In urban areas there's a high risk of having your bike stolen, with now more than 27.000 ending up in the hands of thieves each year in Copenhagen alone. Consequently, there's the additional trouble of reporting the theft to the police and insurance companies. Even being compensated, you rarely end up with enough money to buy a new bike. For these reasons many cyclists are now thinking twice about riding into the city.
Bike theft is somewhat of a major socio-economic problem.
A few months later it is found in a backyard or alleyway, rusty and often ruined. A bike is an ideal way to get around in downtown areas. It's fast, manoeuvrable, and easy to park. It can be used in one-way streets and many pedestrian streets to bring almost any destination within easy reach. It's a perfect alternative to the much less flexible train, bus or car.