The Department of Public Safety is providing an opportunity for bicycle tuneups Saturday and tips as part of its effort to increase cyclist safety and responsibility.

DPS Detective Cleveland McCurty is overseeing the event, which goes from 2-6 p.m. on the Huntington Beard Crouse Hall patio. The goal of the event is to better inform students about the cycling etiquette on campus and how to avoid bike theft.

McCurty said cyclists have a large presence on campus, but not all students follow traffic laws, which can lead to dangerous situations. DPS also wants to promote awareness of more efficient bike locks.

“A lot of people ride bikes, and a lot of them don’t realize that when you ride a bike in the street you’re responsible for obeying traffic signals,” McCurty said. “Ultimately one of our missions is to keep staff, faculty and students safe in a campus environment, so the traffic aspect is very important.”

A large number of students use bikes for transportation, McCurty said, and a surprising amount of students continue riding bikes through the winter.

With so many bikes being used around campus, DPS works to prevent bike theft.

Forty-six bikes were stolen in 2012, McCurty said. All the bikes reported as stolen had cable locks that were cut, except for two which were left unsecured, he added.

In order to limit future thefts, McCurty said the emphasis of Saturday’s event will be on theft prevention. 

McCurty recommended using a U-bolt bike lock, which he said are more effective than chain and cable locks. He said DPS will raffle off a U-bolt lock on Saturday.

The event will also offer cyclists a chance to register their bikes with DPS.

McCurty said it’s often difficult to recover stolen bikes because they’re taken out of town, or are altered so they can’t be identified.

If a bike is registered, DPS and the Syracuse Police Department will have a record of a student’s bike, which they can use to identify stolen bikes that are recovered, he said.

Steve Morris, an owner at Mello Velo Bicycle Shop on Westcott Street, said the majority of its customers are Syracuse University students, and he also recommends students register their bike.

“I’ve talked to police who say they’ve found bikes, but don’t know who they belong to, so registering it is a way they can return the bikes,” Morris said.

Mello Velo will have a mechanic at the event to talk to students about proper bike maintenance, McCauley said.

Morris said in addition to using a U-bolt lock, riders should avoid leaving their bikes outside or in an unlocked garage overnight.

Sean McCauley, who is a senior bioengineering major and co-captain of the Syracuse University Cycling Club, agreed that the best way to prevent bike theft is to keep it indoors when possible, and lock it using a U-bolt lock.

McCauley added while registering a bike is useful, it’s more important to take steps to prevent bike theft from happening at all. He said registration is only effective once a bike is stolen.

Said McCauley: “The best way to prevent bike theft is to just avoid situations where theft would be a possible outcome.”

Published on September 5, 2013 at 12:29 am

Contact Brett: blsamuel@syr.edu | @Brett_Samuels27