Touring - how do you keep away thieves from your pannier?

Hi, I'm new to touring although I'm an avid commuter. I never had a pannier on my bike since I usually use my backpack. So I'm wondering, how do you keep your panniers safe while touring? There are locks and chains for bikes but for panniers?

Good Question. And when you tent camp, how do you guys and gals keep the bike from ending up in Fast Freddy's Pawn & Gun courtesy of the local meth head? You can't suff it in the tent. You might not have a place to lock it up. So, do you tie a string from your big toe to the bike?

I have seen small diameter cables with small locks offered at some rack sites. These are items you could pick up at a well-stocked hardware store, and choose a custom length of cable so there is no wasted length hanging near the wheel.

I would be more concerned with theives of the small and furry ilk, chewing holes in your panniers to abscond with the granola.

:(

Sadly, I trust to fate somewhat, but I make sure I take a *few* precautions:

In addition to the panniers' regular mount, I always use the loops on my panniers to lash them to my racks, which is also a great way to stow your extra lines, and I try to buy panniers that have adjustment straps on them, and to get them nicely tightened on the rack.. I also lash down my pump when I can.

Other than this, the best defense is to never let your bike out of your sight for any longer than you have to. When you go into a supermarket or store, know what you want, get it, and get back to your bike, and try to choose stores with big storefront windows. Periodically look through the store window while you are in there if you can, and try to park the bike in a visible place (this can be difficult).

EDIT: Also beware of going to places like Walgreens, where a single old lady with coupons and rainchecks can hold you and your tub of peanut butter up for what feels like an eternity of in-store worrying.

Good Question. And when you tent camp, how do you guys and gals keep the bike from ending up in Fast Freddy's Pawn & Gun courtesy of the local meth head? You can't suff it in the tent. You might not have a place to lock it up. So, do you tie a string from your big toe to the bike?

I always camp in places where other humans aren't. :)

Concertina wire.

I saw a wire alarm for bikes.
It comes with a long (4-5 m) locking wire that can be rolled up for storage.
If the wire is cut, the alarm goes off. 120 dB should be enough to wake you up...
The whole unit looked like it was about the size of a rolled-up spare tube.

How about something like this...
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47793872&parent_category_rn=4501756&vcat=REI_SEARCH

I lock my bike up at night, to a tree or whatever is handy... the panniers usually come under the rainfly of my tent at night. But obviously it all depends on where youre are. In the middle of nowhere, you usually have a good feeling of wether or not anyone is going to be creeping around your stuff in the middle of the night. If youre afraid of people in your stuff at night then you haven'tt ridden far enough! : )
~Steve

I try to stay clear of situations requiring lockup. I try to stay to the secondary roads, shop in the small-town groceries, and patronize the local diner/cafe where the townsfolk congregate. I seldom lock up at those places, as it seems an affront to a small town's hospitality to prejudge. Camping, I lock my bike to the picnic table or a tree, and have all the rest of my belongings in the tent with me.

I've always believed that no one wants my festering laundry. In 1000s of miles of touring, this has always proven accurate for me. I do keep valuable stuff and my camera in a handlebar bag and carry that with me when I'm away from the bike.

I think that by using a little common sense, theft of your panniers (or their contents) is generally not a problem while touring. However, if you insist, there are some fine steel wire net-like security devices designed to enclose a backpack. While not secure against a concerted attack, they do prevent simple pilfering or slicing open the pack. Check camping sources like REI or campmor for products. Perhaps there are sizes to fit panniers.

Generally though, when riding through small towns and camping in parks and campgrounds, I would not expect to have much trouble with theft. I've never had anyone bother any of my camping gear in a park and certainly nobody would want my dirty laundry. I would certainly not leave any valuables like cameras, telephones, money, etc. unattended in a tent, on the bike, etc. A quick release front bag is good for these items. Keep them with you at all times. Other items like cooking gear, bike tools and such are not easily converted to cash by a thief so it's very unlikely that they would be stolen. Of course, there's always some idiot...

A simple cable lock may be worth taking along for use in larger cities when shopping or when you have to leave the bike unattended for some length of time.

You can't stuff it in the tent.

Yes you caaaannnn!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/saltyseas/Img0033sm.jpg
Hilleberg Keron4 GT

Ha ha!....and only $900.... Serious tent though, and the photos on their website are incredible. If that is Sweden, I have to go.

I live in a city that is some what infamous for bike thief especially around the University of Washington(Seattle) and I've never had a problem with my panniers. Of course I always remove my wallet when stopping, but I never really had any problems what so ever.

right, but I've had a bike stripped bare on pike street in Seattle. Granted, I left the poor thing overnight.

I've got a tiny padlock through my loops and the rack. It's not much, but I figure anything that slows 'em down might be just enough.

I've been wondering about those old-fashioned folding side baskets, with a pair of matching backpacks in 'em instead of cloth panniers. I figure I could rig some kind of lid on the baskets and just lock them up. I've also got a rather big front basket. My handlebar bag fits right in it with a couple inches of depth to spare. No reason I couldn't stick a wire mesh lit on it too.

If, no, when I get to do some touring, I plan to wear a little backpack/large fannypack with my backup popcan stove and equipment, a metal mug that's big enough for cooking noodles etc. and a few other essentials. This would never be out of my sight.

I carry a 6' cable lock that I loop through the carry handles of the rear panniers when I lock up the bike. I also have a snowboard lock ( a much smaller cable lock) for the front panniers. When I camp the panniers come inside the tent. I use the cable lock to lock the bike to the tent frame. If the bike is disturbed it will wake me up.

I've always believed that no one wants my festering laundry. In 1000s of miles of touring, this has always proven accurate for me. I do keep valuable stuff and my camera in a handlebar bag and carry that with me when I'm away from the bike.

I agree. I was really concerned about being ripped off on my first couple of trips. I now call it paranoia. That said I have various levels of security. Going in to a store for water is a lot lower risk than leaving a bike on a post overnight.

My panniers come with this neat devise that locks them in unless you know where to put your finger to unlock them. As Blackberry says, there is never anything of value in them anyway because the good stuff is with me.

I would let this concern come between you and a great touring experience.

I don't worry about it. I rarely camp anymore, but I figure there's not much I can do if someone wants to open up my panniers when I leave the bike somewhere during the day. Anything particularly valuable and small I'll take with me into the store/museum/castle/forest/restaurant/cave/whatever. After years of touring, something was finally stolen from my panniers in San Sebastian, Spain, last year. The bike itself was locked. When I returned to my bike, I immediately saw that several pannier pockets were unzipped. A tiny shortwave radio had been taken, but my dirty clothes not surprisingly were still there. I had carried that little radio with me for 18 years.

I try to stay clear of situations requiring lockup. I try to stay to the secondary roads, shop in the small-town groceries, and patronize the local diner/cafe where the townsfolk congregate. I seldom lock up at those places, as it seems an affront to a small town's hospitality to prejudge. Camping, I lock my bike to the picnic table or a tree, and have all the rest of my belongings in the tent with me.

Yup, Thats what I do. Can't remember locking my bike up in a CG. I'm a lite sleeper. I rarely leave my bike for long and say I go to eat, I choose a place where I can view my steed at all times. I most often toured with a select group of friends. So often we had one to do bike watch when in a suspect area. If we were in a city we would do a motel. Amazing how many bikes you cand get in a motel room and still have space for several people to put their sleeping bags down. I've been known to throw my thermarest in the bathtub (without water) and crash. As far as commuting. I take my panniers off my bike when I get to work. If I stop for groceries they or the BOB are empty so help yo self. I live in a very rural area so most people know each other, there is bike theft but its the kids and most wouldn't get a block with my recumbent or fixed gear.

I saw some Ortlieb panniers and they say that they have some anti-theft device or strap on some panniers if you pay more. Have you guys tried it?

Just drape soiled underwear all over your panniers. They'll back off :eek:

I was about to recommend the Pac-Safe. I use it with my Bike Friday luggage/trailer (and the trailer is also lockable), but when I have the extra backpack on top of the luggage, I use the pacsafe around my backpack, then lock the pacsafe to the inside of the luggage. I have no security issues at all.

Koffee

Luggage straps, they come with combination locks, handy no keys to loose, I sew in loops around the panniers at strategic point, so I can put the luggage straps through the loops and then strap it through the bike rack. This way the strap can not be slipped off the panniers and would only leave it on the bike like that long enough to go and get my food from the supermarket, really the best is to slip off the panniers and take it with you on the trolley, use to do that till I came up with the strap idea.

Now I have treated my self to the ortilleb Bike packer, does any one know if sewing the straps on them would allow the panniers to leak ???

Anyone know of any 1 or 2 berth tents that pack up nice and small but would have the capacity to sleep the bike as well as the rider if necessary?

I don't know of one, but why not just carry a tarp for the bike?

Koffee

My main motivation is security. I'm new to the game and think my first few tours (if not all of them) will take in UK camp sites (as opposed to wildnerness) and they are likely to be well frequented.

I'm about to shell out on a fairly expensive bike and probably would not sleep well if the bike was left outside the tent. As Kurt Cobain almost said:

'just because I'm paranoid'
Don't mean there not out to steal my bike'

Or am I being over cautious?

My main motivation is security. I'm new to the game and think my first few tours (if not all of them) will take in UK camp sites (as opposed to wildnerness) and they are likely to be well frequented.

I'm about to shell out on a fairly expensive bike and probably would not sleep well if the bike was left outside the tent. As Kurt Cobain almost said:

'just because I'm paranoid'
Don't mean there not out to steal my bike'

Or am I being over cautious?

Then maybe you should consider a less exspensive bike. I don't mean that sarcasticly. Its just that to me one of the best parts of bike touring is reducing stress. And part of the reduction in stress for me is to not have to worry about "things". Which is how my real life is, worrying about, buying, maintaining, insuring, housing all the damn "things". So don't let the damn "things" ruin one of lifes great stress reducers "bike touring".

How about something like this...
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47793872&parent_category_rn=4501756&vcat=REI_SEARCH

i was thinking of something similar in chain link fencing. Locked with a cable through the wheel and frame.

Then maybe you should consider a less exspensive bike. I don't mean that sarcasticly. Its just that to me one of the best parts of bike touring is reducing stress. And part of the reduction in stress for me is to not have to worry about "things". Which is how my real life is, worrying about, buying, maintaining, insuring, housing all the damn "things". So don't let the damn "things" ruin one of lifes great stress reducers "bike touring".

Agreed.

This has always been the problem with new bikes. My old beaters tend to get used more because I can leave them parked anywhere and not have to worry.

I would stay away from bike racks because these tend to be visited by those looking to steal bikes or parts.

Just cover the bike with a tarp at night, put something noisy like tin cans on the tarp. There are bike covers with grommets on the bottom than can be locked closed, but they are very heavy.

Or this http://www.cy-curity.com/prodinfo.htm

Good Question. And when you tent camp, how do you guys and gals keep the bike from ending up in Fast Freddy's Pawn & Gun courtesy of the local meth head? You can't suff it in the tent. You might not have a place to lock it up. So, do you tie a string from your big toe to the bike?

Getting ready for my first tour I also have concerns about someone walking off with my bike when I'm sleeping.
One cheap sollution http://www.personalalarmsonline.com/personal-alarms_PGA.shtml.
If you tie a fishing line (so it wont be easely seen) from the bike to the pin on the alarm (next to your pillow) when the bike is moved in the middle of the night the alarm will go off.
Don't know if it will work, just an idea.

Many solutions looking for a problem.

Blackberry scored it pretty well. Your really valuable stuff (passport, money, cards, cameras) stays on on you or in a handlebar bag with shoulder strap at all times.

And there *has* to be a time come when the stuff has to be left in a tent in a campground. What happens then? Padlocks on the zippers? I admit to putting my bike *in* my tent to go off to the pub... then I thought later... why? Just lock it up.

I've been heaps of places in Australia, and in northern Europe. I've locked my bike up with a lock on occasions. Other times, it's been lying on the ground next to the tent. Once, the footsteps outside that I thought were intent on making off with the bike... were from a small herd of cattle! Minds in tents play crazy tricks.

Like most things... if the campground or choice of site, or the hostel looks seedy, the chances are the theft risk will be higher. My rule of touring is: If you look for trouble, you'll find it.

And there *has* to be a time come when the stuff has to be left in a tent in a campground. What happens then? Padlocks on the zippers?

The other thing to think about here is that padlocks on zippers might attract a potential thief, by giving them the impression that you have something of value in there. My rule of thumb is pretty much what was said above, lock my bike through the frame, and keep all my valuables (wallet, camera etc) on my person at all times. I've never had a problem.

On my trip through Northern Europe in late 2003, I rarely locked up the bike when free-camping. Of course, every time I did free-camp, I had late-night or early morning visitors in the shape of MTB riders out with their dog, another dog walker, a jogger seeking a trail off the parallel beaten track, and an angler getting ready for a local fishing competition. None was a problem.

A couple of other ideas if your concerns are strong. Use a length of sash cord to tie your bike to your tent. If the bike goes, so does the tent, with you inside it. Handbrake the wheels on the bike with bands of inner tube slipped over the handlebars and brake levers. Oh, and insist on taking your bike with you to your room if in a hotel/motel. I've had to sneak the bike in several times after curt denials of permission. Or I've gone somewhere else.

BB, get yourself a Magnum, no not the gun but the D clamp lock, only an angel grinder will go through it. It cost me 15 quids or so, and I also have a proper cabel with a loop on either side to pass through both my wheels through the D clamp and I then clamp this to a tree. I figure if any one wants my bike I should hear sawing, I always stealth camp and never had a problem. If there is no tree then as the lads above suggest all my pots & pans all placed on the wheel of the bike which half in the fly sheet. The pots & pans placed on the inner half of the wheel . Then using a fishing wire tied to the bottom of the tent peg looping to the top on the inside of the tent attached, usually to an empty beer can. If any one is clever to sus out the pots & pan routine he will instinctively remove the pegs to carefully remove the pots and pans. As the peg goes out the suspended beer can comes crashing on to the pots & pans making even more noise. I promise by the time you undo your bag there will be nothing to run after. I would also remove the front wheel and clamp it to the rear, this way the thief would have to carry the bike rather then wheel it. A couple of trips and you will soon relax into not worrying, its natural when you are dealing with the unknown to worry, I bet we all have.

The general advice I give every traveler who has just lost everything to theft is to not carry your whole world in one place. Make sure that life will continue if one item of luggage or even all luggage disappears. Another practice I recommend and follow myself when traveling is for the the wallet used to make frequent purchases should contain only a small amount of cash and at most one credit card, with another deeply concealed wallet and/or pouch to hold most of the valuables. This is not bike-specific, just general stuff learned from personal travel experience and over two decades of street police patrol. I have never taken a report from someone on a bike tour, but have taken many reports of unlocked bikes stolen from the fronts of businesses while the owner was inside, sometimes only a few steps away. Leaving one person to watch over the bikes/cars/canoes/kayaks is always best.

I always stealth camp and never had a problem.
I also stealth camp Joe and I'd like to hear about your experiences, especially where to stealth camp in Britain. This is kind of off topic so you might want to start a new thread.

Well Stealth camping in the UK is totally safe, here the case is if the land has a fence of sorts then it is private, if you ask the owner, never been refused, its the way to go. But there is plenty of common land so 9 times out of ten you do not need to ask anyone. A general guide is to look on an ordnance survey map, private land is usually in white, forest, which is accessible to all, is normally green and there is also paths shown on the map. If you also see the word after the name, xxxxxx common, then this is common land. In the old days you could camp up and graze your cattle usually on the way to or from the markets, there is no problem stopping here, its best to obviously keep away from paths in the forest and don’t be fooled you will get people walking their dogs and the dogs will come up to your camp, The rubbish is always strung up on a tree high, and pots & pans with food kept away. This way the dogs will suss there is no food for them and go before the irate owner start to investigate why his faithful K9 is not responding to his calls. As I said I stealth camp every Friday and always have a fire lit up in the night. The obvious rule when you leave it has to be as you found it. Once I had an irate woman who told me this was not a camp site and that I could not camp there, my response was I am not on private property and the only people who had the authority to request me to move was the police so if she felt like that I suggested she should contact them. Never happened, actually on one occasion, I was in a deep forest and I found a tent erected with sleeping bag etc. I called out several times and had no response so I quietly left. 2 weeks later I passed through the same spot and sure enough the tent was still there and there was no sign of anyone had been there. Since I was there previously, I had left several pressure traps around in key places, this would have told me if someone had passed. The traps were all undisturbed so I got concerned; maybe the person is dead in the forest somewhere I thought. I called the Police and they promptly came. I had to escort them 1/2 a mile in. They investigated the whole area and then asked me how I found this place. I explained I do this every Friday with friends cycling and camping, cooking on fires etc. They seemed quite impressed. I am sure if I was doing something wrong they would have raised a point or advised me accordingly. As for the animals in forest you get fox, badger & rabbits. Luck if you actually spot one apart from the rabbits. Hunting is not allowed on public land so you will not get any shotgun merchants.
Years ago when I lived with Romany Gypsy and in a caravan I moved all over. The only people who could move you off were the local authority and it took them a min of 30 days for a court order to move you.
The good thing about a bike is nobody sees you as a threat, because you are not, and because you have a bike you need to rest and some how people accept that. The only ones better than this are a few friends I have that live in horse drawn carriages and as they have horses you get people inviting them to pull up on their land as its safer from traffic for the horses and the kids, but that’s another story. In the e-mail you sent me you asked about wales, if you search this forum type in wales, and the author I remember giving the low down on wales to some one else, might find it interesting to read if you are comming this way.

Joe I've moved this stealth camping info to a separate thread:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=1064942#post1064942

Topeak makes a tent that seems to use your frame for the front tent pole and you front tire in the rear of the tent. I believe that's how it works by the pic of it! In Germany on diving weekends I keep all the tanks and stuff outside by my tent and nothing has ever happened! Go figure!

Worrying about your steed and gear is the least fun part of touring. Small cables and a little lock is all I can think of. I've lost little things here and there, but generally, I found that hostels and campgrounds are where theives proliferate.

I have toured/camped in MN, Iowa, ND, WY, and WI for years, and never had a problem or concern about my stuff; never stayted in the "big city," of course.

I had one pannier stolen one on a tour, I leaned the bike against a food booth at an open air fair and someone working in the food booth reached through the tent side and lifted it. After that I use a small screw locking carabiner through a pack loop and the rack. No problem since. This is not total security but will discourage the casual thief.
I always sleep with bags in tent and bike cable locked to something secure.

what works for me are small dog collars. I lash the collar through the carry handles of the rear panniers and connect the buckle on the underside. Has worked for 30 years now. This summer will be my 30th cycling transcontinental route.