One of the most annoying things for electric bike lovers must be theft, right? Have you ever had your ebikes stolen? A few months ago, I dropped my electric bike outside a convenience store and when I got out, it was gone. That was really desperate.
And unfortunately, there’s no way to completely prevent e-bike thefts, as most thieves can be even crazier. However, there are still some ways you can take to make it more difficult for those thieves to steal your prized electric bikes.
4 tips to prevent electric bike theft
pay for insurance
To be exact, being covered by ebike insurance can’t prevent ebike theft, but if your ebikes are stolen, unfortunately, you can get premiums to buy yourself a new ebike. From my perspective, that doesn’t sound bad.
Use GPS tracker
As technology advances more and more, GPS trackers are getting better. Basically, they are made and designed to be small in case they are noticed. You can attach a GPS tracker to your ebike and connect your smartphone with it so that you can know the location of your ebike wherever you are.
As for the price, some GPS trackers can be affordable, while others will cost you a lot. Before jumping into a GPS tracker, you may need to consider your needs or requirements.
Using electric bike locks
Obviously, the first step in preventing your ebikes from being stolen is a strong and useful lock. There are a variety of locks for sale, such as regular U-locks and folding chain locks or cable locks.
U-locks are taken as the most regular and secure because they are made of solid materials. However, most of you also know that U-locks can be heavier than any other lock and cannot bend or flex, which is quite limiting.
Compared to U locks, cable locks are more flexible. However, before trying to buy a cable lock, one thing to keep in mind is that you should not try to buy thin cable locks for their light weight, as thieves will easily cut through them with just a pair of pliers.
Folding locks are becoming more and more popular, especially for those who prefer to travel by electric bike. They are usually flexible and lightweight, allowing you to lock down your e-bikes in most circumstances. For example, Magicycle’s folding chain lock is made of 26 links of structural steel alloy, which are strong and durable and of course resistant to breaking and cutting. If a thief is trying to cut it, I’m sure it will be much more difficult. Also, we call it “hamburger lock” because once it is folded, the size is small and looks like a hamburger. See the following link for more information:
Use your lock correctly
After you have a proper lock, you should know how to lock your electric bikes properly. Otherwise, even the strongest locks will be useless. Basically your locks need to go through the frame and through the front and rear wheel. And also, if you are in an area where there are a lot of bike thieves, try to prepare a second lock.
Also, select an object that your electric bikes can be locked with, such as a rock or tree. In this way, it is almost impossible for any thief to steal your ebikes.
Select a correct place
To be honest, if the place where you keep your electric bikes is safe enough, then you don’t need to worry too much. Wherever you try to park your electric bikes, make sure there are surveillance cameras around you. If you are in a place that you don’t know, ask the local people, especially those who ride bikes because they may be thinking the same thing as you.
How to handle electric bike theft
First things first, if your adult electric bikes get stolen try to contact your local police and give them as much necessary information as you can. If you are lucky enough to remember the serial number of the frame, which can prove that the ebike belongs to you, do not hesitate to tell the police.
Second, if your electric bike is covered by insurance, contact the insurance company to file an insurance claim, but how? The first step is to call 911 if necessary and tell them all the details. The second step is to document key information, including name, address, phone number, etc. After collecting all the necessary information, you can file your insurance claim. Nowadays, many insurance companies have their own official apps so you can do it. You can of course contact the company, it’s up to you.
Thirdly, use the internet by uploading your electric bikes pictures or details on as many social media as you can, especially those that are known worldwide like Twitter or Facebook. If the thief is trying to sell your electric bike by chance, some guys might find it and tell you what’s going on.
Alright, that’s all about handling e-bike theft issues. Although your electric bikes are covered by insurance, I think most of you don’t want to waste that time filing a claim. An electric bike may be affordable, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the price is low. I hope you can take good care of your electric bikes and this article may be helpful.
Categories: How to
Source: vtt.edu.vn