Locked Down Like Alcatraz
Oscar Morgan - Bo CEO - July 2025
Over the past twenty years, I’ve never once worried about locking my car.
Step out, hit the key fob, and job done. It’s not like someone’s going to scoop it up and carry it home. Even dragging it would be impossible.
Same goes for my bicycle. Sure, when leaving it for a particularly long time I sometimes secure the wheels or remove the seat - but it’s always been obvious where and how to lock it. Bikes, after all, are inherently full of useful locking points in their design.
So I was in for an unwelcome surprise the first time I tried locking my Segway GMax scooter. My mistake was to bring a lightweight 'cable' lock (the springy kind, that you can easily throw in a bag)
Turns out: There’s nowhere to lock it.
Cable lock? Slips right out.
D-lock? Useless if someone only unscrews the stem with a bike tool.
Even specialised handcuff-style locks couldn’t get a grip.
The only viable lock point is a tiny section between the treadboard and the stem too low for any normal railing or bike rack. This is - to put it politely - less than ideal.
Scooter security: The essential detail no one designed for
This is the sort of experience that ruins a ride. You’ve got the best electric scooter for commuting - supposedly - but your peace of mind goes out the window every time you park up. And this is where Bo had to be different.
Our philosophy and mission of 'Enjoy Every Journey' extends beyond just the riding. Your vehicle experience can’t be “premium” if you’re stressing about theft every time you stop at a café or gym.
Despite this, most electric scooters from well known brands like Segway, Xiaomi, Pure Electric, Apollo or Unagi fail to solve the problem.
The only way to really crack this was to build our own solution: Bo Lock n Load.
Introducing Lock n Load: Real e-scooter security
Lock n Load is Bo’s simple, robust security system. It combines:
- A pair of forged metal locking hoops
- A built-in motor immobiliser, controlled via the Bo Dashboard app
Why forged hoops?
Forging isn’t just fancy marketing words. It’s a high-pressure stamping process that compresses and work-hardens the metal grain structure, making it seriously tough.
Those hoops are mounted on a stainless steel pivot through Bo’s main chassis, so removing them when locked would literally require you to destroy the frame.
Imagining someone tries, they’d be left dragging a wrecked, unrideable scooter. We even have a block on ordering replacement Lock N Load components without proof of purchase. All in all, not worth the effort.
And the immobiliser?
As an extra layer of security on Lock n Load, the Bo Dashboard App contains a motor immobiliser. Swipe to lock and anyone wanting to ride is going to make seriously slow progress. It's one more defence between your Bo and an opportunist.
To be clear, of course it’s not unstealable - if someone is determined enough then nothing is.
The goal here is deterrence, and ensuring that a local trip full of errands is as enjoyable as possible. On that count, Bo does it better than anyone else.
Ease of use: Locking without the faff
If you’ve ever tried locking a Segway to a railing, you know it’s awkward. So we didn’t just design for security; we designed for usability.
- Mounting height: Lock n Load sits high enough to reach easily, no crouching
- Compatibility: Fits most D-locks, cable locks, chain locks, even flat locks.
- Rider reality: Designed for riders stopping five times a day, not once a week.
You lock up fast, you don’t think twice, and then you get on with your journey.
GPS? Airtags? We’ve thought about that
One of the most popular upgrades we’ve seen from Bo riders is the addition of an Apple Airtag or third-party GPS tracker.
The good news?
- Unlike other scooters, Bo has plenty of space in the frame to install one neatly
- The plastic upper close out panels give good signal for GPS tracking
The better news?
- The onboard Vehicle Control Unit is already compatible with Apple’s Find My network (MiFi).
- When the time comes, we can enable that feature with an app update.
Why not ship MiFi now?
Truthfully, because running a full GPS tracking service is… complicated. Location data, subscriptions, data compliance - it’s not impossible, but for a company at Bo's scale it’s not trivial. We’ll get there, and the reason for baking in the hardware is to ensure that we don't have to ask too much of our riders when we do.
Security is more than locks: it’s trust
A big part of what makes Bo the best premium electric scooter isn’t just the ride (although that is elite).
Bo is the best premium electric scooter because of trust: knowing that every single feature has been designed for your real-world life. That includes the bits you didn’t even know needed fixing. That means locking, which means theft deterrence, which means peace of mind.
In case you’re wondering where your money goes when you buy a Bo - it’s into engineering more of this. We’ve never taken profit or pulled dividends from the business. Every penny goes back into making Bo vehicles even better.
