Cyclist0084

Question for the seasoned tourers here.

Next Spring, my brother and I would like to do a couple overnight tours, and maybe even a three to four day tour. On the overnight tours, we would definitely be camping. Seeing that we are new to the idea of touring, we were wondering how to secure our bikes while we would be sleeping?

Try to set up camp close to a tree to lock the bikes to it? Lock the bikes together to a tent pole? Put the bikes in the tent with us? Okay, just joking on that last one.

I've been reading a lot of the "journals" and enjoying the pics over on the 'crazyguyonabike' website, and I've seen literally hundreds of pictures of campsites with the bike, but never any description as to how the bike was secured against theft.

Would love to hear your recommendations. Thanks in advance.

doublegg66

cable lock through both wheels and the frame, and lay it down behind the tent,a piece of black string tied to a tent pole will help you sleep better.

Rowan

Up against a tree with a bike lock through the frame and around the tree.

If car camping at the same time, bikes inside the vehicle, or you are sleeping in there, bike locked to the car (although this is increasingly difficult with modern vehicles).

If in a campground with fixed or heavy timber/steel picnic tables, bikes against the tables and bike lock threaded through the frame and table.

Also try to established if the campground has a lock-up garage or storage area where a bike could be kept out of sight (and therefore out of mind of potential thieves).

We learnt the hard way three Easters ago when Machka's favourite bike was stolen three feet from the tent. It was leaning up against the vehicle, unlocked. Had it been locked or attached to the tent in some way, the bike would have remained in our possession.

We finally got it back three years later and due to an amazing stroke of luck, but the trauma because of Machka's attachment to that bike was considerable.

We now take much, much greater care.

djb

as Rowan explains, there is nearly always something to lock your bike to, tree, picnic bench etc. The few times I recall there not being things close by, when with a friend touring we have coil locked our bikes together, so that someone in the night trying to walk off with them would not be able to just push them, plus two bikes locked together with coil locks is not easy to just pick up either, giving extra time and noise for you.

coil or flexible longish bike locks are the most flexible for getting around odd shaped things, and are not too bulky for packing.

urbanescapee

Never bothered with a lock on tour. So far I have always gone with someone else who can watch my bike if I ever need to leave it unattended during the day. When sleeping, I partially disassemble it; skewers loose, brakes disengaged, and parked right next to the tent, so if anyone tries to ride it away they'll be in for a surprise.

Cyclesafe

The main purpose of a bike lock and cable is that it greatly reduces the chances that odd sounds around your tent at night are somebody stealing your bike. You'll need them anyway when using the shower, or when shopping or eating in restaurants. You can't expect to always have your companions watching your bike so you can save a pound or whatever.

The consequences of losing your bike and everything on it are huge - especially when many of the weebles you would be entreating to help you already think you're a vagrant.

indyfabz

I am taking an overnighter tomorrow. I am not bringing a lock. I rode across PA in September. I didn't bring a lock. I did a three-day in May. I did not bring a lock. You need to make a realistic assessment of the likelihood of theft.

djb

hey, its your stuff. Take the risk if you want.

tarwheel 

I wouldn't tour without some kind of a lock, even if it's only a small cable lock. If you want to stop and eat at a restaurant, it's not always easy to keep your bike visible and quick to reach. It's also a good idea to lock your bike during the night. It would be pretty easy for a thief to wheel away a bike while you are sleeping. A small cable lock would not deter a professional bike thief, but would at least slow them down and would prevent a more opportunistic thief from simply grabbing and riding your bike away.

staehpj1

I take a real light cable lock. I think it is about 5 ounces. It wouldn't stop a serious thief, but it does stop someone from casually hopping on and riding off. That said I do not always bother locking.

There have been places on tour where I wouldn't leave the bike locked or not. In those cases I don't leave the bike unattended.

indyfabz

Like I am really worried that someone if going to be able to make off with my bike ladened with panniers while I am sleeping in a secluded state park or commercial campground out of site of a main road with maybe a half dozen other occupied sites, some of whom are occupied by people who can barely get around without golf carts or walk half a block to the bath house . If I go into a store, I might ask to bring the bike inside (like I did in Bedford, PA) if the place looks a bit sketchy. If I cann't keep an eye on my ride while I am in a restaurant, I find somewhere else to eat or ask to bring the bike inside. It's called realistic assement of risk, not one based on the irrational fear that there is a potential thief lurking behind every hedge row or dumpster.

Ironically, the only bike I have ever had stolen was stolen from inside my house while I was home and awake.

Bicycle365

Very light cable lock through the rear wheel and frame. Then I use 2 stainless steel great white shark fishing leaders to ensnare the front wheel pannier straps and brooks saddle rails. Super light and hard to bite/cut/wear through.

Tourist in MSN

This has been covered in great detail. Some other links from doing a word search for "lock theft camping tour"
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...le-for-touring
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-While-Camping
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ke-on-the-tour
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ity-for-a-tour

djb

absolutely, taking a realistic assessment of a given place and situation is the key. Mind you, ones persons assessment might not be the same as someone elses, hence the tons of bikes that get taken while unlocked in front of corner stores or whatever "just for a minute" in an urban setting can attest.
Of course, a touring situation is hardly ever that situation, as all of us who have toured a lot know, and I certainly trust my instincts for a given place and situation.

That said, you saying that its an "irrational" fear is unfair. You and I both know that a campground with retirees or a sleepy little town store front is not the same as other situations where some dumb kids might come by and take advantage of an unlocked bike. We both know that there is no black and white answer to "where" and "when" there is more risk.

In the end, if you are comfortable without any lock, thats fine, like I said, its your stuff.
I and others feel more comfortable sleeping knowing at least an opportunistic thief just cant wheel the bike away while we are asleep, and I accept carrying the weight of a light lock with me.

and yes, that is totally ironic about your only bike theft being from inside your own house, ridiculous isnt it?

cheers

hueyhoolihan

this is good advice, IME.

on a nine MONTH solo tour i used a light lock as suggested above and rarely used it. certainly not at night.

on a recent nine DAY tour i took no lock at all. nor do i use one on day rides. however, i do take into consideration the area i'm in and the chances of it being molested or stolen. which i think is more important.

i don't partially disassemble my bike to discourage or hamper a quick exit either, for what that's worth.
but if push came to shove and i absolutely had to leave my bike unattended and out of sight, i guess i would just remove my front wheel and take it with me...

digibud

When stopped at a restaurant or store it's also potentially useful to shift, while stopped, into a totally whacked gearing so anyone that does try to ride off will be messed up. It's only marginally helpful but it takes no time to do and can't hurt. At night or when leaving the bike for longer periods, removing the pedals is also easy. Most pedals can be removed with an allen wrench and my multitool will do it for me. It won't affect anyone picking up the bike to steal it but it's hard to ride off with no pedals. I carry a small plastic bag for pedal removal so as to keep them clean. With proper anti-sieze compound applied, pedal removal should not be a big problem. I'm a very light sleeper. Very. My tours rarely involve campgrounds. Squirrels, bears and animals eating my panniers and saddle are my biggest worry. My question is how to protect against this: https://vimeo.com/77882676

lhendrick

Having your bike stolen while touring is a very bad thing. Use a lock. Remember, your lock only has to be better than the one on the bike nearest you.

fietsbob

Made up a thin cable from hardware store bought plastic coated cable , 10 foot long.

2 loops made by aluminum pieces you used a hammer to secure.

I have other more impressive locks for the populated places..

jamawani 

A small card on the handlebar stating, "This bicycle protected by Smith & Wesson" can be helpful.

TravelTrailer

Put wife next to tree and bikes in tent.

arctos

When not in campgrounds I usually lock down the brake levers with velcro straps and use a very thin,light, longish coated cable around the wheels and frame and connect it one of my shelter stakes. If it moves at night I know I am not doing it. For tours with greater theft potential I bring the smallest u-lock I have to supplement the velcro and coated cable.

A few times I have used a screw-in dog ground stake point to supplement the other methods when there is no tree, pole or log for attachment. The velcro and thin cable also works well for eatery/store/post office visits when I can still see the bike. Each level of protection will only slow a prepared and determined thief for a while.

So far I have been fortunate to never losing a bike or any equipment to theft while camping. Although once when I used the locked inside storage facility in a hostel in Quito, Ecuador a recently fired employee with retained pass key, stole a tent from me and all the passports of other travelers. Fortunatley not my passport and I was glad to have taken a small tarp with me to continue the trip without the tent.

Erick L

indyfabz

You misunderstood what I wrote, In fact, my point about irrational fear is that situations are different and that, IMO, one is being irrational if one fears there is an appreciable risk of theft in every situation. Hence the suggestion that one make a realistic assessment based on actual condtions and not start simply from the beleief that there is a theif lurking around every corner. There has been more than one person on BF who has expressed the opinion that you are out of your mind to literally ever let your bike out of your sight for even a second without it being secured like Ft. Knox. If the actual risk of theft at every moment is really that great while asleep camping (which is, I will note, the subject at hand) then I must be the luckiest S.O.B. on the planet.

djb

sure, I see what you mean. Ya, I agree that one has to use common sense about worrying about it, for instance at a sleepy little town storefront, I wont put my lock on my bike, but will in a larger town and depending on how many people are going by or whatever. Even locked, its usually just through the wheels and pannier loops, so someone could pick it all up, but thats highly highly unlikely. When I think about when I do worry more, it could be at night, but that really depends on the campground, and frankly, with the coil locks that I have always used, it isnt going to stop a real thief, but I sleep better knowing it cant just be rolled of silently without any noise.

but honestly, I've never really really worried about my bike being stolen on a trip, but even an everyday quality coil lock easily takes away the possibility of an easy pickings theft if you have the bad luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time thief wise.

also, having grown up in large cities and having had bikes stolen a few times in my life, it is second nature to be careful and observant of an area where my bike will be left for 5 mins or overnight. I would happily use a lighter lock/cable system like fiets and others have mentioned, but just use the coil combo locks we have partly cuz there are there, plus I really dont like having a key that I can lose. As mentioned, I figure my locks are about a pound, so I just live with that as part of my gear.

Cyclesafe

I've had camping gear stolen off of an otherwise locked bike on several occasions. There is not much of a moral leap downwards for the entire bike to be stolen if the absconder considered taking food or bungee cords a "liberation" rather than theft. When one observes something, the perceived probability of its reoccurrence increases. Good luck with depending on luck...