Anything Could Happen

By Krista Carlson

Infographic by Scott Spitz

For many, bikes occupy a huge chunk of their lives. More than just a means of transportation, our bikes give people a way to move around, connect with their communities, and stay healthy. As a result of spending infinite hours in the saddle, cyclists often treat bikes like children: We name them, we groom them, and we protect them with our lives—but just like any good parent, you can’t always be there for your bike.

When Jonathan Matz had his bicycle stolen outside his Manhattan office, he knew he’d be able to replace it. Valued at $3000, his VeloOrange Polyvalent was a labor of love, composed of hand-picked components to perfectly suit his needs and taste.

“Someone beat a New York Kryponite lock,” he says. “It’s still a mystery to me to this day, but I’m not sure I would have been able to contemplate replacing [the bike] if I didn’t have the Velosurance policy.”

Studies have shown that many bicycle theft victims do not buy a replacement, and that fear of theft may actually discourage bicycle use. Despite the deep connection between bikes and their riders, bicycle insurance typically exists in the periphery of their minds, after the wish list of shiny new parts and visions of ideal infrastructure improvements.

“Everybody understands why you get car insurance,” says Matz, who purchased policies on both of his bikes last year when he found out about bike insur-