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Tips for lights and locks for e-bikes

A guide for making the most of your riding experience

If you’ve got an e-bike, you know how important it is to your daily routine. You rely on your trusted steed to get you to work, run errands, and get you where you need to be. That being said, there’s two important things you want to be certain of when you’re out and about on your e-bike. Number one you want to be sure that your bike is always well-secured and it will be there when you get back to it. And of course, when you’re riding, you want to know that other people can see you. Kryptonite locks recommends high security or greater for most e-bikes.

Good examples of locks suitable for standard e-bikes are the Evolutuon 1090 Mini Integrated Chain, or the Evolution 790 Folding Lock.

If you have an e-cargo bike, you may want to go with  the New York Cinch Ring Chain and Evolution Disc Lock combo. This is a  high security chain allows you the  flexibility to lock both frame and rear  wheel of various style urban cargo bikes  to a fixed object.

A quick guide to locking up

1. Lock your bike in a well-lit area with high foot traffic. Avoid leaving your bike locked outside overnight if possible.

2. Take any removable accessories (such as the e-bike battery, bike GPS and lights) with you when you lock your bike. If your battery has a locking function, use it.

3. Lock to a solid object that can’t be moved or knocked over. Bike racks are ideal, but try giving them a little shake before you lock up—occasionally they aren’t secured tightly to the ground and thieves may take advantage of a loose bike rack.

4. Lock your bike according to the value: Prioritize the frame, then the back wheel and finally the front wheel. If possible, make sure the frame and both of the wheels are securely locked. Bring any easy to remove accessories with you when leaving your e-bike if possible, (e-bike batteries, GPS screens, lights, and so on.)

5. Choose a lock that can’t be cut and will fit as tightly as possible. It’s important to note that e-Bikes vary  by model. When locking your bike, make sure to lock any installed locking mechanism like a pre-installed battery lock.

Want to look for in lights

There are a few factors to consider when it comes to picking out lights. Depending on which e-bike you ride, it may have a built-in system, but it may not. So if there’s not one, you should  definitely get some–even if you’re mostly into daylight riding. Being seen is super important.

1. Lumens

The number of lumens the light emits is important. More lumens mean a brighter light, which is especially beneficial on roads with higher speed limits where a strong light will be visible at a greater distance than a weaker light.

2. Light modes

Apart from the brightness of the light, the modes available to you can help you be appropriately visible. Kryptonite’s lights have a lot of modes to choose from, including specific day and night pulses. If you are riding on a very dark road or trail, select the brightest mode with a solid beam at 800 lumens so you can see ahead and be seen at a distance. If your commute is on well-lit city streets, visibility is key. Select a flash mode: a non-constant light will attract much more attention and announce your presence to cars and trucks.

3. Battery life

Depending on the length of your ride home and how diligent you are recharging your lights, choose a model accordingly. Knowing your lights last long enough will give you the confidence to turn them on even if it’s not pitch black out yet. Kryptonite’s lights can last as long as 24 hours on the economic flash mode to just 1.5 hours on high power. In the Kryptonite line—when a light reaches 10 per cent battery or less, it automatically switches to its lowest lumen output—allowing you to get home safe. Rechargeable lights via a USB are very practical with no batteries to remove or replace.

4. Range of visibility

Lights are generally separated into two categories: to see and to be seen. Rear lights are always used to be seen. A higher lumen, indicates a brighter light making you more visible from behind. With front lights the style in part dictates function. A COB or small blinky front light would be more of a to be seen light, and a torch or flashlight style light with lots of lumens is more geared towards enabling the rider to see. Few lights offer full, 360-degree visibility but a wide range will help drivers see you from more angles. Some lights, like Kryptonite’s, achieve this range by using slits on the side of the main front-facing light to ensure that the light is still visible from the side. As well as lights on your bike, you can also consider a helmet-mounted light for even increased visibility.

5. Ease of installation

A light that is complicated to install is one you will be less likely to use, especially when there’s still some light in the sky. With an easy system for installation, you can remove the light to recharge and move it from bike to bike without any hassle.

To check out a range of lights and locks for your e-bike, check out Kryptonite.com

This story is presented by Kryptonite