How do you secure your bike?

[Deleted member 18083]

Three-key, all-European, solution to securing my EU-specification bike to a Swedish bike rack attached to a German car.

Key 1 : Thule - Sweden : Top tube clamped and locked to Thule Velospace rack. Same key locks rack to tow ball.

Key 2 : Abus - Germany : 1.2 m (10 mm diameter) loop-end cable locked around top tube. Other end locked to car where trailer safety chain would normally attach. Same key opens house doors, padlocks on shed, etc.

Key 3 : AXA - Netherlands : Victory frame ring lock (between down tube and seat stay) immobilises rear wheel. Either a 90 cm chain (drooped over seat in photo) or 1.5 m 10 mm cable plug into the socket visible on the side of the frame lock.

In the shed : The AXA plug-in cable and another Abus cable and lock secure the bike.

Cafe stops : AXA frame lock plus the easily-transportable chain which packs into a rattle-proof Fabric Keg (tool bottle) mounted onto the pair of special water bottle bosses underneath the down tube (see photo) - the same system used on the latest R&M Delites and Chargers.

... David

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I thought about this the other day and realized the single largest factor keeping my bike secure (and greatly increasing the odds of recovery if it were stolen) is that there is only one dealer for that particular brand within approximately a 200-mile drive of me. Even if they steal the bike they need a battery charger and unless they are really technically savvy they are going to have to go to a dealer to get a new charger.

The fact that bikes using the Bosch system have removable displays and the bikes are almost completely unrideable if you can't turn them on when combined with the fact that most e-bikes are crazy heavy also makes them challenging to steal, at least much more challenging than a regular bike.

E-bike manufacturers could take this much further if they wanted to. In an ideal world (and at relatively limited cost) we should have a process where we "pair" batteries to bikes and "pair" batteries to chargers and "pair" displays to bikes. That way even if someone stole a bike they'd have to take the bike to a dealer to get it "paired" to a new charger or display, which would provide the opportunity to recover the stolen bike.

I use "pair" in the above paragraph in scare quotes because obviously you'd want to be able to switch batteries and chargers between bikes if you had more than one bike in your household. But the idea still holds.

 

[Hugh]

I carry in the pannier{s} one Kryptonite U lock which secures the back wheel to the frame and one Abus link lock to secure the front wheel to the frame and lastly a disc brake lock that has an audible alarm that I put on either the front or rear disc. It chirps once if someone touches the bike and then sounds a loud siren if they try to move it. Also since I've recently retired I usually am not too far away when out for a ride ie sitting in a coffee shop usually by a window if possible. And yes I use these locks when my electric fat bike and BionX equipped tadpole trike are in the locked garage as well.

 

[elliot friedman]

I don't. I keep it with me all the time. It's sacroficial, but living in a NYC borough , I'm not taking any chances.

 

[christob]

@elliot friedman, what does that mean in daily experience, "all the time"? ie, if you're running errands on the bike, are you walking it into stores to shop? I assume you don't ride it to say, go see a movie... if you're biking to work, are you parking it at your desk ? Curious what kinds of situations you routinely face with the bike, that you can actually keep it with your person, always ... and what kinds of situations are you precluding from bike use (ie, situations that could otherwise be ideal for biking, if you were comfortable locking it at destination)?

 

[rich c]

I thought about this the other day and realized the single largest factor keeping my bike secure (and greatly increasing the odds of recovery if it were stolen) is that there is only one dealer for that particular brand within approximately a 200-mile drive of me. Even if they steal the bike they need a battery charger and unless they are really technically savvy they are going to have to go to a dealer to get a new charger.

The fact that bikes using the Bosch system have removable displays and the bikes are almost completely unrideable if you can't turn them on when combined with the fact that most e-bikes are crazy heavy also makes them challenging to steal, at least much more challenging than a regular bike.

E-bike manufacturers could take this much further if they wanted to. In an ideal world (and at relatively limited cost) we should have a process where we "pair" batteries to bikes and "pair" batteries to chargers and "pair" displays to bikes. That way even if someone stole a bike they'd have to take the bike to a dealer to get it "paired" to a new charger or display, which would provide the opportunity to recover the stolen bike.

I use "pair" in the above paragraph in scare quotes because obviously you'd want to be able to switch batteries and chargers between bikes if you had more than one bike in your household. But the idea still holds.

You are assuming the thief intends to ride the bike. I assume they will black market the battery pack and throw the rest into an alley. I'm guessing their is a market for a $800 battery pack for $100.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

@rich c

Most batteries are locked to the bike and would require lock picking skills to get them off the bike without damaging the battery.

Plus in my scenario batteries would be paired to a given bike and you would need to go to a bike shop for the pairing process. So stolen batteries would also be recoverable and hence much less lucrative to steal. I agree that such a system would be cumbersome -- but it would be less cumbersome than dealing with bike theft.

 

[rich c]

@rich c

Most batteries are locked to the bike and would require lock picking skills to get them off the bike without damaging the battery.

Plus in my scenario batteries would be paired to a given bike and you would need to go to a bike shop for the pairing process. So stolen batteries would also be recoverable and hence much less lucrative to steal. I agree that such a system would be cumbersome -- but it would be less cumbersome than dealing with bike theft.

Takes about 15 seconds and a cordless drill to pick a lock.

 

[Bruce Arnold]

I carry in the pannier{s} one Kryptonite U lock which secures the back wheel to the frame and one Abus link lock to secure the front wheel to the frame and lastly a disc brake lock that has an audible alarm that I put on either the front or rear disc. It chirps once if someone touches the bike and then sounds a loud siren if they try to move it. Also since I've recently retired I usually am not too far away when out for a ride ie sitting in a coffee shop usually by a window if possible. And yes I use these locks when my electric fat bike and BionX equipped tadpole trike are in the locked garage as well.

Thanks for the tip about the disc brake lock with alarm. I'm looking into that. There are a couple of locations where I often park that something of this sort would be a useful addition to the arsenal.

 

[Deacon Blues]

I have a couple of Ottolocks for my road bike and ebike. Weight is not a big deal on an ebike, but it is on my road bikes, so the very light weight 120-235 grams (depending on length) is a big plus for me.
The lock is made up of multi-layers of steel and Kevlar, making it very hard to cut.
It's an expensive lock, but very cheap compared to the price of the bike.


https://ottodesignworks.com/shop/ottolock?field_product_type_value=ottolock

 

[Nova Haibike]

E-bike manufacturers could take this much further if they wanted to. In an ideal world (and at relatively limited cost) we should have a process where we "pair" batteries to bikes and "pair" batteries to chargers and "pair" displays to bikes. That way even if someone stole a bike they'd have to take the bike to a dealer to get it "paired" to a new charger or display, which would provide the opportunity to recover the stolen bike..

They could design the motor so that it locks without a key and the crank won't turn. Can't turn the crank, can't ride the bike.

 

[Dynamo Dan]

Does anyone bother to engrave their bike ?? Using an engraver to write your driving licence number on the frame makes the bike much harder for thieves to sell because the end buyer of the stolen bike will know that police can easily trace the bike back to original owner. Engrave your DL# on the frame next to where you position the U lock and also on top of the cross bar, where any prospective thief can see it. It costs nothing and is primarily a deterrent. Most police departments will lend you an engraver free of charge.
Also, police recover large numbers of stolen bikes. There is normally no way that they can prove the bike is stolen let alone return it to the owner. If they cannot prove it stolen, they have to return to stolen bike to the thief that was found in possession of it !! URRRRGGHH.
Obviously, you would only want to engrave a bike that you intend to keep for several years and not resell anytime soon. We need to take responsibility to protect the things we treasure.

 

[Over50]

Does anyone bother to engrave their bike ?? ...

But what if you decide to sell it and you have your license number engraved on the bike? I think I remember my dad engraving our info on our bikes when I was a kid so maybe a good idea. The bikes have serial numbers already so I've registered all of mine with Bike Index (a non profit):

https://bikeindex.org/

Being appreciative of what Bike Index is trying to do, I have also made donations. I think Chris @ Propel Bikes registered my R&M there when I purchased it and that is how I learned of it. I since have added all of my bikes to my registry.

There are other online organizations with whom you can register. From reading Bike Indexes stories of published recoveries, it sounds like shops and police departments check some of these sites. Also, my local police department has a registry. I haven't used that because I figure if my bike gets stolen I will report it right away and I have all of my records stashed away in multiple places such that I should have ready access to the serial number when reporting a theft. But I still may get around to registering it with the local P.D.

 

[Dynamo Dan]

But what if you decide to sell it and you have your license number engraved on the bike? I think I remember my dad engraving our info on our bikes when I was a kid so maybe a good idea. The bikes have serial numbers already so I've registered all of mine with Bike Index (a non profit):

https://bikeindex.org/

Being appreciative of what Bike Index is trying to do, I have also made donations. I think Chris @ Propel Bikes registered my R&M there when I purchased it and that is how I learned of it. I since have added all of my bikes to my registry.

There are other online organizations with whom you can register. From reading Bike Indexes stories of published recoveries, it sounds like shops and police departments check some of these sites. Also, my local police department has a registry. I haven't used that because I figure if my bike gets stolen I will report it right away and I have all of my records stashed away in multiple places such that I should have ready access to the serial number when reporting a theft. But I still may get around to registering it with the local P.D.

The problem with property marking websites is that they are at the whim of the good meaning individual who sets them up. There have been many of these websites that have come and gone because the work required to administrate them wears them down and there is not enough money coming in to make them a viable business. Your local Dept of Motor Vehicles will not disappear, the data is updated by them and virtually everyone has a DL.
The issue of selling the bike seems to be valid, but in reality all you have to do is engrave a new number next to the old. Even if you don't, the old number is still a deterrent and if the police recover it, they still have a starting point to tracing the bike back. "I don't own that bike anymore, I sold it to a guy called Bill. Hang on I might have his email address, phone number etc".
Glad to hear you have recorded your serial numbers. 99% don't. Serial numbers are unique like DL#s, unfortunately they are useless as a deterrent and no good whatsoever unless registered. Police departments to not have the resources to maintain indices of bike serial numbers. They will tell you record your frame number (which you already do), lock it up properly and engrave your DL# on the frame.

Nice job Brian

 

[Rakku]

If Im out, I always secure my bike with a Abus Bordo Big, its pretty compact and enough for leaving the bike for short periods of time.

No matter what, Im not leaving this bike out for a whole workday, even with the Abus.

Give a thief enough time and he will steal it, not matter how or with what you secure it.

 

[Barry S]

I would appreciate it if our local PD would run a bike theft sting every now and then in hopes of catching the more frequent offenders. They'd probably have one in custody before finishing their first donut. Of course, there's no revenue for the City in stopping a bike from being stolen, but there is a financial return if they write someone up for not registering their bike. Priorities.

 

[Barry S]

I found this article by the New York Times helpful when thinking about Bike Security. https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-bike-lock/

Good info but heavily weighted towards Kryptonite locks, which makes me suspicious. Even the runner-up was a Kryptonite lock.

It mentions they were able to drill out the hinge pins on the ABUS Folding Lock Bordo Granit X-Plus (link goes to Abus Bordo GRANIT X Plus 6500 on Amazon), but there's no mention of how long that took. I guess I'll need to do some additional research if the Bordo is going to stay on my Wish List.

 

[Leandro]

Some may consider it overkill, though I secure my bike with the following:

- ABUS Granit CityChain XPlus 1060
- ABUS Granit Extreme Plus 59
- Hexlox
- Velosurance

 

[Oliverjane]

Aside from buying a formidable lock, there are several additional precautions to help prevent scooter theft. Here are a few steps to further ensure your scooter remains safe:
- Avoid high-crime areas when locking up your scooter
- Lock your scooter to an immovable object, such as a light pole or bike rack
- Covering it will reduce the chances a thief spots it
- Install a tracker to help catch someone who does steal your scooter

 

[MartsEbike]

I tend to use 2 different locks at a min. Typically an ABUS Folding Lock and a Disk Lock. I also keep a large chain lock permanently at work to secure it for longer periods.

The main consideration is Location. I need to trust the location to even leave it for 5-10mins. If not, I carry on somewhere else - or I don't take the bike. You can have the best locks in the world, but if the location is poor, expect trouble.

Also a big worry so too speak, is someone trying to rob me while riding it. As a motorbike rider in London, you got use to keeping check while stopped at traffic lights because the thieving scum would turn up out of nowhere brandishing knives, demanding you hand over the bike or face the consequences. I'm 6'3, can handle myself well and consider myself quite "street savvy", but even I keep this in the back of my mind. Its hard to argue with a machete at your throat.

You're riding around on a bike sometimes worth 5-10k.... Its like a golden meal ticket on wheels to thieves, druggies and other low-life scum. Take precautions. Don't be naive. Don't stop for random strangers and just overall be careful. The risk is low, but it happens to hundreds if not thousands of people each year.