A bike is stolen every 2 minutes in the UK. Fewer than 2% of thieves are ever caught. Traditional insurers don't care — they just price it into your premium. The thief profits. You start again. Nothing changes.
BackPedal is different. We track your bike, recover it, and return it to you — so the thief gets nothing. Insurance is our backup, not our business model.
Our most complete theft cover from £12.75/month
Traditional bike insurance is designed to pay you a sum of money if your bike is stolen and not recovered. You pay a monthly or annual premium, and if the worst happens, you file a claim.
That's where it gets complicated. Most policies come with a long list of conditions. Your bike usually needs to have been locked with an approved lock, secured to an immovable object, and stored in a specific way overnight. If any of those conditions aren't met, your claim can be rejected — even if you've been paying premiums for years.
If your claim is approved, you'll typically wait weeks for a payout, minus an excess that varies by provider. And here's the uncomfortable truth: none of this does anything to stop bike theft. The thief still has your bike, still profits from selling it, and still goes on to steal another. The insurer just prices the rising theft rate into next year's premiums. It's a system that manages the problem rather than solving it.
BackPedal takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of waiting for a theft to happen and then processing paperwork, we actively recover your bike so the thief gets nothing.
When you join, our mechanics install covert GPS tracking hardware to your bike at a time and place that suits you — the kit is included in your subscription. If your bike is ever stolen, you call our 24/7 theft hotline. A dedicated case handler takes over immediately, our recovery team is deployed, and we track your bike down and return it to you. No call centre queue, no claim form, no weeks of waiting.
Our recovery success rate over the past three months is above 80%, with most bikes returned within 48 hours. And because we're actually recovering bikes, the thief doesn't profit — which means less incentive to steal in the first place.
If we can't recover your bike, our backup insurance by Sundays kicks in. This works like any standard bike insurance policy — financial cover for a replacement bike, accessory cover, and theft damage cover, with a fixed £50 excess. It's the same kind of protection you'd get from any other insurer, but you'll only ever need it as a last resort.
Does BackPedal cover my bike if it wasn't locked?
Yes. Our recovery service has no exclusions. It doesn't matter if your bike was locked, what lock you used, or where it was parked. If it gets stolen, we go to recover it.
What happens if my bike can't be recovered?
Our backup insurance by Sundays provides financial cover for a replacement bike. Standard insurance terms apply and claims are subject to approval, just like any other bike insurance policy.
How much does BackPedal cost?
Annual protection starts from £153, which works out to £12.75 per month. This includes the GPS tracking kit, professional installation, 24/7 recovery service, and backup theft insurance.
What's the excess?
There's no excess on recovery claims — we get your bike back at no extra cost. If you need to make an insurance claim, the standard excess is £50. Battery-only claims have a £200 excess.
How long does recovery take?
On average, less than 2 days. Our current recovery success rate is above 80%.
Do I need separate bike insurance if I have BackPedal?
No. BackPedal includes backup theft insurance underwritten by Sundays, so you're covered for both recovery and financial protection in a single subscription.
Does BackPedal work for regular bikes or just ebikes?
Our tracking and recovery service works for both bikes and ebikes.
How is the GPS tracker installed?
Our mechanics install the tracker covertly at a time and place you choose. The tracker is hidden so a thief won't know it's there.
