This is a big part of why I don't yet own an eBike. I have a dutch bike that I got second hand. The frame looks a bit scruffy, there's some rust. The saddle has a hole in it and so I prevent it sticking to me by putting a carrier bag over it. It looks really cheap. I'm quite happy parking it at the station because anyone who is going to steal a bike will have a much better return on investment with dozens of other bikes nearby. And, since it cost about £200 and has had almost ten years of use, if it's stolen then it's a minor nuisance but I've had good value from it even if I don't ever get more.

But if I got a decent eBike, it's a much more tempting target and a bigger expense if lost. The station is probably one of the safer places here (the bike park is a decent size and usually has a few people in it, so you'd be noticed if you were breaking a lock, though it's not patrolled at all), but leaving it in random places in town would not make me very comfortable.

This is my main limiting factor too! I basically only go for bike rides when I would stay near the bike (e.g. to a park), or to a friend's house where it could be inside or in the back garden.

The risk isn't so much about money, it's how long it took me to get the bike set up how I like it. Losing it now and having to start again would be demoralising!