Electric Bike Locks

We are going to be going through which ebike locks we recommend and how to keep your ebike safe. When it comes to security, if you give someone the right circumstances, they can steal your ebike no matter what you put on it. If you park your ebike on a public space and leave it there for a good period of time, it makes for a conducive scenario for someone to steal it. Thieves will have ample access and time to use handheld electric tools and whatnot to get through any lock that you have put on it. That being said, the biggest lesson when it comes to security is to not give thieves the opportunity. Whenever possible, always park your ebike in a safe location, locks can only do so much and with the right time and situation a thief can and will steal any bike regardless of which lock is on the bike.

U-Locks

If you are looking for locks on your ebike, a basic U-Lock is the bare minimum of what you should have. This particular Onguard  Ulock is heavy duty and strong. More importantly, it will require some intense tools to break through it. In our experience, thieves are mostly deterred already when they see this type of lock.

However, the one drawback to a U-Lock is you can only lock it through so much of your bike. For example, you can only potentially lock the rear wheel and frame, leaving several components on your electric bicycle unsecured. The whole bike might not be stolen, but some parts might be.

Cable Locks

The weakness of the U-Lock brings us to the next type of lock you can use, which is the cable lock. Unlike U-locks, cable locks can wrap around all the important components to secure them.

However, a disadvantage of these locks is that they are easy to get through especially if you buy the cheap ones. Many bikers who are looking for cable locks are tempted to buy those thin and inexpensive ones that are about $15-30. But those cheap locks can easily be broken by even small household cable cutters that can even fit on the back pocket. Therefore, if you will be using cable locks, don’t cheapen out on these things and go for thicker and durable options.

Lock-Cable Combo

This last type of lock is our most recommended configuration. We highly prefer using a lock-cable combo because this type of lock gets you the best of both worlds and is way more complex to break through. The U-Lock will typically clamp and secure the rear wheel and frame to a bike post, while the cable can secure the front wheel, handlebars, or string through components you want protected.

Thieves will take whatever components they can steal. We’ve had customers who secured and locked their tail end, but their front was left unsecured, and thus their front wheel was stolen. Having a Lock-cable combo is the best way to lock up your entire electric bike.

Variations of Lock-Cable Combo (Folding Locks)

There are also new styles of the lock-cable combo that are becoming popular these days. Abus and Kryptonite make very good locks of this kind. These locks get the pros of a very sturdy U-Lock, and also the ease of access of looping like a cable lock. It uses interlocking steel bars that you can loop through like a cable. They also come in different sizes and length. However, as they are interlocking pieces, they have some limitations on how much you can bend and rotate them.

There are a lot of great lock options in the market. But, like we said from the beginning, the number one thing when it comes to security on your ebike is to not give people the opportunity to steal it. When you’re using an ebike, it is unavoidable to park and lock up your bike in places you go to. In those situations, a U-Lock should be a bare minimum to have, and a Lock-Cable combo is the most ideal one.