I see them every day. Sad bicycle carcasses left around the city, half-locked to bike racks. Most of these were the result of a half-assed locking job that didn’t secure the most valuable parts of the bike. The owner likely returned to see their ride scavenged, realized it would cost less to buy a whole new bike than to replace the missing pieces, and left what was left, which was slowly picked apart over time.

This isn’t a terribly unexpected phenomenon, unfortunately. A recent memo shared with the San Francisco Bike Coalition (SFBC) shows that on average, one bike gets “harvested” and left locked to its rack as a sad skeleton every day. Unluckier still are approximately 11 bikes that get stolen daily, as estimated by the SFPD in the same document. Even more telling is the fact that you’re three times more likely to get your bike stolen in San Francisco than to have your phone stolen. Fortunately, following a few simple steps will greatly decrease the likelihood of your bike becoming one of these statistics.

I know you locked it up, but you’re probably doing it wrong

A common assumption is that as long as some part of the bike is locked to a stationary object, you’ll find it in the same shape you left it in when you return. Wrong. No bike is ever immune from theft (more on that in a bit), and certain locking techniques are much harder to compromise than others, so if you want to come back to the same bike you locked up, you need to use the best technique.

The first rule of bike security, championed by hallowed bike gurus such as Sheldon Brown and our friends at the San Francisco Bike Coalition (SFBC), is the following: if you do nothing else, lock your frame in its rear triangle with a quality U-lock and secure both wheels. This secures the frame and the wheels, which are the most valuable parts of your bike. For advice and a video on the most secure locking methods, check out the SFBC’s tips here.

You’ll want to use the smallest possible U-lock you can or make sure there’s as little space between your U-lock and the rack/bike as possible. The more you can move your U-lock while it’s locked, the more leverage a potential thief will have to break it using a tool like a car jack.

It’s good to think of your bike as the sum of its parts. If any of those parts is easy to steal, it will be stolen (most bike-related thefts are crimes of opportunity, so your goal is to make sure that every piece of your bike is as difficult to steal as possible.) This is especially true if you have high-value components with brand names. You’ve locked your bike, but you’re not done yet.

Securing the stuff you take for granted

Now that your bike’s locked, you can enjoy a nice night out, knowing that when you come back, it’ll be waiting for you, ready to be ridden home. Again, wrong. Wait, what? Something’s missing? Oh shit. Unfortunately, thieves know that Brooks saddles and other name-brand accessories are highly coveted and are quick to steal them if they’re not locked down. You can create a lock for your saddle with an old chain and an inner tube, or you can buy a seat lock at any local bike shop.

If you’ve got lights that are easily detachable, take them off! Even if you’re just leaving your bike for a few seconds (you already took the time to lock it up, so what’s a few more seconds?).

If your lights can’t be easily detached, try replacing their hex screws with screws that require special hardware, like Torx.

Know your bike’s value and protect it

The more valuable your bike or its components are, the more likely it is that it will be targeted for theft. With this in mind, it’s good to be prepared just in case you need to report a theft.

First, make sure all the documentation related to your bike is in order. You should have up-to-date photos, including close-ups of any unique damage or details that could be used to identify it, as well as full shots. If you change any components, take new photos. You should also record your bike’s serial number (it’s usually printed on the frame, near the bottom bracket, so either take a photo or write it down) and keep a bill of sale describing the make and model of your bike, the date you bought it, and its value. Have hard copies of this information as well as scans backed up to a hard drive or cloud storage.

If you want to go the extra mile, you can register your bike with SAFE Bikes, a bike-registration program sponsored by local nonprofit SAFE and the SFPD, which can help recover your bike if it’s stolen . To register, visit the SAFE Bikes registration page to fill out a form for your bike. (It’s like registering a car with the DMV but easier and free.) When you submit the form, the SFPD will have your information on file and can cross-reference it if your bike is stolen or recovered and sent to Park Station, as many bikes are.

Taking these steps can save you a lot of time and heartache if you ever have to report that your bike was stolen. It can also increase your chances of a payout from your renter’s insurance (you do have renter’s insurance, right?). Keep the spare key for your U-lock with the hard copies of your bike’s information and write your key numbers down in case you lose both keys and can’t open your U-lock (it happened to me!).

I followed all of these steps, and my bike still got jacked!

This is the worst, and unfortunately, it does happen. Those metal bike racks that are all over the city? Sometimes thieves will destroy the rack itself to get a bike. If your bike’s been stolen or vandalized, here’s what you need to do:

1) Tweet @sfpdbiketheft and @stolenbikessfo to immediately notify the SFPD and get a fast response.

2) Follow the steps on this checklist (make sure you set up Craigslist notifications on IFTT).

3) Make your own post on Craigslist with photos and a description of your bike so the community can watch out for it.

4) File a claim with your renter’s insurance. Then, take a deep breath and remember that it’s not your fault.

As the saying goes, “All bikes are on temporary loan from the universe.” If yours makes its way back to you, it was meant to be; and if doesn’t, it’s best to embrace the impermanence of the material world and enjoy walking (or building up a beater at the Bike Kitchen).