Security is a big issue for e-bike users.
I’m one of those fortunate few who have never had a bike stolen. I just never left the old Romic outside, and I never stopped mid-ride. But when I got my first Edison e-bike, stopping for coffee or groceries was a big part of the appeal.
CyclingElectric, a spin-off from England’s Cycling Magazine, recently did a comprehensive review of the issue. Many of their concerns involve what you might do after the theft. Lock up near CCTV cameras and you may get help finding the thief. Buy anti-tampering parts because the thieves might take your wheels, pedals, handlebars and cranks.
E-bike makers are also adding anti-theft measures to their software, because electricity allows for that. You can put a GPS tracker on the bike, so you’ll know where it went after it was stolen. Bosch offers an app that can disable a bike after it’s stolen. The problem with these solutions is you buy them with the bike, and once you have bought your bike, you’re stuck with what you have.
For years, Germany’s Kryptonite represented the best in bicycle protection. It’s a solid “D-Lock.” It resists thieves better than any cable lock.
I had one for decades, and my son rides with one now. My problem with Kryptonite is where you put the thing. My son hangs his Kryptonite from his handlebars. You can also strap it to the rear rack with bungy cords. Another solution is to just wear a backpack and carry it there.
I have found those solutions sub-optimal. A bike lock is heavy, it jangles on the handlebar, and it can fall off the rear rack.
What I Do
Ryan Hersh is my e-bike guy. It’s good to have an e-bike guy, especially one within five miles. His Edison bikes are designed, sold, and serviced right here in Atlanta. He knows his stuff.
When I got my first Edison, he sold me an Abus lock for it. This is a folding lock in a rectangular frame. It straps to the bottom of the seat, so it’s out of the way. It’s also light, and I liked it a lot.
Then it fell off. Atlanta streets are notoriously bumpy, and I hit a heavy one heading downhill at 30 mph along Ponce de Leon Avenue in Decatur.
This began my search for a better solution.
Sende is a Chinese company. While they make locks like my old Abus, they also have one with lots of links that can fold into a sort of ball.
The lock I bought is sold as an “e-scooter lock.” It has a strap to connect it to my seat post. It includes a simple clamp, a bar with a latch that folds down. Push down and it comes out, push it in and it snaps shut. When I ride it’s very unobtrusive. When I stop it draws a crowd. They admire how it unfolds quickly from its frame.
The Sende can still be rattled out of its cage, especially if you’re stupid like me and don’t push in the latch all the way in. The links are inflexible rectangles. Getting around a rack and the frame can be fiddly.
This isn’t an ad, and I’m not getting paid for it. Klyra sells this lock in the U.S. as the Titanguard Pro. You can buy an almost identical one from Amazon, called the Lambolt.
One More Thing
One more piece of advice. I like to lock my bike near the street. Many cities are now getting these huge U-shaped bike racks. They look like giant staples stuck in the concrete. They’re an essential part of a city’s bike infrastructure, and they should be everywhere. I would hate to lock my bike to one and then have some thief simply cut across the signpost. Street signs are also a little too close to the street and its cars for my taste. The ones here are at the Lee & White development in southwest Atlanta.
There are some bigger racks at stores, a rolling set of U’s, that can hold multiple bikes. The one at the Dekalb Farmers Market holds four, and some day soon all four stalls will be full. In a perverse way, I’m looking forward to that.
