“How to Secure Your Bicycle: The Risks of Axa Locks and the Importance of Double Security”

According to the man, someone with bad intentions can simply order the key that opens all Axa bicycle locks on the internet. It is not really sturdy: it would break after seven thefts, but it is also very cheap. Because electric bicycles – especially cargo bikes – are high on the wish list of bicycle thieves, insurance companies are becoming increasingly demanding when it comes to securing the bicycles they insure. Double security with an extra lock and even a tracking system for cargo bikes is a minimum requirement.

Now a double security – with a sturdy lock on something that is fixed in the ground – of your expensive bicycle is of course always recommended. But according to the Dutch Cyclists Union the trick with the polish key is old news. After the police informed Axa, the bicycle lock manufacturer adjusted its locks. The Polish key may still work with older locks, but they are of course mainly on older bicycles. And they are of course a lot less popular with bicycle thieves than the younger, more secure models.