Electric bikes are objects of desire. Even more than a classic bike without electric assistance. Because of the higher resale price, the high value battery or the attractive electric motor, they are a prime target for two-wheeler thieves.
So how to buy a reliable model of lock? Where to attach your e-bike? In order to protect your mount effectively, discover Weebot's best advice on locks with our practical guide to fight against theft.
Essential accessory to protect your electric bike
The explosion in sales of electric bicycles is unfortunately accompanied by a new parallel and flourishing market: that of the resale of stolen bicycles.
Unlike the scooter and the motorcycle, the electric bike is light. In addition, it does not have a handlebar locking system and starts without a sound. The electrically assisted bicycle is therefore particularly easy to steal.
When buying an electric bike, it must therefore be protected against theft with a lock . But not all are equally effective. Let's take a look at how to prevent your motor vehicle from being stolen.
What to know about bike theft
First of all, here are the facts about bike theft in France:
- 9 out of 10 stolen bikes were improperly secured at the time of theft (due to a poor quality e-bike lock, or the wrong place where the bike was secured)
- a quarter of stolen bikes weren't even fastened at all
- One out of two thefts takes place in the common areas of buildings (courtyards or building halls). A place where you often forget to attach your electric bike, thinking it is safe from theft.
The theft of electric bikes, the main obstacle to purchases
It is estimated today that apart from the shortage of electric bicycles at the global level, theft participates in slowing down the expansion of the population to use this ecological and economical means of transport.
The other obstacle is the lack of safety on the road. But the latter tends to be erased by the creation of increasingly secure cycle paths such as the RER Vélo in Île-de-France.
However, theft is not inevitable. The decisive weapon is to systematically attach your bike by the frame with an adequate electric bike lock.
Mandatory bike engraving since 2021
To fight against theft but especially concealment of electric bikes, the French government has implemented the mandatory marking of new electric bikes when they are purchased. With a unique code, it is possible to find the address of the owner in case of theft.
You can sleep and already have your bike engraved if yours is not equipped with one. A tamper-evident and inexpensive label will act as a deterrent to thieves.
If you want to know more, Weebot recommends our blog article on this subject.
How to choose an electric bike lock?
Not all types of locks are created equal. Two criteria are mainly to be taken into account when choosing your security device. The solidity of a bike lock is the first criterion to know. Second, we advise you to read the various opinions of users and professionals in the sector. Because the most expensive is not necessarily synonymous with the best level of security.
For maximum protection of your e-bike, Abus U-locks are of the highest manufacturing quality. They are all indicated to protect your two wheels as effectively as possible.
The different types of electric bike locks
There is no e-bike lock that is vastly better than the others. Each protection device offers advantages but also disadvantages. You just have to find the lock that best suits your use of the electric bike.
Choosing a reliable, resistant and adapted to your use of electric bike lock model is not necessarily easy. Between the many brands on the market and the different types of protection, electric bike users are sometimes lost.
They are generally decked out in technical jargon that sometimes puts off the purchase of an electric bike lock. To avoid the headache, you've come to the right place and Weebot explains everything you need to have before buying an electric bike lock.
Chain locks
There are no chain locks specially designed for electric bicycles, but chains for bicycles with padlocks that are more or less resistant depending on the references. Generally made of hardened steel, this type of electric bike lock with padlock effectively and durably resists common brutal attacks such as sawing or bolt cutting.
If you choose this device against theft, be aware that chains with round links are easier to handle than chains with square links.
Disadvantage of the chain lock
- Heavier than other systems
- Not useful to have a chain longer than 120 cm
- The least obvious lock to carry
U-locks
U-locks for electric bikes ensure a high level of resistance to sawing, bolt cutting, picking, drilling... It is certainly the best way to secure an electric bike.
Not being foldable, it is however sometimes more complicated to transport. To do this, you need to invest in a fastening system inside the frame to be able to easily transport a U-lock.
Disadvantage of the chain lock
- Don't bend
- Must be accompanied by a fastening system for transport
Folding locks
A folding lock is generally a good compromise for securing your electric bike. It is convenient to use and also very easy to carry. It does not take up too much space fixed on a support at the level of the frame, or you can carry it in a bag or a pannier.
However, they offer a lower level of protection than U.
Disadvantages of the folding lock
- Less secure than a link or U-lock
- May scratch the e-bike frame with its straight edges
Cable locks
We can only advise against this solution ! A cable lock offers very little protection. It can very easily be cut by a basic wire cutter.
Also forget the serflex style cable locks . There are many tutorials on Youtube that demonstrate their ease of opening the lock system in just seconds.
Weebot's 5 tips before buying a better anti-theft device
To find out how to effectively protect your electric bike, here are our essential tips. But the first instinct to have is to attach your bike in ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!
Even for a few seconds, it is far too dangerous to leave your electric bike without a lock. Some thieves watch for electric bikes left short parked in front of shops, for example. They only need a few seconds to steal your bike.
1 - Choose the device that suits you
If the U-lock is often cited as the most effective protection, it is not always recommended depending on the attachment point of your bike. For example, if you usually attach your e-bike to a wide pylon, the U may not be wide enough to encircle it.
2 - Remove the battery if removable
An e-bike without a battery is immediately less attractive to a thief. That's why we urge you to keep a bike's removable battery with you as much as possible. Although a little heavy to carry sometimes, it will attract less covetousness.
3 - Choose an SRA Anti-Theft Device
Since 2018, and as part of anti-theft contracts, some insurance companies have asked their electric bike users to equip themselves with a better SRA-approved lock. But what is the SRA standard?
An SRA lock is a security device that has received approval from the SRA association after passing a battery of rather restrictive resistance tests.
SRA approval assures the user that this lock effectively resists brutal attacks such as bolt cutters, sledgehammers, sawing, picking or drilling. This is a way of ensuring that the security level of the device is of very high quality.
4 - Choose the right place where you attach your electric bike
As far as possible and to ensure optimal protection, fix the frame and the front wheel of your bike to a fixed point (post, tree, lamppost, etc.). But pay special attention to this fixed point. One of the latest theft techniques is to trap certain bike mounting points in such a way that they can be easily unscrewed or removed.
If the chosen attachment point is not fixed, your electric bike is certainly the target of an imminent theft. To maximize the protection of your two wheels, place your lock high up. A lock close to the ground is easier to handle for a thief alone. You can also place the lock towards the ground to make picking more complex.
5 - Add a GPS plotter
The last advice does not necessarily prevent the theft of a two-wheeler but above all allows you to be warned of the theft of your bike. There are more and more GPS tracker solutions to hide on an electric bike. Whether it's inside a rear light to add to the bike, in a saddle, or even better, as part of the bike, you could be notified live if your electric bike were to be moved.
It seems to be the anti-theft solution that offers the best peace of mind when you leave your electric bike unattended.
