Bike anti theft questions

[oC4o]

Hello, I was curious as to if there were any type of bike covers that are used for anti theft purposes when parking in public ? It seems like it’d be a very good deterrent as it keeps your bikes actual appearance concealed as well as any electric screens that are present on the bike. Are there any bike covers on he market that can be used while your bike is fixated to a bike rack/pole/etc. or is that just too over the top.

I recently bought my first e-bike (juiced hyperscrambler) so I’m just trying to make my bike as theft proof as possible. I feel like if I was to put lock my bike up, have an alarm on it, PLUS have it covered, it would function as a very strong deterrent because just trying to take off the cover would activate the alarm and would make it much more of a hassle since the alarm itself would not be able to be reached easily. Is this overkill? Let me know if you have any advice 2.5k is a big investment for me so I’m really trying to have my security as it’s best .

TLDR; Are there any anti theft bike covers to improve my overall security when parking in public? Does anyone use a cover in conjunction with their locks in public?

Edit: I have looked into bike covers and have seen a few claim to be anti theft but none that seem to function well when a bike is on a typical bike rack.

 

[Angela M.]

Hi! Welcome to the EBR community. You don't typically see bikes covered in public so I feel it stick out more than not having one. Security is definitely a concern, here's a couple posts on what others do to try to keep their bike safe:
https://electricbikereview.com/foru...protect-your-electric-bike-accessories.22743/
https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/security.13572/#post-107470
https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/ebike-theft-and-security.8464/#post-65995

 

[FSRBart]

IMO, covers aren't a great idea. Based on my motorcycling experience, it only makes potential thieves more "curious".

One of the locks I own is a Bully Pager Alarm Lock. While I've yet to use it my bicycle as I don't leave my ebike unattended, I've used it on my motorcycles. Not only does this Lock have a very loud audible alarm it also has a pager system built into it and comes with the dedicated Pager FOB. It's worked very well. It doesn't have unlimited range but I've had my motorcycle in a open parking lot and I'd been about 100 yards away in a store when the pager went off. It was a false alarm in that no one was messing with my bike, but the lock had shifted on the bike from a passing heavy truck...

 

[Over50]

I've been using a cover for my Terns but not for my larger bikes. The Terns, since I can fold down the handle posts and drop the seat posts are much easier to cover with a small to medium sized cover which also folds up and fits nicely in my trunk bag or pannier. I'm using the Covrir medium sized cover which has buckles that will secure around the tires preventing the cover from blowing away should some high winds come along. I use my usual locking strategy which is 2 locks plus cables to secure the wheels and seat post. Then I drop the cover on. I have left my panniers and bags in place. I think the cover enhances security because it adds an extra step for the thief. Particularly, just to help prevent vandalism or theft of components (like the quick snatch and grab of the front wheel or seat post) - a thief may be reluctant to remove the cover just to check if there is something worth taking and/or something that is easily taken. I have also left the batteries on the bikes. So far this has worked for me. This is at a public rack in my downtown area outside of a large office building that has frequent security personnel making rounds as well as security cameras visible in close proximity to the bike racks. Often there is a moped or two that are also covered. I don't cover my normal-sized commuters because it requires a larger cover and a bit more time to secure. The Covrir comes with a little padlock that would secure the cover in place (to prevent theft of the cover) (and of course someone could use a knife to quickly cut around the locked bottom portion of the cover). Purchased on Amazon.