Locks, security, registering, battery etc!

[AliC]

Electric bike arrived yesterday Neomouv Carlina. Won't get a chance for a practice ride till the weekend. So questions!

What locks do you all use? I've been using a Onguard Pitbull U lock and an Abus Steel o Chain on my old non e-bike. One or both locks depending on where I'm parking the bike. Nearest supermarket has no bike racks, well only the ones where you can only secure your front or back wheel so the only option is to lock it round a post with the chain lock.

The battery is a rear mounted one. Could just about manage to lug it into my office but really wouldn't/couldn't manage a wander round town with it! Any way to make the battery more secure? It'll already have a double pannier over it.

Also bike security registration schemes - worth doing?

Thank-you

 

[cyclebuddy]

What locks do you all use?

It really depends where you live as to how security conscious you need to be. As a rule, I try never to leave my e-bikes anywhere unattended, but if I must I use a Sold Secure Gold rated Kryptonite New York D-lock. It's a crippling 4kg in weight to carry, but it's still only a few minutes defence against an angle grinder. Use as many different types of lock as you have/are able, leave the bike where it's easily seen, never leave it for too long, and never in the same place on a regular basis.

If food shopping, I take my folding e-bike and put the whole bike in the supermarket trolley along with my shopping. I really don't care if I look silly - I've had bikes stolen before. As a minimum, do that with your high-value battery and anything else that's easily removable/ looks bling (eg: display, lights etc).

I'd say yes, definitely register the bike on the national registers - it's free, and at least Plod will know where to return it to if it is ever stolen and recovered.

You really can't be too careful especially with a shiny new e-bike.

 

[matthewslack]

Electric bike arrived yesterday Neomouv Carlina. Won't get a chance for a practice ride till the weekend. So questions!

What locks do you all use? I've been using a Onguard Pitbull U lock and an Abus Steel o Chain on my old non e-bike. One or both locks depending on where I'm parking the bike. Nearest supermarket has no bike racks, well only the ones where you can only secure your front or back wheel so the only option is to lock it round a post with the chain lock.

The battery is a rear mounted one. Could just about manage to lug it into my office but really wouldn't/couldn't manage a wander round town with it! Any way to make the battery more secure? It'll already have a double pannier over it.

Also bike security registration schemes - worth doing?

Thank-you

Best security locks?

Just about to take delivery of my first ebike. What does everyone recommend for security locks. I'm looking for something which is not too have so can be carried in a backpack. Do you leave the battery attached or take with you? Richard

www.pedelecs.co.uk

A recent discussion.

 

[Nealh]

Chains are can be cut and offer mediocre security unless they are heavy duty with thicker then 16/18mm links. The Onguard are one of the better locks, they will resist a portable disc cutter for up to 2 mins.

This might give some you some ideas of how secure D locks are as they are regarded as the est option to use.
There is new heavy duty lock on the market at approx. £250 that is pretty much thief proof to quick cutting.

 

[AliC]

Thanks everyone.
I think the frustrating thing with the supermarket is that majority of the posts are so large the only thing you can use is a chain lock. I've tried contacting the local councillor and contacting the supermarket themselves. It's basically the equivalent to asking the car drivers to leave their doors unlocked! Well almost.
I've pointed out that cyclists can spend as much as a car driver but still nothing.

 

[matthewslack]

Thanks everyone.
I think the frustrating thing with the supermarket is that majority of the posts are so large the only thing you can use is a chain lock. I've tried contacting the local councillor and contacting the supermarket themselves. It's basically the equivalent to asking the car drivers to leave their doors unlocked! Well almost.
I've pointed out that cyclists can spend as much as a car driver but still nothing.

I think having a trailer helps, esp. if not too easy/obvious how to detach. And park visibly where fiddling is obvious to all around.

 

[stargazer30]

I have a cheap gtech for shop and lock duties. £500 2nd hand and it has a small 1.4kg bottle battery which I clip off and carry. Once the batteries off it’s worth £250 at most. Cable brakes, no fancy lights, or kit that can be scavenged. No gears on it either so low maintenance. Even so I use a gold secure lock too.

 

[Nealh]

I bought some cheap battery alarms for bikes on Aliexp, they were about £2 or £3 each and use a PP9. It bolts to the seat tube and is very visible and gives off a 120db alarm if the bike is tampered with, maybe enough to scare a toerag off but also if I'm in earshot I can be alerted.
If the shop hasn't got decent cycle furniture for locking a bike too with two D locks , it doesn't get my custom.

 

[AliC]

Thanks all.
At the moment I can't go out on it yet as I can't get the battery to lock

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

Thanks everyone.
I think the frustrating thing with the supermarket is that majority of the posts are so large the only thing you can use is a chain lock. I've tried contacting the local councillor and contacting the supermarket themselves. It's basically the equivalent to asking the car drivers to leave their doors unlocked! Well almost.
I've pointed out that cyclists can spend as much as a car driver but still nothing.

Are you saying that most supermarket posts are too thick to fit into this, which you might have mentioned?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Onguard-Pitbull-8005-Bike-Cable/dp/B00XAM0NYI

 

[AliC]

Are you saying that most supermarket posts are too thick to fit into this, which you might have mentioned?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Onguard-Pitbull-8005-Bike-Cable/dp/B00XAM0NYI

The posts are 85cm(!)circumference. The lamposts are a a lot smaller but can be in the way of people when you lock your bike round those

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

The posts are 85cm(!)circumference. The lamposts are a a lot smaller but can be in the way of people when you lock your bike round those

What madness is this? That's 27.06cm in diameter! Maybe anglegrinders have been grinding through thinner posts or something, might it be faster than grinding through a lock? Looks like we're gonna need a bigger D-lock! But do they exist?

Maybe chain three or four long D-locks together through each other, to go around the post? Heavy and expensive. I can't find any D-locks that wide. There are lots of long D-locks.

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[AliC]

I know - crazy size! I actually biked up there with a tape measure this morning and measured them(which probably didn't look at all odd)!

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

You should name and shame these cyclist hating supermarkets!

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

Like cyclebuddy, I take my folding bike in with me. Often there's a tray under the bigger shopping trolleys, I think it's intended for prams.

 

[Nealh]

My local Sainsburys and Aldi both have the Sheffield SS bike furniture.
My local lidl and Iceland are p**s poor they have no dedicated racks so I lock then to the SS trolley furniture.