Am trying to decide if it’s safe to lock e bike in public bike racks. I am planning to get ebike but budget depends on how much use I will get. Commuting is fine, we have a bike cage at work I can lock bike in, and I plan to remove battery during the day to keep it at better temperature. To justify spending a bit more I would want to use it for trips to local shops, where my only option is public racks, and batteries are heavy. I’ve looked around locally and haven’t seen any e bikes in public racks. . That may be because most people don’t have e bikes, but may be because it’s not safe enough. If you do use your bike to nip into local town, do you remove the battery? I always take lights off, when i’ve used manual cheap bike and not had a battery to think about. if I get an ebike with a pannier mounted battery, and double pannier bags (I have the basil ones) should I chance it? I figure it wouldn’t be obvious. It would make e bike much more usable. What do people do?
Security
- Thread starter Yorkielass
- Start date
I used to leave the battery on the bike, then discovered how easy it was just using a screwdriver to force the battery lock, so now if I am leaving the bike for more than a few minutes I take the battery with me. It goes in my detachable rear pannier & then into the basket in the shop.
I often park my bike in shopping centres, retail parks, dentist and places like that. I tend not to use the bike racks. Instead, I lock it to a tree, post or fence where the bike is more visible. Racks are often tucked around corners where nobody can see what's going on.
For a lock, you need something substantial enough to defeat wire cutters a d small bolt croppers. You don't need a gold rated lock. Bronze rated should be good enough, but what's more inportant is the thickness. The professional bike thieves with angle grinders and liquid nitrogen are not going to be hanging around your local shopping centre, so no need to panic.
For a lock, you need something substantial enough to defeat wire cutters a d small bolt croppers. You don't need a gold rated lock. Bronze rated should be good enough, but what's more inportant is the thickness. The professional bike thieves with angle grinders and liquid nitrogen are not going to be hanging around your local shopping centre, so no need to panic.
I personally use a very heavy, high quality security chain with huge links, probably difficult to cut, at least not quickly. The lock I have been unable to pick (I am an amateur locksmith for 12 years now), though picking is probably not a way that modern robbers use, far too fiddly!! It sits in a holder on my crossbar(Battery!).
I also have a cheap but excellent rear light, that has a sensitive alarm, that activates with the slightest movement and is very loud. It does a short chirp for a single short movement, but if the movement continues, it then goes off again for a far longer period.
I think any bike needs both chain and alarm!
4 in 1 Cycling Smart Wireless Rear Light Remote Control Alarm Lock Bike Tailight | eBay
1 x Bandage. Alarm sound: 120 decibel. Remote Alarm function. Battery: 3.7V 800mA lithium battery. Ultra-high 120 db alarm. Wireless Bell function. 1 x Alarm taillight. Mode: 3 modes.
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I have tested several security (older, not new!) chains and most are easily and quickly picked.....and/or cut!!
I personally do not like the lighting from the bike manufacturer, as my first e-bike, when the battery was empty, switched off the front light as well! So I have seen then attached a front light that has its own rechargeable battery, and is also easily removed and put in your pocket.....
I hope this helps.
Andy
I tend to agree about where you lock your bike, I lock my regular errand town/commute bike up when running errands though usually only for a bout 20 mins max. I carry out my errands and go, 2 locks one rear and front wheel both through said wheel & frame to the street furniture. Battery is left in situ, my bike is uncleaned and I deem it not very nickable due to it's non appeal to the opportunist scum bag. Being a dull grey 700c with rack/ panniers it's not the trendy blingy stylish mtb looking bike that would interest most.
The only down side is vandals may try and wreck the lcd3 by trying to wrench it off or some one could try and fiddle with the under seat controller bag to see what's inside.
Otherwise these are of no real use to anyone unless the bike is targeted specifically for the items which is unlikely due to a non regular pattern of leaving it in the same place on a daily basis.
The only down side is vandals may try and wreck the lcd3 by trying to wrench it off or some one could try and fiddle with the under seat controller bag to see what's inside.
Otherwise these are of no real use to anyone unless the bike is targeted specifically for the items which is unlikely due to a non regular pattern of leaving it in the same place on a daily basis.
I took my ebike into town for the first time last week. Plenty of potential places to lock it so I chose one right next to a café's outdoor seating where plenty of people could see it. I have a gold rated d lock - insurance company insists on it - didn't remove battery. I must admit I was a bit nervous as I walked away but I thought leaving it somewhere very visible would be a good deterrent. It was still there and still intact when I got back!
I have left my ebike tied up in town lots of times - I tend to use several locks to make it as fiddly as possible - no thief wants to be fiddling around for any longer than necessary. Also I agree with leaving it in the most public place possible.
If I go shopping there is a bike rack outside the local bike shop - so that seems a good place - as do several trees on the main pedestrianised section. If I go shopping the rack at Tesco has CCTV cameras so I happy leaving it there
If I go shopping there is a bike rack outside the local bike shop - so that seems a good place - as do several trees on the main pedestrianised section. If I go shopping the rack at Tesco has CCTV cameras so I happy leaving it there
My going to the shops bike works well but looks old and tatty with the battery behind the seat. I use a good D lock and tend to lock my bike outside whichever shop I am visiting, returning to it as soon as I have completed my task and then onto the next shop, to cycle back home at the end.
I had to do a one day course at work today and left my bike locked on the platform of my local railway station at about 7:30AM and retrieved it at 4:30PM.
Whoever designed the newly provided double decker cycle racks on the platform (I used the bottom one) put the metal loop for locking your bike to in the middle equal distance away from both wheels where I could not use my D lock to secure either wheel but only the frame near the bottom bracket.
I also used a security wire at the station that I could loop through the front wheel one pedal and the D lock, but know that although it looks good can be cut easily.
I once left my bike outside a pub where there was nowhere to lock a bike and secured it to a heavy cast iron bench instead.
I had to do a one day course at work today and left my bike locked on the platform of my local railway station at about 7:30AM and retrieved it at 4:30PM.
Whoever designed the newly provided double decker cycle racks on the platform (I used the bottom one) put the metal loop for locking your bike to in the middle equal distance away from both wheels where I could not use my D lock to secure either wheel but only the frame near the bottom bracket.
I also used a security wire at the station that I could loop through the front wheel one pedal and the D lock, but know that although it looks good can be cut easily.
I once left my bike outside a pub where there was nowhere to lock a bike and secured it to a heavy cast iron bench instead.
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