an effective measure against theft
Bikes are coveted objects... a little too much so! Some models, such as electric-assist bikes and top-of-the-range bikes, are expensive and require a substantial budget investment. And everyone knows that! That's why owners often feel obliged, or even afraid, to ride their bikes whenever, wherever and however they want. Worrying about the risk of theft is never too far away, unfortunately.
Other bikes aren't brand-new, nor state-of-the-art, nor fitted with the latest components, but they still have a lot of value, this time sentimental. The 16" bike you first rode at the age of 6, which you dream of passing on to your children, the first mountain bike you were able to buy after saving up your first wages, the Bianchi collector you inherited from your grandfather, the retro city bike you found at a flea market and reworked yourself to give it the unique vintage style you love so much...
400 000thefts / year
52 %in the public domain
48 %in private homes
For all bicycle enthusiasts and owners, the fear of theft is very real, so much so that it has become not only an obstacle to cycling, but also to its development.
According to a study carried out by the Fédération des usagers de la bicyclette (FUB), 400,000 cycles are stolen in France every year, the majority of which are city bikes secured with low-quality locks. These thefts take place everywhere: in the public domain (parks, sidewalks, stations...) at 52%, and in private homes (building courtyards, closed bicycle rooms, garages, lock-ups...) at 48%.
Source Economic impact and development potential of bicycle use in France 2020.
Nearly a quarter of cyclists who have been victims of theft refrain from reporting it to a police station, discouraged by the low probability of it bearing fruit, and tend not to buy a new bike or to downgrade.
Around 150,000 cycles a year (40%) are found abandoned. On the other hand, only 3% are returned, as it is impossible to identify and verify the owner.
Source SOURCE : FUB
A range of bicycle security devices are available on the market, including increasingly efficient and effective locks (such as U-locks or chains with armor, which offer ever higher levels of security); and specific bicycle insurance policies, which can be very useful not only in the event of damage following an accident, fall or breakage of the bicycle, but also for reimbursing part of the purchase price in the event of loss or theft.
However, these measures were still insufficient to provide a concrete and lasting solution. The Loi d'Orientation des Mobilités (LOM), voted in 2019, translates one of the commitments of the Plan Vélo, that of introducing the compulsory marking of bicycles from 2021.
Bike marking a national obligation from January 1, 2021
This directive, published in the Journal Officiel by decree no. 2020-1439 of November 23, 2020, is specified by an order published on December 29, 2020.
With the aim of better combating the theft, concealment of bicycles, trafficking or illicit resale of cycles, all new bicycles and VAEs (except children's bicycles under 16 inches, trailers and scooters) sold by a retailer will be subject to compulsory identification from January 1, 2021. From July 1, 2021, this obligation will also be extended to sales of used bikes by professionals.
To this end, FUB and the Union Sport et Cycle have set up APIC (Association de Promotion et d'Identification des Cycles et de la Mobilité́ Active), which will henceforth be responsible for managing the unique national file of identified cycles (FNUCI), whose automated data processing complies with the conditions laid down in the French Data Protection Act of January 6, 1978.
Several organizations offering marking solutions have been approved by the French government:
Several organizations offering marking solutions are state-approved, including :
Bicycode
Created by FUB in 2004, one of the forerunners in the field, with a self-adhesive label.
Auvray and the Speed Marking system.
This protection consists of engraving the bike's identification number on 2 or 3 points (frame, battery, motor, etc.). Impulse engraving ensures a certain aesthetic quality, but should be avoided on fragile frames, particularly those made of carbon.
Recobike
This system encapsulates the safety insert (marking) in a layer of high-performance resin, using an injection process that takes just a few minutes. This technique makes it possible to chemically weld the anti-theft marking to your bike's frame.
Paravol
A tamper-proof, laser-engraved acrylate sticker. This sticker features a QR Code that links to the bike's file hosted on Paravol.org. If a bike is purchased or found, simply scan the QR code to access the forgery-proof certificate of ownership, which indicates the status of the bike (stolen / lost / not stolen) and alerts the owner or Paravol to arrange for its return.
Registered bike, cyclist-owner reassured and protected!
We can already hear your questions: "What does a marking on my bike mean?
What kind of marking?
And where is it going to be more precisely?"
And also your comments: "Actually, my new bike isn't going to like it and neither am I, sorry! I like my bike the way it is: sober, uncluttered. Adding a colored sticker in the middle of the frame is out of the question..."
And yet, if misfortune were to strike and your favorite bike were to be stolen, you'd want it to be found quickly and returned to you safe and sound, wouldn't you?
So, even if marking means making concessions on the aesthetics of the frame, bear in mind that a marked bike is a bike registered in a national file. This means it's a bike that can be returned quickly after a theft, but also resold in due form thanks to an official certificate of ownership.
Identifying a bike by marking it is reassuring for the rider, and also has a major deterrent effect, as thieves will find it increasingly difficult to resell them in the future. And the figures speak for themselves: bike identification reduces the risk of theft by 30%!
How does it work?
How does marking work?
To combat the real scourge of bicycle theft, marking associates the bike with its owner, through a unique, standardized number, referenced by the retailer in a national file (FNUCI), accessible online, and also through the proprietary platforms of each authorized operator.
In the event of recovery by the police, a local authority or even a private individual, the owner of the bike in question can be contacted and the bike returned to him or her.
When buying a second-hand bike, a transaction that mostly takes place between private individuals, the buyer can also check that the cycle is not stolen, thus avoiding becoming an unwitting accomplice to receiving stolen goods.
How is the bike identified?
First and foremost, the marking process must be permanent and unalterable.
The identifier, made up of alphanumeric characters, is placed on the frame (except in special circumstances) and must be easily legible on a parked cycle, or even one in use. A kind of bicycle registration, but more discreet!
The cost of bike identification is often borne by the customer, although it can sometimes be covered by the seller, and will vary according to the approved marking solution chosen (Bicycode, Paravol, Recobike...).
Bicycle data (in particular, the serial number) and owner data (surname, first name, etc.) are recorded on the purchase invoice and on the authorized operator's platform by the retailer at the time of sale of the new bicycle. The authorized operator must then send the new owner his or her access codes. The new owner can then log in and complete his or her profile details, add photos of the bike or update them if necessary (loss, resale).
Authorized operators, for their part, constantly transmit information to APIC, which registers it in the national file it manages. As a result, the bike will be identifiable and returnable for life. APIC's role is to facilitate the declaration of loss or theft and the recovery of the bike, through its digital platform for centralizing information.
This unique national file of identified cycles is a database containing :
- the bike owner's personal data (first and last name or company name, telephone number, e-mail address) and certain optional data (date of birth, etc.)
- data describing the bike and its status (in use, stolen/lost, out of use/destroyed, looking for owner, for sale, out of workshop) and optional data on the bike (serial number of battery, motor, photos, etc.).
This data is accessible to :
- Police, gendarmerie and customs services;
- Municipal police officers, rural wardens and municipal lost and found agents, authorized by the mayors of their municipalities;
- Persons, services or organizations involved in cycle identification;
- Impounds ;
- Central administration director in charge of transport and mobility or his delegates.
The data contained in the single national file cannot be used for commercial purposes, but may be used for statistical purposes.
Marking
at Probikeshop
Probikeshop has teamed up with operator PARAVOLwhich was approved by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition and APIC in February 2021.
The Paravol sticker, the solution chosen by Probikeshop, is a simple way of identifying a bike without any external intervention. It is risk-free for the bike, as its use involves no physical or chemical treatment of the frame.
This very small sticker (only 50x22 mm) is particularly resistant to tearing, UV and weathering, thanks to its material (acrylate) and laser engraving.
The questions questions
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Where will the marking be placed?
The sticker is applied directly to the frame. Our technicians and expert bike fitters are instructed to do their utmost to respect the aesthetics of the bike, while leaving the marking clearly visible for rapid identification.
The sticker is systematically applied to the rear of the seat tube.
Where this is not possible (in exceptional cases), the sticker will be affixed to the front of the seat tube. -
How much will the marking cost?
Marking is free for you! Probikeshop has decided to offer you this service to support the launch of this national measure.
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Where can I find my information?
Your certificate of ownership and login details will be sent to you by e-mail by Paravol. If and when you wish, you can log in to complete or modify data concerning your bike (status, photos, etc.) or yourself (change of address, etc.).
All documentation relating to your bike remains available for consultation and downloading in your personal space on the website. paravol.org.
The certificate of ownership is forgery-proof, as it includes a photo of the bike and the QR Code of the item, which can be checked by scanning it on the Paravol website. This certificate is an official proof of ownership, and will be required when reselling your bike, or in the event of its return following theft or loss.
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My bike is marked. How do I access my customer area?
Probikeshop has registered you with Paravol using the information you provided when you placed your order. Paravol, our authorized operator, will send you all the necessary information and a link to connect to your profile by e-mail. Remember to check your spam folder if you don't find the e-mail in your inbox!
If you've lost your password, don't worry. You can reset it whenever you like. If you think your e-mail address is incorrect, don't panic either! Send an e-mail to contact@paravol.org.
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I've got a Paravol tag that I can't activate. What should I do?
Probikeshop has probably already identified you. Check that you don't have an account by resetting your password. It may happen that your tag has not yet been activated. In this case, you can send an e-mail to contact@paravol.org specifying your code and the name of the merchant (Probikeshop) so that they can take the necessary steps.
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What to do in the event of theft?
If your bike has been stolen, take immediate action. Log directly into your Paravol account and report the theft, updating the status. Simple, fast and effective!
Paravol has set up the first national database associating a bike's serial number with its owner, which can be consulted by the community, while protecting anonymity. This database makes it possible to speed up the return process with the help of the community.
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My bike has been found! How do I return it?
If the bike is found and identified, Paravol will contact the owner to organize the return of the bike, as simply as possible.
Depending on the circumstances, the bike may be returned in person to the owner, or through a Paravol partner.
Paravol will pay a maximum of €50 for repatriation costs.
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How do I proceed in the event of a sale or change of ownership?
In the event of resale between private individuals, the owner must make the declaration to the authorized operator who supplied the identifier, and provide the purchaser with the information needed to access the file and register the new personal data.
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What happens if the bike is recycled or destroyed?
When an owner permanently disposes of his or her cycle, he or she must make a declaration to the authorized operator who supplied the identifier. The operator will then securely delete the personal data within 24 hours.
