Ebike Security Part Two
In part one of this blog on ebike security we covered the basics of locking your ride up, what locks to use when, what to avoid and how to best use your lock.
Now in part two we look at the technical options available to supplement your bike locks. Some of these work on any bike, electric or not, and other a specific to certain ebikes.
We say supplement your bike locks because we wouldn’t suggest you rely on any of these methods to secure your bike. Good locks, securing your ebike to a solid object should be your first line of defence.
The things we discuss in this blog are extras that make your bike less of an easy target for thieves. Some also greatly reduce the ability to use the bike if it does get stolen, which in turn makes it hard to resell.
Bosch electric bike security
For a couple of years now Bosch have been building security into some models of their ebike systems.
Under the old System 2, on bikes that used the Kiox or Nyon displays, the bike motor was disabled when you removed the display. Without the original display, you can’t get the bike to work, which make it worth a lot less for resale if stolen.
The newer Smart System give you a few different options.
Option one is using the Flow app to link your bike to your phone. This allows you to use phone, or Kiox 300 or 500 display as a ‘key’ to disable the motor on you bike. You can enable your motor automatically over Bluetooth when you phone is in range, manually using the app, or by re-fitting your display.
The second option is available if you add the optional ConnectModule, which fits underneath the motor cover on the bike. This gives you an alarm system that turns on when the bike is locked using the system and goes off if the bike is moved. The alarm system also sends a notification to your phone if it gets triggered.
The last option is the ability to track your ebike, via the Flow app, if your bike is stolen.
Bike alarms
You can attach a bike alarm to any bike, and they work a few ways. Once activated, they sound an alarm if your bike is moved. The Knog Scout Bike Alarm that we sell also connects to your iPhone, and if you are in Bluetooth range, it sends you an alert if the alarm goes off. It also lets you track your bike if it does get stolen using the Apple “Find My” app.
Bluetooth tags
There are quite a few manufacturers that make Bluetooth tracking tags that connect to your phone. Samsung and Apple are the two main ones.
These rely on being in Bluetooth range of other phones that use the same system.
If you hide a Bluetooth tracking tag on your bike, and it gets stolen, you can track it via an app.
Where to hide it, I hear you say? Well, anywhere inside the frame is probably out as the signal will be partially to mostly blocked. There are plenty of options available, and you can buy systems for hiding different tags on your bike. There are several secure mounting options, some that advertise the bike is protected, and some super stealth options that hide it in an everyday bike part like a reflector or one of our favourites, a bike bell that the tag mounts inside.
Most Bluetooth tags have some sort of anti-stalking measures built in though, and these can reduce their effectiveness for tracking a bike. If the tag makes a noise so people can tell it’s being tracked, or sends alerts to nearby phones, then the thief is likely to figure out what is going on.
529 Garage
This is a great scheme where you register you bike on a database, which makes it easy to report if it is stolen, easy for police to track, and harder for thieve to sell.
It’s free and easy to register your bike with 529 Garage, but there is a small cost if you want to get a sticker to put on your bike so people can see it is registered.
We are bike fans of Garage 529 here at Christchurch Electric Bicycles and suggest to everyone we sell a bike to that they should consider registering their bikes.
Insurance
Most household contents insurance has options for covering bikes. Most require you to list anything worth more than a basic kids bike separately. When your bike is covered can vary a lot too, from only when it locked up at home right through to being covered for crashes when in use. Check out your insurer to find out what your bike cover is like.
If you want better cover than your household insurance offers, or don't have contents insurance, there are some dedicated bike insurance companies out there.
Sundays Insurance is a NZ based insurance company that has been set up by riders for riders, and is worth a look.
So, there you have it, some of the more high-tech options for keeping your e bike safe, whether you are commuting, doing the shopping, or stopping for a coffee after a mountain bike ride. If you have any questions about ebike security, give us a call, or drop in and see us at our shop in St. Martins.