Buying used RadCity 5 plus but seller lost key to battery. Is this a big problem

[RadPaco]

hello there...finally found one at a good price in Canada...not the step thru but the high step...only has 250km on it...but the seller has lost the key to the battery. I don't mind keeping it on the bike but what if I need to protect it or replace it? am I stuck? I read somewhere in  this forum that  they are hard to get...something to worry about? the price is good but I don't want troubles over  the missing key...thoughts? what would you do? Thanks

[inoxa]

worst case a locksmith can unlock it and rekey it.  I know earlier versions were easy to find keys for them.  RAD should still be able to help but they may have to order one and that could take time.  In your case you can charge it on the bike until the key comes in from RAD.

[Mike Dupre]

I saw an ARE13 video on YouTube where the fellow used a BLANK (uncut) key and it worked. Of course I can't find it now but try this: https://youtu.be/BdsGaFB2rcc?t=36

[JimInPT]

I saw an ARE13 video on YouTube where the fellow used a BLANK (uncut) key and it worked. Of course I can't find it now but try this: https://youtu.be/BdsGaFB2rcc?t=36

That only works on the previous generation(s) batteries that sit on top completely exposed.  The semi-integrated batteries of the City 5 Plus are a totally different design and if they had any brains at all they didn't re-use the same lock mechanism that can be unlocked by a blank key.

I only carry a blank for my MiniST2, by the way, just to prove it works when warning other Rad owners about how ridiculously-easy it is to steal the battery and/or the entire bike unless the frame is locked up at minimum.

Here's my solution to the battery-theft problem, but would need to be adapted to different frames; the idea is to prevent sliding the battery up to remove it even if unlocked from the bike:

[Paco]

I saw an ARE13 video on YouTube where the fellow used a BLANK (uncut) key and it worked. Of course I can't find it now but try this: https://youtu.be/BdsGaFB2rcc?t=36

That only works on the previous generation(s) batteries that sit on top completely exposed.  The semi-integrated batteries of the City 5 Plus are a totally different design and if they had any brains at all they didn't re-use the same lock mechanism that can be unlocked by a blank key.

I only carry a blank for my MiniST2, by the way, just to prove it works when warning other Rad owners about how ridiculously-easy it is to steal the battery and/or the entire bike unless the frame is locked up at minimum.

Here's my solution to the battery-theft problem, but would need to be adapted to different frames; the idea is to prevent sliding the battery up to remove it even if unlocked from the bike:

thanks for looking into this. I decided NOT to buy this bike. Don't need the hassle...I will wait a bit and get a used one. I only bike 15kms a day maybe 3 times a week so I don't need it urgently but will get one. I just wish it was under 40lbs and a bit cheaper! LOL..asking for too much I know...thanks for your research...interesting ideas.