Bicycle theft is a common problem in many large cities. Thieves are also increasingly targeting expensive e-bikes. The good news: Despite the current bicycle boom and the trend towards expensive bicycles, the number of bicycle thefts fell by four percent in the Corona year 2020. Increased police checks, home offices and the sometimes restricted public life apparently made the craft more difficult for thieves. Nevertheless, there is no reason to give the all-clear.
There are still 260,000 unauthorized bicycles changing hands every year; The value of the bikes replaced by the insurance companies has risen by 75 percent in the last ten years because the bikes have become more and more expensive. Experts also suspect a high number of unreported thefts, as many victims have little hope of recovery – the police clearance rate is measly. In the German steal capital Berlin it is constant at four percent. But that could change soon.
The e-bike battery not only supplies the motor, but also the radio link with energy
More and more manufacturers are presenting electronic anti-theft systems that help the police to recover stolen bikes. Some systems seem so secure that the manufacturers confidently guarantee their customers a replacement or, if unsuccessful, offer a full replacement. One of the prerequisites for this promise is the energy supply of e-bikes. It enables the operation of a hidden GPS transmitter for localization and a cellular module for networking. In this way, e-bikes become members of the Internet of Things, they can communicate with apps, share their location or transmit their status. This allows, for example, a virtual fence to be drawn – if the bike is removed without permission, the smartphone sounds the alarm via the app connected to the bike.
E-bikes become members of the Internet of Things, they can communicate with apps, share their location or sound an alarm if they are removed without permission.
(Photo: Lars Scheider / Riese & Müller)
Or the bike uses sensors to detect suspicious vibrations, for example from tools or when being carried away. Haibike was one of the first manufacturers to integrate a corresponding system into its SDuro and XDuro models. Riese und Müller also offers a comparable all-inclusive offer with replacement, repair of theft damage or a replacement bike if your own is missing. For this purpose, the manufacturers install a GPS chip, a buffer battery in the event that the main battery is removed, and a communication module with an integrated SIM card, hidden and securely in the factory. Depending on the value of the bike, the duration and the desired extras such as insurance or replacement, the costs amount to around 100 euros per year.
In addition to the manufacturers of the bicycles, who hide their systems in the frame ex works, there are now also some retrofit solutions. We recommend, for example, the start-up IoT Ventures with the “It’s my Bike” system, which is also found in the bicycles from Riese and Müller. In 2020 the young company was able to deliver 30,000 of its GPS systems. In the meantime, the theft protection has been supplemented with additional functions such as driving data analysis, an insurance service and an emergency assistant. With the latter, sensors recognize the vibrations that are typical of a fall and independently inform a previously registered emergency contact.
However, retrofitting has disadvantages: integration is less secure and contact with the battery is more laborious. Most manufacturers of motors for pedelecs now offer a freely accessible 12-volt connection for external devices, but a specialist company is recommended for integrating the module with GPS, sensor and SIM card. In the event of an emergency, the latter then also takes over the guarantee, whereas this is the responsibility of the manufacturer for systems ex works.
The immobilizer from Bosch turns the juice off the e-bike – as a clever addition to the lock
Bosch implements another form of theft protection for its motors in conjunction with the Kiox and Nyon bike computers. To do this, the manufacturer links the bike computer to the motor via its eBike Connect app and then offers a lock function similar to an immobilizer. So the motor only works with the coupled computer. Without it, the electric drive remains switched off, which makes the bike unattractive for thieves. The system is a useful addition to mechanical locks and costs just ten euros in the premium version of the Bosch app.
Despite the possibility of location or immobilizer, a high-quality lock remains the best protection against thieves. Depending on the intended use and preferred storage location, different types and security levels are suitable. Really reliable and robust locks from well-known brand manufacturers cost between 50 and 130 euros. The lock should also be long enough to enable it to be attached to fixed objects such as trees, lanterns or fences. This is the best way to prevent the bike from being carried away or loaded onto a truck.
Some lock manufacturers also allow the lock cylinder to be exchanged in order to lock the e-bike battery and the lock with the same key. For expensive bicycles in endangered regions or without a safe parking space, it may also be worth taking out special bicycle insurance. Bicycles are often also insured in household insurance or an existing policy can be adapted cheaply. You should definitely pay attention to the amount of the reimbursement and the conditions. In many household contents insurance, bicycles are only protected up to one percent of the sum insured and only in the event of theft from the insured property. Otherwise, it is worth thinking about your own bicycle insurance. Important points for this are: Does the protection also apply at night, are valuable parts such as the battery also insured and how long will the bike be replaced as new?
For an E-MTB in Munich that costs 4500 euros, theft insurance costs around 125 euros per year. If you want to be on the safe side when it comes to theft protection, you have to reckon with regular costs for GPS tracking or insurance. The cheapest is the police’s free bike pass app for Apple and Android smartphones. It saves all important data for the identification of bikes, which speeds up the notification of the police and insurance in the event of theft. The faster the manhunt, the better the chances of clarification. Because in times of high demand, in addition to the loss, there may be a sadly long waiting time without a bike until the new dream bike is delivered.