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#HalfEatenRide campaign launched to highlight issue of bikes stripped of parts in London

Stolenride.co.uk says police cannot quantify scale of problem that deters many victims from cycling again

A website that seeks to reunite victims of cycle theft in London with their bikes has launched an initiative to raise awareness of another issue that affects many of the capital’s cyclists – thieves stripping parts from bikes, rather than stealing them outright.

Stolenride.co.uk is encouraging people to share via social media photos of frames that have had wheels, saddles and other components taken from them, using the hashtag #HalfEatenRide.

The aim is to highlight just how serious the problem is, and to warn new cyclists of the issue. Here’s how it works.

1. TAKE A PHOTO

When you spot a lonely half-eaten bike in London, take a photo.

Be that, a photo of just a lonely single bicycle wheel, handlebar-less ride. Or a ride with a missing saddle.

2. #HALFEATENRIDE

Post the photo to Instagram or Twitter with #HalfEatenRide

# Do tag or mention the London borough it was spotted in as well.

@ mention everyone you want to tell about ‘bike-stripping’ in the post. *For security, please don’t post in real-time to social media or mention the exact location in London.

3. SPREAD THE WORD

Discuss, tell your friends, local shops and clubs – this is community driven action.

In May, the website submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Metropolitan Police Service in an attempt to discover how much the police are aware of the volume of theft of bike parts – rather than complete bikes – stolen in London.

The answer is that while complete bikes that have been stolen are recorded individually, that doesn’t happen with parts and it is impossible for officers to go through every single crime report to ascertain ones where components, rather than the bike itself, was nicked.

It’s an unsatisfactory if perhaps understandable finding given the strained resources under which police operate nowadays, although Stolenride.co.uk believes there should be a change in the way such crimes are recorded to make it easier to track them.

In the meantime, it highlights using products such as Hexlox – with which it partners – to ensure that items such as quick-release wheels can’t be stolen in seconds by thieves and then sold on.

The site’s founder, Richard Cantle, says: “The volume of stolen bikes in London is often talked about. But, ‘bike-stripping’ – the theft of individual bike parts, such as handlebars and saddles, up to this point has been rarely talked about. 

“At Stolen Ride we are very keen to bring the London cycling community together and to put a spotlight on this issue. To make sure new cyclists are aware and the authorities take note.

“This includes informing about double bike locking (two D-locks, covering frame and wheels) and the use of security solutions to avoid thieves undoing quick-release, or bolts with just an Allen key. 

“This is why we have now launched #HalfEatenRide – the first step is to visually show the size of the problem in London.”

Find out more here.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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7 comments

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ktache | 5 years ago
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They do feature a code to give 10% off HexLox.

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Bmblbzzz | 6 years ago
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Shame they're only covering London. Does anyone know if they have plans to expand nationally?

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jerome | 6 years ago
2 likes

Completely OT: just came to road.cc without an adblocker ... absolutely crazy!

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a1white replied to jerome | 6 years ago
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jerome wrote:

Completely OT: just came to road.cc without an adblocker ... absolutely crazy!

Hey, they have to pay the bills!

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janusz0 replied to a1white | 6 years ago
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a1white wrote:

jerome wrote:

Completely OT: just came to road.cc without an adblocker ... absolutely crazy!

Hey, they have to pay the bills!

There are other ways.  Don't you subscribe to anything?

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jacknorell replied to janusz0 | 6 years ago
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janusz0 wrote:

a1white wrote:

jerome wrote:

Completely OT: just came to road.cc without an adblocker ... absolutely crazy!

Hey, they have to pay the bills!

There are other ways.  Don't you subscribe to anything?

I'd pay a couple quid per month just to have the old design back. ..

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fukawitribe replied to jacknorell | 6 years ago
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jacknorell wrote:
janusz0 wrote:

a1white wrote:

jerome wrote:

Completely OT: just came to road.cc without an adblocker ... absolutely crazy!

Hey, they have to pay the bills!

There are other ways.  Don't you subscribe to anything?

I'd pay a couple quid per month just to have the old design back. ..

The really old one where, in some weird quirk of nature, if you clicked on a link to a comment it actually took you to the comment ?

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