Whether you've had an electric bike for years or just received yours over the holidays, there's one thing all Rad riders can agree on: They want to keep their ebikes theirs.
That means it's important to take some simple steps to help protect your ride and deter thieves.
We'll walk you through a few of our top tips:
1. Lock your frame to the bike rack
Have you ever stopped at a bike rack and seen a lone wheel with a lock through it on the ground?
That’s likely because its owner didn’t follow one of the most important rules of ebike protection: making sure the lock covers the frame.
One way to make sure your ebike is properly secured to a bike rack is to make sure the lock covers the frame of the bike. This is important because if you only lock the wheels or the saddle, a thief can easily remove the locked part and take the rest of the ebike.
To ensure maximum protection, you can use a wheel lock or run a cable lock through both wheels in addition to the primary lock on the frame, but don’t let that be your first line of defense.
2. Take your battery with you
When you’re away from your ebike for long periods of time, you can get extra peace of mind by removing the battery and taking it with you. Our Battery Travel Case makes that easy when you’re on-the-go.
Since your battery is one of the most expensive components of your ebike, this step makes your ride a lot less desirable to thieves. Plus, without a battery to supply power to the motor, it's much harder for them to quickly ride off with your ebike.
3. Park your ebike in populated areas
Choosing a good spot to park and lock your ebike is an important step in deterring thieves.
When possible, go for more populated bike racks in areas with heavy foot traffic or video monitoring.
Try to avoid parking your ebike outside at night, especially in areas where there aren’t additional eyes on it.
4. Register your ride
Did you know that your ebike has a serial number? It’s stamped into the metal of the frame, either at the front of the bike below the Rad badge, or on the underside of the bottom bracket. It’s also listed on the outside of the box your ebike was packaged in.
Once you find it, take a photo and save it for future reference.
You can enter the serial number into public databases hosted by Bike Index and 529 Garage. Both are free services that store your ebike's information in a database that is searchable by police departments and bike shops. This can be helpful if your bike is lost or stolen.
5. Practice common sense
Make sure to stay alert. Even if you’re just popping into a store or think you’re in a safe area, it’s always wise to lock up your ebike just in case. A small amount of prevention can save you a lot of heartbreak in the long-run.
