So my dilemma: I bought my eBike to help me get around the city, because I don’t have a car and our transit has been going downhill since the pandemic.
HOWEVER, I keep hearing how awful bike thefts are here, and the only way to keep my bike safe is to never let it out of my sight. Which severely limits the types of errand I can use it for.
So — how do you keep your bike safe? Insurance? Alarm? System of expensive locks? Never leave it unattended? Have you ever had your bike stolen? Anything you wish you’d done differently?
Same. The pandemic prompted me to buy an ebike.
For me, it depends on the circumstances. Most of the time, I’m commuting between home and work, and I have secure indoor locations I can park it at either end.
When running errands, I try to find a spot with lots of foot traffic around it to make a bike thief conspicuous. Ideally, if it’s a restaurant, I try to find a place to sit where the bike is within sight. It’s annoying when they put the bike rack back behind the store someplace.
My lock is sort of medium strength I guess? I don’t know if anything would stop a determined thief? If I’m extra concerned, I remove the battery and take it in with me.
I never leave the bike parked outside overnight.
Yeah, I’ve got a mid-range Abus U/D lock, and a Kryptonite New York Noose chain. Probably should stop worrying so much about it, but it’s hard to accept maybe losing that much money!
It’s mainly errands that I’m concerned about — same as you, I’ve got secure indoor storage at home and work. But I find myself reluctant to take it on errands versus Uber or transit, because of that risk of losing it.
Clearly I need to get over it! Haha.
One thing. The police where I live put out a PSA where they recommended registering your bike with 529 Garage. You can do it through an app. Also, it’s good to be registered with the manufacturer where ebikes are concerned. For example, they may be the only supplier of the battery you use (if, for example, it is a custom design for the particular model) and if you report your bike stolen, they can keep an eye out for anyone trying to order a replacement battery with your serial number.