How to keep your E-bike safe in Canada - Epic Cycles eBike & Scooter

It’s of great concern to electric bike users that most e-bikes make perfect targets for thieves. The sequence of the high-value of electric bikes combined with inadequate anti-theft protection makes e-bikes an easy target for nefarious elements.

Electric bikes; just like other bikes are normally stolen in one way or the other. Sometimes, the e-bike has a whole may be stolen. Other times, some critical components may be removed from the e-bike. Your best shot is to safeguard your e-bike from both scenarios.

Generally, e-bikes have become more affordable over the years since coming into existence. However, their cost still makes them an investment worth protecting. To keep your e-bike safe in Canada, you may need to be proactive by employing proper security measures.

To help you, we have come up with a list of tips capable of helping you to safeguard your e-bike safe. Keep reading to find out how to protect your electric bike the right way.

Related article: Tips for Electric Bike Beginner

Safeguarding your e-bike

There are different measures that need to be taken to make sure that every component of your e-bike is safe. They are:

Always Lock your E-Bike While On the Move

Immediately you reach your destination, the fear of leaving your e-bike away from your sight replaces the glee of the trip. It’s a general perception felt by most cyclists, be it e-bikes or conventional bikes. Sometimes, how long you are leaving your e-bike alone will determine your choice of lock location.

One thing is certain you must lock your e-bike.

Always check around your intended location for secure parking facilities. For instance, you may be leaving your electric bike for more than four hours. Then, it becomes imperative to lock it. Most residential and commercial buildings offer secure parking facilities for e-bikes. However, if the place you’re visiting does not provide such facilities, ask the building manager to help you with a safe location to lock your e-bike.

If your workplace or where you’re going to doesn’t have an e-bike facility, you don’t need to be anxious. There are various safe bike facilities and bike lockers available around Canada. Most of these facilities are open to all e-bike owners willing to pay a small amount or purchase a membership form.

Also, e-bike lockers in Canada are often available at many bus stops and transit stations. These lockers are structured to hold one bike each. Some are also capable of securing each component, such as locks, lights, and panniers, etc. Some e-bike facilities improvise and offer full-service e-bike commuting facilities.

Finally, if locking your e-bike outside is your only option, there are ways through which you can protect your e-bike with a solid lock system. Below are things you can do to avoid suffering a bike theft.

Don’t leave your electric bike locked outside your home overnight. No matter how safe and secure the place is, thieves will have the advantage of the darkness to steal the bike easily.
Always lock your e-bike in open places where it is visible to passers-by. Make sure to lock it in a place with regular foot traffic. Your electric bike is safer in a spot with regular foot traffic.
It might be alluring to park your electric bike out of sight. However, this is dangerous because it will only make your e-bike an easy target for thieves. Once your e-bike is out of sight for passers-by, it encourages thieves to take it, as there are no witnesses.

Instead, pick a public spot to park and lock your e-bike to prevent thefts. To break an e-bike lock will certainly take enough time which is very difficult to get while there are passers-by.

Finally, don’t be predictable with your routine. Bike thieves are a bunch of “smart” opportunistic fellows. Even though you call them different names, it still doesn’t stop the fact that they take every opportunity you give them. If you lock your e-bike at the same spot daily, your chances of being an e-bike theft victim increasing exponentially. Bike thieves may notice your usual routine and track your e-bike down while you’re away.
Also, you may have to be extra obsessive with your e-bike – which is typical for such an expensive possession. This helps prevent e-bike theft as you’ll always check your rack before and after every ride. In some extreme scenarios, e-bike thieves will cut the e-bike rack with an angle grinder at night. They then cover the cut with a sticker and remove the sticker quickly whenever they want to steal the electric bike. If you check your e-bike regularly, you will be able to avoid unwanted situations such as this one.
When picking out a place to safely lock your e-bike, choose secure fixtures capable of making it difficult to steal your e-bike. Usually, an electric bike rack that is firmly attached to concrete will be ideal for securing your e-bike. While a street light or tree may be good fits, ensure your e-bike cannot be lifted over the lock source. In Canada, parking metres are often the wrong choice for this reason. A solid fence can work, but don’t choose a chain-link fence since an enterprising thief can easily cut it.

Always use different locks

While it is possible to use the same lock for all e-bike security requirements, you can apply different locks for different scenarios. Always use a rugged and robust e-bike lock for proper security.

Don’t forget your electric bike components that are not secured by your bike lock. If your seat and wheels can be detached easily, lock your e-bike through the frame as well as your wheels. This secures the quick-detachable elements along with the electric bike.

Endeavour to do the above primarily if your electric bike uses a hub-motor system. If the hub-motor system uses a swift-release wheel, always remember to lock it to the frame of your electric bike. There are few locking systems designed to safeguard the small, detachable components of your e-bike, like the wheels and quick-release seat.

Also, a less secure e-bike lock is preferable for short trips like errands, because you won’t be locking it up for too long. This also reduces the backpack weight you will be carrying while on your ride. This offers you a more enjoyable commute. Better still, you can decide to keep your more robust lock at work so you won’t have to worry about carrying it to and fro every day.

Right now, you might be thinking, “how many keys do I need for one e-bike?”. From the battery pack lock to the frame lock, you need different keys. The total number of keys keeps adding up swiftly. It is a necessary evil if you want to keep your e-bike state in Canada. Some would call it a small price to pay for enjoying your e-bike without any issues.

Serial Number, GPS Tracking, Photos, or Register with bike theft App

Apart from your standard e-bike locks, there are more security tips you can consider to safeguard your e-bike. Always record your e-bike’s serial number. Electric bike serial numbers are often located at the rear wheel mount, head tube, under crank, or seat tube.

An electric bike serial number is your e-bike’s ID. Once you have the serial number of your e-bike, you can give it to the police in case of theft. For instance; if your e-bike is found with a pep, knowing the serial number will prove it’s yours.

Also, many e-bike manufacturers and users have started using GPS trackers as an additional security measure. With most of these schemes available on smartphones or computers, you can deduce the exact location of your e-bike on a map. If your e-bike doesn’t have this option, investing in GPS trackers is recommended to make tracking your e-bike easier.

Also, having a few photos of your bike will mean you can easily create a stolen e-bike listing. Although you can find photos of your e-bike model online, your e-bike’s actual photos are often better. There are many mobile apps out there that allow users to create a profile and upload pictures of your e-bike.

In case your e-bike gets stolen, all you would have to do would be to visit your profile online. With just a simple click, you can notify the people and police in the area who also use the same app you’re using. They can get the pictures, description of your e-bike through your profile and can quickly contact you at the sight of your e-bike. Thus, you’ve always got a community of friends helping you track down your electric bike.

Always Remove Detachable Accessories

If your e-bike has removable accessories, it is better to detach them while you are locking your e-bike up. Components like displays and lights are usually easy to detach. Also, these components are small enough to enter a backpack or messenger bag. It’s also ideal to have a good plan on how to move items with you while you ride your e-bike.

Also, it is advisable to remove your electric bike battery. Typically, battery-pack theft is rare, but they are expensive to replace. Even though most e-bike batteries are well attached to the e-bike and require a key before detaching, it doesn’t stop thieves from tampering with them.

Even if they can not get at the battery pack, any attempt to steal your battery pack might leave you having to deal with expensive damages. This automatically renders the electric bike nearly useless. Detaching the battery is a sure strategy for keeping your electric bike safe. By default, your electric bike reduces in value by almost half. It becomes a less attractive proposition for thieves.

Before you park your e-bike, think like an e-bike thief.

Before parking and locking your electric bike, assume you’re an e-bike thief. So, if you were an e-bike thief, would you try to steal your e-bike because of how it’s secured? Always make sure your electric bike is harder for thieves to steal than any other e-bikes around you. Get up to two or three locks to safeguard your e-bike, it will be worth every penny. Try your best to register the serial number and take photos with your e-bike for easy identification if stolen. Always park in areas where it will be difficult for thieves to steal your electric bike.

While looking for a Place to Park, Be Respectful

When looking for a public spot to lock your e-bike, it’s vital to respect passers-by. Some parking locations may look proper safe and secure, but your e-bike may cause congestion in a high-traffic area. Whenever you park your e-bike on the sidewalk, you’re putting it at risk of getting damaged and knocked over.

This is vital to take note of especially if you are locking multiple e-bikes, as they can take up a lot of space and cause traffic. Be sure to put passers-by into consideration when deciding where to park your e-bike. You don’t want a crowd of people trampling on your e-bike because it is in the way.

Always Lock Your Helmet

One of the ways you can make your bike more secure is by linking your bike lock to the vents of your helmet. Not only does that make it more difficult to break, but it also keeps your helmet safe when you can’t bring it with you. While helmet theft is a rare occurrence, it’s a good safety measure when you’re in an area where the risk of theft is high.

Purchase an Insurance for your Electric Bike

You can always take your time to get an insurance policy for your electric bike. Especially if it’s hard for you to use multiple locks or your e-bike locking location doesn’t give you peace of mind. However, home-owner or renter’s insurance may not cover your e-bike liability, damage, or theft because the e-bike has a motor system.

While insurance policy isn’t going to safeguard your e-bike from thieves, you won’t have to spend much before getting a new one. With a fast online search, you can discover various electric bike insurance plans in Canada.

Our e-bike experts are on hand to help you answer any questions you might have about safeguarding your e-bike. Call us today!