How to Keep Your Electric Bike from Being Stolen

Crime is on the rise in most major cities. Don’t let your electric bike be a victim in this surge in criminal activity. Bikes are one of the top personal items to be stolen as they are typically left out in the open with no one watching over them. 

An electric bike is a prime target for theft as it's of more value than a typical bike and there are few ways to trace the location of it once it's stolen. Serial numbers are mostly useless unless you have a tracking device installed and can locate the stolen bike to claim it.

An e-bike is a lot heavier than a regular bike but the added weight won’t be enough to deter a committed thief. The increased cost/value of an electric bike makes it worth it to the thief to deal with the increased weight issue.

So what are some steps and pointers to protect your e-bike from theft? Here are a couple we would advise. Some of them may seem like common sense but often times these are the issues that are overlooked when one is focused on the ride and less on theft.

Know Your Area Where You Will be Riding

Know your surroundings. If you're going for a ride in areas you’ve never been or don’t know much about do a quick online search for crime statistics in the area. Some areas are safer than others and vs versa. Location matters.

Keep your eyes out for homeless people or vagrants. This will instantly give you insight into if it's a bad area or not. If you have a certain location that you are traveling to, give a quick call there to find out if they might have or know of a bike rack that you can lock you bike up at.

Secure the Bike in A Heavily Traffic Area

Thieves try to avoid people. When out and about, secure the e-bike in a well lite heavily traveled area. Lots of foot traffic and lighting, especially at night will be a hindrance to a thief.

Look for where other bikes might be secured as well. Large numbers of secured bikes mean that other people might be watching their bike and therefore yours as well. If possible, secure your bike inside instead of outside.

Keep Sight of Your Secure Bike

Secure the bike within eyesight if possible. Going in for a quick cup of coffee? Make sure your bike is secured where you can easily see it out a window or from the door. It takes time to steal a locked bike. You have time when a thief begins to steal for a quick dash outside.

Double Lock Your Electric Bike

We strongly recommend using 2 bike locks to secure your e-bike. A U lock is the strongest and virtually impossible to take off without the key. Put this through the bike stand post and through your frame. 

Use a carbon steel cable lock to wrap around the bike stand, post and wheels as well. Sometimes thieves only steal the wheels as they are quick and easy to get off.

Install a GPS Tracking Device on Your Electric Bike

If you’ve spent thousands on your e-bike, its well worth it to buy and install a GPS tracking device on it. There are many different types and brands. Your bike manufacturer might even sell one for your model.

This is where having the serial number can really pay off. Write it down on a piece of paper or your cell phones notes. Once you have located the stolen bike with the tracking, contact the police and give them your serial number to prove that it is indeed your bike.

Using some common sense strategies and securing your bike in the right location goes a long way in making sure its not stolen. Your electric bike might be one of the most valuable personal items you have, make sure you don’t leave it open to theft.