Hello i just got my second bike and i was surprised to see that my key fits in both battery locks rad says i am lucky that i have a set of the same battery but i dont see it that way they say there are codes on the key lock mine is f 08 when i ask them how many combinations are there because this seems like a real security risk they say a lot whats the highest number you guys have ? i dont feel so secure anymore leaving a 600 euro battery on a bike not even for a quick in and out to the shop
But im not only a hater i have to give props to rad for the quality of the rest of the bike i ride it realy hard of-road every day with a second batery in a back pack full power 50 km every day only other thing i dislike is the tires the thread is much to thin its not realy for of road but aftermarket are not to expensive
Greetings from Hungary
Interesting finding. My key is marked F0x (dont wanna give the number though but the last digit it's not 8 :) ). So, wild guess that it could be from 00 to 99... And the font on the key looks like the same as in many Chinese products, manuals etc. As a comparison, I got a folding lock that cost me over 60 euros, and its keys got 7 characters long id on them.
Would be good if the battery had a proper lock since it is expensive to buy a new one if the old one gets stolen...
i hope it goes until 100 and not 10 otherwise when these become more mainstream and you see a whole rack of hire fleet bikes could be a problem
Pretty new here. But I can tell you that most Keys are like this. You would be very surprised by how many generic or master style keys are on things. from construction equipment to storage boxes. Many of them don't even use a range of numbers.
A range of 0-99 keys is actually pretty secure, heck even 0 to 10. I can think of several really large ticket items right now that use the exact same key across the entire range. some of those are the ignition key others are storage boxes.
this is not common street crook MO. They will just snatch what they can when they think they can get away with it.
ok maybe your right i just had a scare after finding this out i have a caevan and i can open that lock with almost every key i was kind of hoping if people who have 2 baterys with difrent lock number to try it once
cheers
It's also worth mentioning that if you're concerned about your battery being stolen you should probably just bring it with you wherever you're going. It isn't hard to remove and in winter it's better to bring it in anyhow.
Quote from: Ryan on February 13, 2020, 05:23:47 PM
It's also worth mentioning that if you're concerned about your battery being stolen you should probably just bring it with you wherever you're going. It isn't hard to remove and in winter it's better to bring it in anyhow.
This is actually most important thing.
Of course there could be this scenario that you leave your Rad outside the shop for few minutes, and a thief with the correct key would come and thief the battery. But that is a very unlikely thing to happen in my opinion. ;)
And after all there are insurances for bicycles (at least here in Finland), so you can get some money back from a stolen bike or paid for repairing the damaged parts. And while thinking of it, I should verify that my current insurance plan will cover the battery also....
Lähetetty minun LYA-L29 laitteesta Tapatalkilla
I purchased my bike from the Seattle showroom, and when the salesguy came out to turn on the bike, he had a keyring that had maybe 20 keys on it? It seemed like a pretty low chance of getting the exact same key but they are "semi-unique". At least if you ever lose your keys, they can send you a new set without having to rekey your battery.
If a new battery costs $549 or 599 € it would be good to have a decent lock... Almost 50% of the price of the bike itself.
On this video the key and lock mechanism look very similar to Rad's key and lock:
https://youtu.be/ZNamd6m_eOM
On the other hand it is not difficult to thief the whole bike either:
https://youtu.be/-dz0Za5-wOM
Arm alarm, remove battery, two locks. If we are remote like shopping and going to be more than 20 minutes or so we just lock, arm , and throw the rain cover over them too. I also have an Internet router on mine so I can send a text alarm. I use Blynk.
*R
Sounds interesting, especially that Blynk part. I guess it would let you use gps tracking also? How about weather proofing it, and what location did you put it? And what price did it have?
I am still considering the same, but the price tags on ready products are still quite big. And it should have both alarm and gps tracking. Until then I will trust my lock (just one), luck and insurance company. :)
Quote from: rheine3 on March 29, 2020, 08:24:50 PM
Arm alarm, remove battery, two locks. If we are remote like shopping and going to be more than 20 minutes or so we just lock, arm , and throw the rain cover over them too. I also have an Internet router on mine so I can send a text alarm. I use Blynk.
*R
Yes, you must share more about this - very interesting.
Looks like this wouldn't be the problem for a standard framed red mini if you keep your saddle low enough you have to raise it up to remove the battery.
So if I was to replace the quick release with a locking skewer battery would be safe.
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Interesting thread. Surprised that no one mentioned the universal Honda motorcycle key blank...
Just to add to this. I recently saw a YouTube video from Bolton bikes that was talking about bike locks and oddly enough he also talked about how batteries are stolen and specifically pointed out that on RAD bikes (a couple models were tried) that he was able to simply use a key blank and unlock the battery but also to turn on the bike.
If you don't know what a key blank is, it is just the key before any of the grooves are cut on it.
Now granted not just any old blank would work but people who steal bikes will probably already know which type or carry several as part of their kit.
I actually like Veggyhed's idea about replacing the quick release on the seat post and then just lower the seat and you will have a much harder time getting the battery off.
Quote from: 1Eye on July 23, 2020, 08:04:38 AM
Just to add to this. I recently saw a YouTube video from Bolton bikes that was talking about bike locks and oddly enough he also talked about how batteries are stolen and specifically pointed out that on RAD bikes (a couple models were tried) that he was able to simply use a key blank and unlock the battery but also to turn on the bike.
If you don't know what a key blank is, it is just the key before any of the grooves are cut on it.
Now granted not just any old blank would work but people who steal bikes will probably already know which type or carry several as part of their kit.
I actually like Veggyhed's idea about replacing the quick release on the seat post and then just lower the seat and you will have a much harder time getting the battery off.
Yep, these are the blank Honda keys. If you spend enough time on the Lockpicking Lawyers YouTube channel you'll quickly realize nothing is safe. I know with my Abus folding lock alarm I could position it in such a way that it would be hard to remove the battery without triggering the alarm.
Ryan, do you like the alarm version of that lock? I was looking at buying the regular version like on Rad's site but did see the alarm version on Amazon.
Is it bey sensitive? Hate to have a lot of false alarms if it is too sensitive.
Quote from: 1Eye on July 24, 2020, 10:05:24 AM
Ryan, do you like the alarm version of that lock? I was looking at buying the regular version like on Rad's site but did see the alarm version on Amazon.
Is it bey sensitive? Hate to have a lot of false alarms if it is too sensitive.
Hey 1Eye - yes I have the alarm version of the Bordo 6000 Alarm and I really like it. It is sensitive, but the trick is to make sure that the actual part where it locks isn't going to move due to gravity. So I either make sure it is on the bottom or physically position it on the frame. It's also the longer 120 cm which is a nice to have.
Here is my blog post on it and there is a video as well: https://ebikeescape.com/abus-bordo-big-6000-alarm-review/ (https://ebikeescape.com/abus-bordo-big-6000-alarm-review/)
I have a seat post lock on my Radrunner which blocks the battery from being lifted and removed.
Which seat post lock did you use?
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I have a www.SaveYourSeatLock.com lock.
I just got my bike today!! I tried my key on my wife's bike and it worked fine. Didn't look at the numbers on the keys.
In case no one else was aware. A simple Google search will turn up universal Rad Power battery keys sold on Etsy and Ebay. https://bit.ly/3fKsWZy (https://bit.ly/3fKsWZy) They are very common. A new battery costs $500.00, and a universal key costs less than $15.00. My advise is to bring a backpack on your travels to carry your battery with you when you walk away from your eBike. Why take a chance on a big-ticket item? All Rad Power bikes use the same batteries and locking system. If I were a thief, I'd buy a universal key. Take my advise and carry your battery with you.
The blanks are cheap. With these keys out there I would not trust my bike anywhere with the battery. I would take the battery off. Currently I don't own a bike lock. I just don't go anywhere I would need to lock up my Radrover. I don't think there is a lock that is 100% secure. I think a lock will only stop a thief that happens to walk by with no tools to steal otherwise a good thief can get your bike no matter what lock you use. I guess the only lock that is 100% is my butt. I have to much invested to trust a bike lock. I really wish I could. There are times I wanted to stop at Walmart on my way home from work.
I do believe this is the key blank.
Jim
I can confirm the SaveYourSeatLock blocks the removal of the battery on a RadRunner 1. Its a fair price and the quality is very nice. I don't use it though because I pull my battery at work and don't worry about ibattery theft while out and about. I went with a HexLox and a bmx seat clamp to keep my seat from getting seat-napped. If you charge your battery on the bike the SaveYourSeat clamp may be a great solution.
I have 2 Rad bikes and they have different keys. Keys from each bike can turn the other bike on but will not unlock the battery for removal from the bike.
I am not seeing the concern.
I have 3 rads with 3 different keys. If they are on, any key will lock them but not unlock. I am going to go to the hardware store and get a Honda motorcycle key blank and see if it works to unlock any of them. I really doubt it, but I will report back. Honestly I would be happy to have one key to unlock all 3 bikes.
Gary
Ok so I bought a HD-74 key blank and it works on all three of my Rad bike batteries. I am glad to be able to use one key. I am not worried about a random thief knowing this and getting my battery.
Gary
In my local area the cops are warning people that the thieves have sets of keys for them, and will either take your battery, or snap your lock and drive away, at speed on your bike if you leave the battery with it
@mass
Quote from: massassi on December 14, 2020, 08:39:06 AM
In my local area the cops are warning people that the thieves have sets of keys for them, and will either take your battery, or snap your lock and drive away, at speed on your bike if you leave the battery with it
Where are you located?
Gary
Vancouver Island, BC
With all the etsy type innovation I'm surprised no one has come up with a battery lock system. The saveyourseatlock system would be great unless you have to remove the battery everyday to charge it. I though about trying a motorcycle disc lock under the seat clamp on the seat tube, to inhibit the space required to remove he battery. I still use a bmx style seat clamp with a HexLox, so my seat clamp will not be removed without a major hassle! If someone figures out a good system to secure the battery please share it. I generally don't worry about my battery getting taken but as ebike popularity increases I feel the theft of batteries will.
i wonder if one could pull the lock and have a locksmith provide one thats more secure?
These Universal keys are around two dollars x Ilco HD74 Key Blank for Honda X84
Quote from: 1Eye on July 23, 2020, 08:04:38 AM
Just to add to this. I recently saw a YouTube video from Bolton bikes that was talking about bike locks and oddly enough he also talked about how batteries are stolen and specifically pointed out that on RAD bikes (a couple models were tried) that he was able to simply use a key blank and unlock the battery but also to turn on the bike.
Yep, I saw that too. I think he said that he heard that so he tried it and it worked on the few he tried so far. At the price of the battery I think I will bring mine in with me when I park it.
Quote from: massassi on December 17, 2020, 11:27:54 AM
i wonder if one could pull the lock and have a locksmith provide one thats more secure?
Looks like that would require opening the battery case and voiding the warranty.
For what its worth: I was concerned about the key code issue, as it seems like MANY batteries from rad are coded alike. My "solution" at this point is to 1) take battery with me everytime I lock bike up, 2) I installed (stick on) remote alarm to the battery itself, as well as onto the bike frame => two allarms coded alike. I set them on high alert, so far no problems.
I went to a reputable key smith and was told: 1) that one really cannot "change out" the tumblers (inside cylinder to make a custom code; and 2) IF one was to open up the battery obviously the "warrantee" is voided - if you are still under warrantee that can be an issue that may bother you.
Also, I am working on a "better solution" => find a way to use my kryptonite u-bolt lock to prevent actual battery removal. (A work in design process).
Hope this helps.
I was interested in the master key idea since we now have four Rads. When we bought our last bike I asked Rad if they could send me a bike with the same key code as one of our other bikes but they can't do that. So I got one of the Honda blanks as mentioned earlier in this thread. Here is what I found:
The blank does not work in our two 2016 Rad City bikes and none of our other keys will work in these locks either. (These batteries have a simple key locks, the key does not switch the bike on or off.)
The blank works in the 2019 and 2021 Rad City Step-Thru bikes.
The 2019 bike uses a F07 key and the Blank, F02, F04, and F06 keys work in it.
The 2021 bike uses a F02 key and the Blank, and F06 key works in this battery.
All the keys have 6 cuts and each key has a different cut.
I'm not too concerned with posting my key numbers since they are not secure to start with. It is more of a pain in the butt juggling all the different keys. I would like to see if I can get a key cut that has F04 on one side and the F06 on the other side then one key would work on all the batteries.
For those who remove and carry their Rad batteries around, if you're anywhere near as paranoid as I am about dropping one of the shiny, slippery, expen$ive things, a C.E. Smith Draw Bar Storage Bag (for a trailer hitch) fits the battery like a glove, has handles and is built like a brick outhouse:
https://amzn.to/3iqsNNW
I use a Grove Tools Quick Release Seat Lock on the optional 27.2mm suspension seatpost of my 2020 RadMini 4, but I had to drop the Rad battery mounting plate farther down in its mounting slots to be able to get it to orient correctly, lock the seatpost AND block removal of the battery the same as it does on the taller RadRovers:
http://www.saveyourseatlock.com
I experienced one downside with the Grove seatpost lock though. It uses a plastic/polymer washer as part of the hardware stack that pinches the seat tube. I had my seat twist a couple of times after installing it, as I didn't seem to be able to get it as tight as the OEM seatpost clamp with its all metal hardware (their instructions caution about over tightening, and I didn't want to break anything). I just used Park Tool "Supergrip Carbon and Alloy Assembly Compound" on the top of the seatpost just below the clamp and it's been fine ever since, but the stuff will DEFINITELY wreck the finish on the part of the seatpost inside the seat tube, which isn't a problem if you've got you length dialed in and don't need to change it for different riders or conditions, otherwise it will be ugly in the extended position(s). I also used a fixed, no lip, straight bolt 27.2mm clamp on the seatpost itself, just above the Grove Locking clamp, so I can reinsert the seatpost to the proper height without having to measure or even look at anything when reassembling the bike after it has been broken down for transport.
RadJohn what size save your seat lock did you have to buy for your mini 2020? I would like to add one to mine.
I believe this guy is using the same lock and he uses a washer to secure his battery with the lock.
https://youtu.be/iYyKKujjDv8
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I was also looking to go this route but when I contacted Grove Tools they said they had no dealers in the U.K.
Quote from: Veggyhed on May 05, 2021, 05:19:25 AM...what size save your seat lock did you have to buy for your mini 2020?...
27.2mm
I initially did something like the washer in the video you linked BUT:
1) You have to turn the lock crosswise, which means the clamping force on the seatpost tube is reduced, allowing it to slip easier.
The lock is designed to work with its slit aligned with the one in the Rad seat tube for maximum pinch force/grip.
Some people have squirmier butts than others (I'm apparently one), which probably exacerbates any potential slipping problem.
2) With the long dimension of the lock sticking out to the side, the inside of my leg used to brush against the tip of the swing out locking arm,
irritating my leg and psyche. I cut a bit of the tip off, which helped.
I eventually made an insert with pins which just slipped into the two screw holes at the top of the Rad OEM battery, wedged between the battery the seatpost, and caught under the Grove Seat Lock, which kept the battery from being lifted up. Twisting the seat lock at an angle as shown got the pinch slits closer to each other and helped reduced leg interference and seatpost slipping (pictures 1 & 2).
In measuring things while planning to replace the original Rad battery with a larger one, I discovered the three frame mounting screws on the OEM Rad battery mounting tray of my 2020 RadMini 4 could be loosened and the battery pushed down a bit, which allowed the Grove Seat Lock to be turned to the correct orientation (with no extra washers or special inserts needed) after lengthening the slots of the battery mounting tray only slightly. It was so close that some Minis may not even need to have the slots lengthened, depending on manufacturing tolerances. Picture 3 shows the final arrangement, and although that isn't a Rad OEM battery, my Jumbo Shark case is similar enough in that respect. Note the cut off tip on the swing out locking arm of my lock, no longer necessary with this configuration.
Also shown is my my double redundant, non-quick release seatpost clamp above the Grove lock. It's permanently attached to the seatpost just to aid in slamming things back together after the seat has been removed for servicing or transport without having to do anything to set extension.
Wow thanks for all the info. I'm going to look into lowering my battery chassis.
What size save your seat lock did you buy for the mini four 2020?
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Quote from: Veggyhed on May 06, 2021, 06:38:08 AMWhat size save your seat lock did you buy for the mini four 2020?
Sorry, their 32mm size is the correct one for our bikes (which have 27.2mm Seat Post, and 32mm Seat Tube ODs).
Thanks RadJohn.
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Quote from: RadJohn on April 22, 2021, 04:37:46 PM
For those who remove and carry their Rad batteries around...built like a brick outhouse:
https://amzn.to/3iqsNNW
I use a Grove Tools Quick Release Seat Lock...lock the seatpost AND block removal of the battery the same as it does on the taller RadRovers:
http://www.saveyourseatlock.com
I experienced one downside with the Grove seatpost lock though....broken down for transport.
@radjohn - thnx for such an informative & descriptive post. after purchasing a $200 cane creek thudbuster seat post & realizing a replacement battery pack from rad would cost approx $650 after shipping & taxes, i decided that i needed to especially secure these items to my bike so i completely followed your lead. your description of the items & your experience was spot-on right down to the seat twisting slightly necessitating the Supergrip Carbon and Alloy Assembly Compound which solved the problem. thnx again. btw, all for less than $50!!!
Quote from: RadJohn on April 22, 2021, 04:37:46 PM
For those who remove and carry their Rad batteries around, if you're anywhere near as paranoid as I am about dropping one of the shiny, slippery, expen$ive things, a C.E. Smith Draw Bar Storage Bag (for a trailer hitch) fits the battery like a glove, has handles and is built like a brick outhouse:
https://amzn.to/3iqsNNW
Thanks for that tip! I just ordered one and think it's a shame (and maybe a company liability) for Rad to ship batteries worth $500 with their bikes that can all be removed with a key blank. Imagine the outcry if Tesla did that. It's ultimately the battery manufacturer's design fault through their choice of lock vendor; does anybody know if any other brands are affected?
UPDATE: received the bag and you're right - it fits my Mini's battery like a glove! Very much appreciate the tip.
EDIT 30 June 2021: I bought a blank key on eBay to see if they really do unlock the batteries. Yep, they do; it immediately unlocked mine and every other recent-model Rad owner's battery I've tried so far! So beware - for $7 to get a key, it's easy to steal the battery!
EDIT 12 March 2022: This mod might work on the new Expand5 models too; the frame under the seat seems to be very similar to the MiniST2, if not identical.
After looking around at the locking post clamp and other approaches in this thread, I came up with a solution that others might find useful. Note that this is for my RadMini Step-Thru 2 bike and works perfectly, but might not work on other frames without modification. For this bike, it's just what I needed and cost only about $25.
I've attached some photos - you can see that I previously removed the quick-release seatpost clamp and replaced it with a standard clamp, after replacing the stock bolt with a tamper-resistant Torx bolt. That makes it a lot harder to steal the seat and Redshift suspension post, but does nothing to protect the battery.
So I did a lot of searching and finally ordered this small U-lock for about $17: https://amzn.to/3g370KV (https://amzn.to/3g370KV) Note that the identical item is sold under several Chineseium names from various vendors if this one happens to be out of stock. It's surprisingly strong and well-made; perhaps the locking mechanism can be picked, but it's almost impossible to get to it with a pick tool the way I have it mounted - it will definitely slow down even an accomplished thief and cutting it won't be easy, quick or quiet.
But by itself, the shackle is too loose; it can easily be wiggled up and over the seatpost clamp, clearing the way for battery removal. So I went to the hardware store and bought 1-foot of 1-3/8" outer-diameter nylon-reinforced thickwall plastic tubing to push on over the U part of the lock. I just eyeballed it in the store, but got lucky and it's exactly the length I needed. But, it's very stiff at room temperature and won't install over that tight of a curve. Solution? Boil it in a pot of water for 10 minutes to soften it up (it won't soften a lot, but enough), then right out of the water use insulated rubber gloves to quickly shove it over and around the U before it cools off - it works. Then put it into the sun with the points down to drain it for a couple minutes, then invert with the open side up to evaporate the remaining drops of moisture inside to help prevent rust (the entire lock mechanism is already rubber coated except at the very tips of the U).
Voilá - it's a perfect tight fit; I had to really wedge it in there to be able to reassemble the lock and remove the key. Perfect! No wiggle, no rattle, no movement - it protects both the battery and the seatpost clamp; they are going nowhere and everything is rubber-coated to protect the paint. Bonus effect: it also jams up the controller and toolbag (mounted between frame rails above rear fender) a bit, making them slightly harder to mess with. If you look closely at the lock by itself, you can see an indent at the top of the U where it relaxed in the sun to mold itself around the seatpost clamp; as a result it's a tiny bit smaller and much easier to lock in place than it was at first. It's a bit of a hassle to remove that lock even with a key, so I've switched to just charging the battery on the bike in the garage instead of removing it each time.
Works great and doesn't cost a lot - hope this might help somebody else, especially another Mini Step-Thru owner.
Cheers!
Jim - thanks for sharing this info. I also bought a blank key and found that they do indeed unlock any Rad bike battery!!!!
I also thought about using a U lock on my bike, I just have to find one that will fit my 2019 RadCity ST.
I am in Seattle and when I find a lock or some other method of securing the battery I am going to visit the RadPower showroom and show them the key and ask them to consider selling some sort of battery locking device.
Along with some attachment for towing a trailer!
Quote from: veganbiker on June 30, 2021, 08:37:27 PMI am going to visit the RadPower showroom and show them the key and ask them to consider selling some sort of battery locking device.
When I ordered my Mini ST back in March, I mentioned what I'd heard about this to the CSR on the phone and she was sort of cagey in her reply, so I knew then I would probably get a vulnerable lock and should start thinking of my own solution - they may have been coached on the subject and may be dreading a class-action lawsuit or something. I know the lock mechanism was probably selected by the battery manufacturer they contracted, or a designer, but they know about the problem and it's a potential liability for them as the final vendor. A bit surprised they haven't already come up with an add-on lock to send to customers or even better a replacement lock core for the battery that's actually a bit more secure than just needing a blank key. I don't think I've ever seen any place they've even publicly acknowledged the problem - sooner or later it's going to bite them in the butt with many thousands of $500+ batteries out there awaiting harvest by organized thieves.
I carry that blank key with me now on my keyring to demonstrate the problem to other Rad owners.
It'll be interesting to see how this shakes out.
so i recently bought a radwagon 4 to function as my primary method of bringing home groceries, and i didn't know until after i already received it that the lock on the battery was something of a gentle suggestion against theft rather than any actual obstacle (i was suspicious once i looked at the keys, then came to radforums to confirm since i had encountered these forums briefly while researching what to buy. thanks for your diligence, guys)
the solution JimInPT used for his radmini step-thru 2 is rather elegant, but with the frame configuration of the radwagon 4 it looks a lot harder harder to brace a u-lock against something to keep the battery from moving. the obvious answer of "just take the battery with you" is problematic, as i am disabled with impaired hand mobility, and while it's possible for me to remove the battery, it requires an exceptional amount of effort to do so without dropping the battery. i'd prefer another answer, if at all reasonably possible.
anyone have suggestions? am i going to have to fabricate a component i can lock into place, or is there something that might work with minimal alteration?
(my ideal solution would be replacing the core on the lock with an actual damn lock, but that looks impractical with the battery casing's design)
Quote from: esotericist on July 10, 2021, 10:08:00 PMthe obvious answer of "just take the battery with you" is problematic, as i am disabled with impaired hand mobility, and while it's possible for me to remove the battery, it requires an exceptional amount of effort to do so without dropping the battery. i'd prefer another answer, if at all reasonably possible.
Aside from your difficulty removing the battery, I just created a post for a carrying bag that makes it a LOT easier to stow and carry a Rad battery, here: https://www.radowners.com/index.php?topic=1165.0
Perhaps this bag might be useful to you.
Quote from: JimInPT on July 11, 2021, 07:38:59 AM
Quote from: esotericist on July 10, 2021, 10:08:00 PMthe obvious answer of "just take the battery with you" is problematic, as i am disabled with impaired hand mobility, and while it's possible for me to remove the battery, it requires an exceptional amount of effort to do so without dropping the battery. i'd prefer another answer, if at all reasonably possible.
Aside from your difficulty removing the battery, I just created a post for a carrying bag that makes it a LOT easier to stow and carry a Rad battery, here: https://www.radowners.com/index.php?topic=1165.0
Perhaps this bag might be useful to you.
yeah, that's totally valid (and a nice looking bag!), but i'd have to solve the getting-the-battery-from-bike-to-bag-without-dropping-on-asphalt part. which, if it comes down to it, i'm willing to do, but i worry that'll require me to void my warranty adding a handle or something. plus stores around here get really wiggy about carrying zipper-able bags into them, which is frustrating (more than one store i frequent explicitly disallows backpacks, no exceptions. you might imagine how that makes me feel given my hand situation, and how much easier it is for me to wear a backpack than carry bags.)
another thing i considered, if i can solve removing the battery, is getting some kind of lockable box (tractor toolbox, maybe?) mounted to the bike, and just putting the battery in that. for my primary use case of leaving the bike unattended while in a store, it might be enough. still not as ideal as having a real lock on the battery, but possibly enough for handling a 30 minute shopping window.
(slight tangent: also in my list of moderately high priority things to solve due to my hand issues: looking into getting some hydraulic brakes at some point. ideally with levers that are closer to the handles. i
can work the mechanical disc brakes, but not as easily as i'd like, and brakes kinda need to be easy.)
Quote from: esotericist on July 11, 2021, 08:04:47 AM
yeah, that's totally valid (and a nice looking bag!), but i'd have to solve the getting-the-battery-from-bike-to-bag-without-dropping-on-asphalt part. which, if it comes down to it, i'm willing to do, but i worry that'll require me to void my warranty adding a handle or something. plus stores around here get really wiggy about carrying zipper-able bags into them, which is frustrating (more than one store i frequent explicitly disallows backpacks, no exceptions. you might imagine how that makes me feel given my hand situation, and how much easier it is for me to wear a backpack than carry bags.)
How about adding a decent motion-sensitive alarm to your bike, so that you wouldn't have to remove the battery unless you're in a really skeevy part of town?
After hearing a number of people recommend it, and watching video reviews, I got one of these: https://amzn.to/3i1Lzeg The main reason I was hesitant was the price; it's too cheap! But the bulk of the reviews were so good that it wasn't much to lose if it was junk, so I ordered it. However, it's built very well, is water-resistant and is annoying as hell when it's triggered - very, very loud. If you try it out when removing from the box, keep the remote handy to shut it off, because you'll be startled by how loud it is. But it has a harsh, short warning growl when first disturbed; it will lose its mind if moved again within a minute or two, but the warning should suffice most of the time. Motion sensitivity and alarm volume are adjustable.
Here's one video review; there are many others to be found by searching on "wsdcam". https://youtu.be/dn8CPJmANDU There are also other alarms, but this is the first one I tried and I love it so I stopped looking. You can buy them in sets of two, with two remotes instead of one, and other configurations.
I mounted mine upside-down, strapped to the underside of the rear rack, just above the fender, with zip-ties; it fits neatly in the square area designed to attach kiddie seats and is invisible down there; your bike probably has that in its rack too. I will have to cut and replace the zip-ties to change the batteries, but I replaced the factory cheap batteries with new Duracells before installation and have heard that they'll last a long time. I don't set it very often, so I'm probably good for a year or so before having to change them out.
Highly recommended if an alarm would work for you, and cheap to give it a try. Just don't forget to disarm it before climbing back on!
yeah, i was actually eyeing one of those, and i think it's a great idea and i'll probably get one, but the major grocery store i'll be going to most often only has two places to chain up a bike:
- a tiny bike rack that isn't actually anchored to anything and weighs substantially less than the radwagon.
- and the cart return corral. it's actually pretty robust, something sensible to chain up with that's secure, but i wonder if someone returning a cart might set off the sensor. i could (and probably will) test it, but it seems a likely issue to me.
but in a general sense this is absolutely a useful and important avenue to pursue, i agree. i'm just trying to hedge my bets, since this is basically my car at this point. a missing battery isn't just an inconvenience and an economic hit, it's me being stranded somewhere.
but life is compromise. i can't get perfect, i can only try to manage risks to the limits of practicality. and i totally appreciate you engaging with me on alternative approaches.
Quote from: esotericist on July 11, 2021, 09:04:16 AM
yeah, i was actually eyeing one of those, and i think it's a great idea and i'll probably get one, but the major grocery store i'll be going to most often only has two places to chain up a bike:
- a tiny bike rack that isn't actually anchored to anything and weighs substantially less than the radwagon.
- and the cart return corral. it's actually pretty robust, something sensible to chain up with that's secure, but i wonder if someone returning a cart might set off the sensor. i could (and probably will) test it, but it seems a likely issue to me.
I think if you use a long U-lock or robust chain/cable to tie your ride to the rack or cart corral with a gap between it and the bike, you should be ok, as any vibrations in those from carts banging around shouldn't get transmitted to the bike frame to set off the alarm. You might have to experiment with sensitivity settings, but it's inexpensive to try out the idea. My guess (recovering mechanical engineer) is that unless your bike frame is touching the rack, it'll be fine.
I have a very long U-lock for a similar reason; I don't want the nice Rad paint job to get all banged up by rubbing and bumping against a rack.
Hey, as long as I've got you here - what in the h#$l is that spring thingie between the front fork and lower downtube that holds the battery?
Quote from: JimInPT on July 11, 2021, 09:13:36 AM
I think if you use a long U-lock or robust chain/cable to tie your ride to the rack or cart corral with a gap between it and the bike, you should be ok, as any vibrations in those from carts banging around shouldn't get transmitted to the bike frame to set off the alarm. You might have to experiment with sensitivity settings, but it's inexpensive to try out the idea. My guess (recovering mechanical engineer) is that unless your bike frame is touching the rack, it'll be fine.
I have a very long U-lock for a similar reason; I don't want the nice Rad paint job to get all banged up by rubbing and bumping against a rack.
reasonable, and i will definitely play around with that.
Quote from: JimInPT on July 11, 2021, 09:13:36 AM
Hey, as long as I've got you here - what in the h#$l is that spring thingie between the front fork and lower downtube that holds the battery?
that is the deflopilator. it deflopilates ;D
seriously, all it does is help keep the front wheel straight-ish (i.e. not flopping) when the bike isn't in motion, helps with loading and unloading (since you're not supposed to have your kickstand in place while doing so)
back to the original topic, re: securing battery: i'm currently exploring the possibility of trying to use some kind of cable lock to secure around the bottom edge of the battery to prevent sliding. a retractable cable is a woefully inadequate method of securing a bike like this as a primary lock, but if it's flush to the battery/frame instead of looping out to an external object, it might be sufficiently hard to get a cutter in. especially if i use your heat-molded tube trick :D
A deflopilator; of course, I should have recognized it. I think my '71 Pinto had one of those.
A cable might do the trick; as long as you can restrain the battery from moving forward it's tough to steal, as you know. I hope you can come back to this thread to update us on your solution(s); I'm curious to know.