Bosch and anti-theft

[MikeS]

For next year Bosch are pushing their linking of the display with the bike - ie if the thief doesn't nick the display as well as the bike the motor ain't gonna work.
My problem with this is that I am much more likely to lose the detachable display than for the bike to get nicked. And I can guarantee that the one time a thief is in the same location as my bike will be the time I left the display/controller on the handlebars.
But what puzzles me most is that as fas as I can see Bosch are not preventing people being able to buy stolen £500 batteries and use them on their bike (presumably when some scrote has pinched their original one). I can't understand why Bosch didn't incorporate the mechanical lock and key into the battery housing rather than the carrier frame.
Mike

 

[Andy-Mat]

For next year Bosch are pushing their linking of the display with the bike - ie if the thief doesn't nick the display as well as the bike the motor ain't gonna work.
My problem with this is that I am much more likely to lose the detachable display than for the bike to get nicked. And I can guarantee that the one time a thief is in the same location as my bike will be the time I left the display/controller on the handlebars.
But what puzzles me most is that as fas as I can see Bosch are not preventing people being able to buy stolen £500 batteries and use them on their bike (presumably when some scrote has pinched their original one). I can't understand why Bosch didn't incorporate the mechanical lock and key into the battery housing rather than the carrier frame.
Mike

For next year Bosch are pushing their linking of the display with the bike - ie if the thief doesn't nick the display as well as the bike the motor ain't gonna work.
My problem with this is that I am much more likely to lose the detachable display than for the bike to get nicked. And I can guarantee that the one time a thief is in the same location as my bike will be the time I left the display/controller on the handlebars.
But what puzzles me most is that as fas as I can see Bosch are not preventing people being able to buy stolen £500 batteries and use them on their bike (presumably when some scrote has pinched their original one). I can't understand why Bosch didn't incorporate the mechanical lock and key into the battery housing rather than the carrier frame.
Mike

I appreciate your thoughts, but what good does it do anyone? The thief cannot use the bike, so he sells the battery and dumps the rest, how does that help you?
A GPS might be a good idea! One well hidden! They are easy to track with a smart phone.
Also, put an electronic vibration alarm as well as a quality bike lock, on your bike.....
Do take the display, as if the thief is one of the very few that know the problem if its missing, it might put him off!
Keep it in a simple leather wallet for protection, a wallet you can place around your neck or over your arm, while shopping....
Just a thought!
Andy

 

[Fishy]

Do you regularly lose your car keys?
Think of the removable display as your bikes ignition key.
I always take mine off, even when parked at work or home. I don't envision ever losing it.

 

[soundwave]

Haibike eConnect Retro Fit Kit (Inc Cable Kit)

This is the new Haibike eConnect retrofit kit for use on all Haibike electric bikes inc both Bosch and Yamaha models.

www.e-bikeshop.co.uk

 

[MikeS]

Do you regularly lose your car keys?
Think of the removable display as your bikes ignition key.
I always take mine off, even when parked at work or home. I don't envision ever losing it.

errrrm Yes. I usually end up finding them but in the meantime have had to use the spare set. And if I go on holiday on my motorbike I definitely take that spare key with me. AFAIK you don't get a spare display for the bosch system. I think the Suntour system that was fitted to the Carrera had a removable display/controller, and I think it has problems with the contacts in that display.
Mike

 

[soundwave]

you will be able to buy new displays if it is lost or stolen but imo it will be a dealer only process and as the kiox costs £300 on its own id stick with the purion display @ 80 quid

 

[MikeS]

I appreciate your thoughts, but what good does it do anyone? The thief cannot use the bike, so he sells the battery and dumps the rest, how does that help you?
A GPS might be a good idea! One well hidden! They are easy to track with a smart phone.
Also, put an electronic vibration alarm as well as a quality bike lock, on your bike.....
Do take the display, as if the thief is one of the very few that know the problem if its missing, it might put him off!
Keep it in a simple leather wallet for protection, a wallet you can place around your neck or over your arm, while shopping....
Just a thought!
Andy

I'm not quite sure what you mean. I'm raising a potential problem with Bosch's new proposed electronic theft deterrent system for careless owners like me who may well lose the only 'key'( ie the display).
My other point is that on the existing system Bosch could easily have made BATTERY theft a lot less attractive by including the physical locking mechanism in the battery rather than on the bike. Currently If a thief prises off a £500 battery and manages to avoid damaging the contacts he can sell that battery for probably £150 and any Bosch active Line owner can simply use his own key with the new stolen battery.
But maybe no-one is getting electric bike batteries nicked?
Mike
PS - you make a good point above "if the thief is one of the very few that know the problem...." because in reality probably only 10% of the thieves will understand what they are stealing (that will undoubtedly change as ebikes become more popular).

 

[MikeS]

you will be able to buy new displays if it is lost or stolen but imo it will be a dealer only process and as the kiox costs £300 on its own id stick with the purion display @ 80 quid

I agree with you entirely. My Bosch came with a Purion display and I am happy to have it permanently wired in to the system. Imagine being on holiday abroad and your Kiox gets nicked in a bag from the hotel (or you drop it in a Belgian canal). You MIGHT be able to get a local Bosch dealer to sort them out but it's going to be a right pallaver.

 

[soundwave]

it wont be any hassle bar you cant ride the bike until you get the new display but it will be how much it will cost.

imo it will be about 400 quid with the dealers slice for pushing a few buttons on a lap top

i also know a local bike shop that buys stolen bikes and sells the parts on ebay so if they had a bosch account could get a stolen bike going easy.

 

[MikeS]

Here's my suggestion to Bosch (after scrapping their detachable display solution ).
Provide every battery with a sophisticated lock which requires a chipped key like a motorbike. Provide two chipped keys with every battery. Program the system so that a key has to be used to turn battery to the recharge setting.
Now if a thief steals the bike (without the key) he can use it until the battery runs down but it can't be charged up again (on or off the bike). If a thief decides to steal the battery alone it would be no use to any other Bosch system owner without the correct key. And if and when the legitimate owner's battery gives up the ghost, he buys a new battery with new keys that do not need re-registering with the bike's system ...... ah I have just spotted the flaw in my suggestion ..... no need for dealer involvement )

 

[soundwave]

if it has a key it is going

 

[MikeS]

Yeah - I'm sure the lock I'm suggesting could be picked easily enough but could they defeat the chip? (which would lock out recharging the battery unless the correct chip code was detected).
Mike

 

[soundwave]

it would make it harder but imo at the end of the day bosch dont mind if the batt is stolen pmsl