eBike security when on site?

[Claire Ambler]

For my bike I have put an eye bolt through the rear wall under the bike rack and lock the bike to that

 

[Neil Bedwin]

I've recently got an Invoxia gps tracker. It's small enough that wrapped in a bit of innertube and put in the saddle bag it would be ignored but should the bike be stolen I can track it in real time to it's location. Cost £100 with 3 years service included. Well worth a look.
I tried inside the seat tube to hide it away but the gps signals don't work through titanium....may be ok if you have carbon.

 

[Ipetchey]

Hi, this is my first post in the forum, and it's a question that has been intriguing me.

We want to buy our first MH soon, but as it will be in the 6m - 6.5m length, it almost certainly won't have a garage large enough to store two eBikes.

We're still trying to choose between a PVC or coachbuilt, but that is another question entirely!

So how can you keep expensive eBikes secure when you are in the MH particularly as ours cost about £3k each? Storing them in an awning won't be sensible, but would a bike rack with the bikes covered be safe enough?

I'd really welcome your thoughts and experience.

Thanks
Chris

With pedals off I get an ebike and normal bike in the back of our VW Crafter PVC, first things out when we get to site. If there is a nearby sturdy tree I chain them up with two locks around both bikes and tree and cover them. If no tree I have a screw in heavy duty security ground anchor. Impossible to remove with cables through it. Amazon product ASIN B00GLR7CLQ

 

[Wh05apk]

Bear in mind that bikes on the back will add the best part of 1m to your length, suddenly the 6-6.5m van you are looking at is 7-7.5m, the same as a larger van with garage, which also gives you more interior space.
We have e bikes, and personally there is no way I would hang them off the back in the damp and spray, bikes are just not built for damp conditions, they will soon deteriorate.
For us the bikes were a major consideration so we had to have a decent garage.

 

[suavecarve]

Working on a campus which is next to an estate that has a "Reputation" we have a number of bikes reallocated each year but are relatively successful in re reallocating them or preventing them in the process of reallocation.
In 11 years we are yet to lose one that has had a D lock attached to it (and been connected through the frame to something that is solid) (they did cut a tree once!)
We have had a couple of attempts made but the sparks caused by the angle grinder required brings our attention to them. Nobody has tried the frozen nitrogen trick yet.
I now use these nifty little things as they attach to the bike and take up minimal space and short of trying 10,000 combinations an angle grinder is requir. I didnt pay that price, fairly certain they were about £60 for 4 of them and purchased off ebay. 2 for e bikes and 2 for motorbikes and you can set them easily enough with the same code.

Amazon product ASIN B07Y1MDG68

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[BreweryDave]

You need to modify the saddle stem like this......

 

[Coolcats]

.....or a strikeback alarm which has a bike loop. Set the alarm and when the loop is broken off goes the alarm and if the thieves have been smart it will have been the last thing to go.

It is very hard to defend against - either a garage (which you do not have) or inside, which is not very convenient.

We have one of those cables and it brings peace of mind, I would add something like a Tracker to an eBike I know there are some who say trackers are a waste of money but locks chains can be broken and it’s just adding another level of security. <Broken link removed>

 

[CRD]

So many amazing replies and many great suggestions. Thank you.

There’s a ton of useful information here that I hope is useful to others looking for ways to protect their bikes/ebikes

Chris

 

[Garfields]

There was a big problem down at Roquetas De Mar with cycle theft on the wild camping area. Twice we had straps and cover cut. We use two large chains and padlocks to to secure the bikes to the bike rack.
In the end I took the front wheels off of a night and we were not targeted again.

Simples

 

[davesmiff]

We do similar and have also fitted removable pedals which clip off in seconds - all to make the bikes less attractive and a little more difficult to steal.

Great advice we do the same but also remove the saddle with the quick release.

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[138go]

Not much help but we have cheap E-bikes, which work really well, and a garage in our MH.
We were on the Aire at Honfleur, the guys next to us had their brand new, expensive, E-bikes taken during the night. They were locked on the rack etc.

 

[orridge]

I agree with all of the above plus a good strong bike cover. We have two eBike which are worth about 8k and when on site and not using them we put them back on the rack with 2 Abus granite D locks plus a abus cable lock joining them together. Then on my mountain bike I have a little movement alarm which is activated by a key fob and also a tracker. It is all then covered by a thick material twin bike cover I bought from Yorkshire covers. Passers by cannot then see what’s underneath expensive or cheap. We have had no problems in two years. I think it’s all down to common sense as to where you park and also a little bit of luck that you are not “ in the right place at the wrong time “ Also my Cube bike can disable the motor by removing the display unit and only that unit can switch it back on again as it’s coded by Bosch. Not that a thief would know that or even care. Having my eBike has changed the game for me as far as motorhoming is concerned and I would not go anywhere without it. Good luck.

Aerialmark What tracker do you have for the MTB?

 

[orridge]

Lots of good advice we now have a garage so stored in there but previously they were locked on the back rack with Gold Sold Secure locks and a Strikeback bike loop.

If someone really wants a bike good security will slow them down but equally important to have good insurance which covers for both at home and away from home should the worst happen. Most household polices would need the bikes listing separately so check the small print to ensure coverage or consider dedicated cycle insurance.

 

[dulvil]

Henry table alarm mine, I used one of these until I had a garage and a d lock

 

[dulvil]

Henry cranke alarm mine

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[Garry - June]

You only have to take a trip to Aldi to see the problem.... a £40 lithium battery powered angle grinder will make mincemeat of any lock you put on your bikes... the skill is making them so unattractive they wont bother... which means removing as much as possible.... batteries.... controllers..... pedals.....seats.... etc etc..its a pain to do this but £4 or 5k of bikes hanging by a lock which they can cut in 30 seconds is an attractive target.. and never actually leaving them anywhere in a vulnerable place is also a skill.... if you park up in the middle of nowhere and then go off for a stroll ..... you get the idea..

 

[Timbob1961]

If you get 2x fiido d11 folding bikes then they will fit in a small garage and be good enough to get around(60km range)

 

[gerrym11]

Holy moly, £4000 each! No wonder they get nicked if people will pay that much.

Our Honda scooter was £1070 at six months old, takes 2 at 50mph and probably won't get stolen, I certainly don't worry about it.

The best strategy if you must have a push bike is to buy a piece of crap, some are that bad they don't need a lock

But if you buy a piece of crap then it won't meet requirements and if it doesn't meet requirements then it is poor value for money.
We want e-bikes so we can travel that bit further whilst getting a bit fitter. We are also able to ride on tracks that a motorised vehicle couldn't. A scooter is not really a comparison!

 

[Tonks]

My ebike is a folder and it travels in the van in a bike wrap, strapped to the rear seat belts in case of a collision. It's heavy and I don't want it coming forward...
On site, it's kept locked to one of the van's wheels with an insurance approved lock. At night, it's folded and packed in the 'wrap', and still locked to the van. Battery is kept in the van. Someone really determined could take it, but the aim is to make it the less easy target.

 

[Steve N Tracy]

2 expensive e-bikes on a thule carrier, which is locked to the towbar, and has lockable clamps, litelock gold standard lock which pass through the bike and then through the towbar, silver standard frame locks with cable extensions through the front wheels, and bikes alarmed if we leave the van with the bikes on, and insurance that specifically covers them on a bike carrier, batteries removed and kept in the alarmed motorhome, they could still be stolen but not too quickly and I have taken just about as many precautions as are reasonably possible.

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[chopper602]

On our last motorhome, we used to hang two of our regular MTB off the back (multiple locks and cover) and the kids smaller ones in the garage. Now we have e-bikes (and the kids don't come with us anymore) and a newer motorhome they both fit comfortably in the garage and go back in there (batteries removed) straight away after we finish riding. The size of the garage on the Knaus was one of the deciding factors for that model.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

I wouldn't have space inside the van to store even a folding bike, unless I want to keep climbing over it. Realistically, the folding bikes will be fine for anyone wanting to pootle around a local area on reasonably surfaced roads, trips to get supplies from the nearby town, or similar. They won't suit everyone (rather like one size doesn't fit all in motorhomes). My preferred cycling is to disappear for a fair few hours exploring the forest gravel tracks and similar. A couple of weeks ago it was a 45mile circuit from a Northumberland campsite, around Kielder Water that involved well over 1000m of up and down over 5 hours. I wouldn't have enjoyed that on a folding bike.

I have to accept that my relatively expensive mountain e-bike - £2500 if new, is vulnerable, but it is a major part of my motorhome experience, so I just have to do my best to make it less attractive to the opportunist scumbag.

 

[Stealaway]

No substitute for a garage in the a Motorhome if you are going to take expensive bikes with you.

Yep as above - I would definitely be buying a coach built with a garage

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

2 expensive e-bikes on a thule carrier, which is locked to the towbar, and has lockable clamps, litelock gold standard lock which pass through the bike and then through the towbar, silver standard frame locks with cable extensions through the front wheels, and bikes alarmed if we leave the van with the bikes on, and insurance that specifically covers them on a bike carrier, batteries removed and kept in the alarmed motorhome, they could still be stolen but not too quickly and I have taken just about as many precautions as are reasonably possible.

Was the insurance through your house insurance or a stand alone policy?

 

[ToBoldlyGo]

Chris, don't look at the vehicle and and its length / layout separately from the storage and security of the bike.

I wanted full size ebikes but after looking on threads, I just think unfortunately they are so vunerable on the back of the van. Would any of us put a transparent box on the back of the van with 5000 euros in it and a note saying - 5 mins effort and you can have this.

The only reasonably safe place for ebikes is inside. You can have full size bikes in a large garage, or what i'm doing which is folding bikes. Initially I put them into our medium ish size garage. I found any numbers of snags with that, the external door is 3cm too small for the folded bike size. The garage space is under our French bed, so I raise the bed and then f around trying to lay the bikes nicely suppoted on their frames. I only did that once such a pita, so now daytime they stay on the bed and we have a sod / eod routine to move the between bed top and floor. My particular folders are quite big folded and only *just* go through the hab door. Oh yeah, and 20kg wpuldn't be so much in a kettle bell, but the ebikes are awkward to move in the van so I write this having put my back out.

So what I'm saying is, I suggest you plan and buy the vehicle and bikes together (borrow/hire) and try it all out before parting with cash for either one.

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[Adriaadventure]

With pedals off I get an ebike and normal bike in the back of our VW Crafter PVC, first things out when we get to site. If there is a nearby sturdy tree I chain them up with two locks around both bikes and tree and cover them. If no tree I have a screw in heavy duty security ground anchor. Impossible to remove with cables through it. Amazon product ASIN B00GLR7CLQ

We have electric bikes on the back of our adria and have done so with other previous Motorhomes for 14 years.
So far we have had no problems
We lock them securely on the back with gold quality locks and remove the seats and batteries (helps with the weight also)
We are insured with caravan and Motorhome club (house insurance) and they are covered on the back of the Motorhome they cover the house also for up to 90 days. They are the cheapest to cover unoccupied house along with bikes
Hope this helps your decision

 

[Molly A]

A great suggestion. Thanks. I think we would have to find a used one!

We have a Hymer Exsis 414I at 6 metres. Garage probably big enough...swallows 2 mountain bikes relatively easily.

 

[Crafty]

I'll second the comment above about damage to bikes from road/salt spray.

If you must transport them on the back, I'd think very seriously about a decent cover for the bikes.

I also think the cover would help a lot with the security, as would be thrives can't quite so easily see what the prize is.

 

[Crafty]

(Theives not thrives!!!!)

 

[Crafty]

(Or even thieves!!!)

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