You’ve purchased your favorite electric scooter after months of savings and your adrenaline is surging to go on that first ride. All of it makes sense, but there’s one important step you’ve forgotten; buying a lock for your electric scooter.
Since most of the time, these scooters are to be parked in public spaces, there’s a constant threat that these might get stolen.
Furthermore, their portability and light weightiness along with no built-in security mechanism makes them extremely vulnerable to being stolen. Obviously, you would never want your favorite ride stolen, so I’m here to help you.
I’ll be shedding light on how you can secure your scooter against those who’re on the lookout for your favorite ride. Let’s begin!
Which Type of Electric Scooter Lock Should You Use?
Before moving on to how you should lock your scooter, you should look for the perfect lock to buy for your scooter. A variety of locks are available in the market including U-lock, chain lock and disc lock. All these lock types offer different levels of security and serve different purposes as well.
Chain locks and U-locks are widely used for security due to their strong resistance to braking and cutting. However, these are heavy making them less portable. Despite this lack of portability, these are very secure and are hence used for motorbikes and cycles as well.
Types of locks offered in the market
There are various types of locks offered in the market. One needs to understand the different types of locks and their mechanism before making a purchase.
1. U-Locks
U-locks sometimes also referred to as D-locks, are the most secure traditional locks for scooters. It has the shape of a shackle and is designed to secure a scooter to something solid like a post or something similar.
2. PadLock
Another type of lock is the padlock. This type of lock has a padlock that is attached to a chain or cable and locked shut with a key or combination.
Although this lock may work fine for bicycles, these aren’t the perfect locks for your scooter. Moreover, the steel chain or wire that comes along weighs heavy therefore making it less portable.
3. Disc Lock
There are a few secure ways that you can lock up your e-scooter. One of them is to use a disc lock. This is a small metal disc that attaches to the wheel of your scooter. It locks the wheel in place and makes it difficult for someone to steal your scooter.
4. Alarms
Another popular safety mechanism is an alarm that adds an extra security layer. These alarms go off if someone tries to breach the security system of the scooter. These can be used as stand-alone units or they can be integrated with any of the lock types mentioned above.
Best Practice
In order to lock up your electric scooter safely, you should use a combination of locks, this way if one lock fails, you can rely on the other.
How to Lock an Electric Scooter Properly?
When it comes to locking your electric scooter, the following are a few things you need to keep in mind.
1. Buy a lock that fits your electric scooter
Locks come in different sizes and it is essential that you find the lock that is suitable for your electric scooter. To determine the right lock size for your electric scooter, search for any locking points on your scooter.
Locks can be inserted or tied to these locking points on your scooters. These include handlebars, an e-scooter stem, and the gaps or holes present in your scooter’s design.
Often it is recommended to buy more than one lock for your scooter to ensure maximum possible security. After all, it is cheaper to buy more locks than to buy a new scooter.
2. Look for a safe and secure area to park your scooter
While looking for a space to park ensure that your scooter can be seen by people when it is parked. This reduces the risk of theft since the thief will be hesitant to steal in a crowd because of the risk of being caught.
Furthermore, you should avoid parking your scooter in places where it is dark and are not accessed by people such as a dark alleyway or a dark spot in a parking lot. Another step you could take to ensure safety is to park within the security camera’s field of view. This ensures that theft is caught if, unfortunately, your ride is stolen.
3. Lock the scooter to a fixture
You’ve searched for the perfect spot to park your scooter, what now? Park your scooter beside a permanent fixture that cannot be carried or cut easily.
This ensures that your bike is not stolen because a fixture cannot be moved. God examples of locking points can be stair railings, signboards, and bike racks. However, always avoid locking your scooter to an object which can be carried and lifted as it puts your scooter at significant risk.
Moreover, locking your scooters beside metal fences is never a good idea since these can be cut easily.
4. Secure the electric scooter through the locking points
Use your chosen scooter lock to tighten your scooter against the fixture. No gap should be left and the scooter should be tightly wrapped around. If you are using a chain lock, ensure that it is tightly wrapped around the fixture leaving no gaps in between.
One of the best locking points for your scooter is around the stem, folding mechanism, or through the carrying handle.
5. Cover your electric scooter
Although this step is optional, you should take it to ensure maximum security. Covering your scooter makes it less visible and less catchy. Moreover, this also protects your scooter from rain and dust.
Final Thoughts
If you’re buying an electric scooter, you must also consider buying a lock to prevent it from getting stolen. Spending some extra cash will make you tension free and will give you peace of mind that your favorite ride is out of harm’s way and is safe from theft.
These locks are a great investment and offer great value for money guaranteeing returns on investment.
