Well at home and around my local shops. I leave it locked on the bike. Tomorrow will be the 1st time that I will have ridden it to work. (local secondary school) . I will take the battery off but I'm concerned about kids fiddling with other parts like the display etc!
Do you leave your battery on the bike when you lock it?
- Thread starter torrent99
- Start date
Well, 50 or so years back, before these mainland European crooks started coming ashore in waves (apparently), we managed to get on quite well with home-grown thugs and thieves. Perhaps all the decent, white, Christian, 100% British scallywags can now retire or claim industrial compensation.True, we've had to start importing them from mainland Europe now.
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A
I agree, it's crazy leaving the battery on the bike. In rural parts it might not be an issue but in towns and cities its surely a no no. It's the most expensive part of an electric bike after all.
A battery on a bike is a clear invitation to any thief. They will either try and steal the whole bike or remove the battery off it hoping to sell it on. Even if they can't get either they can do a lot of damage in the process to your nice bike.
The other side of this is that insurance companies 9 times out of 10 will not cover theft or vandalism of batteries on electric bikes.
The problem is that battery technology still has a long way to go and the big batteries being fitted to bikes are impractical to remove and carry around with you when you're out shopping or whatever. Who wants to lug a 5kg lump about!
One cheap partial solution is to cover your bike when you leave it for an hour or more, on the basis of 'out of sight, out of mind'. For a thief to properly sus out your bike, the first thing he's got to do is to remove your cover. Thieves (believe me) like to be in and out as fast as possible. Locks and bolts deter them mainly because they've got to hang about while they deal with the locks etc. A cheapish rain cover will cover all your shiney bits, and also disguise the fact that your bike is an ebike.
Not guaranteed, but easier than lugging the battery around with you.
A
Not guaranteed, but easier than lugging the battery around with you.
A
My Kalkhoff has the Axa lock on it which locks through the rear wheel. I run the accessory cable through the handgrip of the Panasonic battery and plug it in to the Axa, so the battery is secured by its built in lock and the Axa cable as well.
It takes very little time to do.
Then I secure the frame with an Abus Granit. I feel its something of a security plus that the Panasonic battery requires a specialised charger too.
It takes very little time to do.
Then I secure the frame with an Abus Granit. I feel its something of a security plus that the Panasonic battery requires a specialised charger too.
Another variant of the 'what the eye can't see' approach:
if I'm nipping in to the shops for 3 minutes, and can't be fagged to remove the three gleaming lights from my handlebars, I often use a scruffy carrier-bag - which goes over the lights, computer, etc., etc. As usual, it's NOT designed to do any good against the better class of thief, but if an oik wanders by and sees the gleaming lights, he's more inclined to quickly unclip them and scarper.
Use with discretion, of course.
A.
if I'm nipping in to the shops for 3 minutes, and can't be fagged to remove the three gleaming lights from my handlebars, I often use a scruffy carrier-bag - which goes over the lights, computer, etc., etc. As usual, it's NOT designed to do any good against the better class of thief, but if an oik wanders by and sees the gleaming lights, he's more inclined to quickly unclip them and scarper.
Use with discretion, of course.
A.
Hugh,
"Great minds think alike" is only part of the old adage. The rest is, ".....fools seldom differ!" I'm pretty confident you're not a fool but lots of people use that first part without knowing the second part.
You probably knew that though!
Regards,
Indalo
"Great minds think alike" is only part of the old adage. The rest is, ".....fools seldom differ!" I'm pretty confident you're not a fool but lots of people use that first part without knowing the second part.
You probably knew that though!
Regards,
Indalo
Optibike battery is built in the frame and the external is a li-ion 36v 22ah and I wouldnt leave it on the back for more than 10 minutes and I dont really leave my bike out of sight to be honest!
If I had a sla on the back I would hope someone would steal it if they were strong anuf to pick it up... so I could buy a ping!
Do an insurance poll next. How many have their bikes and batteries covered on household insurance, and how many have actually checked that it does in fact cover batteries when the bicycle is left outside?! How many have taken separate specialist insurance for their bikes?
I contacted one insurance company to clarify this and they said, whilst household insurance would cover the bike, it would not cover the battery and it would only cover the bike if it was locked inside a bricks and mortar out building with a suitable lock like a shed or garage and SECURED with an insurance approved bicycle lock against the actual building wall! Quite a few conditions there not immediately apparent to many people. They stated they would not cover the bicycle itself let alone the battery if it was locked up in the street somewhere, even if an approved lock was used, unless a separate premium was paid with a claims excess applied. They stated that such provision would never extend to the battery or electrical parts of the bicycle.
I contacted one insurance company to clarify this and they said, whilst household insurance would cover the bike, it would not cover the battery and it would only cover the bike if it was locked inside a bricks and mortar out building with a suitable lock like a shed or garage and SECURED with an insurance approved bicycle lock against the actual building wall! Quite a few conditions there not immediately apparent to many people. They stated they would not cover the bicycle itself let alone the battery if it was locked up in the street somewhere, even if an approved lock was used, unless a separate premium was paid with a claims excess applied. They stated that such provision would never extend to the battery or electrical parts of the bicycle.
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Unfortunately we are dealing with the scum of the earth (NO, not the forum members ;-)
But with people who quite happily steal catalytic exhausts from ambulances and copper from hospital generators.
Given the slightest excuse, a nice piece of battery will sell down at the scrappys like anything else (plus a pound for the scrap value of the bike frame).
Bike locks, hardened chains, Hardened wire loops, are all vulnerable to Screwfix man.
That said, Have a Happy Christmas and New Year,
(But do keep an eye on your pride and joy, The bike (not the spouse ;-) )
Rgds
But with people who quite happily steal catalytic exhausts from ambulances and copper from hospital generators.
Given the slightest excuse, a nice piece of battery will sell down at the scrappys like anything else (plus a pound for the scrap value of the bike frame).
Bike locks, hardened chains, Hardened wire loops, are all vulnerable to Screwfix man.
That said, Have a Happy Christmas and New Year,
(But do keep an eye on your pride and joy, The bike (not the spouse ;-) )
Rgds
Battery ?
Heck my bike AND battery go with me everywhere!
The Brompton is the most portable and goes in and out of coffee shops, general shops, bank, PO, supermarkets etc. The Moulton is stowed in my office when I use it to commute but too big for much more than that.
Brompton
Moulton
Happy Christmas to you too.
Jerry
Heck my bike AND battery go with me everywhere!
The Brompton is the most portable and goes in and out of coffee shops, general shops, bank, PO, supermarkets etc. The Moulton is stowed in my office when I use it to commute but too big for much more than that.
Brompton
Moulton
Happy Christmas to you too.
Jerry
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Yes always. The bike is a Cyclamatic Powerplus. The battery is locked intyo the frame and cannot be removed without the key. The saddle has been replaced as has the sabble subframe so the tip forward mechanism is no longer there. The seat post is an after market suspension unit.The rear carrier would have to be removed to get anywhere near the battery. The quick release has been replaced with an allan key clamp. The battery is charged on the bike. It ghas been attacked by someone who tgought they could break into the key lock but they failed. The original key still works.
I've had the bke for two years now. I expect to renew the battery in March 2012.
I've had the bke for two years now. I expect to renew the battery in March 2012.
JerrySimon, do you never lock your brompton outside?
For me, when I'm going out with friends, I don't want to carry with me anything. If we're going to shopping center, I'm thinking that having to roll the brompton for hours wouldn't be conveninent at all.
For example, would you go to the christmas market or to the museum with your brompton?
For me, when I'm going out with friends, I don't want to carry with me anything. If we're going to shopping center, I'm thinking that having to roll the brompton for hours wouldn't be conveninent at all.
For example, would you go to the christmas market or to the museum with your brompton?
Nope. I don't even carry a lock because I want to keep weight down.
No I would take my car
Seriously if I know I am going to have to leave my Brompton somewhere unattended or have to carry it for ages then I take my car. Then again if a museum had secure storage for coats and stuff like that then I might consider it. I have left it in a hotel locked in a secure baggage cupboard before.
Every day I commute to the office I carry it into my work and it stays in my office until I go home. If I know I want a single or a few small items from the shops, then I will go into town on my bike, fold it up carry it into the shop, buy it, put it in my bag and carry it out and cycle home. I often do this at lunch time if at work. It is so much less hassle than trying to take the car into town (Cambridge), park etc
If I am riding and want to pop into Starbucks (actually I prefer Caffè Nero) then again I take my Brompton in with me. No one has ever commented or told me I can't. I often do this if my wife has gone into town without me and meet her for coffee half way through her shop.
I have tried to keep the weight down. The Brompton weighs around 13kgs and the bag about 2-3kgs. Obviously I would not like to carry bike and bag for more than 10 minutes or so. I have taken it on a train and although it works, carrying it through the larger stations with loads of platforms is quite hard work, especially if you are rushing to catch a connection.
Regards
Jerry
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Seat
For the seat and battery I put a lock trough the seat then tread it
through the battery handle then through the rear carrier!,ok they can cut it but it stops someone just flicking the quick release levers and walking off with your bits??.
For the seat and battery I put a lock trough the seat then tread it
through the battery handle then through the rear carrier!,ok they can cut it but it stops someone just flicking the quick release levers and walking off with your bits??.
Thanks for this explanation Jerrysimon. I'm still thinking about a secure way to lock my bike and its battery outside to keep myself light.
I don't have a car in london, but I was driving in paris and from my experience it's quite awful and there is nowhere to park. I had so many parking fines when I was using my car that I stopped using it.
So I suppose that in london it wouldn't be much different and cars are not really convenient.
I don't have a car in london, but I was driving in paris and from my experience it's quite awful and there is nowhere to park. I had so many parking fines when I was using my car that I stopped using it.
So I suppose that in london it wouldn't be much different and cars are not really convenient.
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