Reviewing the Best Electronic Locks for E-Scooters and E-Bikes

Most e-bikes and e-scooter come equipped with electronic locks as a last line of defence against theft. Theft is unavoidable if the intention and motivation is clear. Most of these electronic locks are to prevent against casual theft and not premeditated theft which requires the use of specialized tools and pre-planning. 

In this comparison of industry standard electronic locks, we tried to be as objective as possible in scoring and all scoring is based on our experience as riders of ebikes and e-scooters for more than a decade. Let us know if you agree or disagree, all feedback are welcome! 

Categories:

1. Stealth Level - this is how easy it is for a passer by to identify the locking system and attempt to disable it. The less easy it is to identify, the harder it is to tamper with the lock. The higher the score, the more difficult it is to tamper with the lock; the lower the score, the easier it is to tamper. 
2. Level of Security - this is determined by how easy it is to identify and disable the locking system by forced removal (cutting). 
3. Ease of Use - how easy it is for the owner of the ebike or escooter to enable and disable the lock and the hassle of having to carry the key around. The higher the score, the easier to replace; the lower the score, the harder to replace.
4. Ease of Replacement - if keys are lost, how easy it is to make a spare key or to replace the keys to unlock the vehicle. The higher the score, the easier to replace; the lower the score, the harder to replace.
5. Quickstart - how easy it is to unlock your ebike or e-scooter and zip off. The higher the score, the easier to activate; the lower the score, the harder to activate.
6. Alarm Feature - When tampered with, is there an alarm to alert the owner and surrounding people? The higher the score, the better the alert system. 
7. Cost - its about the $$$. How much does it cost to install one of these locks? The lower the cost, the higher the score; the higher the cost, the lower the score.

 

The winner is...The biometric / FINGERPRINT LOCK!

With the Remote immobilizer and GPS Immobilizer coming in a close second due to its stealth feature and alarm features.

However, as a word of caution, we do want to note that there is a difference in locking an e-scoter and e-bike. There is absolutely no substitute for a strong bicycle lock. An e-scooter if disabled via an electronic lock, cannot be used anymore (although it can be pushed or carried away). An ebike when electronically locked, can still be ridden away. So as a strong recommendation (take it from us veterans of many a lost bikes), get yourself a strong lock too!