8 Best Ways to Lock Your Electric Bike
Have you ever wondered how to safely lock your electric bike? For further information, we enquired with the Shengmilo riders, who provided the following:
Electric bikes are increasingly being stolen as their popularity grows. Just how can one safeguard an electric bike?
To a large extent, the conventional wisdom on bicycle preservation applies to electric bike preservation as well. The way we view electric bikes, however, needs to be modified due to a few key qualities. Here, let's take a look at these...
Have an electric bike you'd like to keep safe? Visit our site for information on how to prevent the theft of your electric bike.
1. Put Money Into A Good Electric Bike Lock
What kind of lock is most effective when locking up an electric bike? There is a sweet spot between safety, weight, and convenience for smaller U-locks, which are the ideal option for most normal bikes.
However, there are a couple of characteristics of electric bikes that may make smaller u-locks unsuitable. To add insult to injury, electric bikes are typically much larger than conventional bicycles. In most cases, the wheels are larger and further away from the frame. As a result of having to carry the battery pack, the downtube is often wider.
Since you'll need to wrap the lock around your bike and whatever you're locking it to, a bigger locking circle is recommended. It's especially important if you plan on locking the frame and wheels.
It's necessary to take extra precautions when riding an electric bike, as the back wheel, which often houses the motor, may be quite pricey to replace.
Having said that, electric bikes are available in an increasing variety of sizes and shapes. Some of them practically match the slimmest modern steel-frame road bikes in terms of width. Others evoke motorcycles by having wheels and frames that are grotesquely oversized.
With any kind of electric bike, you're not short on alternatives. All you need to do is learn about the different ways you can customize your bike model.
You may find that the u-lock is too narrow (or too short) to re-lock your bike if you have a typical electric bike (a little larger and heavier than a regular bike). Possible solutions include a folding lock or a chain lock. If you're looking for a present for a friend or family member, Shengmilo has folding locks on sale in their online shop right now.
A good bike lock won't protect your electric bike from thieves. Experienced bike thieves can easily break any lock.
2. Lock The Back Wheel And Frame
If you want to keep your lock from slipping off while locking your electric bike, you should thread it through the frame's main triangle and into a fixed object.
Other than the lock, there are other parts of the bike that need to be thought about. Those electric bikes that are propelled by hub motors rely on the back wheel to propel them. Try threading the lock through the back wheel as well, if that is possible.
If your electric bike doesn't have wheels and motors, getting home will be a difficult and uncomfortable experience.
Whether the wheels face the back or the front is a matter of debate. It doesn't matter which side you put the chain lock on when locking it, as either will do the trick. While the front wheel and frame can be locked together with the recommended U-locks, the front wheel is nearly impossible to lock. For this reason, I instructed you to secure the vehicle's rear wheel and frame.
3. Choose a Busy Public Place to Park Your E-bike
Remember the adage that "danger lurks around every corner" once you decide to leave your electric bike somewhere? Because of this, there is no foolproof way to keep your electric bike safe, but you can certainly lower the odds of theft and make it difficult for would-be burglars to determine your bike's value.
Parking your pricey electric bike in a busy area is recommended. Skilled thieves are often embarrassed to try breaking bike locks in plain sight. Electric bikes need to be protected by video surveillance, especially when parked in high-risk areas like in front of doors. As you ride around, your electric bike will be tracked in real-time. It's more likely to be recovered even if it's stolen.
However, a lock with an alarm system has a better chance of functioning in a busier environment. Many city dwellers will give thieves the evil eye if your electric bike goes off the alarm. The police would be highly unlikely to ignore the thief if he ever made an effort to look suspicious.
4. Lock Your Electric Bike To A Fixed Object
What criteria would you use to select an electric bike from the many available if you were a thief? As a result, you will pick the simplest option. The majority of electric bikes are lightweight and lack standard features like GPS and locks. to avoid having to break the lock to remove the item. It's not as rare as you might think.
A tree, a fire hydrant, or a railing in a public area are all good options for locking up your electric bike. While nothing is completely secure, the less you have to lose by allowing thieves to interfere, the better.
5. Keep Extra Electric Bike Accessories Safe
Parts for electric bikes are also highly desirable to thieves. And parts for electric bikes are in high demand right now. These components begin with the battery and extend to the seat post, lights, and pedals. If you don't take precautions to safeguard your components, theft is surprisingly easy. Yet, new ones aren't cheap, especially if you're looking for a name brand.
This means that a bike lock can secure not only the entirety of your electric bike but also its most valuable parts.
Read the following sections with care:
Bike Saddle
Tires
Batteries
Pedals
Wheels
You now have nearly as many choices for locking down individual parts as you would for a bike lock. Simply installing a few classic locks can greatly reduce the likelihood of theft.
Locking systems that rely on gravity are also commercially available. One must flip the bike upside down to access the corresponding screw, nut, or quick release. A bike locked to a fixed object is much more secure than one locked to the ground, so thieves will have to break into yours.
6. keep your electric bike safe with double locks
Some people worry about the safety of their expensive electric bikes despite their best efforts to safeguard them. The best piece of advice is the most obvious one. If you're unsuccessful with one lock, try using two.
If you lock the two parts of the same lock together, then you will have a double lock. The first lock, which can be fastened to the vehicle's frame and rear wheel, is already familiar. To lock all four wheels, place the second lock across the frame and the front wheel, using the triangle rule.
7. Register and Insure Your Electric Bike
If your e-bike is stolen, having a unique identifier can help you recover it faster and with less hassle. Using a paintbrush, for example, can accomplish this. This strategy works only when removing the unwanted features is extremely difficult. It is also unnecessary to disable e-bikes. There's no need to be concerned if you have a GPS tracker and an e-bike passport.
Even if you take all necessary precautions, such as locking your e-bike, removing any valuable accessories, and storing your e-bike in a secure location, you will be aware of this when you return to where you left it.
The question now is how to get it back; you can cover the second scenario by purchasing insurance.
You have two options when it comes to electric bike insurance:
Residence Insurance
If nothing is done, your home insurance will only cover you if your e-bike is stolen or your bike vault is locked. Riders can choose to extend their insurance coverage if their electric bike is stolen while they are outside. Insuring your bike is a bonus. However, emergency payouts are limited to a set percentage of the total policy. In most cases, that is insufficient for high-priced e-bikes.
Insurance for Electric Bikes
Electric bike insurance is a viable substitute for specialized insurance. Additional funding is required. Instead, it provides a broader range of e-bike-specific deals. For example, if you provide e-bike theft insurance, you are not required to cover only the e-bike. Furthermore, various insurance policies can protect your e-bike from road hazards such as weather and traffic.
The best option is determined by the circumstances. Experts frequently cite the value of your e-bike as a recommendation. Electric bike insurance may cover cheap or old electric bikes, but insurance for expensive electric bikes is required.
8. Install an anti-theft tracking device
With their responsiveness to outside pressure, GPS trackers are an excellent addition to the security of electric bikes. By connecting the GPS tracker on the electric bike to the app on your smartphone, you can track its location and movement in real-time. Most tracking devices are too small to be detected by would-be thieves. Recovery of a stolen bike has become commonplace.
Trackers are similar in their rudimentary design. However, there are significant differences in critical aspects between the devices.
Investing in theft prevention is worthwhile
High-quality anti-theft equipment is an excellent investment. To begin with, preventing e-bike theft necessitates dependable locks, adequate component protection, and advanced GPS trackers. These three tools will assist you in preventing e-bike theft and recovering a stolen bike. Other measures, such as selecting the best parking spot, are free of charge.
You can choose between home insurance and electric bike insurance policies if you want to insure your electric bike.
While these guidelines and methods are useful, they do not guarantee the safety of your e-bike. Every approach evolves, so keep going and learning new things. Finally, if you haven't already, I recommend that you take our ideas and modify them to fit your specific needs.
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