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.<\/p>\n
Recent data from Aviva shows one in five (19%) of insurance claims involving student possessions relates to bicycles.<\/p>\n
James Brown, managing director of BikeRegister, a national database used by police <\/a>to match stolen bikes to their owners, says they often get reported stolen shortly after the university term starts. \u201cSpeaking to university security teams, we know that in freshers\u2019 week, and the weeks following, there are spikes in cycle theft,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Hotspots are all university towns, with Oxford recording the highest number in 2025, followed by Cambridge, York and Cardiff, says bicycle insurer Bikmo<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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, \u201cwhich isn\u2019t worth anything because it could almost be cut with a pair of scissors\u201d.<\/p>\n Brown recommends investing instead in a bike lock road-tested against specialist thief tools \u2013 such as angle grinders \u2013 by Sold Secure, a security testing organisation<\/a> owned by the Master Locksmiths Association.<\/p>\n These are graded from bronze to diamond, but you don\u2019t 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 \u00a320.<\/p>\n It is also a good idea to insure your bike the moment you arrive at university.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re relying on a bike to get to class, then losing it could really affect your education,\u201d says Kara Gammell, a personal finance expert at MoneySuperMarket.com.<\/p>\n University towns and cities are hotspots for cycle theft, with Oxford topping the list last year. Photograph: Uli_B\/Getty<\/p>\n Probably the first thing to do is check if you are covered under your parents\u2019 existing home contents insurance policy. You may automatically be covered against theft or loss under its \u201ctemporarily removed from the home\u201d section while you are living away in student accommodation or a shared flat.<\/p>\n Alternatively, it may be that their policy can be extended to cover your possessions.<\/p>\n