Lock Suggestions and Security for Ebikes

[Admin]

Hi guys! Over the years, I've had an opportunity to speak with all sorts of different bike shops about what locks they carry. Recently, I decided to film a short video and create a guide for u-locks, folding locks, chains, and locking hardware where we explain when to use which sorts... but I'd love your individual feedback about what has worked. My guide is posted here and I embedded the video below for you to watch.

I'm very excited to see more alarm locks, devices with text message alerts, and GPS tracking. I heard about some Indiegogo and Kickstarter campaigns over the past couple of years but haven't seen the devices in person. Have any of you tried them? What do you guys use to lock your bikes up? Here's another guide I made about how to use a u-lock and two cables to fully secure a bike with quick release parts.

 

[Diver4242]

Any updates on this topic? I watched the video and it was a bit disheartening and affecting my decision to buy an ebike since I live in NJ and I've had a motorcycle stolen before by someone just putting it in the back of a truck, locked wheels/frame and all. I don't want to carry a heavy assortment of locks to lock down the wheels, frame, seat, etc every time I have to run to the grocery store or something. Considering a Magnum Metro if there's any brand-specific options. The smart locks with a motion sensing alarm and app notification sounded good though, have any good ones come to fruition yet?

 

[Over50]

Any updates on this topic? ...

I've had my LBS watching for the Abus alarm lock (folding) ... just asked them about it the other day but they seem strangely silent. Apparently haven't been able to get any news or updates from the distributor. I think it was supposed to be available in the USA early 2018 but so far no news ...

 

[Mr. Coffee]

The lock picking lawyer on youtube is either awesome or depressing, depending on your point of view:

Abus Bordo 5700 Bike Lock Picked and Bypassed

What I get from that is that you shouldn't assume that any lock, no matter how well-thought of, is secure.

 

[Nova Haibike]

JMHO, a lock with an alarm is a gimmick. You can see videos on YouTube of bicycles being stolen in broad daylight with people just ignoring the thief who is obviously cutting the lock. It is no different than car alarms...for the most part people either tune it out or ignore it.

 

[J.R.]

The lock picking lawyer on youtube is either awesome or depressing, depending on your point of view:

Abus Bordo 5700 Bike Lock Picked and Bypassed

What I get from that is that you shouldn't assume that any lock, no matter how well-thought of, is secure.

I've yet to see him or anyone pick or cut the Abus Bordo Granit X Plus 6500. I know an angle grinder can cut it with a little time. Bolt cutters won't. With all the cutting and picking done on YouTube I still haven't seen the 6500 defeated. Maybe it costs too much to just destroy for a YouTube video.

That's the lock I use. I'm not delusional to think it's impregnable, just the heaviest, best folding lock Abus makes.

 

[Barry S]

I've yet to see him or anyone pick or cut the Abus Bordo Granit X Plus 6500. I know an angle grinder can cut it with a little time. Bolt cutters won't. With all the cutting and picking done on YouTube I still haven't seen the 6500 defeated. Maybe it costs too much to just destroy for a YouTube video.

That's the lock I use. I'm not delusional to think it's impregnable, just the heaviest, best folding lock Abus makes.

I've got this one on my Amazon Wish List. All you can hope for is to slow down the thief enough to catch him mid-cut.

 

[J.R.]

I've got this one on my Amazon Wish List. All you can hope for is to slow down the thief enough to catch him mid-cut.

I've been using the 6500 for almost 4 years and either nobody wants my stuff or it's working. That's the problem with locks, one doesn't know if what they're doing is enough until it isn't. Too late!

One measure I take is to lock the bike at a rack. Maybe that betters the odds that a thief will like something else, or easier to steel. Another is many municipal buildings with bike racks have good security cameras at the rack. That could help the police, might serve as a deterrent and could be helpful with an insurance claim.

 

[Barry S]

I've been using the 6500 for almost 4 years and either nobody wants my stuff or it's working. That's the problem with locks, one doesn't know if what they're doing is enough until it isn't. Too late!

One measure I take is to lock the bike at a rack. Maybe that betters the odds that a thief will like something else, or easier to steel. Another is many municipal buildings with bike racks have good security cameras at the rack. That could help the police, might serve as a deterrent and could be helpful with an insurance claim.

I usually ride from home to work and back w/o stops and keep my bike indoors at both locations. However, there are times when I would like to run in the store real quick on the way home and this lock should do the trick. Now, when I actually get my first ebike I'll probably be even more paranoid. Stores should let us bring our bikes inside. They're not any wider than a shopping cart, all the wheels work on mine and I've got my own basket too.

 

[J.R.]

I usually ride from home to work and back w/o stops and keep my bike indoors at both locations. However, there are times when I would like to run in the store real quick on the way home and this lock should do the trick. Now, when I actually get my first ebike I'll probably be even more paranoid. Stores should let us bring our bikes inside. They're not any wider than a shopping cart, all the wheels work on mine and I've got my own basket too.

I have taken my bike into the grocery store. If it's not caked in mud I don't think anyone will say a word, especially if you're a regular customer. The worse they can say is leave, in other words: leave and don't spend any money here! I know a guy that takes his bike and Burley Travoy into the grocery store. As you say it doesn't take up anymore room than a cart.

 

[Barry S]

I have taken my bike into the grocery store. If it's not caked in mud I don't think anyone will say a word, especially if you're a regular customer. The worse they can say is leave, in other words: leave and don't spend any money here! I know a guy that takes his bike and Burley Travoy into the grocery store. As you say it doesn't take up anymore room than a cart.

Sounds like the start of a campaign: "Bikes Welcome!" Oh, wait...that's already taken.

 

[AguassissiM]

I've yet to see him or anyone pick or cut the Abus Bordo Granit X Plus 6500.

@J.R.
Have a look , spoiler alert: you will not like it.

 

[J.R.]

@J.R.
Have a look , spoiler alert: you will not like it.

Someone finally did it! I don't dislike it, information is always helpful. You'd have a quicker, easier time with a battery powered angle grinder. You could never put that kind of torque on that nut splitter with a free standing lock at the bike rack. It was moving the vice. The video shows how tough that lock is!

 

[rich c]

I've been using the 6500 for almost 4 years and either nobody wants my stuff or it's working. That's the problem with locks, one doesn't know if what they're doing is enough until it isn't. Too late!

One measure I take is to lock the bike at a rack. Maybe that betters the odds that a thief will like something else, or easier to steel. Another is many municipal buildings with bike racks have good security cameras at the rack. That could help the police, might serve as a deterrent and could be helpful with an insurance claim.

Help the police? You actually think they will allocate resources to catch a bike thief?

 

[Over50]

JMHO, a lock with an alarm is a gimmick...

Maybe but I think the value of adding an alarm to the lock might be circumstantial. I've seen the videos you refer to which were NYC. In my case I lock at a public rack in front of our office building and the area is frequented by employees on smoke break. Some of whom know me and know which bikes are mine. I think if the alarm attracted their attention and I was not the one messing with the bike then they would probably notify me or intervene. We also have building security personnel not too far away. So I think in my case and in my circumstance an alarm on my lock might add some value.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

One of the things I have thought about is that for electric bikes there is a decent mitigation that should help recover your bike. If somebody steals your bike and doesn't have the charger or batteries for that bike to be useful someone would eventually have to purchase batteries and/or a charger.

I would assume that most people who steal a bike or purchase a stolen bike wouldn't be that technically sophisticated so they would probably go to a dealer for that brand of bicycle or try to contact the manufacturer directly to order batteries and charger.

It would be great if manufacturers kept a registry of stolen bikes and would ask for your bikes serial number when ordering a new charger or batteries (this makes sense anyway since models change from year to year and there can be compatibility issues with batteries and chargers). That could give you, the victim of a bike theft, a way to recover your bike and possibly bust the thief who stole your bike in the first place.

 

[Manu]

I have the abus bordo granit X PLUS 6500 more wire for seat and front wheel hooked on its ends to the granit 6500.

My seat and wheels are quick closing.

You do not need tools to take them.

Minute 6.31

AguassissiM
I have seen the video and in reality there is no grip by a work table.

you have to apply so much force.
you break the bike.

Only torch and machine with metal disc.
acid?
liquid nitrogen?


Most robberies are sporadic in 10 minutes by noobs.

Professionals with tools few

 

[John from Connecticut]

I've yet to see him or anyone pick or cut the Abus Bordo Granit X Plus 6500. I know an angle grinder can cut it with a little time. Bolt cutters won't. With all the cutting and picking done on YouTube I still haven't seen the 6500 defeated. Maybe it costs too much to just destroy for a YouTube video.

That's the lock I use. I'm not delusional to think it's impregnable, just the heaviest, best folding lock Abus makes.

I'm a big fan of the Lock Picking Lawyer on YouTube as well. I've spent quite a bit of time learning about bike security and what I've
learned, if someone wants a bike bad enough they will get it, using some sort of a brute force attack.

I can't see the average or even above average street thug etc picking a lock when there are many effective and quick
brute force attack tools available....Not counting an angle grinder, There's a Ramset, a Slide Hammer and the ratchet
driven open ended nut splitter.

What I've also learned is that since any lock can be brute force breached, what we're doing by buying something good is either buying time so the unprepared thug starts and moves on, or simply choosing another victims bike. The problem with the second scenario is because of the
value of our e-bikes most other bikes are 'chump change' which gets us back to the first scenario. Buy the biggest, baddest lock
or locks.

By the way the Lock Picking Lawyer did test the Abus Bordo Grait X Plus 6500 and I've posted the link below....And no I'm not going to spoil
the video by telling the outcome of the test : )

John from CT

 

[J.R.]

I'm a big fan of the Lock Picking Lawyer on YouTube as well. I've spent quite a bit of time learning about bike security and what I've
learned, if someone wants a bike bad enough they will get it, using some sort of a brute force attack.

I can't see the average or even above average street thug etc picking a lock when there are many effective and quick
brute force attack tools available....Not counting an angle grinder, There's a Ramset, a Slide Hammer and the ratchet
driven open ended nut splitter.

What I've also learned is that since any lock can be brute force breached, what we're doing by buying something good is either buying time so the unprepared thug starts and moves on, or simply choosing another victims bike. The problem with the second scenario is because of the
value of our e-bikes most other bikes are 'chump change' which gets us back to the first scenario. Buy the biggest, baddest lock
or locks.

By the way the Lock Picking Lawyer did test the Abus Bordo Grait X Plus 6500 and I've posted the link below....And no I'm not going to spoil
the video by telling the outcome of the test : )

John from CT

That's the video we were discussing a few posts back, @AguassissiM posted.

 

[J.R.]

I found this video when I was shopping for new locks several years ago. Best practices.

I don't go to those extremes. I think I would if I lived in a major city. I do use cables, in a similar way, for the second wheel and saddle and attached to the Abus 6500. Note the tamper resistant hardware shown. He needs an ebike just to carry the weight