SECURE YOUR E-BIKE CORRECTLY – SEVEN TIPS HOW TO PROTECT YOUR E-BIKE AGAINST THEFT


It goes without saying that anyone who owns an e-bike also wants to protect it well. Below, we have put together seven tips to help you better protect your e-bike against theft – from finding a safe place to park your e-bike and using special bicycle locks to tracking your e-bike digitally via GPS.

TIP #1 – FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PARK

If you want to park your e-bike, you should always look for a safe, easily visible place. Ideally, the place where you park your bike should be well-lit and relatively busy. This will make life harder for thieves and reduce the likelihood of your e-bike being stolen. It’s also good if the parking location is covered by security cameras. Another tip is to always park your e-bike at alternating locations. Thieves often work in stages and their first step is check out the places where their intended targets are located. If you alternate parking your e-bike here with somewhere else, you can thwart their planning stage.

TIP #2 – USE A BICYCLE STORAGE POINT OR GARAGE

It’s even better to store your e-bike safely in a bicycle garage. In more and more cities, local authorities are installing bicycle garages. The same applies to your home – If you have a garage for your e-bike, it is usually safer than leaving it outside. And a bicycle storage area in your home definitely offers more protection than a bicycle rack outside the front door.

TIP #3 – USE A GOOD BICYCLE LOCK

It’s one thing to park your e-bike in a safe place, but it’s even more important to use a suitable bicycle lock. There are now many different types of locks available on the market. Some manufacturers, such as ABUS, even offer special e-bike locks that can better protect your e-bike against theft. In any case, this is not an area where you should scrimp – security experts ABUS recommend spending up to ten per cent of the new price of an e-bike on a lock. On a practical note, most well-known bicycle lock manufacturers classify their models into different security levels. This makes it easier for you to see at first glance how secure a particular bicycle lock is. By the way, the Linka Linka FIT electronic frame lock will be available from 2023.

FIT Key Visual Rahmenschloss
FIT Key Visual Rahmenschloss

TIP #4 – USE A GPS TRACKER

When you attach a GPS tracker to your e-bike, you can always see where your bike is. This is a great way to find out if your bike is still where you left it, or whether it may have been stolen. There are various solutions on the market that enable you to track your bicycle. In addition, some e-bike manufacturers are equipping their models with GPS sensors in the factory.

TIP #5 – SECURE E-BIKE WITH KEY CARD

If you buy an e-bike with FIT integration, you will also receive a FIT Key Card. This contains a personal code that not only allows you to activate your e-bike in the FIT app, but also to unlock the keyless locking of your e-bike using the FIT Digital Key. This convenient feature allows you to lock all electrical components at once – another security feature. It’s also practical, as the FIT Key Card is your personal proof of ownership of your e-bike. This is useful, for example, if you have to report your e-bike as stolen.

FIT Key Card und Fernbedienung
FIT QR Code Card

TIP #6 – FIT AN ALARM

If you fit an alarm on your e-bike, it may scare a thief away. There are various alarm systems on the market, and some bicycle locks are already equipped with an alarm function. One of these is the ABUS 770A SmartX. Among other features, the smart bicycle lock features a 3D Position Detection function, which detects even the slightest movement. If the sensors register an attempted theft, the lock triggers an alarm tone that can rise to a deafening 100 decibels. That should scare off any potential thieves.

TIP #7 – TAKE OUT BICYCLE INSURANCE

If you take out bicycle insurance, you are covered in the event of theft. Although traditional household contents insurance also applies in some cases, it makes much more sense to have your own bicycle insurance, especially for more expensive bicycles such as e-bikes, as it includes more bike-specific coverage. It’s definitely worthwhile comparing insurance from several providers. In some cases, your own contents insurance may also offer an additional component for bicycles.

SECURE YOUR E-BIKE CORRECTLY – SUMMARY

As you can see: there are a wide range of ways to secure your e-bike correctly and park it safely. One thing is certain – if you have an e-bike, you should always take some precautions to protect it against theft. This includes finding a safe place to park, using a good bike lock and installing a GPS tracker. Installing an alarm system can also help protect your e-bike from thieves. If you have a bicycle garage, it’s usually more secure than leaving your bike outside. And last but not least, you should also take out bicycle insurance in order to be covered in the event of theft.

12.07.2022