Touring - On Tour Cycle Security

How do people secure their stuff whilst on tour? Say you're visiting a tourist attraction what do you do with all your kit, do you lock all the removable parts of the bike together, wheels, seat etc, and what do you do with your bags?
All help will be very much appreciated.

I usually take a cable rather than shackle lock, and fix the frame and front wheel to something solid. I generally dont remove bike bits.
At more remote sights, most people arrive by car, so security is not such a problem.
Outside of city centres, I tend to remove the valuables in my barbag and leave the rest of the luggage. In big city centres, it all comes off.

One thing I learnt was to take a pee before entering a city. Trying to locate a convenience, secure your bike, remove the luggage and hold everyting together whilst you are bursting is no fun.

I would agree with MW. I purchased a 6 foot Kryptonite/Trel cable lock, 10 gauge I think and keyed (I don't like the combos). It gives me the flexibility to lock in both city and rural settings (ever try to find a tree small enuff for your u-lock?).

I also splurged a bit and bought a Kryptonite Skewer Lock set, eliminating the need to remove wheels and saddle while still allowing realtively easy removal of these for maintenance. A bit pricey at $90 CDN (($60 US) but I felt it worth it for both the convenience and security, especially on a once-in-a-lifetime bike.

LBS recommended use of a u-lock in addition to my cablelock. A bit comical really, seeing they had just sold me 3 water bottles, a frame pump and cablelock. Not sure where they thought I might stow a ulock, no room left, mate.

I'm getting a 7 foot kryptoflex cable and a kryptolock, looking at insurance policies, the recommended locks are mainly U-locks and a few big, armoured cable and chain locks. I got the cable just to secure the wheels etc a little easier.

Has anyone tried the "cable net" stuff they have for luggage and backpacks?
I was thinking one could manipulate it to fit over the rear panniers.
One of the secruity things I've done is utalize the lockers. You can locate lockers at some malls, train and bus stations, and some attractions. Touring Europe I used the train stations for the packs, which freed me to travel unencumbered.

I was wondering about them too, I examined one in a shop and they may work, you may need one per pannier although they are quite large so you could maybe just bundle all your panniers together. I think the locker idea is best though, it's just the problem of finding them.

It sucks that we have to worry about these kind of things while on tour. But what can ya do.
You know, there might not be that mesh stuff made for paniers, but perhaps there is a market for it. Maybe someone needs to contact the same company who makes them for backpacks and inquire.
Al223 raised a good point. How about possibly taking off the paniers and putting one atop the other then using the mesh. Maybe it could even cover a handlebar bag as well.

Thinking about my touring set up, it seems there are too many things to think about securing. For instance, I have a trailer. Whats stopping someone taking my 280 dollar trailer and whatever is in the sea bag away? I guess I could lock it to the frame when I lock up the bike, but that still leaves the sea bag an open target.
Perhaps something like this mesh can be used in conjunction with the trailer and one could put a couple paniers on top of the sea bag then the mesh would lock over the top of the trailer which would be locked up with the bike.

All this worrying about our goods and then someone will just come by and rip off our saddle, then we'll have to peddle standing up as we look for a bike shop. :(

Oh well. I'm interested in following this thread, as I want to protect my investment as well. It will be all I have with me!

Dave

Just my comments to the above messages

Saddle security:
Simple solution is secure your saddle to the frame with cable ties - It just means that the saddle is impossible to remove without tools - you could also change the quick release for a nut (I have done both)

Where to carry a D-Lock:
I have 4 bottle cages and a pump, the D-Lock (Abus Granite X) lives on the front fork. I don't have low riders, but i do have the attachments.

A 4" section of 1" aliminum tube bolted to the lowrider boss and the dynamo bracket with the D-Lock attachment fixed to the tube - simple and effective.

I also carry a 2m (6 feet) Kryptonite cable for use with the D-Lock
(Lives in the pannier)

Valuables:
All money and cameras etc go in the bar bag which you simply clip/unclip every time, mine has a sholder carring strap, so it makes a good bag to go and see something. As for the rest of the gear - it's a problem. Either keep it with you, or at the place you are staying, most camp sites and hotels will look after gear

I read a little of Roughie's riding in dangerous places, and it would seem he never encountered too much of that sort of stuff, and mostly in South America.
So, Roughie, you care to enlighten us further?

I have a very light weight cable about 1/8" in dia. and 6' long. It is really tough you cannot break it and even a pair of wire cutters have real trouble getting through it. It has very secure crimped loop ends on it and works like a charm. I bought a quality small Master keyed lock and have been using it for years. No losses. I just loop it through the front wheel around the frame and something immovable. Often I also run it through my helmet as it fits through the vent holes no problem and the helmet hangs just fine between the front wheel and the frame. Benefit it only weighs a few ounces and works like a 4 pound cable.

Mur

1. Try to avoid the tourist season if it's at all possible.

2. Use a cable lock to lock your bike through the frame.

3. If you follow steps 1 & 2, you may not even need to do anything with your panniers (I didn't on my last tour), but make sure you remove all personal valuables (wallet, camera etc) from them.

The problem is I will be going in the busy tourist times and will sometimes want to see something mid-day when I've left the previous nights campsite and not yet arrived at the next. Thanks for the tips though. Anyone take a large holdall with them to put all their panniers in to carry them to wherever they can be put in a locker or anything?

I found this company that makes the cable netting stuff. I havn't tried it but it looks like a pretty good option for panniers.

http://www.pac-safe.com/