There should be more consequences for those who steal bikes, as well as better enforcement of the law.
A car or bike is being stolen every three hours in Dublin, with teen gangs being blamed for the spike in thefts.
The Herald reports one teenager is suspected of stealing up to 20 vehicles within a week earlier this month.
More than 450 bikes and cars were robbed in the capital in the first eight weeks of the year.
That is an almost 20% increase in the theft rate when compared to the same time last year.
Transport commentator Conor Faughnan told The Pat Kenny Show there is a 'scourge' of bike and car theft in the capital at the moment.
"It's never been great in Dublin, or Ireland, but there does appear to be a real splurge of theft activity for cars and bikes," he said
Mr Faughnan recalled when his son lost a key to his bike lock, he took the matter into his own hands.
"I borrowed a big bolt cutter from the local hardware guy and I went in - it was amazing how little challenge [there was]," he said.
"You doubled parked the car, took out an enormous bolt cutter, cut away the bike, stuck it in the back of the car and away I went in seconds.
"It just shows you how easy it is to do".
The frame of a locked bicycle left behind by thieves. Image: Martyn Williams / AlamyMr Faughnan said a good lock will make your bike less attractive to thieves.
"We used to say it about cars; a crook lock, a big visible lock on the steering wheel is a great deterrent," he said.
"It's not that it makes it theft proof, but it makes it significantly more difficult than the one beside it.
"That's the best thing you can do... but collectively surely we can do something more about the absolute scourge of theft that's going on.
"We've got to be better, both culturally and in terms of enforcement and consequences.
"You shouldn't be able to roll up with an angle grinder in full view of CCTV and go to work and disappear with a load of bikes".
'Spend €100 more on the lock'
Paul McQuaid of The Good Bike Project told the show people need to spend less on the bike and more on the lock.
"There's no great science to this: I advise people all the time to spend €100 less on the bike and €100 more on the lock," he said.
"A cheap U-lock you can get through with an angle grinder in 10 or 15 seconds.
"The lock that I have been using for the last 10 or 15 years takes about three minutes to get through.
"So there's a huge difference between the metal in the best quality [lock].
"But the best quality that you can afford - and if you're spending €1,000 on a bike, I strongly advise that you spend €850 or €900 on the bike and spend €100 extra on the lock".
Mr McQuaid said many bikes are donated to The Good Bike Project from Gardaí with the locks on them, so he has cut many off these bikes.
He added that people should take note of their frame number, located under the pedals, in the event that they need to reclaim their bike.
