July 21,2023
July 21,2023
Bikes, especially e-bikes, have grown substantially in recent years. Electric bikes are even more of an excellent target for thieves, an unfortunate reality of the electric bike world. The combination of high-value e-bikes and often inadequate theft protection make e-bikes dregs for bike thieves. Millions of bikes are stolen each year in North America, and only a fraction of them are recovered. We've seen e-bikes stolen in a number of ways, but usually in one of two ways: either the parts are removed from the e-bike, or the entire e-bike is stolen in one fell swoop.
Therefore, whether a novice or an experienced rider, every cyclist is at risk of this scourge. However, having good responsiveness can significantly reduce this risk. It's time to get serious about securing it before you regret it. Here are the best practices for keeping your e-bike safe and the best practices to minimize the risk.
1. Choose the Right Location
If you want to leave your ebike somewhere for a quick errand and don’t see a good bike rack, so you improvise and lock it up to a street sign, chain link fence or a small tree. If what you fasten your bike to is easier to cut through, your electric bikes for adults will be a target. So let's get the obvious out of the way first. This may be common sense, but it still needs to be said: Be careful where you lock your e-bike. Finding a safe location is critical to locking your bike securely!
Try to avoid shady areas where bike theft may occur. If you know somewhere are notoriously theft areas, park your electric bikes for adults further away and walk some distance. Not only will it reduce the chance of your electric bike being stolen, but you'll also have more freedom to do what you want.
Now you know to stay away from shady places and any alleys. A busy street may also attract the attention of thieves, but it's better than a dark corner. The best place to park is in a very public, high-traffic, densely populated, and well-lit area, or looking for a garage, shed, or suitable bike parking facility to secure it, such as a large tree, street sign or concrete pillar, and make sure your e-bike cannot be lifted easily. Generally, a bike rack would be a good choice. However, you also need to make sure that the location is open, and well-lit and that the rack has not been tampered with. Big, heavy ones that are cemented to the ground are better than just bolted.
2. Try not to Leave Your Ebike out Overnight
Never leave your bike locked out overnight; this is prime time for burglars to capture your e-bike when they have more tools, enough time, and go undetected...it's much easier in the dark, because the darkness helps thieves hide. Even if you lock your ebike to a rack, the thief can cut through it and slide the locked electric bike off the rack.
If you live in a small apartment, consider our foldable ebike Jaguarundi, or lightweight Commuter.
3. Remove the Battery
High-value e-bike components are also relatively expensive. Battery and other parts of e-bikes can be stolen, and thieves may wreck the frame of electric bikes to salvage those valuable parts. An electric bike without a battery is far less likely to be targeted by thieves.
If left unattended for a few hours, we recommend removing the battery from your ebikes for sale, taking it indoors, and making the machine less attractive and lower in value so that it's less likely to be spotted by thieves! Since even an electric bike with a factory locking mechanism isn't enough to resist to thieves. Moreover, while most e-bikes require a key to remove them, thieves will still tamper with them, and if it breaks, it's useless to you or them. If you carry a battery with you, it will devalue your e-bike to thieves.
Moreover, by removing it, you are able to avoid leaving it exposed to the wind, sun, rain, and cold, and you will keep it longer. Store it in a dry, ventilated place at room temperature, and keep it a long life.
4. Don’t Let Your Ebike Fall into the Routine
Electric bikes are great commuter vehicles, so e-bikes are often a part of everyday life. Many people use e-bikes as their daily drivers for work, school, and more. But when you stop in the same place every day, if you stop in the same place every day, using the same routes, locks, and routines, you become predictable, giving the diligent thief a chance to study your patterns and locks system and the best way to steal it to prepare for a targeted attack.
If you don't change the status quo, thieves will come prepared. Sometimes, they wait weeks or months because thieves can take weeks or months to prepare a comprehensive plan, research your specific lock, or even set traps. The real example is that thieves hack the parking spot so that they slide out of the ground. Unsuspecting riders lock to a stop sign like they do every day, but one day the thief only simply lifts the sign out the ground and walks off with ebikes for sale. This's also another good reason for you to double-check that any parking facility or object you lock to really is secure. Or it's also helpful to find a different route to your destination, and occasionally change the ride's routine so that thieves have vague memories of you and your e-bike!
5. Choose High-quality Lock
Choosing an excellent anti-theft device to limit the risk of electric bicycle theft. Bad bike locks are often the cause of theft. Avoid cheap locks such as simple cable locks, chain locks, or soft locks that can be easily cut with pliers. Or those locks that are mounted into e-bikes, which are much less secure. First, they're easy to be draw attention, and second, thieves can steal your bike because you can't lock your bike to a stationary object.
Invest at least 10% of your electric bike's price in a lock. This equipment is as important as the pedals or the saddle! Don't skimp on bike safety! The cheapest locks on the market are lightweight cable locks that are "easy targets" for thieves. It's also necessary to equip yourself with a few more locks to make bike theft more difficult, after all any method that will keep you safe from theft should be tried. It's best to choose a heavy-duty, durable U-shaped bike lock (resistant to physical and thermal shock) or a hard-to-see folding lock and a combination lock. These are one of the most effective types of protection.
Magicycle offers a durable and portable Large Foldable Bike Lock. It mounts to your frame so you have security when you need it. You can also secure sensitive and removable parts of your e-bike (mainly wheels and saddles) with component locks, and opt for a long lock that easily attaches to a fixed point.
6. Securing Your Ebike Properly
Maybe the bike rack you want to lock is irregular or overcrowded, making it difficult for your lock to pass through the bike rack and your electric bike - so you choose to secure the lock through the front wheel or rear rack, rather than through the more secure part of the bike. This is dangerous because a bike thief can simply remove your rear frame or front wheel from the frame and take the rest of your bike. Statistics show that in 90% of thefts, e-bikes are not properly secured.
A golden rule is always to secure the wheel and frame to at least one fixed point. The best choice is the front wheel. Rear wheels are generally more difficult and time-consuming to remove. This is very important to keep your e-bike safe. If you only lock the wheels, you may have only your wheels in the end!
Always check that it is impossible to steal the electric bike by lifting it. Also, avoid leaving the lock near at the ground or on hard, flat edges. Destroying it with a sledgehammer is easy!
7. Mount a GPS tracker
Even with the best security measures, nothing is 100% safe from theft. Unfortunately, theft is a sad reality for any bike owner. If the worst happens, a tracker can help you get peace of mind -- a way to find your bike. Bike trackers are an emerging technology that allows riders to locate their bikes, usually through a dedicated app.
The fundamentals of trackers are generally the same. However, the different devices differ significantly in key details. Generally, you just need to install the GPS tracker into your electric bike. Even if you don't know anything about it, you can easily and quickly complete the attachment yourself. And the tracker itself is invisible to the thief.
Once someone moves your e-bike without authorization, you will be notified via the associated app using the motion alarm. You or the police, depending on where your e-bike is located, have a chance to stop theft. Under normal circumstances, only about 10 percent of bicycle thefts are resolved. Tracking with GPS greatly increases your chances of getting your e-bike back after the theft.
8. Take out Insurance
Bike locks, component safety, correct positioning...even if you take all of this into account, it affects you: you go back to where you left the e-bike and it's gone. If you have good financial conditions, it is recommended to purchase insurance. Of course, insurance won't protect you from having your e-bike stolen, but you can be compensated if that happens. In addition to theft, your insurance also covers the risk of breakage, material and physical damage you may cause or suffer in the event of an accident. There are lots of types of insurance, you can choose the proper insurance according to your needs.
In Close
Avoiding bike theft is a numbers game - no lock is foolproof. But following the tips above will reduce the chances of being stolen. You also can get creative with your defenses, and find more possible to keep your ebike! Stay tuned to Magicycle for more info on electric mountain bikes!
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