Can We Really Prevent the E-bike Theft?
 

When it comes to the e-bike theft, almost everyone is worried, angry or heartbroken, which has become a daily concern in the lives of e-bikers.

For this, various sorts of tips are provided, like using more than one lock; keeping your e-bike under the watchful eye of a group member, etc. To some degree, these tips can make your bike look like less of an easy target and will do some help.

However, can we really prevent the e-bike theft? According to the police officers，thieves have refined their bike stealing. some thieves can use a small metal pipe to break the Kryptonite U-Lock. Robbers also spray locks with Frion to freeze the metal and then smash them with a hammer.But most bikes are stolen simply because they are not locked up correctly, police officials say.

Actually, "no effective way to prevent" the e-bike theft but at least you can reduce the chance of being stolen.

Is there a question in there somewhere?

All locks can be defeated, some more easily than others. Locking your bike merely encourages the thief to choose a different bike, but that doesn't always work.

A sufficiently motivated thief will relieve you of your bicycle, whether it is electric or not.

Over my lifetime so far, I've had 4 bikes stolen from me, two were my BMX bikes when I was early teen.
Since 2013, I've been commuting with bicycles & ebikes in NYC metro, two bikes were stolen from my basement when someone broke in the building.
I rarely lock up my bike or ebike when I'm out riding, I always keep bike within eyesight.
I use rubber bands on brake level as parking brake so thieves wouldn't be able to just walk away with it easily.
I do hear more and more bicycle/ebike theft/robbery incidents since the pandemic.
If I really need to leave a bike out of my sight, I usually take the front wheel off the bike and take it with me when I walk away from the bike.
Small/short cable lock around the rear wheel, seat rail & frame usually in addition of the missing front wheel usually deter the thieves enough.
IME, best way to deter bike theft, just keep bike within eyesight.

If I need to leave my bike unlocked to quickly go into a convenience store, I'll sometimes drop the chain off the front chain rings, as well as shift the RD and few cogs but not rotate the cranks. This should at least cause them to not be able to ride off quickly, and hopefully just give up. It won't stop the bike from being thrown into the back of a pickup, I have no quick solution for that, other than a lock, but we all know how that goes. Thankfully I've never had to lock my bike up for prolonged periods of time.

Take a look at the Altor SAF. Can't cut it in a reasonable amount of time and is virtually pick proof. Another good choice is the Hiplock D-1000.

My neurotic take on that lock - once the thief realizes the futility of trying to defeat it, they take the angle grinder to the bike itself! Thief: "If I can't steal it, the owner can't ride it!"

Bless us never meet a full-prepared thief.:hug:

So smart are you. It's always the right thing to keep the e-bike within eyesight.

Yeah, that sounds helpful. If really needed a long time, maybe we can keep the e-bike at home or garage or a place of someone you can trust.

emmmm...yeah...it would happen sometimes. But you'd better not leave your e-bike alone for a long time. Leave the thief no chance of stealing.

That's a major reason I went to folding bikes. My Bike Friday never leaves my hand, whether I have it set up with the motor or not. No stress or angst, worth every penny. I bought a second hand cheap single speed folder for those times when I know I will absolutely have to lock up - and I I just removed my OneMotor drive system and take that with me. I know the trend is towards bigger range/bigger battery ebikes, but there's a real advantage is smaller systems in terms of theft. Removable modular systems where you can just carry small 130wh
extra batteries in your bags and take them and the motor with you when you lock up. Those big machines are great for recreational riding where you don't leave the bike, but for commuting they are just theft fodder.

Always appreciate your comments. I'm in the recreational camp, so don't leave my bike. When we go on vacation, it's MTB (no "e"), so any loss would be easier to assimilate. Seems as though individuals who camp are more trustworthy based on these experiences.

What would being an e-bike have to do with preventing theft? It isn't as if methods to curtail the theft of any other bike wouldn't work on an e-bike. Call me a cynic but it seems like the OP is making these posts to promote their product when you google their username.

I think the issue is that getting your ebike stolen is likely going to be way more costly than most traditional bikes owned by average users (those with super expensive regular bikes probably don't lock them up). With ebikes you lose the bike+motorization, which is more expensive. And as they get more popular, they'll get stolen more often :-(.

Also, I guess, with an e-bike and more power, folks can drag along heavier protection in the form of chains and hefty locks.

I recently added a motion sensor but have not really had an opportunity to use it since I try to not leave the bike unprotected.

My most recent neurotic episode is after a overnight car trip on the return home we decided to visit an art gallery. With the bike on the rear rack I used the rack's cable, a chain and a u-lock. It was parked across the street from the gallery and down half a block. I could not get comfortable and kept hitting the windows to look at my bike. It was unnerving! That was a rather large wad of money hanging out there and I still don't know the practical method of dealing with it.

Although, my other, custom titanium is probably just as costly and I feel the same way about securing it.

My wife had her MTB stolen from in front of the house while we were watching a football game (10 AM - 1 PM) recently. It was locked on a Thule rack with a Kryptonite lock incorporated into the rack. They just cut the cable and grabbed it. Until then we had always just left our MTB's locked on the rack without a problem. Seems like the crooks are more desperate now. The story had a happy ending since our friends sold her a much better replacement very reasonably (They wanted to just give it to her, but we wouldn't let them).

I have accepted that if someone wants your bike, they are going to get it. Even u locks with two locking ends are pretty easy with a portable angle grinder. I completely HATE the stress of wondering if my bike will be there when I return. But the stress is a lot less when it's only my $200 beater folder. If that got taken, I'd be pissed and probably have to put some real effort into finding another cheaper decent folder beater, but I'd shrug it off pretty quickly as the cost of living around other people. So I can lock it up and not worry. If you've got a nice bike you don't lock it up, anywhere, unless you're willing to lose it. My Bike Friday sleeps in the house, not the garage.

Bike theft has been going on for as long as there have been bicycles to steal. My first good 10-speed bike was stolen in 1971 when a thief cut the cable locking it to a post. Now with more expensive bikes being used today there is even more incentive for people to steal them.

The only solution is to keep the bikes out of sight, either inside a vehicle or inside a building. Leave a bike outdoors and it will get stolen. If you cannot bring a bike indoors then better to buy a cheap used bike that you can afford to lose. One of the local bike shops is selling old mountain bikes that are in good condition for $250 each. I can buy two of these for less than the cost to insure one of my e-bikes for a year.

A few years ago I had a customer who wanted to buy a really nice new bike for his son to take with him to college that fall. We talked for a while and I told him I would be very glad to sell him a good bike because he would be back to buy a replacement for it after it was stolen in the first couple weeks of school. I explained about the theft problems at the school and suggested he go to the local bike co-op, buy his son a rusty 1980s vintage Schwinn or Raleigh that was mechanically sound. He could leave the beater anywhere and still be riding it when he was a senior. He took my advice. Cost me a good sale, but I kept a good repeat customer for bikes for the rest of the family still at home.

I think the OP question should be "Can we really prevent any bike theft?" I've sold a lot of fancy locks that will slow down or discourage the casual thief, but if somebody really wants that bike and you are not physically there, they will find a way to beat any lock. I can't get my bike into my car, so I have to carry it on a Saris trunk mount with simple cable and padlock security - if I make any stops I keep the bike in sight. When I transport it to a trailhead, I even remove the Saris rack and put it in the car because they can be easily removed, even with the trunk locked.

Locally we have had bikes stolen from porches and opened garages. They were low-hanging fruit. A lot of theft is enabled by carelessness.

Yeah, considering this, folding bike would be a better choice.

That sounds reasonable. Thanks for your great sharing.

Good ideas! Thanks for your insight.

concealed air tag on your bike. It won't prevent it from being taken... but increases your odds that you may be able to find it.

Nice! Always stay alert and remember to protect our MTBs as well as other belongings.

But how did it work?