I’ve been considering an e-bike or similar for quick trips from my house to coffee shops, bars, the beach, etc. It seems like a great option to not worry about parking and avoid traffic. But I can’t figure out what I would do with such an expensive thing (compared to a regular bike) when I get there.
Do you lock them to bike rack, or whatever random thing you can find? What about scooters, can you even lock them? Is that secure enough?
I really enjoyed shared scooters since you don’t have to worry about that issue at all, until the city council in my city regulated them out of business.
You might try locking to gas pipes behind businesses. Yes, it’s security through obscurity, but it could work. And it means attacking the lock – rather than the gas pipe – is the only reasonable attack, although it does risk sparks near explosive fuel.
My bike rides start and end in the same location - my shed, but if I were to leave it parked somewhere else I’d lock it using two kryptonite locks; chain and u-lock. That’s secure enough for me to feel comfortable leaving it out of my sight for about 5 minutes.
my shed
I don’t know about your city, but sheds and garages are being broken into left and right, specifically for the bikes. You can’t win against motivated degenerates.
I’m considering double-locking my bikes while they are inside my shed, just for peace of mind.
I have thousands worth of power tools there to distract them from my bike
I’d imagine they would go after whatever is easier to flip. I haven’t heard of any major power tool theft problems, but bike theft is still one of the largest industries for small-time crooks.
Either way, I hope they don’t go after any of what you’ve got. 🫰
Kryptonite is the best brand for bike locks and I use the NY Fahgettaboudit lock for my ebike. It’s rated 10/10 for security. This goes on the frame and a cable goes through both wheels.
The lock picking lawyer is the only person I’d trust in a brand recommendation.
I’m just a non-e-biker but here are some of my strategies:
- Always use two locks (wheel lock + chain for frame)
- Avoid the ends of bike racks, middle of the pack is best
- Park next to a more expensive looking bike if possible
- Park inside (or inside a fence/gate) if possible
- Keep bike next to me at the park/beach
It also kinda depends on what kind of theft you are deterring: opportunists (unlocked), lockpicks, boltcutters, on foot vs with a van, organized crime, junkie chop shop. It helps to read up on local sources to see what the highest risk is.
My city has decent bike rack coverage, but if I can’t find one I just look for the sturdiest thing I can lock my bike to. I’ve definitely just used trees before lol
