out a home contents policy for your accommodation, which would insure your laptop, mobile phone and other belongings, as well as your bike.

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The Save the Student website has a useful guide. It says Cover4Insurance is its most-recommended student insurance provider in 2026.

“Burglars know student houses aren’t always the most secure, and may have high-value items inside, like laptops, TVs and games consoles,” says Save the Student’s Tom Allingham. “So it really is worth insuring your goods.”

Bear in mind insurers may specify what type of lock you need and require a bike to be locked to an immovable object, even in communal areas (such as the hallway of a student house). “It’s key to double-check your policy and the small print,” says Gammell.

Registering its frame number for free on property databases, such as BikeRegister and Immobilise, is another good idea.

Brown also recommends uploading time-stamped photos, any distinguishing marks and relevant receipts to the entry. That way, he says, you can easily prove ownership and value for a claim. It also helps police to return it.

Registering it on a property database can also act as a deterrent to thieves if you prominently mark the frame with its newly registered database ID – perhaps by using a tamper-proof QR code sticker or permanent marking kit.

Experienced thieves know that this will point any future buyer – or police officer – straight to the entry, Brown says, so they will pick another bike to steal.

“They will know it’s going to be difficult to sell on and, if they are caught in possession of the bike, it can be linked back to an original owner, and they can be charged with – at the least – handling stolen goods,” he says.

Favour Samuel, the NUS England president, says: “Bike theft is at an all-time high in our cities, and when thieves are unable to steal whole bikes, they’ll steal just the wheels. But don’t let that put you off cycling – it is a great and sustainable way to travel.”