E-Bike theft

[dogman dan]

I shouldn't have put the link to ANY combination lock. That one looked better than any others I saw.

All locks are a joke now, with cordless angle grinders out there. But pro thieves with a little time can cut the cables with a bick lighter and toenail snips. So he's not carrying thief tools.

I like the "you know this bike is dangerous" method. :lol:

Here's my approach. Pedal or carry of this piece of shit, if you can. This is what I park outside the store. Imagine trying to get money for this if you did get it hauled off to the fence?

 

[cal3thousand]

Master combination padlocks - picked in 3 seconds

Bust a lock with ahammer and compressed air

Pick a $150 kryptonite lock with a bic pen

Heres a $50 tracker meant for a 12V vehicle. Good recommendations. Uses a cheap SIM card. Add a DC-DC converter to your traction battery, tuck the GPS antenna under the seat and you are good to go. Sand off the "GPS TRACKER" logo and it won't look any wierder on your E-bike than any of the motor controllers or other custom components. At least it would track your bike to the chop-shop.

Most bike thieves are not pick artists. Picking requires skill.

Most bike thieves don't carry tools, but some do. Of those that carry tools, small hand croppers are the most popular. It is RARE that a thief will have a bolt cutter. And the larger the bolt cutter, the more rare it will be. But 36" bolt cutters are not expensive and are not too hard to conceal if your bike is nice enough for them to target. That's why locks are merely deterrants and time consumers. Your security system needs to be multi layered.

2 locks increases the chances that the thief will target another bike by more than 2 fold. ESPECIALLY if those 2 locks are only vulnerable to 2 DIFFERENT attacks. Combo a square link chain and Padlock with another U-Lock.

 

[llile]

Here is an Instructable for an Arduino powered vehicle tracker. Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about! I'd rather build something that buy it any day. Maybe Santa will bring me this pile of parts.

 

[cal3thousand]

Here is an Instructable for an Arduino powered vehicle tracker. Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about! I'd rather build something that buy it any day. Maybe Santa will bring me this pile of parts.

Looks like a DIY version of the Geogram One. I wonder how much work it will take to configure the firmware for things like geofence and sleep/accelerometer wake.

If it can accept the Geogram One firmware, it might be a cheaper alternative for those with some extra skills.

 

[e-beach]

......2 locks increases the chances that the thief will target another bike by more than 2 fold. ESPECIALLY if those 2 locks are only vulnerable to 2 DIFFERENT attacks. Combo a square link chain and Padlock with another U-Lock.

About 2 years ago when I got my e-bike rolling I knew I needed to up grade my lock situation so I ordered a heavy Kryptonite "New York" U lock over the internet. But before it arrived I had a very odd occurrence happen to me.

I was going to work one morning and got out of the house early to stop and get a bite to eat at my local coffee shop. I went in for some pan cakes and when I finished went to my bike to get going along my way. As I approached my bike from about 50 feet away I saw a little man stooped over it looking at my bike lock. At that time the lock was a little Masters pad lock and not too robust.

As I approached my bike I had intended to ask the little fellow what he was looking at when suddenly, rounding the corner of the building was another man with something tightly rolled up in the front cloth of his tee shirt. I knew the shape. It had the distinct look of bolt cutters. I locked eyes with the second man and he must have seen my face go flush with anger. His face went stricken and he just kept walking. As he passed I said "Hey!" He kept walking "Hey!" I yelled.

Well now the little guy was upright and looking at me and he said "is this your bike?" He was all smiles and friendly in an artificially saccharin-sweet sort of way. "Yea it's my bike." I said feeling very bothered. "And what were you looking at?" "Is it electric?" He said avoiding my question.

I realized what he was doing. He was trying to distract me so I wouldn't go after his friend with the bolt cutters. By that time the second guy was around another corner and out of site. And, I couldn't do anything about it because no crime had been committed.

"Yea, it's electric." I told the little guy. "How does it work?" he asked all smiles. So I began to explain it to him then caught myself. "Why am I trying to explain my bike to this bicycle thief?" I thought. So I mounted my bike and the little thief gave his last best effort."Can I try it?" I knew what he wanted. He wanted me let him try my bike so he could ride it away and I would never see him or the bike again. I looked him square in the eye and said "You wouldn't understand it." "What?" he exclaimed. I just rode away.

A couple of days later my Kryptonite lock arrived and I have been using it along with my heavy cable ever since. Although I have long contemplated a second U lock as well.

So I guess that is the long way of saying

+1.........2 locks increases the chances that the thief will target another bike by more than 2 fold.

 

[dingoEsride]

Make up a bike that costs way less. Figure $200 for the bike and $600 for the motor and controller. You already have the battery.

I have to agree here, a shopping bike does not have to cost a lot and you use the dearer one for fun times

 

[Tom L]

This looks like a good solution: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lock8/lock8-the-worlds-first-smart-bike-lock

 

[yuyuyak]

I just wanted to note, about that TiGR lock, wow, what a cool idea eh? I was really jazzed about it too, until I saw the video on youtube, a girl (not a big girl) with bolt cutters, didn't even strain, smiled the whole time, 1 second, it's done.
I'm in the planning, battery making stages on my bike, so I'm also keyed into this subject. GPS mandatory for me. On another thread someone mentioned and I have checked, Telna Mobile. $19/yr, 1000 free sms messages/mo, no other cost. You're set. I'm going to have an alarm too, transmits to receiver in my shirt pocket. You can buy car alarms pre-made like that, mine will probably be Arduino for that & the GPS too.
Also HEAVY stuff, nothing else works and that only slows them down. I think it was Cal3thousand talking about the 3/8" chain. The security sites I've been on recently say the chain's got to be 14mm or bigger to stop them. YEAH. Soon our bikes will weigh as much as a sub-compact car.
Everyone at those sites says the Faggetaboutit is the best you can do. Read their "guarantee", some folks say they won't pay up unless you can prove it was the lock that failed. I don't know, just throwing it out there. I read the guarantee before that, looked like they will to me. The shortest shackle you can get. A 5 or 6 foot steel bar, it can break ANYTHING, I used to move around 15,000 lb. steel machines with one. ALONE. Weren't no wheels. Don't give them room to stick it in. Check out Sheldon Brown's recommended way to use a u-lock then the short shackle won't bother you so much. And then a beefy cable to go through your front wheel, rear rack, fancy seat, etc.
That's where I'm at. Oh, & the dirty socks too. The cover sounds great also. Dogman seems to have the right idea as well.

 

[alsmith]

What about a lock you can't forget to take with you?