Lock8, Skylock or Bitlock?

[Nichen]

Hello!

I am already beginning to dream about becoming an owner to the Focus Thorn Impulse E-bike with full suspension and a 17 Ah battery... Before I even think about owning a bicycle which is as expensive as this one, I really want to make sure I have the best possible protection for it available on the market (for a reasonable price). I am more and more convinced that GPS locks is the way to go. So far there seem to be 3 pretty good alternatives: Lock8, Skylock and Bitlock. They are supposed to be available some time during 2015. Which one do you think I should get?

 

[JoePah]

A guy on ES uses this bully lock and really likes it.. expensive..http://www.bullylocks.com/alarm_lock.html

And no disrespect to those crowdfunding lock designs, but if it were me I would not risk a $6k bike with some lock that has no reputation for resistance or durability.. All that high tech has yet to be independently tested and compared to known quality like Kryptonite... even though it may have certs..

I would buy the biggest baddest Kryptonite lock out there first.. then play with a bluetooth lock as a secondary.

 

[Noreen]

I almost got that bully lock - but did not. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do What I use on my Stromer is a combination of Kryptonite and PitLock. I put a PitLock on the stem, but they do not have one for the larger bolts used in the wheels. I also wanted a seat post PitLock, but again it wasn't going to fit. So, I use an Abus for the wheels and a Kryptonite w/cable for my saddle. Honestly, it's sort of a messy and time consuming process to lock/unlock. Always open to new ideas.

 

[biknut]

I'm planning to buy one of these discreet GPS trackers for my bike, to be used in concert with a cable lock. If a thief wants your bike bad enough any lock can be defeated. If the thief is not discouraged by your lock he's going to get your bike. If your GPS is part of the lock, that's probably all you'll find by the time you get to where your bike was.

My thinking is besides being the antitheft devise, your lock can also act as a sort of a decoy. Let the thief think he's defeated your antitheft measures, while your stealth GPS tracker is pinpointing your bikes position.

How you decide to proceed after that is your business.

http://www.ebay.com

 

[George S.]

I'm planning to buy one of these discreet GPS trackers for my bike, to be used in concert with a cable lock. If a thief wants your bike bad enough any lock can be defeated. If the thief is not discouraged by your lock he's going to get your bike. If your GPS is part of the lock, that's probably all you'll find by the time you get to where your bike was.

My thinking is besides being the antitheft devise, your lock can also act as a sort of a decoy. Let the thief think he's defeated your antitheft measures, while your stealth GPS tracker is pinpointing your bikes position.

How you decide to proceed after that is your business.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Spy-Bicycle-GPS-Tracker-GPS-GSM-GPRS-Quad-Band-Real-time-Tracking-GPS305-MA075/251792183124?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=20140602152332&meid=66e7ebaa02e64c9e8a688dfa64d5c482&pid=100011&rk=1&rkt=10&mehot=es&sd=281512906066

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27282947/can-technology-stop-scourge-bicycle-thefts

Some of these guys are organized and will figure out whatever comes along. I guess my advice is go bet a beat up bike at the thrift store, put a cheap hub motor on it, and really mess up how you make it look.

"You'd steal this?! This piece of #@#$

 

[biknut]

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27282947/can-technology-stop-scourge-bicycle-thefts

Some of these guys are organized and will figure out whatever comes along. I guess my advice is go bet a beat up bike at the thrift store, put a cheap hub motor on it, and really mess up how you make it look.

"You'd steal this?! This piece of #@#$

There's actually a lot of wisdom in this approach. In the concrete jungle I live in this is exactly the strategy a lot of my fellow bicyclers employ. The most experienced, and prolific among them, all ride nice bikes that look crappy.

 

[JoePah]

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27282947/can-technology-stop-scourge-bicycle-thefts

Some of these guys are organized and will figure out whatever comes along. I guess my advice is go bet a beat up bike at the thrift store, put a cheap hub motor on it, and really mess up how you make it look.

"You'd steal this?! This piece of #@#$

Yeah anyone stuck riding their bike in the city shouldn't be leaving an expensive bike out for the wogs to chop at it..They can get thru anything. I get all my bikes painted and shiny and looking perfect with great running gear.. Of course I living in the burbs of Miami so not too worried.

 

[Nichen]

Thanks guys for great advice.....I guess the best combo would be to be a cheap ugly city E-bike for town and a great looking clean expensive one for those rare roadtrips to more rural areas which you ALWAYS park in your apartment

 

[George S.]

I was trying to figure out if there is anything practical to do, looking around the web.

The U lock seems to be the best bet:

Some 'experts' say they recover a lot of bikes, but 90% of those never get back to the original owners. If you have a stamped serial number, definitely take a picture of it, and take pictures of anything that identifies the bike, as uniquely as possible. You actually have to prove it is your bike, if it is recovered. Unless the police report has a very easy identification point for the bike, you will never know it was recovered. You might have to go look through recovered bikes.

 

[biknut]

 

[sukeiasa]

just saw this on kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fuzdesigns/noke-u-lock-worlds-smartest-u-lock?ref=nav_search

still trying to figure out which lock to get for my path+

 

[Ann M.]

Artwork or act of desperation?!!

 

[Bill Huang]

Another project on kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/445013122/kadalock-connected-security-ensured
A lock mounts on bottle cage

 

[EULITTLB]

@sukeiasa thanks for the heads up, what a fantastic product!

 

[PowerMe]

Duck tape ---> available now in any color you want for under $10!

It's kind of ironic to suggest that someone on an eBike specific forum obtain a beater-bike to ride so that no one will want to steal it. That's the antithesis to the whole point of this board.

Get a couple different locks (Heavy Duty U Lock and heavy chain 12mm+ with a heavy padlock) all of which exist now. Also there's a tip by those who are in cities where theft is a problem to put some wax or putty in the holes where an allen wrench would be used and then put in a ball bearing on top of that. The ball bearing will have to be wrestled out with a sharp implement when one needs to remove a component. That seems to work to thwart thiefs and keep them from components. Replace any quick release item with a real bolt, if possible. Basically lock up everything that someone can take.

Who knows when those other 3 high tech devices will come out...we've seen crowdfunding campaigns deliver their goods quite late. I'd sure like a high tech device, but I'm not willing to pay over $150 for one.

 

[EULITTLB]

The Noke is $99 with an optional $18 for the keyfob - the alarm is genius imho, drawing attention to the would-be-thief. I thought it was good value

 

[J.R.]

I really like the Abus Bordo Granit X-Plus 6500.

Get the strongest lock needed for your area, apparently in big cities no one really cares.

 

[EULITTLB]

Thanks for the heads-up @J.R. - maybe used in conjunction with an alarm this would be a decent solution.

 

[PowerMe]

The Abus folding lock is very cool and portable, but it's not all that secure in terms of the ratings. It would be fine in a very safe area where you're hanging out for coffee, but I wouldn't trust my bike for hours with just this one lock.

 

[J.R.]

The Abus folding lock is very cool and portable, but it's not all that secure in terms of the ratings. It would be fine in a very safe area where you're hanging out for coffee, but I wouldn't trust my bike for hours with just this one lock.

There is a little truth in that statement because it's incomplete. The lesser Abus Bordo locks are lighter and less secure, that's why I've consistently noted: Abus Bordo Granit X-Plus 6500. There are 8 Bordo models, the 6500 has the highest rating in both the US and Europe, Abus gives it it's highest rating 15 of 15 and counts it among its highest security locks. I own several Kriptonite locks and a couple lesser brands and the Abus 6500 is the best lock I own. My ebike is on the street (under cover) all day every day, out of my sight and so far I trust it*.

*My opinion is subject to change if my bike is ever stolen.