Battery lock

[massassi]

Vancouver Island, BC

[sc00ter]

With all the etsy type innovation I'm surprised no one has come up with a battery lock system. The saveyourseatlock system would be great unless you have to remove the battery everyday to charge it. I though about trying a motorcycle disc lock under the seat clamp on the seat tube, to inhibit the space required to remove he battery. I still use a bmx style seat clamp with a HexLox, so my seat clamp will not be removed without a major hassle! If someone figures out a good system to secure the battery please share it. I generally don't worry about my battery getting taken but as ebike popularity increases I feel the theft of batteries will.

[massassi]

i wonder if one could pull the lock and have a locksmith provide one thats more secure?

[Served_US]

These Universal keys are around two dollars x Ilco HD74 Key Blank for Honda X84

[Boatinbear]

Just to add to this. I recently saw a YouTube video from Bolton bikes that was talking about bike locks and oddly enough he also talked about how batteries are stolen and specifically pointed out that on RAD bikes (a couple models were tried) that he was able to simply use a key blank and unlock the battery but also to turn on the bike.

Yep, I saw that too.   I think he said that he heard that so he tried it and it worked on the few he tried so far.   At the price of the battery I think I will bring mine in with me when I park it.   

[Altema]

i wonder if one could pull the lock and have a locksmith provide one thats more secure?

Looks like that would require opening the battery case and voiding the warranty.

[Mrpeabody56]

For what its worth: I was concerned about the key code issue, as it seems like MANY batteries from rad are coded alike. My "solution" at this point is to 1) take battery with me everytime I lock bike up, 2) I installed (stick on) remote alarm to the battery itself, as well as onto the bike frame => two allarms coded alike. I set them on high alert, so far no problems.
I went to a reputable key smith and was told: 1) that one really cannot "change out" the tumblers (inside cylinder to make a custom code; and 2) IF one was to open up the battery obviously the "warrantee" is voided - if you are still under warrantee that can be an issue that may bother you.

Also, I am working on a "better solution" => find a way to use my kryptonite u-bolt lock to prevent actual battery removal. (A work in design process).
Hope this helps.

[KLSpahr]

I was interested in the master key idea since we now have four Rads. When we bought our last bike I asked Rad if they could send me a bike with the same key code as one of our other bikes but they can't do that. So I got one of the Honda blanks as mentioned earlier in this thread. Here is what I found:
The blank does not work in our two 2016 Rad City bikes and none of our other keys will work in these locks either. (These batteries have a simple key locks, the key does not switch the bike on or off.)
The blank works in the 2019 and 2021 Rad City Step-Thru bikes.
The 2019 bike uses a F07 key and the Blank, F02, F04, and F06 keys work in it.
The 2021 bike uses a F02 key and the Blank, and F06 key works in this battery.
All the keys have 6 cuts and each key has a different cut.

I'm not too concerned with posting my key numbers since they are not secure to start with. It is more of a pain in the butt juggling all the different keys. I would like to see if I can get a key cut that has F04 on one side and the F06 on the other side then one key would work on all the batteries.

[RadJohn]

For those who remove and carry their Rad batteries around, if you're anywhere near as paranoid as I am about dropping one of the shiny, slippery, expen$ive things, a C.E. Smith Draw Bar Storage Bag (for a trailer hitch) fits the battery like a glove, has handles and is built like a brick outhouse:

https://amzn.to/3iqsNNW

I use a Grove Tools Quick Release Seat Lock on the optional 27.2mm suspension seatpost of my 2020 RadMini 4, but I had to drop the Rad battery mounting plate farther down in its mounting slots to be able to get it to orient correctly, lock the seatpost AND block removal of the battery the same as it does on the taller RadRovers:

http://www.saveyourseatlock.com

I experienced one downside with the Grove seatpost lock though. It uses a plastic/polymer washer as part of the hardware stack that pinches the seat tube. I had my seat twist a couple of times after installing it, as I didn't seem to be able to get it as tight as the OEM seatpost clamp with its all metal hardware (their instructions caution about over tightening, and I didn't want to break anything). I just used Park Tool "Supergrip Carbon and Alloy Assembly Compound" on the top of the seatpost just below the clamp and it's been fine ever since, but the stuff will DEFINITELY wreck the finish on the part of the seatpost inside the seat tube, which isn't a problem if you've got you length dialed in and don't need to change it for different riders or conditions, otherwise it will be ugly in the extended position(s). I also used a fixed, no lip, straight bolt 27.2mm clamp on the seatpost itself, just above the Grove Locking clamp, so I can reinsert the seatpost to the proper height without having to measure or even look at anything when reassembling the bike after it has been broken down for transport.     

 

[Veggyhed]

RadJohn what size save your seat lock did you have to buy for your mini 2020? I would like to add one to mine.

I believe this guy is using the same lock and he uses a washer to secure his battery with the lock.
https://youtu.be/iYyKKujjDv8

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[Tony]

I was also looking to go this route but when I contacted Grove Tools they said they had no dealers in the U.K.

[RadJohn]

...what size save your seat lock did you have to buy for your mini 2020?...

27.2mm

I initially did something like the washer in the video you linked BUT:
  1) You have to turn the lock crosswise, which means the clamping force on the seatpost tube is reduced, allowing it to slip easier.
      The lock is designed to work with its slit aligned with the one in the Rad seat tube for maximum pinch force/grip.
      Some people have squirmier butts than others (I'm apparently one), which probably exacerbates any potential slipping problem.
  2) With the long dimension of the lock sticking out to the side, the inside of my leg used to brush against the tip of the swing out locking arm,
      irritating my leg and psyche. I cut a bit of the tip off, which helped.

I eventually made an insert with pins which just slipped into the two screw holes at the top of the Rad OEM battery, wedged between the  battery the seatpost, and  caught under the Grove Seat Lock, which kept the battery from being lifted up. Twisting the seat lock at an angle as shown got the pinch slits closer to each other and helped reduced leg interference and seatpost slipping (pictures 1 & 2).

In measuring things while planning to replace the original Rad battery with a larger one, I discovered the three frame mounting screws on the OEM Rad battery mounting tray of my 2020 RadMini 4 could be loosened and the battery pushed  down a bit, which allowed the Grove Seat Lock to be turned to the correct orientation (with no extra washers or special inserts needed) after lengthening the slots of the battery mounting tray only slightly. It was so close that some Minis may not even need to have the slots lengthened, depending on manufacturing tolerances. Picture 3 shows the final arrangement, and although that isn't a Rad OEM battery, my Jumbo Shark case is similar enough in that respect. Note the cut off tip on the swing out locking arm of my lock, no longer necessary with this configuration.

Also shown is my my double redundant, non-quick release seatpost clamp above the Grove lock. It's permanently attached to the seatpost  just to aid in slamming things back together after the seat has been removed for servicing or transport without having to do anything to set extension.

[Veggyhed]

Wow thanks for all the info. I'm going to look into lowering my battery chassis.
What size save your seat lock did you buy for the mini four 2020?

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[RadJohn]

What size save your seat lock did you buy for the mini four 2020?

Sorry, their 32mm size is the correct one for our bikes (which have 27.2mm Seat Post, and 32mm Seat Tube ODs).

[Veggyhed]

Thanks RadJohn.

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