This free feature helps make stolen Bosch e-bikes unsaleable

Stolen electric bikes built around Bosch motors will be difficult to sell, maintain and ride at the end of January. That’s when Bosch rolls out a new digital theft feature that allows owners to mark a bike as stolen in the Bosch Flow app – no subscription required. Bosch introduced a similar feature to expensive Bosch batteries last year, but… Stupidly wanted Subscribe to Flow Plus.

“If an e-bike or battery is flagged as stolen, it can be identified as such across the entire Bosch eBike Systems digital ecosystem,” the company says in a statement. press release. “This makes reselling an e-bike difficult and increases the chances of the owner getting the e-bike back.”

Bikes that are flagged as stolen will send a warning to buyers and authorities when they try to contact them via the Flow app. Dealers also receive the warning in the Bosch diagnostic software when they call in the e-bike for service. Stolen e-bikes are blocked from connecting to the Flow app, will not receive over-the-air updates, and riders cannot switch riding modes.