We’re taking an in-depth look at 529 Garage, an online bicycle registry, like the bike safety sleuths we are.
The team here at Simple Bike Insurance believes that two seconds of prevention can save a metric mountain-load of headaches in the future because, unfortunately, bicycles are stolen constantly and we truly despise it as much as you do.
We’ve already gone over a few precautions cyclists can take to avoid bicycle theft and now we’re taking a peek at 529 Garage, an online bike registry portal, to explore a bit further.
Who is 529 Garage?
529 Garage is an online bicycle registry made up of a bunch of neat folks dedicated to eradicating the millions of bike thefts each year. They call it a bike theft epidemic, and quite frankly, Simple Bike Insurance agrees.
Bike theft is a huge problem and as 529 Garage points out, stolen bicycles are often used as accessories in secondary crimes. This means, for example, that if your bike is stolen, it could end up being the reason a robber gets away from the scene of the crime.
Trust us, having your bicycle involved in a highway robbery isn’t as neat as might initially sound.
What Are They Up To?
529 Garage is up to a metric ton of good-doings and you should check them out. Not only do they offer incredibly fast and free bike registration, but they’ve also come out with distinct 529 Shields that aid in stolen bicycle recoveries.
The 529 Shield is an anti-theft sticker that riders can place on their bicycle, complete with 7 alphanumeric characters unique to their bike. If a rider’s bike is stolen, campus security guards, bike shops, and other cycling community heroes have a secondary visual identifier to help get the bike back to its original owner. Because 529 Garage and the 529 Shield are taking off, thieves now know to avoid stealing bikes with the 529 Shield sticker.
In addition, 529 Garage focuses on providing its services to larger community organizations in an effort to tackle the bicycle theft epidemic from a big-picture perspective. Schools, universities, law enforcement organizations, bike shops, coalitions, and more each have the opportunity to work with 529 Garage to develop customized solutions, branded registries, and other bike theft prevention resources.
When Did They Get Started?
529 Garage is a craft, smart startup and they’ve been saving the day since 2013. They want to prevent theft, encourage cycling, and make the world more rider-friendly – and they’re succeeding.
In the last few months alone they’ve helped a major university transition over to their bicycle recovery application, partnered with additional police stations and cities, and recovered stolen bicycles in Ontario, Canada.
Where Can I Register And Get A 529 Shield?
Why Are They Doing What They’re Doing?
They’re cycling enthusiasts just like you, just like us. 529 Garage is pretty sick and tired of the bicycle theft epidemic and that’s likely why they continue to scale at such a rapid pace. Keep up with the cyclists at 529 Garage online to make sure you don’t miss a beat.