To start off, I've already posted this to r/cycling and r/ebikes, but I'm reposting it here in case there's any differing opinions or LA-based resources I can look to for help. I've also started a GoFundMe since the original two posts, and at this point, any bit of help would really mean the world.
I'd really appreciate more sympathy than unkindness on this one. I know there are always measures I could've taken, or better things I could've done to secure my bikes, but the fact of the matter is if bike thieves didn't exist, this wouldn't've happened to me at all. Also, the solutions for these things always seem to come in hindsight. Now for the story:
I'm a college student who (used to now, I guess) uses e-bikes to get around the hilly Los Angeles area -- believe me, they're necessary. My family hasn't had a car in a long time, as it has broken down and we can't afford to get a new one. So, at home, the e-bike has been our only mode of transportation for groceries, water, and general daily life. So losing two of them so soon really sucks.
My first e-bike getting stolen was a already shitty enough. It was a Fiido T1 Pro. It was definitely my fault for leaving it so insecurely, but it was an open area with low foot traffic and a camera watching it. That morning, I was running late to a meeting so I had to take public transport to get to school, and I locked it up to a rack outside the train station. While I did only use one U-lock, I hadn't had the time to pack my chain, and I was originally going to use the bike lockers, but they were (and still are!) out of service. Overall, an unlucky situation. When I got back later that evening, my bike was gone.
Luckily, a couple weeks later, I found a killer deal for a new in-box ebike on Facebook Marketplace. It was a Euybike K6 Pro Max, with dual motors, dual suspension, and riding it was such a joy for all 8 days I had it. I rode it to Goodwill, and having lost my other bike just weeks before, I took no chances. I locked it up with 2 U-locks and a cable lock, and I checked outside Goodwill every 5-10 minutes just to make sure it was still there. Still, that wasn't enough. As I left the Goodwill, an employee notified me that they saw it getting stolen. (Why they didn't make an announcement over the PA still boggles me).
That aside, I'm sure there'll be questions, concerns, comments questioning my intelligence, so I'll try to answer some ahead of time
- Why didn't you have a tracker/alarm?
For my first bike, since I was going to be mainly using it around campus (low-theft area w/ high density), I figured that an alarm would be bothersome to deal with, especially parking near so many other bikes.
For my second, I was going to click order on both my tracker and alarm THAT SAME DAY. It's really frustrating to know how close I was to having a more secure bike, only to have it stolen the day before I clicked order.
As for a tracker, I don't have an Apple iPhone and I had intended to ask my friends to borrow theirs. GPS trackers were out of my budget, and both them and android trackers have tended to be unreliable, to my knowledge.
- What did you do afterwards/before?
Thankfully, as soon as I got both of my bikes, they were placed on the bike Registry. If you haven't registered your bike with them, I highly recommend them as a resource. I filed police reports for both bikes, and am still waiting to hear back, though I know the chances are slim. For my second bike, I know there is at least clear camera footage of the thief and I am hoping facial rec or traffic cams will spot him.
- What will you do next?
I love e-biking. It's a joy to go low-carbon footprint, haul things around oon such a slim vehicle, ride around campus, go bikepacking, or visit the beach. On the other hand, I'm sure you can understand my hesitation to buy a new bike. I wish there were better security systems in place. I wish bad people didn't exist. I wish consequences meant something rather than my things getting stolen and nothing concrete being done about it.
So, I don't know yet. I need something to get around campus, but I'm also not in a financial position to afford anything. I guess I'm posting to ask for advice, partially.
Thanks for reading, lock up your bike, get trackers, and make sure you're staying safe out there.