Carrying a nice skateboard in public could be one of your biggest flexes. Not only do people admire your board, but you also feel proud as an owner.
Unfortunately, these moments may become regrets once someone steals your skateboard and it’s too late for you to find it. Alarming, right?
Perhaps, you are now thinking of ways to secure your skateboard while it is out of sight. So, how to lock a skateboard to a bike rack? What are the pros of this method? Can it solve your worries? Find out here.
Table of Contents
What You Need
Security isn’t only about your safety when riding. It also extends to every skating gear you have. Here are a few things to prepare should you leave your skateboard on a bike rack.
- A braided loop cable – Choose a cable to tie the skateboard to the rack, and ensure it’s durable. Otherwise, others could break the loop and take your board away.
- Locks – The chain alone cannot secure your skateboard unless it comes with a lock. These locks could be built-in combination locks, or you can purchase a separate cable lock for the same purpose.
- Anchor holes – Some skaters drill holes on the deck broad enough for the chain to pass through. However, this practice comes with drawbacks once you place the gaps close to the edges. Thus, the best way to have anchor spots is through a specially designed baseplate.
Fastening the Skateboard to a Bike Rack
Skateboard? On a bike rack? It’s possible! With all things necessary for this tutorial, we’ll get no less than excellent results. Take note of these steps.
Step 1: Set up the chain
We should ensure that the chain doesn’t loosen or give up, no matter who is tampering with it. We have two options for this tool: tying it around the truck or through the anchor spot.
If we choose the latter, all we need to do is run the chain around the rack or pole and through the hole or baseplate anchor spot. Other skaters utilize the handle holes on their skateboard decks.
What if we don’t drill a hole in the deck or get a specially-made baseplate? We will still wrap the chain around the pole. However, we will have to run the remaining chain around one of the skateboard trucks.
The chain should wrap around the kingpin or baseplate, so the truck hanger serves as a stopper to prevent the chain from loosening.
Step 2: Lock the skateboard
Now you have the skateboard almost fastened against the bike rack. Take the skateboard locks of your choice.
As mentioned, some chains already have combination locks. So, all you do is dial in the number combination.
Next, unfasten the longboard lock and connect it to both ends of the chain. Lastly, close the lock so that it protects your skating gear.
If your chosen lock has a key, you’ll have to bring it when you secure or detach the board from the bike rack.
Note that there are other lock types and mechanisms available. We’ll leave the choice to you. Whether it’s an eskate lock or some other kind, what’s important is its resistance to tampering methods like sawing and hammering.
Other Methods to Secure Skateboards
Are bike racks the only options we have? No! Consider the following to secure your skateboard. You might find a more proper way here if the tips above seem insufficient.
1. Find a skateboard locker
Skateboard lockers may not be that common, but they are an unbreakable countermeasure against skateboard theft. Lucky you if you find one in your favorite park.
2. Use a skateboard bag
Some backpacks today are very functional, holding skateboards without making users feel awkward. Most popular brands have already ventured into this idea. But if you don’t want to use an entire bag, you can get a skateboard strap.
3. Vibration alarms
If bags aren’t your thing, you can go the high-tech way. A loud alarm will catch others’ attention, so a thief may be stopped before he succeeds in taking your belonging.
4. Consider a foldable skateboard
This skateboard type could be rare because of its folding mechanism. Nevertheless, once folded, these boards could fit inside your bags or hand more easily.
5. Don’t leave your skateboards unattended
We always get advised to take care of our belongings. So, if you don’t want your skateboard to attract potential thieves, always keep it within your sight.
6. Keep the skateboard in your vehicle.
While not everyone has a car, owning one leaves you with no better choice than to secure it inside the vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you lock up a skateboard with a bike lock?
Bike locks are not exclusive to bicycles only. As long as you need to secure an item against a fixture, they’re usable.
So, fastening the skateboard against a pole using a bike lock is possible. How? The above steps to secure a skateboard on a bike rack already laid the how-tos of this method.
However, note that locks could have different designs or mechanisms. So, be careful when choosing.
How do you secure a skateboard at school?
Are you bringing your skateboard to school? It’s never a bad idea. If you can lock up a scooter at school, there are also many ways to secure your board while you’re in class. Here are a few ways.
- Lockers – More often than not, schools have lockers. And if you’re lucky to have one that fits a skateboard, your board’s safe.
- In your classroom – Many schools accept skateboards without any level of restriction. So, if you don’t have a locker, try taking it to your classroom. Place it beneath your seat or behind the door.
- Campus racks – Perhaps, a locking skateboard rack inside the school campus is every skater’s ultimate dream. When you use skateboard rack, you don’t only secure your board, but it can also give you a sense of inclusivity because of how the school attended to your belongings.
Conclusion
Skateboards, like cars, need to be in a safe place when unattended. No matter the board’s price or style, it is our responsibility to secure it. The good thing is innovations keep coming, and security measures for these items continually improve.
Knowing how to lock a skateboard to a bike rack is one of the safest and most effective ways to secure your gear in public. You only need a few tools, and the setup process doesn’t take much time.
Whatever method you choose, the goal is always to keep the skateboard from being stolen.
Hi, I am Charles Harris. I opened this site to write as much as I can about my biggest passion – skateboarding!
I started as a clumsy yet passionate rookie 10 years ago to now a still passionate yet much better skateboarder! But I have to tell you, the whole journey has always been fun and rewarding, indeed not without hardship.