Smart bike lock: How to secure your bike with Bluetooth, alarm or app
Tired of searching in your pocket for the key to your bike lock? Smart bike locks promise a new level of convenience. The Bluetooth range and an app make it possible. But do they live up to this promise and what about theft protection? We took a closer look at the topic and found out that: Convenience is not everything!
Bulky steel structures that can only be locked and unlocked with a key: Conventional bike locks look like relics from another era. Smart bike locks, on the other hand, are very modern. Here, there is no need to search for and handle a key.
Instead, an app on your smartphone is used. Sometimes even that isn’t necessary because the lock can automatically unlock when you approach the bike. Locks like
I LOCK IT or LINKA bike lock even come with extras. This follows a trend we discussed in our overview article “How to find the best e-bike app for your needs”.
Sounds smart? Maybe. However, practical tests quickly show that smart bike locks often fail when it really matters.
How does a smart lock work?
The adjective “smart” in smart bike locks refers primarily to the (automatic) unlocking and locking of the lock. In this case, you no longer need a key for both, but only a smartphone with the right app.
However, not all smart locks are the same.
Depending on the model, you can either lock or unlock your bike automatically or in different ways. We will discuss the main differences below.
Smart bike locks have their weaknesses. That’s why it’s better to use a GPS anti-theft device like BikeTrax.
How do smart bike locks differ?
Smart locks can be distinguished according to various criteria
Different types
Like other bike locks, you can get a smart lock in different designs.
The following three variants are predominant:
Spoke lock: With a spoke lock or frame lock, a steel ring or bracket slides between the spokes, and thus blocks the rear wheel.
U-lock: A U-lock looks like a large padlock and is ideally made of a combination of hardened steel and plastic.
Cable lock: Cable locks are made of braided steel cables.
Many smart bike locks have an alarm function. This means that a movement sensor integrated into the lock reacts to vibrations or movements of the bicycle with a loud alarm sound.
The idea behind this: The thief escapes or is prevented from stealing by attentive passers-by. If you also receive a notification on your smartphone, you can even react yourself if you are still nearby.
Unfortunately, an alarm function is much less effective in reality than in theory. This is because professional criminals are not deterred by an alarm and quickly stop it. In addition, passers-by in large cities are numbed by constant false alarms. Therefore, the risk is high that no one will react “when your lock calls for help”.
Important note: To prevent constant false alarms and resulting neighbourhood disputes, make sure you have an intelligent alarm function that distinguishes between accidental bumps and prolonged movement.
From an app to the fingerprint sensor – the operation
You can usually unlock and lock a smart bike lock (such as the LINKA smart bike lock) via an app on your smartphone. In addition, some locks react automatically when you approach or move away from the bike.
If you are the rare type of person who occasionally forgets their smartphone at home, it’s best to opt for a lock that can alternatively be opened with a key or a code (in the case of combination locks). Then you don’t have to worry about a flat smartphone battery. In exceptional cases, there is a fingerprint sensor.
For reliable GPS tracking, you should not rely on smart locks, but on professional GPS trackers.
Locks with GPS and tracking function
Smart bike locks like the I LOCK IT have a GPS function. It is used to locate your lock and thus your bike.
In theory, this has two advantages:
You don’t forget where you left your bike (can happen!).
You can locate your bike if someone has removed it without permission.
But there is also a big catch:
Tracking only works as long as the lock is on your bike – and is reasonably intact. If a thief is clever enough to remove or destroy it, tracking is no longer possible. For this reason, a smart bike lock with GPS is not comparable to a GPS tracker that is invisibly integrated into the motor of an e-bike.
Apart from that, GPS tracking via smart bike locks works moderately well in practice. Professional GPS trackers are also ahead in this respect.
Battery life
The batteries of smart bike locks last for several months. If they recharge themselves using solar energy, you hardly have to worry about your lock running out of juice.
Special app features
Finally, the apps of many smart locks come with additional smart features. Especially worth mentioning is the possibility to share your bike with friends – without having to bring them a key. For this purpose, you can add users or guest users in the app. You might also benefit from the possibility to record and evaluate routes.
Is it worth buying? – Advantages and disadvantages of smart locks
Now you know how a smart bike lock works. But how do they perform in practice and is this type of theft protection worth it?
Our list of advantages and disadvantages should help you find the answer:
Advantages of smart locks
⊕
Ease of use: The great advantage of a smart bike lock is its ease of use. You don’t have to carry an extra key around with you. This means you can’t forget or lose it. If you want to unlock or secure your lock, a finger movement on your smart phone is enough. Depending on the lock, all you have to do might be to approach your bike. For example, when you quickly jump off your bike to the supermarket, having a smart lock is very convenient.
GPS tracking: A smart lock with GPS helps you find your bike when you are not sure where it is. However, unlike a GPS tracker such as BikeTrax by PowUnity, it is not suitable as theft protection.
Smart additional functions: Functions such as lending or sharing your bike via the smartphone app are practical extras. They save you a lot of trouble when several people share a bike or e-bike. With an application that records routes, you may even save yourself an additional app.
⊖
Poor theft protection: Regardless of the ease of use and smart gimmicks, a bicycle lock has one central function: it should prevent thieves from stealing your bike. In this respect, most smart bike locks fail completely.
Currently, there are only very few models with thick brackets like the 770A SmartX from ABUS. Most smart bike locks are thin cable locks or spoke locks that only elicit a weary smile from experienced thieves. The integrated GPS doesn’t help either. Because usually the thief is clever enough to remove the lock or destroy it.
Expensive to buy: Smart bike locks are expensive. For the I LOCK IT with GPS function you currently (as of July 2022) pay 199.oo euros. A hefty price for greater ease of use. For comparison: You can get a high-quality conventional lock for less than half that price.
Recommendation: If smart, then with alarm
If you decide to buy a smart bike lock despite all the disadvantages, we recommend a model with an integrated alarm. The alarm function does increase security – but only to a limited extent.
If you have a spoke lock, you should also buy a conventional chain lock or U-lock so that you can lock your bike to a fixed object. Otherwise there is a risk that thieves will take it away. By the way, this also applies to the I LOCK IT.
The better theft protection for e-bikes – GPS tracker and mechanical lock
Before you reach for I LOCK IT, we recommend the following anti-theft protection for an expensive e-bike:
High-quality mechanical bike lock: Experts recommend a high-quality U-lock, chain lock or folding lock. Spiral or cable locks are not a good choice as sole security and frame locks are only slightly better than no lock at all.
GPS tracker BikeTrax: Even the best smart bike lock on the market provides limited protection for expensive bikes or e-bikes against professional thieves – which is sufficient only if you have equipped your e-bike with the GPS tracker BikeTrax from PowUnity.
Unlike GPS trackers for smart locks, BikeTrax is invisibly integrated into the motor of your e-bike. It immediately alerts you on your smartphone if your e-bike is moved without permission. The thief doesn’t hear the alarm, only you. If you are too late, you can track the location of your stolen e-bike in real time and report it to the police. So the chances that you will get your e-bike back are pretty high, even if professional thieves have already loaded it into a van and are on their way across the border. This is shown by the many testimonials from our customers.
Good GPS trackers such as BikeTrax are mounted hidden on the e-bike and offer all the necessary features such as motion alarm, BikePass and much more.
Conclusion: Smart bike locks are more of a gimmick than theft protection
The headline says it all: Even the best bike locks that are advertised at great expense, such as the I LOCK IT, are only suitable for short trips to the nearest supermarket. As real theft protection, the products do not “cut a good figure”. But that is the most important function of a bike lock. If your lock is easy to pick, it doesn’t help that you can unlock it with an app.
There is nothing wrong with combining a smart bike lock with a conventional lock. However, you will then need a bicycle key again.
Of course, it cannot be ruled out that smart bicycle locks will become a real alternative to conventional locks in the future. The smart U-lock from ABUS is already showing the way. But even then, we recommend GPS tracking with a comprehensive app as a supplement. After all, a lock alone only provides limited security, regardless of the material and the alarm function.
Hier erklären wir dir, wie du erkennst, welche Bosch-Version des Motors in deinem E-Bike verbaut ist.
If you have a Bosch "Active Line" motor, then it is a Bosch Generation 2 or 3 motor.
Hast du dein E-Bike in den Jahren 2020 - 2021 neu gekauft und hat dieses einen „Performance Line CX“ oder „Bosch Cargo Line“ Motor, dann ist es ein Bosch-Motor Generation 4 - nicht smart.
Wenn du dein E-Bike 2022 neu gekauft hast, dann ist darin ein Bosch-Motor Generation 4 - smart verbaut. Dies erkennst du auch, wenn am E-Bike eine „LED Remote“ Steuerzentrale angebracht ist.
Sollte diese Information nicht aus der Beschreibung deines Bikes mit Bosch-Motor hervorgehen, dann bekommst du diese Information bei Deinem E-Bike Händler.
Wenn du einen BikeTrax GPS-Tracker für E-Bikes bestellst, bekommt du eine Schritt-für-Schritt-Montageanleitung mitgeliefert. Darin wird Dir im Detail erklärt, wie du deinen BikeTrax GPS-Tracker einbaust, wo du diesen platzierst und auf welche Details du achten sollest.
Wenn deine Motorhaube die Tretkurbel wie auf der Abbildung umschließt, machen wir es dir leicht: Den Kurbelabzieher kannst du im nächsten Schritt schnell und einfach mit einem Klick bestellen und er wird dir zusammen mit dem GPS-Tracker geliefert.
Nähere Informationen dazu:
Bei einigen Elektrofahrradmodellen kann die Motorabdeckung (1) erst entfernt werden, nachdem die Tretkurbel (2) mit Hilfe eines Kurbelabziehers (3) abmontiert wurde. Erst dann kannst du BikeTrax in den Motorraum einbauen.
Kann der GPS-Tracker für E-Bikes mit
-Motor auch für andere E-Bike Motormodelle verwendet werden?
Im Großteil der Fälle benötigst du nur ein anderes Anschlusskabel. Dieses kannst du im Nachhinein bei PowUnity erwerben. Lediglich in Ausnahmefällen muss der komplette GPS-Tracker bei einem Motorwechsel ausgetauscht werden.
In diesem Fall brauchst du den Kurbelabzieher für Fahrräder:
Bei einigen Elektrofahrradmodellen kann die Motorabdeckung (1) erst entfernt werden, nachdem die Tretkurbel (2) mit Hilfe eines Kurbelabziehers (3) abmontiert wurde. Erst dann kannst du BikeTrax in den Motorraum einbauen.
Wenn deine Motorhaube die Tretkurbel wie auf der Abbildung umschließt, machen wir es dir leicht: Den Kurbelabzieher kannst du schnell und einfach mit einem Klick bestellen und er wird dir zusammen mit dem GPS-Tracker geliefert.
In diesem Fall empfehlen wir dir die HexLox Sicherungsschraube:
Musst du deine Tretkurbel abziehen, bevor du den GPS-Tracker im Motorraum verbauen kannst, dann kannst du nach der Montage von BikeTrax die Inbusschraube (1) deiner Tretkurbel zusätzlich mit der HexLox Security Schraube 8 mm (2) sichern.
Ist dieser sogenannte HexLox Inlay in die Inbusschraube eingesetzt, kann niemand mit einem herkömmlichen Werkzeug deinen Motorraum öffnen und schon garnicht erst auf den Gedanken kommen, den GPS-Tracker zu entfernen.
Für Specialized E-Bikes mit Brose Motor gibt es einen speziellen Brose-Anschluss. Wähle den „Brose für Specialized E-Bikes“ Anschluss aus, falls Du ein Specialized E-Bike fährst. Für alle anderen E-Bike Hersteller, welche einen Brose Motor verbaut haben, gibt es einen einheitlichen „Universal“ BikeTrax-Anschluss.
In diesen Fällen empfehlen wir dir die Akku-Erweiterung für BikeTrax
Wir liefern dir BikeTrax immer mit einem Zusatz-Akku, um einen sicheren und stabilen GPS-Empfang zu gewährleisten, sollte das E-Bike mal ausgeschalten und der Akku entfernt sein. Er hält im Stand bis zu 3 Wochen.
Wir empfehlen aber unseren Kunden, die ihr E-Bike längere Zeit nicht nutzen, wie z. B. in den Wintermonaten oder während eines längeren Urlaubs, für den GPS-Tracker die Akku-Erweiterung zu bestellen. Diese beinhaltet einen weiteren Zusatz-Akku und ein Y-Kabel, an das beide Akkus angeschlossen werden.
Wie erkenne ich, welche Bosch-Version des Motors in meinem E-Bike verbaut ist?
Hast du einen Bosch „Active Line“ Motor, dann ist es ein Bosch-Motor der Generation 2 oder 3.
Hast du dein E-Bike in den Jahren 2020 – 2021 neu gekauft und hat dieses einen „Performance Line CX“ oder „Bosch Cargo Line“ Motor, dann ist es ein Bosch-Motor Generation 4 – nicht smart.
Wenn du dein E-Bike 2022 neu gekauft hast, dann ist darin ein Bosch-Motor Generation 4 – smart verbaut. Dies erkennst du auch, wenn am E-Bike eine „LED Remote“ Steuerzentrale angebracht ist.
We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential, while others help us improve this website and your experience.If you are under 16 and wish to give consent to optional services, you must ask your legal guardians for permission.We use cookies and other technologies on our website. Some of them are essential, while others help us to improve this website and your experience.Personal data may be processed (e.g. IP addresses), for example for personalized ads and content or ad and content measurement.You can find more information about the use of your data in our privacy policy.You can revoke or adjust your selection at any time under Settings.
If you are under 16 and wish to give consent to optional services, you must ask your legal guardians for permission.We use cookies and other technologies on our website. Some of them are essential, while others help us to improve this website and your experience.Personal data may be processed (e.g. IP addresses), for example for personalized ads and content or ad and content measurement.You can find more information about the use of your data in our privacy policy.Here you will find an overview of all cookies used. You can give your consent to entire categories or have more information displayed and only select certain cookies.