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Leave your car or scooter at home: one of the best ways to get around Florence is by bike, as anyone who lives here will tell you. With most of the centre pedestrianised and traffic and parking costs elsewhere in the city at an all-time high, taking to two wheels has never been so popular. But along with a rise in cyclists has come an increase in bike thefts: around 1,000 bicycles are stolen every year in Florence. Here are five tips on keeping your bike safe in the city, straight from the mouths of a group of former bike thieves!
Good luck and happy cycling!
1. Old is gold
The worse it looks, the longer it will last. This is the number one rule when buying a bike. Rust, peeling paint and stuffing coming out of the seat are all advantages as long as the bike still works: choose a battered-looking bicycle as it will seem less valuable and is therefore less tempting to thieves.
There is no shortage of places to buy a second-hand bike in Florence. Most of the bike shops around the city have some second-hand bicycles, but these tend to be rather pricey for what you get (40–70 euro). A better option is to look for classified ads on websites such as bakeca.it and kijiji.it, where you should easily find a good second-hand bike for around 30 euro. On Fridays, you can also head to the Cooperativa Ulisse in via Baccio Bandinelli, 84 to take your pick from the illegally ‘parked’ bikes collected and resold every month by the municipal police (see the bikes for sale and reserve yours at www.cooperativaulisse.it).
2. Splash out
On the chain, that is. Although it makes sense to spend as little as possible on the bike itself—both to make it less of a draw for thieves and to avoid losing a lot of money if (or when) it is stolen—skimping on the chain never pays off. Consider the types of chain and locks available:
Cable lock (lucchetto a spirale): Lighter, cheaper and easier to transport than chains, cable locks can be easily cut with bolt cutters and should be avoided.
Chain: A chain with a key or combination lock attached is usually considered the safest way to secure your bike. Chains bought from hardware stores, however, can be cut using basic bolt cutters, so it is worth getting a chain specifically designed for bikes, made from hardened metal and with links that are difficult to cut with hand tools. Ask for a catena d’acciaio cementato a maglia quadra spessore minimo 6 mm. Monobloc padlocks are best to secure the chain; ask for a lucchetto blocco unico non accessibile da tenaglie.
U-lock: This rigid metal U-shape ring attaches to a straight crossbar section. These are generally the most resistant to bolt cutters, but they can be smashed with a hammer and chisel and are also less flexible than chains, making them difficult to thread through both the front wheel and bike frame as well as the bike rack.
3. Secure it safely
Be sure to pass the chain through the front wheel, the bike frame and the bike rack. Using two chains at a time is also advisable: one for the front wheel and one for the back. Do not remove the seat as this gives the impression that the bike has been there a while and is regarded as fair game by thieves: the wheels and handlebars will be the next to go.
4. Banks are best
Where you leave your bike also plays a large role in how likely you are to find it there when you return. Avoid the areas round the University of Florence, piazza dell’Indipendenza and Santa Maria Novella station as well as back alleys and parks. Choose a well-lit and busy area, preferably outside a bank or police station. The bike rack outside Palazzo Vecchio is also extremely safe. Never leave your bike unattended for long periods of time, as a build-up of dust is a clear invitation for thieves. Also, ‘park’ legally: do not attach your bike to railings or signposts. The municipal police may remove it and impound it (see #5).
5. Be prepared
If, despite your best efforts, your bicycle is stolen, you may be able to get it back by filling out a notification at http://rubbici.it. Be prepared before the bike thief strikes: write down your bike’s frame number and keep any documentation that shows you are the owner, as these may help in identifying your bike. You will also need this information if you left your bike attached to a railing and think it may have been removed by the police. If that is the case, contact the depository at the Cooperativa Ulisse (see above). Bikes are kept here for one month before being resold.
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