A good bike lock prevents theft by a potential bike thief. We’d like to take a closer look at this concept, which sounds so simple and straightforward. There is no such thing as “the perfect bike lock,” and there is no such thing as “the typical bike thief.” The market offers a wide variety of bike locks, all designed to protect a wide range of different bikes and e-bikes.
There could be many reasons why this particular bike was stolen from that spot. Was it a spur-of-the-moment decision to simply use the unlocked bike, which was leaning against the wall in the pedestrian zone, to get from point A to point B? Or was it more of a “borrowing,” since it was left again 2 km further down the road? In that case, a simple U-lock would likely have been sufficient, since the thief wouldn’t have bothered to pick a lock. But no matter what the motivation behind a bicycle theft is, it’s always very upsetting for the owner when their bike suddenly disappears. Anger, helplessness, and even fear can overwhelm someone who’s been robbed. It’s always an invasion of one’s privacy, even if it’s “just” a bicycle.
That’s why we’d like to offer a few tips. As a general rule: the heavier and larger a lock is, the more it deters a thief from trying to break it. A theft should always be quick, inconspicuous, and quiet. There’s a rule of thumb that you should spend about 10% of the bike’s value on a lock. We consider this rule of thumb outdated, as there are now very high-quality bike locks available for under 100 euros that are extremely secure and perfectly adequate even for an e-bike worth 3,000 euros. Insurance companies also specify a purchase price of at least 50 euros for a lock in order to consider the bike sufficiently secured. This could be, for example, a good cable lock, a heavy-duty cable lock, or a folding lock. Cable locks are very popular because they are very easy to use and do not get in the way while riding when wrapped around the seat post and frame. Folding locks have been very popular for some time now. First, they are very difficult to break, especially if they are a large and heavy model. Second, they usually come with a mounting bracket that simply screws onto the frame. There, the lock can be clicked out and back in with a quick click. So they’re very quick to use and well secured while riding.
No matter which lock you choose, there are still more steps you can take to protect your “treasured possession.” Don’t leave your bike in a secluded alley where there’s hardly any foot traffic. Such alleys usually aren’t very well lit, even at night. So the thief has no reason to fear being caught. For most owners, a very expensive bike is more of a piece of sports equipment that goes straight back into the garage or basement after a ride anyway. By the way, the same rule applies here: always lock it up, otherwise your home or bike insurance won’t cover the theft. For shopping, it’s better to take your older bike, which isn’t as flashy and won’t give a potential thief extra incentive to see it as valuable stolen goods that they can quickly turn into cash.