I'd like to put my bike to some practical use like commuting to work or picking up a few things from the store etc. The thing that's preventing me from doing that is I'm concerned about security. How do you deal with that? I'm thinking of keeping the controller and the battery in a removable tool box on the rear rack. I could use velcro strips to hold the wiring to the frame and remove the front hub and the tool box and take them with me maybe. This is a pain in the butt though. I'm thinking one of those motors that rubs on the rim of the wheel might be more practical for this purpose than a hub motor.
Ebike security
- Thread starter electr0n
- Start date
your worried about the hub motor getting stolen? If you are only in the store 15 min - 25 min, I wouldn't worry much. I have SLA batteries so I don't worry about theft. I use 5018 Onguard chain to chain it to light posts and stuff. I haven't had anyone even try to get my bike yet. I don't live in an area where bike theft is popular, though. I just leave my batteries and everything on the bike while I'm in the store.
If I were going to do it all over again, here is my idea. Buy a few of the cheap lithium polymer packs on ebay and use those to go to grocery . They are so small that you can put them in your pocket or pockets. Or what you could do is buy a cheap e-bike for grocery and a more expensive one for other things. The grocery stores that I go to also normally have video cameras focused on the parking lot so that always helps too.
If I were going to do it all over again, here is my idea. Buy a few of the cheap lithium polymer packs on ebay and use those to go to grocery . They are so small that you can put them in your pocket or pockets. Or what you could do is buy a cheap e-bike for grocery and a more expensive one for other things. The grocery stores that I go to also normally have video cameras focused on the parking lot so that always helps too.
Rassy
1 MW
Hi electr0n. By the time you put a couple of torque arms on a front wheel, it not only requires a couple of tools, but is a pain to remove just to repair a tube. So I wouldn't tend to worry too much about the wheel and motor, and of course it's pretty easy to put a cable through it and lock it to the frame, etc. As far as the batteries, a lot of different quick release systems seem to be in use here so that they can be removed for both security and recharge purposes.
adrian_sm
1 MW
mikefish
100 W
i know they make chains that will emit a super loud sound if they have been cut.
you can also get an alarm on the bike that senses motion.
cheap versions:
http://shoponspot.com/vibration-activated-120db-bicycle-anti-theft-security-alarm/
http://www.virtualvillage.com/bicycle-security-antitheft--alarm/sku004610-006?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=shcomp&utm_campaign=Bicycle%20Security%20AntiTheft%20%20Alarm
i have not tried any of these things by the way, so i cant help you there, but perhaps this will help a bit with keeping your stuff, yours!
you can also get an alarm on the bike that senses motion.
cheap versions:
http://shoponspot.com/vibration-activated-120db-bicycle-anti-theft-security-alarm/
http://www.virtualvillage.com/bicycle-security-antitheft--alarm/sku004610-006?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=shcomp&utm_campaign=Bicycle%20Security%20AntiTheft%20%20Alarm
i have not tried any of these things by the way, so i cant help you there, but perhaps this will help a bit with keeping your stuff, yours!
Maybe Pitlocks will have a 12mm bolt. Email them to see.
That would keep your hub safe.
Torque arms are mandatory. I run two on mine.
You could do this...
Have a Pelican 1400 case locked onto your rack. Inside it you would have your controller. When you are ready to lock your bike, you can remove the battery from the Pelican 1400 case, and put the battery in your bag, and just leave the controller in the case. Or you can leave the battery in the case as well if it is a short trip (25 min). Then lock the case up. (The case is lockable). It is also waterproof. This is quick and easy.
Another option is to use a bike bin. They are lockable, and you leave your controller inside the bike bin when you go into the store. The battery can also be locked in the bin as well, or you can carry the battery in the store with you.
If you choose either bike bin, or Pelican 1400, and are parking your bike for a few hours, take the battery with you for peace of mind. But, most thieves won't try to breach your case or bin, since it would be a hassle.
PELICAN
http://www.pelican.ca/cases_detail.php?Case=1400
BIKE BINS
http://www.bikebins.com/
That would keep your hub safe.
Torque arms are mandatory. I run two on mine.
You could do this...
Have a Pelican 1400 case locked onto your rack. Inside it you would have your controller. When you are ready to lock your bike, you can remove the battery from the Pelican 1400 case, and put the battery in your bag, and just leave the controller in the case. Or you can leave the battery in the case as well if it is a short trip (25 min). Then lock the case up. (The case is lockable). It is also waterproof. This is quick and easy.
Another option is to use a bike bin. They are lockable, and you leave your controller inside the bike bin when you go into the store. The battery can also be locked in the bin as well, or you can carry the battery in the store with you.
If you choose either bike bin, or Pelican 1400, and are parking your bike for a few hours, take the battery with you for peace of mind. But, most thieves won't try to breach your case or bin, since it would be a hassle.
PELICAN
http://www.pelican.ca/cases_detail.php?Case=1400
BIKE BINS
http://www.bikebins.com/
michaelplogue
10 kW
Of course, sometimes the simplest deterrent is appearance:
Seriously, would you steal that? :lol:
Seriously, would you steal that? :lol:
dogman dan
1 PW
It's part of why my commuter is a dirt cheap mongoose bike. I don't want anything like Trek or Specialized logos on there. The other day I saw a student on campus that wrapped his whole frame in green duct tape. No doubt it's a $1000 bike under there! 8) Seriously, it works, along with a lock. But it does depend on the locality where you live. Some places have brazen broad daylight bike theives. Fix the battery etc, so it needs some tools to remove. Screw heads can be epoxy filled. Good locks can help, but can be defeated if passers by won't call cops. I like to do my shopping, usually in walmart anyway, early in the morning. All those gangbangers and such are still asleep then. At work, work out something with the boss, you'll need to plug in to charge anyway, so that may put it in a more secure place anyway. The boss can get a tax break for bike commuting, so offer to let him have the 20 bucks a month.
julesa
10 kW
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2008
- Messages
- 950
Yeah. I bought my bike used for $50, it's not pretty, and I lock it up. I guess most thieves will pick easier and prettier targets. If you've got lithium batteries,it would be worth making the battery pack detachable and leaving the controller on the bike. There are a lot fewer electrical connections you need to break if you just take your batteries with you.
My idea is this:
You have a Pelican case - these are sturdy and incredibly rugged
You have it secured and locked to the rack of your bike. In it, you can put your controller, and have the controller pretty much permanently plugged into your throttle and hub motor.
The battery can go in the same case. And you can add a padlock to it.
When you stop to park your bike. You can either take the battery with you, or leave it locked in the Pelican case.
It is better than having to disconnect your controller to take with you.
Btw, someone could steal your rack with the case off the bike. Use a Pitlock to secure the rack to your bike (Pitlock V-Brake Edition)
Or use a security screw that they use in public washroom stall walls.
You have a Pelican case - these are sturdy and incredibly rugged
You have it secured and locked to the rack of your bike. In it, you can put your controller, and have the controller pretty much permanently plugged into your throttle and hub motor.
The battery can go in the same case. And you can add a padlock to it.
When you stop to park your bike. You can either take the battery with you, or leave it locked in the Pelican case.
It is better than having to disconnect your controller to take with you.
Btw, someone could steal your rack with the case off the bike. Use a Pitlock to secure the rack to your bike (Pitlock V-Brake Edition)
Or use a security screw that they use in public washroom stall walls.
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Anonymous
Guest
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FWIW, I just tested the theory of anyone stealing my bike without it being locked to anything.
This afternoon I had to go back to work to pick up my glasses, which I had left in the breakroom just after we closed last night, and I didn't notice until we'd set the alarm and locked the door (too late at that point). I discovered I was very hungry (after having not eaten since last night, trying to save money enough to deal with the transition from my house to the new place).
I had a coupon for Subway buy one sub and a drink and get one free, which comes out to about $9.25 if you buy the most expensive one they allow on the coupon, and each sub is about two meals for me, making that a pretty good deal. On the way home there's a Subway, so I stopped there, and just as I was turning off the bike someone walked up and we started talking about the project. It was pretty hot, especially since the front of the building faces the setting sun, so I suggested we go ahead and go inside.
Since there weren't any poles or posts I could lock up to (just pillars bigger around than my arms will reach, which is too much for my cable lock), I just locked the front wheel to the frame so it couldn't spin, took my PDA off of it, and locked the tools/etc in the lockable leftside cargo pod, then went in.
We were in there until after dark, and though as usual a LOT of people stopped to stare at it, including some highschool or early college kids on little stunt bikes that kept circling it like a pack of predators, but never actually touched it, nobody bothered it. Not even the obvious group of gang members that came thru after complete darkness set in.
It was barely within sight of the windows, but that doesn't mean much to some people (like whoever stole my bungee cords off the bike baskets of the other bike last year at Jack in the Box, when the bike was locked to the rack right outside the window I was sitting at!).
Yet, no one took it or bothered it. If it had been my regular bike, I betcha somebody would have tried, even with the wheel locked to the frame. Sometimes ugly helps. Heavy as a dead body contributes a lot too.
This afternoon I had to go back to work to pick up my glasses, which I had left in the breakroom just after we closed last night, and I didn't notice until we'd set the alarm and locked the door (too late at that point). I discovered I was very hungry (after having not eaten since last night, trying to save money enough to deal with the transition from my house to the new place).
I had a coupon for Subway buy one sub and a drink and get one free, which comes out to about $9.25 if you buy the most expensive one they allow on the coupon, and each sub is about two meals for me, making that a pretty good deal. On the way home there's a Subway, so I stopped there, and just as I was turning off the bike someone walked up and we started talking about the project. It was pretty hot, especially since the front of the building faces the setting sun, so I suggested we go ahead and go inside.
Since there weren't any poles or posts I could lock up to (just pillars bigger around than my arms will reach, which is too much for my cable lock), I just locked the front wheel to the frame so it couldn't spin, took my PDA off of it, and locked the tools/etc in the lockable leftside cargo pod, then went in.
We were in there until after dark, and though as usual a LOT of people stopped to stare at it, including some highschool or early college kids on little stunt bikes that kept circling it like a pack of predators, but never actually touched it, nobody bothered it. Not even the obvious group of gang members that came thru after complete darkness set in.
It was barely within sight of the windows, but that doesn't mean much to some people (like whoever stole my bungee cords off the bike baskets of the other bike last year at Jack in the Box, when the bike was locked to the rack right outside the window I was sitting at!).
Yet, no one took it or bothered it. If it had been my regular bike, I betcha somebody would have tried, even with the wheel locked to the frame. Sometimes ugly helps. Heavy as a dead body contributes a lot too.
dogman dan
1 PW
Those heavy cables look very strong, but if the thief has a secluded place to work on it, he can cut it with ease. A bic lighter and a pair of toenail clippers is all it takes. After heating it up with the lighter, melting away the sheath, the detempered strands of cable cut like butter, a few strands at a time. If a cop stops the f**** all he's carrying is a lighter for his smokes and personal hygiene tools.
USAEBIKECO
10 kW
see this is why i dont uderstand why some ebike companies make their bike all fancy looking for $3000. someone will see this bike and rip them off. there are master bike theives out there, and also random vandals. the best solution is to have the ebike blend in as much as possible. dont make it stand out. i think stealth is cooler anyway.
But fancy sells, and thus is also worth stealing.lester12483 said:
Those with a lot of money to spend on style will spend it *because* of the style, or it's popularity (real or imagined), not because it's any good. Same thing for theft. It'll get stolen *because* it is bought for a lot of money by people that often only care about the style.
It's a self-fulfilling problem, in that if it's good enough to pay a lot for it's also good enough to steal, no matter what it looks like. But snazzy and fancy is what thieves generally go after first, because it usually means it will sell faster and for more money.
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Anonymous
Guest
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USAEBIKECO
10 kW
even with a bike lock thats un cutable, you still have to be concerned with random vandals that will pop your tire or cut the bike electric cables.
dogman dan
1 PW
Thats why I like the shop while the crack heads and gangbangers are still asleep method. They might be up till 4 am, but before noon, most are sleeping off the drug binge. Luckily, my workplace is super secure, I leave keys in cars, never lock the bike etc. Hardened chain at least can't be cut with a toenail clipper.
Stealth, and or the looks like trash method seem to work the best. The dirty dented car never gets fooled with much, but shine it up and put 20's on it, and they'll want the stereo as well as the tires. A friend after losing 3 motorcyles in 6 months poured motor oil all over number 4 and rode down a dirt road. 4 years later, never washed ever, he'd park it in front of bars with the keys in it.
Stealth, and or the looks like trash method seem to work the best. The dirty dented car never gets fooled with much, but shine it up and put 20's on it, and they'll want the stereo as well as the tires. A friend after losing 3 motorcyles in 6 months poured motor oil all over number 4 and rode down a dirt road. 4 years later, never washed ever, he'd park it in front of bars with the keys in it.
Lock
100 MW
dogman, sucks about your friend's motorcycles
but i have considered your comment regarding the braided cable and toe nail clippers
i have also looked at two items:
What do you think? Are armoured cable locks still pretty decent? I would like to have the Kryptonite, but it seems so expensive. Is it necessarily that much more secure than the armoured cable?
Triple heat-treated boron manganese steel ....e.g. Kryptonite $120
Armoured Cable locks...e.g. Onguard, and Kryptonite $40
but i have considered your comment regarding the braided cable and toe nail clippers
i have also looked at two items:
What do you think? Are armoured cable locks still pretty decent? I would like to have the Kryptonite, but it seems so expensive. Is it necessarily that much more secure than the armoured cable?
Triple heat-treated boron manganese steel ....e.g. Kryptonite $120
Armoured Cable locks...e.g. Onguard, and Kryptonite $40
Zoot Katz
100 kW
I've never lost a locked bike.
Employ as many as you can of all the other suggeted strategies as well.
There's no sense carrying a lock if you're not going to use it.
Make it easy for yourself to get at the lock.
Employ as many as you can of all the other suggeted strategies as well.
There's no sense carrying a lock if you're not going to use it.
Make it easy for yourself to get at the lock.
