Your Guide to Electric Bike Locks
Dec 04, 2011
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So you have spent a lot of money on your electric bike but what about protecting it? Some members of the Electric Bike Report community recently asked me about locks for electric bikes so I put together this guide to locks and tips on how to keep your e-bike safe.
Getting a bike stolen is no fun but if you practice the right techniques you can rest a little easier and feel confident that your bike is safe.
Here are some locks that I recommend:
Strong Locks Profile: Your city or town is a place with lots of bicycle theft (New York City, San Francisco, etc.) and you don’t mind carrying a heavy lock.
I have been using the ABUS folding locks for a while and they do a good job of providing a tough lock that is relatively small. Check out my review of the ABUS Granit Bordo X Plus Lock and ABUS Bordo Big Lock.
I also recommend the combination of the U-lock with a cable or chain because this can make locking your e-bike to anything (bike parking, sign post, tree, etc.) easy and secure. If you just get a U-lock it maybe harder to find something to lock your bike to because the U-lock has a relatively small inner dimension.
Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboutit Lock
I like the name of this one: Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboutit. This is a heavy duty chain with small U-lock that I think would make a thief Fahgettaboutit! Seriously, this lock will make any thief walk right by your e-bike and go after an easier target. NOTE: this is a very heavy lock!
Abus Granit Steel-O
Abus Granit Steel-O-Flex Armor Key Bicycle Lock: This lock is pretty compact and flexible but built tough. It may not look as touch as the Fahgettaboutit but it is easier to carry around (much lighter!).
Medium Duty Locks Profile: Your city or town has some bike theft issues but you probably don’t need the toughest lock.
Kryptonite Evo Mini-7 with 4-Foot Flex Lock
Kryptonite Evo Mini-7 with 4-Foot Flex Lock. This is a relatively light weight and small U-lock and cable combo that will work well to keep your e-bike safe and secure. It also seems to be a good value for the combo.
OnGuard Rottweiler 5023 Lock
OnGuard Rottweiler 5023 Bicycle Armored Bicycle Cable Lock. Here is an all in one cable lock that can hold its own in a rough neighborhood.
Just the Basic Lock Profile: Your city or town has very little bike theft and you just need a lock to make it hard for a thief to ride off with your e-bike.
OnGuard Akita 5041 Lock
OnGuard Akita 5041 Bicycle Combination Cable Lock. I like simple cable combination locks for light security. They are lightweight and easy to use.
Delta Hublox Wheel Quick Release Replacements
Locks for your wheels and seat post: You may be able to lock your frame to something but you may not be able to lock both wheels. Wheels with quick release axles make it really easy for a thief to grab your wheel. Delta makes an axle system that can help with that.
Please note that most electric bikes have one wheel with axle nuts (secure) because of the motor, so you may only need the quick release axle replacement for one wheel.
Seat posts generally have a quick release for easy adjustment and theft! I recommend having the quick release replaced with a screw. Your local bike shop can help you with this and it is a quick and inexpensive way to save your seat and seat post.
Of course if a thief is serious they will have the tools to take whatever they want off of your bike 🙁
That’s it for locks for your electric bike. Check out this article on tips on how to keep your e-bike safe and secure.
Do you have any comments or questions about these locks? Do you own one of these locks; if so what do you think of them? Please leave your comments or questions below.
Thanks!
-Pete
P.S. Don’t forget to join the Electric Bike Report community for updates from the electric bike world, plus ebike riding and maintenance tips.
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Hi Pete! Thanks for this perfect overview! 🙂 May I take your post 1:1 to my blog ebikeee.com (of course with the correct source link)? Thanks, Akos
Hi Akos,
Thanks! And yes you can repost on your site. Please share this information with as may people as you can.
Pete
I look foprward to the next article on “keeping your ebike safe”. I ride into Philadelphia but won’t do anything where I have to leave my ebike – a BionX add-on kit – parked for more than 30 minutes out of my sight. I U-lock the frame and the expensive rear wheel which containes the motor and then use a cable lock to secure the front wheel. I take battery with me, but there are still too many vulnerable components on the bike – especially the “console” on the handlebars that is the system’s interface that can be removed with a screwdriver and costs about $150 to replace
The next article on keeping your ebike safe will be posted tomorrow. It sounds like you are taking some good precautions to keep your ebike safe.
[ Locks keep honest people Out], BRASS PLAQUE on side of display case facing the owner of a Lock Shop. If you want to keep your e-bike, buy a folding Dahon 20″ Wheel base customized with a 350 watt Bionx motor, paired with a Burley folding Trovley trailer will hold approx. 60 lbs. of groceries properly packed* allowing you to take the bike with you for shopping, appointments etc. Fold the bike and cart, toss in the grocery cart and your on your way, no worries, home fold it, take inside, compact for apartments or houses. This is the best advice I can give you if you want a long and happy relationship with your e-bike. Sincerely the bicycle nut. :^D
Good point Raymond! It is true that you can avoid locking your bike by just taking it with you.
Good over-view Pete.
I have a new IZip Express and a GT Sanction. Both have 20mm through axles. So a small hole will be drilled up through the left side of the fork/axle, then a small torx w/self-locking nut installed.
Most of the allen cap screws are sunken into whatever they hold. Small steel balls have been super-glued inplace. A careful application of nail polish remover makes them easy to pick out when necessary.
No mention of PitLock? I found a vendor that will sell two for my rear wheels. Yes! A good pair of Vice-Grips can defeat Pit-Locks or any other brand for that matter.
U-Lock? Bully with built in alarm and a pager. Just got it yesterday. Line of sight reviewers say 1500′. Through many walls? Reviewers say around 500′. Bully is marketed to motorcyclists, it comes in at $100 & < 3#.
Wish you all well… John