Comment by user_7832
4 years ago
I have a question for the author - what safety precautions do you take against theft for such an e-bike, especially when going to public places like supermarkets? I recently came to the Netherlands and have heard that bike theft is common, especially for expensive bikes. I would guess that such an e-bike would be an attractive target, so do you take additional precautions when parking in public places (like 2/3/4 locks), or simply not park in public places at all?
I park a similar ebike in San Francisco fairly often. I have a good U-Lock and only lock to secure bike rings on main streets but haven't had any trouble. I've left it for hours at a time, but never later than about 9pm. You can mitigate the overall risk with an insurance plan, which is only a few hundred bucks a year.
Get two different locks, one cable lock as well.
I would not leave it outside for more than a few minutes unattended. It's too expensive for that.
That makes sense, thank you. I assume you use a "regular"/beater bike for such activities (like supermarkets)?
Yep, we have an oldie sticking around for that purpose alone. The lock is worth more than the bike (which is the only way you get to keep your bike in NL ;) ).
Do people steal the bikes by picking them up with a car, or do they try to ride them away?
I'm surprised I haven't seen e-bikes with an electronic immobilizer (that will either disable the motor or use it as a brake, unless unlocked with a code or physical token).