Security can be tedious. The man who knew that his hands were shaking in the cold every day tied his bicycle to the last free lamppost in front of the office. Or groin between other bikes to make the spokes pass through the lock. However, how convenient is it to open and close the guide with just one button?
So far, what has been common in cars has not been popularized on bicycles: electronic safety locks. Whether it's a padlock, a fold lock or a screw lock, cyclists always keep the key in their pocket or put the number combination on their head. However, the industry is gradually making new proposals to protect your own bicycle electronically.
Trackers cannot prevent theft.
"I will distinguish between two categories," said Arne Bischoff of Industry News Service Bikes (pDF). For just a few euros, the so-called tracker can be installed on the bicycle on the Internet. If stolen, the owner can track the location through the app. Disadvantages: These devices cannot prevent theft. They will only help you find them again. "In spite of this, this market is booming," Bischoff said. "Many manufacturers now offer bicycles with integrated trackers."
To prevent thieves from committing crimes, only one lock is needed. Moreover, the market here now also offers electronic solutions: locks that can be opened and locked using an application-no combination, no keys. "You just use your smartphone as the digital control center of life," Bischoff said.
Famous manufacturers like Abus have now launched corresponding product lines on the market. How big is because the data is still very young, so far can not read the demand. Market expert Bischoff said: "But the industry seems certain. Many manufacturers are working on such locks." The current trend of electric bicycles can help them achieve breakthroughs. As the Two-Wheeled Vehicle Industry Association (ZIV) announced a few days ago, sales of electric bicycles in 2019 increased to about 1.36 million units in 2019. Siegfried Neuberger, Managing Director of ZIV, said: "Last year, electric bicycles produced in Germany surpassed traditional bicycles for the first time." Now, the sales share of electric bicycles has exceeded one-third.
Since these wheels quickly cost thousands of euros, the demand for safety is growing. Industry expert Bischoff said: "This is a trend that is driving people's demand for smart locks." "It's only a matter of time before we see that electric bikes can be fully unlocked with smartphones."
Electronic lock is a convenient function
. Allgemeine Deutsche Fahrrad-Club (ADFC) doubts this, but whether this will significantly improve the safety of the bicycle. ADFC safety expert Roland Huhn said: "I think electronic lock is a convenient function, not a safety function." "I don't know if there is an application to connect the bicycle to a fixed object." To absolutely improve safety, experts are preparing Some wisdom. Connecting instead of closing is one of them. At first glance, if the thief spent more than three minutes to crack the lock, he would have no doubt.
According to Huhn, an ADFC expert, even equipping your bike with a GpS transmitter will not provide 100% modification protection. "My assessment of data protection risks that track theft protection is much lower than that of public borrowers who track public borrowers and save mobile data." For example, when a stolen bicycle is located in an apartment building, it is tracked through GpS His bike is restricted at the latest. "The police will not obtain a search warrant for all apartments, including the next room."
However, crime statistics offer hope: the number of stolen bicycles has been declining for years-from nearly 340,000 in 2014 to about 292,000 in 2018. However, looking at the past few decades, it shows a lot of fluctuations, and there is no fluctuation to read the correct trend. The industry must continue to tinker.
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