Leaving your bike outside a restaurant or hotel while travelling is always a little nerve-racking. A good lock greatly reduces the risk, but it doesn’t eliminate it. Here you’ll find what to do straight away if your bike is stolen on holiday, how to protect it before you set off and how to insure it against theft.
My bike has been stolen: what to do straight away
1. Check the area carefully. Sometimes the bike has only been moved, or left not far away by whoever took it. Ask the managers of nearby businesses whether they saw anything or whether there are any cameras.
2. Report the theft. Go to the Carabinieri or the Police as soon as possible. Bring the frame number, photos of the bike and the receipt or invoice. Without a police report you won’t be able to claim any reimbursement from your insurer.
3. Notify your insurer. If the bike is insured, open a claim following the instructions in your policy and attach a copy of the police report.
4. Keep an eye on second-hand listings. Stolen bikes often end up on buy-and-sell websites and local social media groups. If you find yours, report it to the police and don’t try to recover it yourself.
5. Arrange your return home. If the theft leaves you stranded far from home, check whether your policy includes assistance for getting back.
To make all this less of a hassle, save a photo of your bike, the frame number and the receipt on your phone before you leave.
How to protect your bike from theft while travelling
The best thing is still to stop the theft from happening. A few habits, adopted even before you set off, are enough to make your bike far less tempting to a thief.
Choose a sturdy lock
U-locks are the hardest to cut. Cables and light chains give way to a simple pair of bolt cutters in a matter of seconds.
Lock the frame and wheels to a fixed object
The lock should go through the frame and, if possible, both wheels, secured to a bike rack or a firmly anchored post. Lock only the wheel and you’ll come back to find only the wheel.
Choose carefully where you park
Go for busy, well-lit places that you can see from where you are. In hotels and B&Bs, always ask whether there is a locked bike storage room.
Use two different locking systems
A U-lock combined with a chain or cable forces a thief to use two different tools and lose more time. This alone is often enough to put them off.
Remove detachable accessories
Lights, bike computers, bags and pumps can be taken in an instant: remove them every time you leave your bike.
What if it gets stolen anyway?
What if it gets stolen anyway?
If your bike is stolen despite all your precautions, theft insurance means you don’t lose its value. Bike Protection offers modular policies of up to 10,000 euros, for new and used bikes, renewable for up to 72 months. The cover applies to theft even when the bike is parked outdoors, as well as to robbery.
The policies also include roadside assistance: if you’re left stranded during your trip, you and your bike will be brought home, along with home healthcare services and services such as babysitting and dog-sitting. And with the Minikasko clothing cover, if you fall and damage your jacket, trousers or other technical clothing, you are reimbursed for buying new garments from the retailer.
How much does it cost to insure your bike against theft?
For an insured value of 1,000 euros, a new non-electric gravel or road bike costs about 71 euros a year, a new e-MTB about 77 euros and a new electric city bike about 81 euros. If you also want to cover accidental damage, you add between 26 and 29 euros a year. The policy is activated when you buy the bike via a QR code, or within 60 days by presenting the receipt.
Plan your next trip at the Cycle Tourism Show
If you’re thinking about your next cycling holidays, the Cycle Tourism Show is the right place to start planning them. From 19 to 21 March 2027, Padova Fiere hosts the sixth edition: three days with hundreds of exhibitors, including destinations, tour operators, accommodation providers and companies offering bikes, accessories and services.
You can talk directly to people who know the regions, gather ideas for a weekend break or a week-long trip and discover the gear best suited to the way you ride, whether it’s road, gravel or mountain biking, e-bikes included. The last edition welcomed 27,000 visitors, and most of them chose the destination for their next holiday right there at the show.
We look forward to seeing you in Padova from 19 to 21 March 2027.
