How to Lock Your Bike in Cambridge
Choose a strong lock, secure your bike correctly, find good bike parking, and take a few simple steps that can make bike theft less likely.
A good lock matters—but how and where you use it matters too. No bike lock can completely prevent theft, but a strong lock, a secure attachment point, and good parking habits can make your bike a much harder target.
Whether you are parking for ten minutes in Harvard Square, leaving an e-bike outside work, or storing a bike at home, the basic principle is the same: secure the bike’s frame to something solid and immovable, then protect the wheels and other easy-to-remove components.
The best way to lock your bike
A few good habits make a major difference. Use these steps whenever you park your bike away from home.
Choose a good place to park
A dedicated bicycle rack is usually the simplest option. Look for a rack that is firmly attached, lets you secure the bicycle frame, and is in a visible location with regular activity around it.
Find bike parking in Cambridge
The City of Cambridge maintains public bicycle parking throughout the city and provides a map showing racks on public property, including City- and MBTA-owned bike parking.
Know Cambridge’s parking rules: Bikes may generally be parked at bicycle racks, appropriate street-sign poles, against buildings, or at facilities intended for bicycle parking. Do not attach a bike to fire hydrants, handrails, benches, trees, trash receptacles, parking meters, or disability-parking sign poles. Always leave at least 36 inches of unobstructed pedestrian space.
Overnight and long-term bike storage
For longer periods, indoor or access-controlled storage is preferable when available. Apartment bike rooms and garages can still be accessed by people other than you, so continue to lock the bicycle to a fixed rack or anchor whenever possible rather than simply leaving it unlocked inside a shared room.
If your building does not provide usable bicycle parking, consider asking the property manager about a secure storage area or rack. For destinations without adequate public bike parking, Cambridge also accepts requests for new public bicycle racks.
Before anything happens, document your bike
If a bicycle is ever stolen, having identifying information ready can make reporting and locating it much easier.
1
Record the serial number
Find the serial number on your bicycle and save it somewhere you can access even if the bike is gone.
2
Take clear photos
Keep current photos showing the entire bike and any distinctive components, stickers, markings, or modifications.
3
Save the bike details
Record the manufacturer, model, color, approximate value, and other identifying information.
Cambridge Police no longer provides municipal bicycle registration and instead recommends keeping this identifying information yourself.
Add a bike tracker for another layer of protection
A hidden location tracker can provide useful information if a bicycle disappears, but it should be treated as an additional layer—not as a replacement for a high-quality lock and secure parking.
Cambridge Bike Safety offers custom bike tracking kits designed to make it easier to add a discreet tracker to your bike. Contact us to ask about current availability and upcoming distribution events.
If your bike is missing
First consider whether the bicycle may have been removed by the City because of where or how long it was parked. If theft appears more likely, report it to the Cambridge Police Department and provide the serial number, photos, make, model, color, and other identifying information you have saved.
If a tracker shows a location for a stolen bike, prioritize your own safety and provide the information to police rather than attempting to recover the bicycle through a confrontation.
Help make biking easier and safer in Cambridge
Join Cambridge Bike Safety for local biking resources, community events, street-safety updates, and opportunities to improve biking across the city.