NOV 8, 2022
Ways to Keep Your Ebike Secure
Using an e-bike can be one of the best parts about riding. It allows you to go further and faster than you'd be able to without the extra boost, making your journey more enjoyable.
If you use your e-bike, though, there's always the risk that someone could try to steal it from you. This drives us to the question, how do you prevent your e-bike from being stolen?
It is a question many e-bike riders ask themselves, especially in cities where bike theft can be quite rampant.
Fortunately, there are a handful of things you can do to protect your e-bike and secure it so it doesn't get stolen while you ride it around town or leave it at home in the garage or on your porch.
Here are 8 tips to help prevent your e-bike from being stolen—with these tips, you can protect your e-bike and keep it right where it belongs, with you!
Even if you plan to step off your electric bike for a cup of coffee or takeout food, always lock it rather than leave it unattended. If you are on a regular or commuting ride, ask the store owners or facility administrators if you can keep your e-bike indoors.
Some companies and shopping malls have installed specific storage facilities or lockups for e-bikes and a thorough charging station, which administrators monitor for a safer trend. Alternatively, park your electric bicycle in areas that you can constantly monitor.
A bicycle rack or bike bollard is available in most areas, covering all commercial establishments with high automobile and pedestrian traffic. Even though there is no guarantee, you could find an outside bike rack and lock your ebike for a short while.
However, it is preferable to lock your e-bike in a crowded area rather than a dark alley, providing thieves plenty of opportunity to pick the lock and get away with your e-bike without drawing attention.
Alternatively, secure it in bike lockers or lockups for extra security, especially if you plan to park your e-bike for more than 2 hours or the entire day.
No number of locks can deter a determined thief. So at night, you should always store your electric bicycle in the basement or inside an apartment building.
There is no impregnable lock. It's only a few trails before a crook uses bolt cutters or angle grinders to break your lock. When thieves detect a lock on your e-bike, they must assess the sacrifice of energy and time to determine whether your bike is worthwhile to steal.
As a result, investing in a high-quality lock may slow the pilfering process or frustrate thieves rather than converting their target to a simpler one with minimal protection. As a result, it is critical to ensure that your lock serves as a deterrent.
Aside from built-in locks, locks exist in a variety of materials, sizes, and shapes, resulting in varying security rates. For example, u-locks, also known as D-locks, provide a stronger security level than most cable locks that may be readily cut through with a plier since they are substantial and fixed in shape.
U-locks and chain locks, wire locks, folding locks, and even smart locks are vulnerable to violent theft using hydraulic shears and crowbars.
A quality lock with greater hydraulic resistance will keep your eBike at less risk. Using U-locks as an example, its keyway has lower anti-theft efficacy than crescent and ring shapes.
There is a common perception that locks can defeat criminals. The fact is that because electric bikes are profitable targets, thieves will go to great efforts to steal them, even if they are locked.
To keep your e-bike from being stolen, secure it to a U-rack using different locks that allow you to lock both wheels. For example, you can use a U-lock to secure the triangular frame and back wheel to a rack or object and another U-lock to secure the front wheel and frame.
Some e-bikes come equipped with GPS tracking systems that allow you to track your bike's location, and in the event of theft, notify the police. If your e-bike doesn't have a built-in system, don't worry!
There are plenty of third-party options out there. Always ensure your log-in information is saved on your phone or computer so you can retrieve it if anything happens. Some apps will even send notifications when your bike moves away from its designated zone.
Among the emerging technologies are the following:
●BikeTrax: This is a GPS integrated with a mobile app to aid detection and activity tracking.
●Boomerang Cyclotrac: The unit is mounted on your bike, and an auditory alert sounds if it is tampered with. If the thief steals the bike, you'll get a notification on your smartphone.
The downside to this technology is that if someone who knows what they're doing really wants to steal your bike, they can disable any alerts as soon as they steal it. You'll still be able to see where the thief took it, but catching them becomes significantly more difficult without an alert telling you the exact time it happened.
An electric bike's battery and other components can be stolen, and thieves may break the frame to salvage important parts.
Remove the battery since even bikes with factory locking features aren't deterrent enough. Also, even though most e-bikes need a key to unlock them, criminals have been known to tamper with them, and if it's broken, it's useless to you or them.
Don't hesitate to secure the steering wheel, lights, monitors, displays, and seat if they're quick-release components. You may attach a bike lock through the vents to secure helmets. Make sure your bike doesn't stand out by painting it in standard colors like black, silver, or blue rather than brighter ones like pink or yellow.
Don't leave your bike where it will attract attention and be away from low walls thieves could use for leverage and anything that could obstruct its wheels (such as large stones).
One of the simplest ways to protect your e-bike is to lock up your bike's parts. If you're using a U-lock, loop the cable around your frame and both wheels so that if someone tries to steal just one of the parts, they'll have a difficult time getting away with it.
You can also lock up your bike's battery pack by looping the cable through the handlebars and placing it under your bike's seat.
While this may not be as foolproof as locking up all the parts, it will certainly deter thieves looking for an easy opportunity. Make sure that your locks are heavy-duty and give them some slack to avoid cutting the cables.
When parking your bike at home or in a garage, keep it off the ground and out of plain sight; hiding it behind other objects will go a long way towards keeping it safe from prying eyes and potential thieves. Lastly, ensure you don't leave any valuables on or near your bike; never leave anything in plain sight!
E-bike insurance is a relatively new product, and only a few companies currently offer it. If you own an e-bike, it's important to protect your investment by purchasing or researching e-bike insurance.
The three main types of coverages offered in the United States include theft protection, repair and replacement costs, and loss of use. The cost for this type of insurance varies depending on the provider and type of coverage selected, so ensure to do your research before deciding which one best suits your needs.
When you purchase insurance for your e-bike, ask about exclusions such as wear and tear or battery failure. In addition, ask what the deductible will be if there is damage from flooding, earthquakes, or other disasters.
You may also inquire about specific items covered under the policy. For example, some policies may provide coverage only for the bike's frame, while others may cover all parts up to $10,000. Researching your options and understanding the benefits of various policies can help reduce the risk to your e-bike investment.
Registering your bike is an easy way to deter thieves and make it easier for law enforcement to identify the bike if it's stolen. You can register your bike with the National Bike Registry, which will send you a sticker with a unique serial number.
Then, if your bike gets stolen, law enforcement can enter that serial number and find out who registered the bike in case they find it.
Every hurdle you put in the way of the thief raises the likelihood that they will go on to the next bike. Make it apparent that your bike has been registered with a bike registry organization.
This makes it more difficult for the criminal to resell your bike. If you use anti-theft protection for your wheels and saddle, make sure the criminal notices this too. The more difficult it is for the thief to strip the bike later, the less likely he is to take it.
Bike Register, an approved scheme that every police department in the UK may use, is the principal national bike registry in the United Kingdom.
Bike Register makes it simple to notify the police of any theft, and it will also give the word out to the public about the theft. In addition, on the Bike Register website, you may purchase several kits to help you permanently mark your bike. You could also register your bike with Bike Index, a global bike registration and recovery platform. It has a track record of reconnecting bike owners with their bikes.
Bike Index is a non-profit bike registration where anyone with a bicycle can register for free. Unlike most other registries, the Bike Index database is readily accessible via an API, allowing anybody to locate and return stolen bicycles.
Parking your e-bike in well-lit areas can help deter thieves. If you are going somewhere and you think it may be too dark, bring a flashlight with you.
Try not to park in dark places, as you will be a target for thieves. Instead, park your bike in well-lit areas where people can see it. If possible, try not to leave your bike unattended.
When you go into a store, take your bike with you and lock it up outside the store so no one can ride off with it while you're inside.
Aside from parking in a well-lit environment, If you have a lock that's easy to pick, install a lock that's tough to pick instead. Even if you don't have anything valuable on your bike, thieves may think they can find something worth stealing on your e-bike and steal it just for the sake of taking something.
What is the best way to secure an e-bike?
The best way to secure an e-bike is by using a cable lock and a bike rack. When securing your bike with a cable lock, it's important to loop one cable through the frame and one through a wheel. Take care not to leave any slack in the cable, as this will make it easier for thieves to steal your bike.
How do I make my bike less attractive to thieves?
Keep your bike indoors overnight. If you must leave it outside, store it in an area that's well-lit and visible to passersby. It's also a good idea to remove anything on the handlebars and seat so they can't be grabbed by someone looking to swipe your bike.
How often do bikes get stolen?
Each year, an estimated two million bikes are stolen in the US. To put that into perspective, that's more like three bicycles per minute! Fortunately, most thefts occur during daylight hours when people are out and about. That's why we recommend using only high-quality locks - if they're easy to break, they're not very effective against bike thieves.
E-bikes are becoming a popular form of transportation. It's up to you to take the necessary steps to keep your e-bike safe and out of the hands of thieves. Keeping your e-bike safe is just as important as keeping your car and home safe.
Follow these tips, and you'll be doing everything possible to prevent your bike from being stolen. In addition, you'll have peace of mind knowing that it's much more difficult for a thief to break in and steal an electric bike than a regular one.