I’m trying to use my car less and bike to places where I can. I’ve thought about getting an e-bike to extend the range of places I can bike to, but one things that’s holding me back is what do I do with it while at the store? If it were just my crappy normal bike I wouldn’t really worry too much about someone stealing it, but if I’m gonna spend a few hundred on an e-bike I am nervous about leaving it unattended.
What are your thoughts?
I use a frame lock for the back wheel(which has the motor) and a chain which I use to lock the frame to the bike stand.
If I’m leaving the bike for just 15 minutes I leave battery in. Longer than that I take the battery with me. Noone is going to try to steal an ebike without a battery when there’s people around. The bike looses half of its value without it, since it will be harder to sell.
I always leave my helmet on the bike (it’s like 10 bucks). If there are people that are desperate enough to steal my helmet, it’s a good indicator that I should never park there again.
I was a bit worried about leaving my bike unattended at first, but I’ve grown out of it. Also, my bike is covered by my home insurance, so the monetary risk is low.
Vote with your wallet when it comes to bike racks, choose businesses with bike racks that reach the frame and not just the front wheel.
A few hundred might be underselling it a bit. In the brief time I’ve been researching this I was mostly looking at the lectric brand bikes, which start around $800 USD.
I’ve seen some for several thousands but wasn’t really considering those since this won’t be a daily driver and I’m already paranoid about getting the cheaper one stolen.
I like to drive it at 30 miles an hour on the pavements and footpaths, scattering and scaring pedestrians and children. I am too much of a nancy to ride it on the road where it might be me that gets hurt, but at least I have a plastic hat so I don’t have to pay attention while I’m driving.
Soon no place outside will be safe from hurtling steel, and we will have won.
I am planning to buy an off-roader, so I can get the vermin who try to hide from the traffic in the parks and gardens.
I ride every day in a bike-heavy commuter city, and I’m confident the fastest thing on the road is a 50yo man made of 50% spandex riding a road bike that cost more than your tuition and weighs less than your wallet.
While I story of understand you anger, as there are some fools out there that are using their illegal ebikes effectively as motorcycles on bike paths and sidewalks, they are:
- In the vast minority
- On a 60lb vehicle, instead of a 3000lb vehicle, and can do far less damage as a result.
If you’re going to get angry, get angry at cars, car-centric infrastructure, and the fact that people on ebikes don’t have the proper cycling infrastructure to stay separated from pedestrians.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve hated and feared cars since I was a boy. But some greenwashing fuckers and their shills in the ‘bike lobby’ legalising riding motorbikes in what used to be safe places has hardly improved matters.
Now there’s nowhere safe to ride a bike or walk, or for children to play.
Fuck cars and fuck motorbikes.
Also, 60 pounds my arse. You might get the odd actual bicycle with a little electric motor attached, but most of them are the same weight and speed as mopeds. And they don’t stay “restricted to 20mph” for long.
If you lock your bike in front of a busy door, it will be safe during the day.
But if you are concerned there’s many ways to get insurance that will cover theft. My kryptonite bike lock let me get 4 years of theft insurance coverage for $2500 and it was $35 total.
Another common thing my friend does in LA is talk to the security guard. Often they’ll watch it for you for a bit.
I’m at 1500miles on mine in LA. I ride it every day for every errand almost, I feel pretty confident in my advice.
