E Bike security .....

Hamsterchops

Having recently purchased an e bike worth over €1400, my 1st mission was to make sure it was secure both at home and when parked on the streets....

My main lock (Sold Secure GOLD) is the Kryptonite New York standard with a 16mil shackle, backed up by a Bikehut 23cm D-Lock (Sold secure SILVER) + 10mil looped cable, add to this my old "armoured" combination cable lock, and I think my e bike is secure when parked in Dun laoghaire or Blackrock while I go shopping, or have lunch in a Cafe 🙂

Kryptonite goes through rear frame + rear wheel.
Additional D lock locks front wheel to frame.
Old combination lock then secures frame to pole.
Additional D lock cable keeps saddle attached to D lock!

Sounds bullet proof to me if it's locked up in the middle of a town in broad daylight, but am I right?

I keep it indoors at home.

punisher5112

Nothing is safe really, ive seen 2 bikes stolen in the middle of town and it was bright and busy.

Hamsterchops

punisher5112 wrote: »

Nothing is safe really, ive seen 2 bikes stolen in the middle of town and it was bright and busy.

By they didn't have my level of security, right!

punisher5112

Hamsterchops wrote: »

By they didn't have my level of security, right!

No crappy locks on both but don't forget angle grinders and these fellas don't care if seen or they even just cut the poles attached to.

Hamsterchops

punisher5112 wrote: »

No crappy locks on both but don't forget angle grinders and these fellas don't care if seen or they even just cut the poles attached to.

Angle grinders in broad daylight in the middle of Dun Laoghaire, would they?

Sparks, flames, smoke, grinding off the locks with electric grinders as people walk by & watch on?
You can't be serious, because if you are, I can't take my bike anywhere

rubadub

take the battery off, and the speedo too, I saw one with the speedo on recently.

A pro thief will still get through it, but hopefully a pro will cop on that it can cost more for them to get the bike going again than what they could sell it for. (new battery & speedo will cost a fortune)

Sparks, flames, smoke, grinding off the locks with electric grinders as people watch on?
You can't be serious, because if you are, I can't take my bike anywhere

Stick on a high viz jacket and nobody will bat an eyelid. Its the equivalent of hazard lights for scumbags on foot.

kirving

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Sounds bullet proof to me if it's locked up in the middle of a town in broad daylight, but am I right?

Unfortunately nothing is bulletproof, it just comes down to the effort required.

A stepladder and screwdriver will have the sign off the top of the pole in under a minute, and the bike can be lifted off. You'd be surprised how much authority a €20 hi-vis jacket buys you.

I've an expensive bike, and I just can't let it out of my sight in town. I lock it with an Abus Bordo since it's light and compact, but any lock is just a time delay really.

Yeah pull the battery. I'd imagine if the bike is too much hassle they'd know the battery is worth a bit and likley cause damage trying to get at it.

5uspect

My ebike is either locked up at home in a shed, in my office, or it’s under my arse. There’s not a hope I’d leave it outside unattended. I need it to get to and from work so I’m paranoid.

I’m lucky that I have a private office where I can keep it. I’ve seen various types of ebike parked about the university campus with the regular bikes however.

Hamsterchops

Sounds like I'll have to park it right outsider the Cafe with me in the window seat, keeping both eyes on it.

The only other security I can think of is the 'N' lock, which renders the handlebars inactive.

Basically it disconnects the handlebars from the headstock, so the bike cannot be cycled away as the bars go one way while the front wheel goes the other way

The pigeon man

Abus granite X plus 540 is a great lock. But I still don't leave my ebike in public. Get it insured aswell.

Hamsterchops

So the issue (the enemy) seems to be portable battery powered angle grinders, as I know for a fact that my New York Standard cannot by cut with bolt cutters (of any size) as the shackle is too thick @16mil.

So either I give in and don't use my e bike for what I bought it for ...... or I just go for it, and lock it up securely, where I can keep an eye on it while I munch on my lunch.

Thanks to everybody for their input so far.

tomasrojo

If you have a run-of-the-mill bike an ART *** lock and a an ART ** lock seem to be enough to make years of keeping your bike probable, provided you use them properly. A cable loop adds almost nothing though, and armoured cable locks seem to get cut quite frequently.

In fact, your New York lock is, I think, an ART **** lock, so that's excellent. I don't know much about Bike Hut locks, but you might consider getting an ART *** chain or u-lock to replace it,rather than adding more second-rate locks, since your bike was pricey to begin with and I assume has a high resale value.

http://thebestbikelock.com/ has a lot of good information. Don't think it mentions Bike Hut at all. I don't really like the look of that lock though. Some of the Sold Secure ratings are a bit generous. For example, the Bordo Granit X-plus gets a gold rating, while ART give it only two stars.

It is true that an angle grinder can get through anything, but bolt cutters seem to be the tool of choice still, so I usually consider how well a lock will withstand a bolt cutter attack primarily.

tomasrojo

Here's a report of an angle grinder attack on an Abus Granit x plus 540 that was securing an e-bike. They seem to have given up when they realised it needed a second cut.

https://twitter.com/DarHealy/status/1150178828154802178

tomasrojo

I'm not recommending this (it's sort of ridiculous), but this is a lock that makes angle grinder attacks extremely unlikely:
https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/a28861849/altor-saf-lock-test/

punisher5112

That's one fat lock ;-)

listermint

Could by the cafe lock . Solely used to cafe visits...

Hamsterchops

Too heavy to cycle with, hence you leave it at your destination permanently, be it a cafe, work, or wherever you visit regularly.
Sometimes you see heavy U locks & chains left at the base of street poles, presumably left there to use when you arrive on your bike.

Duckjob

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Too heavy to cycle with, hence you leave it at your destination permanently, be it a cafe, work, or wherever you visit regularly.
Sometimes you see heavy U locks & chains left at the base of street poles, presumably left there to use when you arrive on your bike.

I wouldn't leave a lock out in public like that - you never know how it might be tampered with at night. The strongest chain might have a link nearly cut though but you wont necessarily see it unless you inspect it in detail everytime you park up.

Kaisr Sose

rubadub wrote: »

Stick on a high viz jacket and nobody will bat an eyelid. Its the equivalent of hazard lights for scumbags on foot.

High vis jacket is a working permit for your average bike thief,. AKA scumbag

I would not leave an e-bike locked in a public place no mater what lock (or number of them) I had on it.

cdaly_

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Having recently purchased an e bike worth over €1400, my 1st mission was to make sure it was secure both at home and when parked on the streets....

My main lock (Sold Secure GOLD) is the Kryptonite New York standard with a 16mil shackle, backed up by a Bikehut 23cm D-Lock (Sold secure SILVER) + 10mil looped cable, add to this my old "armoured" combination cable lock, and I think my e bike is secure when parked in Dun laoghaire or Blackrock while I go shopping, or have lunch in a Cafe ��

Kryptonite goes through rear frame + rear wheel.
Additional D lock locks front wheel to frame.
Old combination lock then secures frame to pole.
Additional D lock cable keeps saddle attached to D lock!

Sounds bullet proof to me if it's locked up in the middle of a town in broad daylight, but am I right?

I keep it indoors at home.

This ("Old combination lock") is the only thing going around the pole? Sounds like an easy steal. Crack the combination lock in no time, lift bike into back of van, drive away and remove other locks in private.

Suggestion:

• Kryptonite goes through rear wheel (inside frame triangle) and around pole
• Additional D lock locks front wheel to frame and around pole / bike stand
• Old combination lock goes in the bin (it's a false sense of security)
• Looped cable goes through saddle to D lock (If the seatpost clamp is quick release. If not, you probably don't need to lock the saddle unless it's something terribly fancy and desireable).

Hamsterchops

Just to clarify, as I wasn't crystal clear in the 1st post.
The Kryptonite New York goes through rear frame triangle + rear wheel (attaching bike to pole) this is the primary lock.
Additional silver rated D lock, then locks front wheel to frame. Old thick looking "armoured" combination lock (also) secures frame to pole. Additional 10mil D lock cable threads through rear wheel & keeps saddle attached to D lock!

Sounds good to me.

darconio

And don't forget you can always be mugged

Tenzor07

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Too heavy to cycle with.

You're on an eBike! Defo not too heavy to cycle with...

Hamsterchops

The Altor weighs in at more than a stone & a half which is (over 6kg)! That's some weight to be lugging around.

The New York weighs enough as it is.

rubadub

Hamsterchops wrote: »

The Altor weighs in at more than a stone & a half which is (over 6kg)! That's some weight to be lugging around.
.

When I did lock my ebike in more risky places I had about 6-7kg of locks & chains with me. It doesn't bother me much at all, that is what I like about it. I can carry serious weight on my ebike no bother, great for shopping.

Some bolt cutters will get through the NY 16mm lock. I wish I had known about the 18mm motorbike spec version when I got mine. I knew there was an 18mm but thought it only came in a narrow U which would not have suited me.

You can see some locks tested with a manual hydraulic cutter here, the 18mm NY makes the blades on the cutter explode
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm9K6rby98W8JigLoZOh6FQ/search?query=hydraulic

I am particular about what pole I would lock to aswell. Many of the wide diameter sheffield bike stands are really thin, the wide tubing actually facilitates easy cutting. I work with tubing like it in work and reckon I could get through many in 2 minutes with a junior hacksaw from dealz.

Hamsterchops

rubadub wrote: »

Some bolt cutters will get through the NY 16mm lock......

Thanks for your very good post, although I've yet to hear of any manual bolt cutters defeating the Kryptonite New York! Indeed the only reason I bought it was because I have read that it cannot be broken by manual methods.

ED E

If your bike is worth north of a grand you cannot buy a lock that will secure it
on street. Unless you want something that weighs 50KG, then maybe.

https://twitter.com/tconnellyRTE/status/1049206001025601536

https://twitter.com/entropicbear/status/1194286461299970048

https://twitter.com/crazyradical/status/1196475593824645120

I've considered an ebike for winter, useless to me though if I cant stop in Lidl for some shopping en route.

Hamsterchops

Just to clarify the strength of the Kryptonite New York Standard/16mil, just in case there's any confusion.

From the website thebestbikelock.com

"....for example, the Kryptonite New York Lock Standard U-lock and the Almax Immobiliser Series III chain are both 16 mm thick. So neither can be cropped by bolt cutters. But just look at the weight difference! While the Kryptonite lock is 4.35 lb (1.97 kg), the Almax is over twice as heavy at 9.15 lb (4.15 kg)."

Hamsterchops

Angle grinders are a bloody curse :mad:

tomasrojo

ED E wrote: »

I've considered an ebike for winter, useless to me though if I cant stop in Lidl for some shopping en route.

If you're only leaving the bike for twenty minutes outside a Lidl, I think an ART**** u-lock (OP already has) and ART*** chain lock would almost definitely mean your bike would still be there. Maybe throw a ringslot/ring lock in there, if the frame allows it.

I know the bike is valuable, but if you make sure the chain isn't near the ground, it's a lot of work and a lot of sparks (chain locks are supposed to be relatively hard to cut with an angle grinder anyway, compared with a u-lock), and not a very large time window.