The price of electric bikes means that owners are wary of leaving them unsecured. Here are some tips to protect your bike, and at the bottom is a downloadable guide made by Safer By Design for a full roster of security ideas.
Remove what can be removed
Many electric bikes have removable batteries and handlebar display units (screens), so remove these when you're parked to make the bike less attractive.
Locks - Two is best
Locking the bike frame (body) and both wheels to a strong, undamaged bike rack is thoroughly recommended.
Keeping the bike as close to the bike rack as possible makes it harder for thieves to use leverage to break locks.
Keeping the locks off the floor also makes it harder for thieves to apply their tools.
Which Locks?
We sell two main types of lock. The motorbike chain style, and the foldable style. Both of these allow flexibility while also providing high security.
The SOLD SECURE certification on the packaging of the lock tells you which type of bike and parking situation it is appropriate for. See picture below.
Bronze: Defence against opportunist thieves.
Silver: Balance between security and cost.
Gold: For mid to high value bicycles
Diamond: Aimed at high value bikes, and electric bikes.
Where to park?
Be aware that thieves can lift bikes over signposts, and can use gates to gain extra leverage to break locks.
A proper bike rack is best. Just check it hasn't been tampered with first.
It is a good idea to vary where you park, especially if you park somewhere like a station.
Insurance
Check with your regular insurers if your e-bike is covered with your household insurance. You can also get specialist cycle insurance too.
If you buy an electric bike from Energise E-bikes, we can provide you with 10 days' free insurance from VeloLife, who will then provide you a custom quote for an annual policy.
At Home - Anchors
For home security, we recommend installing ground anchors. These are heavy duty plates which are drilled into a wall or concrete floor, which give you something to chain your bike to.
Handy Download
There is a lot more information in this downloadable PDF created by Safer By Design, an organisation created by the UK police service to highlight products and techniques that can increase protection from crime.
Download/view the PDF here: https://www.securedbydesign.com/media/attachments/2021/07/06/bike-security-leaflet-a4-update-june-2021.pdf (External content)
