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Bernie Moreno, Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Ohio, attends a campaign event in Holland, Ohio, on Saturday, October 26, 2024. Moreno is running against Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. 

Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images

Prior to announcing his Senate candidacy in April 2023, Bernie Moreno was a political no name. A former car salesman in the Cleveland area, his only prior experience in politics was a losing bid for Ohio’s other Senate seat in 2022.

Moreno has since accomplished the once unthinkable. 

On Nov. 5, as part of the election that swept Donald Trump back into the White House, Moreno defeated Democratic incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown, who was first elected to the House in 1992, before winning his Senate seat in 2006 and chairing the powerful Banking Committee since 2021.

Moreno’s rise from unsung Ohio businessman to prominent political leader was no accident. His campaign was backed by $40 million from the cryptocurrency industry as part of a highly targeted effort to get friendly candidates elected and, perhaps more importantly, its critics removed. Moreno’s victory was one of the Senate seats Republicans flipped to take control of the chamber.  

In total, crypto-related PACs and other groups tied to the industry reeled in over $245 million, according to Federal Election Commission data. Crypto accounted for nearly half of all corporate dollars that flowed into the election, according to nonprofit watchdog Public Citizen. Advocacy group Stand With Crypto Alliance, which Coinbase launched last year, developed a grading system for House and Senate races across the country as a way to help determine where money should be spent.

Crypto execs, investors and evangelists saw the election as existential to an industry that spent the past four years simultaneously trying to grow up while being repeatedly beaten down. Nearly 300 pro-crypto lawmakers will take seats in the House and Senate, according to Stand With Crypto, giving the sector unprecedented influence over the legislative agenda.

The crypto political lobby worked so well this cycle because it made something complicated, like campaign finance, simple: Raise a ton of cash from a handful of donors and buy ad space in battleground states to either support candidates who back crypto or smear the candidates who don’t. It also required thinking of candidates as a bit of a binary: They were either with the industry or against it.

Crypto companies and their executives mobilized rapidly, and they successfully figured out how to deploy their cash through a sophisticated ad machine across the country. They also took cues from what big tech got wrong. Rather than spending hundreds of millions of dollars on lobbying legislators post-election, the crypto industry invested in targeting their opponents ahead of the election so they wouldn’t have to deal with them at all the next few years.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong: We finally have a chance to get some regulatory clarity in the U.S.

For over a year, Moreno was grilled by Silicon Valley heavy hitters like Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz and David Sacks about blockchain technology, digital asset policy and the shifting terrain of global finance.

“They didn’t just jump in head first,” Moreno said, describing the scores of meetings that stretched back to his run in the primary. “We had to build a lot of trust.”

Moreno also met with Coinbase co-founders Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam as well as policy chief Faryar Shirzad. Armstrong and Ehrsam did not respond to CNBC’s request, through Coinbase, for comment about the meetings.

Coinbase is the largest digital asset exchange in the U.S. and has been battling the Securities and Exchange Commission in court for over a year. The company was the crypto kingmaker in the 2024 cycle, giving more than $75 million to a super PAC called Fairshake. It was one of the top spending committees of any industry this cycle and exclusively gave to pro-crypto candidates running for Congress. Fairshake’s candidates won virtually every race that it funded in the general election.

“Being anti-crypto is simply bad politics,” Coinbase’s Armstrong wrote on X following Moreno’s victory. 

As the price of bitcoin has multiplied by about sixfold in the past four years, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has taken major crypto players like Coinbase and Ripple to court for allegedly selling unregistered securities and has avoided working with companies to develop new specialized regulations.

Meanwhile, Sen. Brown sided with the expressly anti-crypto Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in targeting crypto for allegedly funding terrorist organizations, including Hamas. Brown became more vocal in calling for crackdowns of the industry after the failure of crypto exchange FTX in late 2022. 

As FTX was spiraling into bankruptcy, Brown on Nov. 10 retweeted a post from the Senate Banking Committee calling the event “a loud warning bell that cryptocurrencies can fail” and can “have a ripple effect on consumers and other parts of our financial system.”

The bipartisan Fairshake won all but three races in the general election, spending big on Republicans and Democrats gunning for key seats. Protect Progress, a PAC affiliated with Fairshake, gave more than $10 million apiece to Democratic candidates for the Senate in Arizona and Michigan. Both won. Defend American Jobs, another one of Fairshake’s affiliated PACs, spent more than $3 million to support Republican Jim Justice in West Virginia, who will take the former seat of Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin when the new session gets underway in 2025.

In California, Democratic Rep. Katie Porter lost a Senate primary after Fairshake spent more than $10 million on ads against her. 

“I was, like, ‘What the heck is Fairshake?'” Porter told The New Yorker.

Trump trade boosts crypto

How tech bros made their pick

Those vetting Moreno wanted to understand what he would do differently than the current administration and regulatory regime, the senator-elect told CNBC in an interview.

“These are people who know how to vet investments, know how to vet people and they took that same discipline” with me, Moreno said.

It helped that he’d built a blockchain startup, a company called Champ Titles that digitizes automobile ticketing and registration.

“What they didn’t want was to put time, effort and energy behind somebody who, at the end, would be a disappointment,” Moreno said.

A spokesperson for Andreessen and Horowitz, who are co-founders of a venture firm bearing their names, declined to comment. Sacks, founder of Craft Ventures, didn’t respond to CNBC’s request for an interview.

Coinbase’s Shirzad met Moreno over breakfast in Washington in the spring. Moreno wasn’t an expert on the details of the policy issues he’d be pursuing but had a clear understanding of crypto technology and how it could be applied, Shirzad told CNBC in an interview. 

“It was a really great meeting of minds between me as a policy guy and him as kind of a business guy that saw the potential of the technology,” Shirzad said. 

Moreno was out of cash after spending all he had on a tough and expensive primary, said David McIntosh, an early backer of Moreno’s Senate bid and president of the Club for Growth, a conservative organization that focuses on American economic issues. Fairshake played a crucial role for Moreno’s campaign starting in the summer, McIntosh said. 

Moreno’s victory over Brown “sent a really strong signal to Washington that the voters are going to support candidates who are pro-blockchain,” McIntosh said.

McIntosh noted that the Club for Growth spent $6.5 million to help Moreno with advertising in the primary through its different super PACs, including the Bitcoin Freedom Fund.

Brown’s office didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.

Brown told Politico he hasn’t ruled out running for Vice President-elect JD Vance’s open Senate seat in Ohio, which will be filled by special election in 2026.

Moreno benefited from branding himself as the “change” candidate while Brown “became a defender of the status quo,” Shirzad said.

“Crypto thematically is a change issue,” Shirzad said. “It appeals to not only a younger demographic, but it also appeals to voters who want to change.”

Fairshake declined to comment on whether it would spend to block another Brown Senate run, but the super PAC has already raised $78 million for the 2026 midterms.

“We stuck to our core strategy from Day 1, supported pro-crypto candidates and opposed those who played politics with jobs and innovation, and won,” Fairshake told CNBC in a statement.

How crypto and fintech may perform under the second Trump administration

‘Most pro-crypto Congress ever’

The past two election cycles featured spending from the now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX and its founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March for stealing more than $8 billion worth of customer money through FTX. 

This year’s contributor list was more robust but saw large sums of funding come from companies that have been at odds with SEC Chair Gensler for years. That includes Coinbase and blockchain giant Ripple Labs. Prominent venture fund Andreessen Horowitz, which has a large portfolio of crypto companies, was one of the other primary contributors.

A lot of crypto’s big names also gave significantly in 2024. 

FEC filings show Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss were among the largest individual crypto donors this election cycle, giving a combined $10.1 million. Top executives from Ripple contributed millions, led by billionaire founder Chris Larsen, who gave around $12 million this cycle.

Coinbase CEO Armstrong gave over $1.3 million to a mix of PACs including Fairshake and JD Vance for Senate Inc. He also gave directly to Democrats and Republicans running for House and Senate seats. Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal attended at least two Trump fundraisers, including one in Nashville, Tennessee, on the sidelines of the biggest bitcoin event of the year.

Kraken Chairman Jesse Powell donated over $1 million to the Trump campaign.

Other individual crypto contributors include ex-Bitfinex strategy chief Phil Potter (over $1.6 million), Multicoin Capital’s Kyle Samani ($878,600), Paradigm co-founder Fred Ehrsam ($735,400), Union Square Ventures partner Fred Wilson ($1,4 million), Paxos CEO Charles Cascarilla ($198,500), BitGo CEO Mike Belshe ($119,825), Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko ($67,100), and Xapo Bank founder Wences Casares ($374,899).

This week, Armstrong reportedly met with the president-elect to discuss appointments. Within a day, conversations swirled about the potential for the White House’s first crypto czar. By the end of the week, SEC Chair and longtime crypto foe Gensler, whose term doesn’t expire until June 2026, announced he was retiring on inauguration day.

One of Trump’s promises to his crypto fans on the campaign was that he would fire the SEC head and choose crypto-friendly regulators if elected. Gensler may have taken a look at the pressure that faces him across Washington and decided it just wasn’t worth trying to stick it out.

“Welcome to America’s most pro-crypto Congress ever,” Armstrong wrote on X on Nov. 5.

Coinbase's legal chief: 'We are going to have the most pro-crypto Congress ever'

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Navee ST3 Pro e-scooter with quad suspension at new $850 low, ECOVACS A2500 RTK robot mower $1,500 low, Lectric, more

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May 27, 2025

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Navee ST3 Pro e-scooter with quad suspension at new 0 low, ECOVACS A2500 RTK robot mower ,500 low, Lectric, more

Just because Memorial Day is over, doesn’t mean the savings are slowing down on eco-friendly tech, and today’s Green Deals feature a mix of new and ongoing discounts at some of the best prices of the season. Headlining today is Navee’s newly launched Father’s Day Sale with up to $264 in savings on its two latest e-scooter series, which includes the new flagship ST3 Pro Electric Scooter with a damping arm suspension system, Apple Find My, and plenty more down at an $850 low, along with some free gear too. Next, we have ECOVACS’ new Goat A2500 RTK Robot Lawn Mower returning to its $1,500 low for the second time, as well as Lectric’s XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes with $404 free bundled gear starting from $999. Lastly, we spotted EcoFlow’s DELTA 2 Smart Extra Battery dropping back to its $429 low. Plus, there’s all the rest of the hangover Green Deals and ongoing Memorial Day EV sales in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s ongoing increased savings on the Ride1Up Portola e-bike, and more – and don’t forget to browse our Memorial Day EV hub for the hangover savings while they last.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Navee drops new flagship ST3 Pro electric scooter with damping arm suspension and Apple Find My to $850 + free gear

With Memorial Day having passed, Navee is jumping right into its Father’s Day Savings event with up to $264 in discounts across four of its newest e-scooters. The sale is headlined by Navee’s flagship ST3 Pro Electric Scooter that comes with $64 in free gear at $849.99 shipped. This entire package would normally cost you $1,014 in full these days ($950 for just the scooter), which has come down from its original $1,299 price tag from when it was unveiled at CES 2025 through its launch at the end of March. The biggest discount we saw in the time since was the early-bird launch discount to $899, which is getting beaten out here by today’s deal. All-in-all, despite the savings here only totaling up to $164, you’re still getting a high-performance commuting solution at the lowest price we have tracked. Head below for more.

Navee’s flagship ST3 Pro electric scooter is a commuter with serious get-up-and-go power, coming equipped with a 600W motor (1,350 peak) and a 12.75Ah battery that can carry you up to 46.6 miles on a single charge and reach 25 MPH top speeds – plus, that peak power is ready to conquer up to 28% inclines. A standout feature here is the brand’s new automotive-grade damping arm suspension system that will smooth out your travels at the front and rear, thanks to the four polymer arms. And security gets a step up from other scooters with the addition of Apple Find My too.

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There’s plenty more to be impressed by on Navee’s ST3 Pro electric scooter, like the triple-braking system made up of hydraulic disc, drum, and automotive-grade eABS brakes, the latter of which also boasts regenerative braking capabilities to recycle energy for prolonged journeys. There are also self-healing tires, an auto-on headlight, integrated turn signals and a taillight with brake lighting, lighting under the footboards with 15 different modes, a traction control system, a 3.6-inch LED display, its folding frame, and some additional remote smart controls via its companion app, like manual and auto locking, among others. Among the free gear, you’ll get an e-scooter lock and a phone holder for added convenience and peace of mind.

Navee’s other Father’s Day e-scooter deals:

  • GT3 Electric Scooter: $500 (Reg. $614)
    • 20 MPH for up to 31 miles
    • Apple Find My, smart locking, quad shock absorption, dual braking, and more.
    • comes with lock and phone holder
  • GT3 Pro Electric Scooter: $550 (Reg. $714)
    • 20 MPH for up to 37.3 miles
    • Apple Find My, smart locking, quad shock absorption, dual braking, and more.
    • comes with lock and phone holder
  • ST3 Electric Scooter: $750 (Reg. $914)
    • 25 MPH for up to 37.3 miles
    • Apple Find My, smart locking, damping arm suspension, triple braking, and more.
    • comes with lock and phone holder

There’s plenty of ongoing post-holiday price cuts across several e-bike and e-scooter brands right now, which you can browse in full in our Memorial Day EV hub here.

ECOVACS Goat A2500 RTK robot lawn mower

ECOVACS’ new Goat A2500 RTK robot mower returns for the second time to $1,500 low

Amazon is offering a second chance at the lowest price on the new ECOVACS Goat A2500 RTK Robot Lawn Mower for $1,499.99 shipped, as well as discounts on two of its counterparts. This new and advanced autonomous lawn care solution has been going for $2,000 at full price since hitting the market a few months ago, with three discounts having taken things down to $1,700 and $1,800, and one previous drop to this same low back at the top of the month. You’re getting a second chance here today at a 25% markdown that cuts $500 off the tag for the lowest price we have tracked.

One of ECOVACS’ new robot mowers, the Goat A2500 sits as the middle-ground choice with a 32V motor and dual-blade discs that cover mowing duties across 4,305 square feet of land in an hour, working at 2.3 feet per second. The 5Ah battery allows enough juice to tackle up to 5,382 square feet on a single charge, with it automatically returning to its station upon low levels and only taking 45 minutes before it’s ready to go once again.

What’s really great here is the trading of any need for perimeter wires to operate via RTK navigation, which works along with the 3D-ToF LiDAR tech and AIVI 3D AI camera to not only stay the course, but also avoid 200+ common garden obstacles – all with an IPX6 waterproof construction for when it gets caught by sudden weather changes. There’s also an array of remote smart controls through its app, which allows you to adjust performance settings, as well as edit the 3D maps that it uses to complete its duties.

ECOVACS’ other Goat robot mower deals:

lectric xp lite 2.0 e-bike

Lectric’s 49-pound XP Lite 2.0 folding e-bikes with 80-mile range get $404 in free gear starting from $999

While Memorial Day may be over, the savings we’re seeing from Lectric are continuing for an unknown amount of time, with up to $742 in free gear accompanying e-bike purchases – and don’t forget the ongoing preorder bundle deals for the brand’s new XP4 and XP4 750 e-bikes that start from $999. One of the notable increases in savings during this sale is on the Lectric XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes for $999 shipped and come with $404 in free gear, as well as the XP Lite 2.0 JW Long-Range model that sits a little higher at $1,099 shipped, coming with the same bundle. These packages would normally run you $1,403 and $1,503 at full price, which is beating out most of the bundle sizes we’ve seen since this same package was offered at the beginning of January. The extra add-ons include a rear cargo rack, fenders, a suspension seat post, an accordion-style folding bike lock, two adjustable rear-view mirrors, and an Elite headlight upgrade.

Coming in as the lightest e-bikes under Lectric’s flag, the XP Lite 2.0 e-bikes weigh in at just 49 pounds, making them more manageable up and down stairs or when putting them in your car for longer-distance transport – plus, the foldable design also contributes to saving space when you’re not riding. The 672Wh battery in each delivers up to 80 miles of travel on a single charge when its five PAS levels are being used, while the 300W rear hub motor (819Wh peak) reaches up to 20 MPH speeds.

As is the case with Lectric’s lineup, you’re getting dependable features that you’d expect to raise the price more, like the hydraulic mineral oil brakes, 20×2.5-inch slick tires with 3mm Hippo Skin liner and pre-slimed tubes for anti-puncture resistance, BMX-style folding handlebars, and a full color LCD screen with a USB-A port to juice up devices as you ride, perfect for those using their phones for GPS.

And for just $100 more you can upgrade to the JW Black variant, which has been given a Gates Carbon Drive belt system for a quieter, smoother, and oil-free riding experience, with it also promising a longer-lasting lifespan over chain-drive models. You can also save a bit more going with the shorter 45-mile range standard models that start from $799 shipped, though there are no bundle packages with free gear on these.

Be sure to check out the full lineup of Lectric’s ongoing Memorial Day Sale here while the massive savings last, with even more ongoing sales past the holiday collected in our Memorial Day EV hub, with many slated to end over the next few days, while others are continuing into June.

EcoFlow DELTA 2 smart extra battery

Add 1,024Wh to your DELTA 2 LiFePO4 power station capacity with this expansion battery at $429 low

Coming at us through its official Amazon storefront, EcoFlow is undercutting its ongoing Memorial Day Sale pricing (ending May 28) on the DELTA 2 Smart Extra Battery for $428.99 shipped. This add-on unit normally fetches $799 at full price directly from the brand, but has been starting from $599 in 2025 at Amazon. Discounts have mostly kept costs above $449, though we did see two previous dips to this low. It’s beating out EcoFlow’s direct sale pricing by $30, giving you $170 in savings off its going Amazon rate ($370 off its MSRP) at the lowest price we have tracked.

This add-on battery from EcoFlow is the perfect addition for folks with an existing DELTA 2 power station who want to get far more backup power support for traveling and at-home needs. The battery sports a 1,024Wh LiFePO4 capacity that can be added to your existing station, giving you 2,048Wh with one or bumping things as high as 3,072Wh when adding two to your setup. Right alongside the station, this battery comes rated for 3,000+ life cycles, giving you over eight years of use if you were planning to discharge and recharge it every single day.

If you were considering starting your backup setup, you can check out EcoFlow’s ongoing Memorial Day deals running through May 28 – which include extra savings (code EF25MEM) that drops the power station and extra battery bundle to $997 from $1,798 – which beats Amazon by $2.

Best Spring EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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CATL’s first 100-second swappable EV batteries debut, proving how far ahead China is

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3 hours ago

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May 27, 2025

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CATL's first 100-second swappable EV batteries debut, proving how far ahead China is

CATL's-swappable-EV-batteries

The first vehicles with CATL’s new ultra-fast swappable EV batteries are now being delivered in China. CATL’s new “Choco-SEB” battery pack can be swapped in 100 seconds, making it just as quick as filling up at a gas station. The new EV features ultra-fast charging and starts at under $24,000 as China widens its lead on the global auto industry.

First EV with CATL’s swappable batteries debuts

CATL’s new swappable batteries could make gas stations obsolete. After revealing the “Choco-SEB” batteries last year, the first vehicles powered by the new technology are now being delivered in China.

On May 25, Changan Automobile announced that it had delivered 1,000 Oshan 520 models, the first electric vehicle (EV) based on CATL’s Choco-SEB swappable batteries. During the event, Changan said the new vehicle has already secured over 15,000 orders from clients.

The Oshan 520 starts at 166,800 yuan in China ($23,100) with a CLTC driving range of up to 515 km (320 miles). It can also gain a full recharge in 100 seconds thanks to CATL’s new tech.

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According to CATL, it has already established 34 Choco-SEB swap stations in Chongqing, Changan’s hometown. By the end of the year, it will have over 50 stations completed in the city.

CATL's-swappable-EV-batteries
CATL's-swappable-EV-batteries

In total, it aims to have 1,000 battery swap stations in 31 cities across China by the end of 2025. Changan and CATL signed an agreement in November 2024 to launch the first models based on the new tech.

After the meeting, officials watched the battery replacement process. Within 100 seconds, the vehicle gains over 310 miles of range (500 km).

CATL-EV-battery-swap-station
CATL Choco-Swap EV battery swap station (Source: CATL)

Several other major automakers, including GAC, Chery, NIO, FAW, and BAIC, are also partnering with CATL to launch vehicles based on its Choco-SEB.

CATL wants to make charging an EV as easy (or even easier) than filling up a gas vehicle. The battery giant released two “grades” last year, one for smaller cars and the other designed for larger A or B-class vehicles.

According to the latest data from SNE Research, CATL maintains a commanding lead in the global EV battery market, holding a 28.8% share through the first two months of 2025, up from 26.9% in the same period last year.

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There’s a hidden number on every e-bike. You should find yours right away

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3 hours ago

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May 27, 2025

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There’s a number hidden somewhere on basically every electric bicycle – or pedal bicycle – including the one in your garage. If you haven’t found it yet, you should do it today. Here’s why.

That number is the frame number, and for all intents and purposes, it’s basically like a VIN but for a bike. The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on your car is the number that gives it an identity and helps track it down if it’s ever stolen.

The same goes for your bike’s frame number. This innocuous string of characters, often stamped inconspicuously beneath your bike’s bottom bracket or on the head tube, isn’t just there to fill space – it can be the key to protecting your bike from theft or recovering it if the unthinkable happens.

Why is the frame number so important? Simply put, it’s your bike’s fingerprint, a unique identifier that distinguishes your ride from every other two-wheeler out there. In a scenario where your e-bike goes missing, having this number documented can drastically improve the odds of it being returned by law enforcement.

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Rad Power Bikes recently shared some great tips on the importance of knowing your frame number and where to find it. As you can see in the images below, the number is usually stamped into the frame on the bottom of the head tube (the front of the bike), or under the bottom bracket (the underside of the bike where the pedals are connected).

But knowing your frame number is only half the battle. The next critical step is registering that number with a bike registry. Fortunately, several trustworthy services offer free registration, creating a central database accessible by law enforcement, bike shops, and fellow cyclists who might stumble upon your stolen steed.

Bike Index (bikeindex.org) is one of the most popular platforms, boasting thousands of successful recoveries and a simple, intuitive registration process. And the best part is that it’s free! Another solid option is Project 529 (project529.com), widely used in North America and highly praised by police departments for its effectiveness in tracking stolen bikes. Again, it’s free to use!

Additionally, some local municipalities offer their own registries, such as the National Bike Registry (nationalbikeregistry.com), which collaborates directly with law enforcement to streamline the reporting and recovery process.

These types of services offer a form of passive protection, where you can mark your bike as stolen in their registries and then hope that someone finds it. In the event that someone does find your bike (such as in a shady Craigslist sale, etc.) and decides to check the frame number against the databases, they’ll see it’s stolen. If the police raid a bike theft ring and find a cache of stolen bikes, they may run all their frame numbers and find that yours is in the mix.

If you want protection that is a bit more active, there are full-on insurance options (though your renters or homeowner’s insurance may cover your e-bike), or theft protection services like Tempo that aren’t technically insurance, but operate somewhat similarly by offering a combination of holographic tracking number stickers for the bike combined with up to $2,500 in coverage for a replacement bike, if they can’t recover your stolen bike. I had the chance to sit down with Tempo’s founder Michael Keating at Micromobility America late last year, and you can see more about what I learned from him here.

This is probably a good time for a reminder to us all that a good lock is usually the only thing standing between our precious e-bike and those who want to take it from us.

I’ve reviewed a ton of locks, but some of my favorites include the Foldylock Compact for its high security, smaller size, and ease of locking to various sizes/shapes of bike racks, or the Foldylock Forever which is the big brother of the Compact and is nearly as impenetrable as it gets for a bike lock, as confirmed by the top bike lock testing agencies in the world.

For those who prefer a U-lock instead of a folding lock, my go-to lock is the Mason 220. Again, it is one of the top-rated locks, but it’s also wide enough to fit around the battery-fattened downtube of my e-bikes. That’s rare in the world of U-locks, and so the fact that it carries so many high-level awards and certifications is icing on the cake.

But no matter how good your lock is, there’s always a chance that your e-bike can be separated from you. And so the long and the short of it is that every e-bike has a unique identifier on it, and finding that frame number is your best chance of getting your bike back if it is ever stolen.

So take a minute today and locate your frame number to write it down or take a picture of it. Better yet, take a selfie with it and yourself. If you ever need to quickly prove that it’s your bike to a police officer on the sidewalk (such as if you followed an AirTag right to the bike), that’s a great way to do it.

I’ve had my e-bike stolen more than once, and the only way to curb that sinking feeling is to get it back. Taking a few minutes now to locate your frame number and register your e-bike can save you countless headaches later. After all, an ounce of prevention is worth several thousand dollars worth of cure when it comes to stolen bikes. So flip that bike upside down, jot down your frame number, and give yourself some peace of mind.

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