Ebikes are growing in popularity, especially as concerns over the environment gain traction. People in cities and rural communities realize the cost-saving and environmental benefits of riding electric bikes for men and women over other more pollutant modes of transportation.
However, with the increase in demand comes the growing concern over men and womens electric bike security. After all, ebikes are not cheap. If you are interested in securing your new mode of transportation, then consider the following seven security measures.
1. Purchasing A Bike Lock
The most obvious thing to improve theft protection for your electric bike is to buy a bike lock. There are several cycle lock models on the market, but keep in mind that a lock is only as good as its application. If you do not apply a lock correctly, then it does little to prevent bicycle theft.
2. Positioning The Lock
For the most significant protection when using a bike lock, you want to place it around the main frame and at the lowest point. Also, make sure that when you lock the bike in place that the locking mechanism is pointing down. For added security, use more than one lock. Remember, when a bike thief comes around, they want to be in and out quickly. If you have multiple mechanisms protecting your bike, they will likely pass it up.
3. Selecting A Location
Do you know the area you will be locking your bike at? If not, consider talking to a local bike shop to find out about safe places to park. You likely want a place with good lighting and heavy foot traffic. The best place to park is somewhere you can still see your bike, but that is not always possible.
4. Removing Accessories
While accessories, like GPS and lights, make your bike more convenient, they also make it more appealing to would-be thieves. Most accessories are easy to remove, which means a thief does not need to spend time with complicated locks, as long as they have a standard hex screwdriver. You can prevent easy removal of accessories by replacing hex bolts with security hex screws, or if the attachment is easy enough to remove, take it with you.
5. Locking To A Permanent Object
People often make the mistake of locking their bikes to portable elements, like park benches. You want to find things that are cemented in place, like dedicated bike racks, light posts or any other permanent object.
6. Making Your Bike Look Less Appealing
Part of making your bike less appealing is removing expensive accessories. However, there are ways to make your bike appear less expensive and more basic to protect against criminals, like painting over bicycle logos with more generic-looking bike names.
7. Installing Theft Monitoring Devices
If you purchase an ebike, then consider installing GPS monitoring devices. You can also find motion sensor alarms and bike locks with alerts. Talk to a bike shop about your options.
Electric bikes are beautiful pieces of machinery, but they are pricey. You need to protect your investment from would-be criminals. Contact a local ebike dealer to discuss security options.