Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Touring
Reload this Page >

Bike Safety While Touring

Notices
Touring Have a dream to ride a bike across your state, across the country, or around the world? Self-contained or fully supported? Trade ideas, adventures, and more in our bicycle touring forum.

Bike Safety While Touring

Old 03-16-11, 06:26 PM
  #1  
freedomrider
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
freedomrider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 6

Bikes: 2009 PedalForce RS2

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Bike Safety While Touring

What do you all do as far as locking up your bikes. U-Locks, Cable locks...

I am a newb (obviously) and am planning a short trip but am not sure I want to carry the weight of my U-Lock. Any clever solutions?

And no, I don't know how to use the search function for all the smart ones out there.

Thanks in advance...
freedomrider is offline  
Old 03-16-11, 06:41 PM
  #2  
NoReg
Banned
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
I carry my U-lock. My touring bike is my best bike, and most of the time all the stuff I own is attached to it. It isn't practical always to remove every scrap of stuff from it in order to make some stop. And in campgrounds I am actually asleep, so it would be easy to steal.

The only other thing I do is if it is possible to wheel a bike in some place I do. If I am making a stop in a grocery store, or a home depot, etc... I would try to just roll it in and around. It isn't any dirtier than the carts they have. So far I have never been questioned. I won't leave my bike if I can take it with me.
NoReg is offline  
Old 03-16-11, 06:43 PM
  #3  
nancy sv
family on bikes
 
nancy sv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: on my bike between North and South
Posts: 2,376

Bikes: which one?

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
It really depends on where you're touring. If you are in the USA and plan to be in cities a lot, you will need the U-lock. If you plan to be mostly in small towns, a lightweight cable will probably be sufficient.

We are currently traveling in South America and only have one lightweight cable for our three bikes - and mostly don't even use it. If we are in a campground with lots of people around, we will lock the bikes together, but out in the wild we don't bother. Of course, since we are four people, we always have someone stay with the bikes at supermarkets and such.

One thing that we use that we LOVE is our plain ol' blue plastic tarp. We cover the bikes with it and tie it to the frames at night. Not only does it keep the bikes dry in case of rain, but if someone were to try to steal the bikes, the noise from the tarp will wake up my husband who is a very light sleeper. It's great!
nancy sv is offline  
Old 03-16-11, 06:51 PM
  #4  
Cyclesafe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: San Diego
Posts: 1,435

Bikes: IF steel deluxe 29er tourer

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
+1 for the tarp. Cover up your bike at night so the thief can't see where your (lightweight) cable lock is. It's not likely that he/she will risk the light and the sound from the disturbed tarp if your tent is just a couple of feet away. Cable locks are good enough in front of stores, but taking a peek outside from time to time at a store or taking a table in sight of your bike at a restaurant is a good idea. I leave the U-lock at home.
Cyclesafe is offline  
Old 03-16-11, 10:39 PM
  #5  
raybo
Bike touring webrarian
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 2,041

Bikes: I tour on a Waterford Adventurecycle. It is a fabulous touring bike.

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 101 Post(s)
Liked 76 Times in 40 Posts
Unless you will be in a city, which I try to avoid when I am on tour, a U-lock won't be much use as it is made for the kinds of poles only found in a city. I use a cable lock, when I use a lock. Most of the time, I just take my bike with me inside.

Here is an article I wrote about locking a bike on tour.

Ray
raybo is offline  
Old 03-16-11, 11:26 PM
  #6  
sehsuan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Singapore
Posts: 131
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
for those stealth camping, a green oversized groundsheet will help to reduce the bike from being seen...
sehsuan is offline  
Old 03-16-11, 11:45 PM
  #7  
Knuckleheads
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Upper Sunshine Coast BC
Posts: 9

Bikes: Apollo Triathlon,Colnago Master Piu, Giant OCR3, Trek Madone 3.1,Trek T900 Tandem, Bob Trailer, Trek 6500 mtb, Uni Cycle, Mini Penny Farthing,

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have used a ski lock while touring in smaller towns and rural areas. It is enough to deter the honest theives. I have also carried a cable lock while in urban areas and larger centre's. the ski lock is small and light and is tough enough to lock my bike and wheels so they can't just wheel my bike away. I solo tour quite a bit so I don't have the option of having someone stay with the bike while I am in the store. I like the tarp idea, but usually I need it to keep me dry since I live in a rain forest on the west coast!
Knuckleheads is offline  
Old 03-17-11, 07:27 AM
  #8  
BigBlueToe
Senior Member
 
BigBlueToe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,392

Bikes: Surly LHT, Specialized Rockhopper, Nashbar Touring (old), Specialized Stumpjumper (older), Nishiki Tourer (model unknown)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
I buy a cable lock from Home Depot. I lock my bike whenever I go into a store, and I lock it to a tree or picnic table when I go into my tent at night. I feel a little more assured when it is locked.
BigBlueToe is offline  
Old 03-17-11, 07:35 AM
  #9  
truman
It's true, man.
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: North Texas
Posts: 2,726

Bikes: Cannondale T1000, Inbred SS 29er, Supercaliber 29er, Crescent Mark XX, Burley Rumba Tandem

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Cable lock for me too. A 5 foot one with a 4-digit combination so I don't have to have a key on me. I use it when I can't keep the bike in sight, but I don't trust it to keep it secure for longer than it takes to buy some groceries. If I don't see anything sturdy to lock it up outside a restaurant or someplace, I'll ask to bring it in.
truman is offline  
Old 03-17-11, 12:39 PM
  #10  
Tansy
Senior Member
 
Tansy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 211

Bikes: Novara Safari(2009)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
When I leave my bike unattended for a short time at a store, I go into the lowest gear, rubber band the brakes, and lock it with a light cable lock. In future tours I'll be hauling a bob, making it even less desirable to throw in the bike of a truck, or quickly ride off on.

I've never felt the need to do this, but I imagine there have been many situation where if I had needed to leave my bike unattended for any length of time in a campground, I could have asked a neighbor with an RV and a more secure looking campsite if I could lock it up in their area. I wouldn't necessarily go around asking - just wait for someone to ask me about my trip and then bring it up.

I'm planning on getting some "Warning: alarm will sound if bike is tampered with" decals printed out. If I can find a cable/alarm combo that isn't a waste of money, I'll probably get one of those too.

What worries me most when leaving my bike unattended is that someone will rifle through my panniers. I keep valuables at the bottom, but that's only a small comfort. Someone could just take the whole bag and go through it later. If I could lock them, I'd worry that I'd find them cut open and rummaged through!

Last edited by Tansy; 03-17-11 at 12:43 PM.
Tansy is offline  
Old 03-17-11, 02:03 PM
  #11  
threecarjam
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Chicago!
Posts: 214
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
For the record, using a google search like "touring lock site:bikeforums.net" will get you all kinds of useful info. The regular search can be wonky and annoying. If you're on a short trip somewhere around the Bay Area (I'm assuming, as your profile says Oakland), I'd just take whatever you regularly use at home. If you're going further afield and won't have to deal with bigger towns, it still can't hurt to take a U-lock. I've carried my usual Krypto Ulock or an Abus chain + a cable for my wheel, which is what I usually use around town. With all the crap I'm carrying anyway, a couple more pounds don't hurt. A cable lock seems to suffice for the majority around here, but for me, even if I don't end up using my heavy duty locks for days at a time, I still feel better having them with me.
threecarjam is offline  
Old 03-18-11, 08:35 PM
  #12  
DW99
Senior Lurker, mostly.
 
DW99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Mid Missouri.
Posts: 242

Bikes: '02 Raleigh C40, '10 Fuji Touring, and a refurbished '82 (I think) Motobecane Grand Touring

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
When in a town at grocery store, cafe, convenience store I always try to park the bike where it can be seen from inside, usually but not always, I run a cable lock thru the frame and each rim. At night, like others, the cable lock goes thru the bike frame and around a tree or thru a picnic table, bags go into the tent with me. I have never tried a U lock, they just seem heavy and not as functional as a cable lock.

Last edited by DW99; 03-18-11 at 08:38 PM.
DW99 is offline  
Old 03-22-11, 09:25 PM
  #13  
freedomrider
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
freedomrider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 6

Bikes: 2009 PedalForce RS2

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks...

Thanks everyone. I like the low gear, rubberband around the brakes idea. I sounds like a cable lock will suffice for my next trip.
freedomrider is offline  
Old 03-23-11, 10:57 AM
  #14  
Pukeskywalker
Senior Member
 
Pukeskywalker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 389

Bikes: '93 Cannondale T-1000, '03 Cannondale R800

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 21 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Living in Philadelphia, you all sound crazy to me. I'll be bringing a (mini) U-Lock wherever I go
Pukeskywalker is offline  
Old 03-23-11, 11:43 AM
  #15  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,599

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,346 Times in 853 Posts
At the hardware store I got a long section like 10 feet of plastic coated cable ,
and some pieces made to form a loop in that cable that you close with a Hammer.

Long cable is to go around trees. that may be all you have to lock to.

My recent acquisition is a bike with a frame mounted ring lock
that stops the back wheel from rolling, by closing it around the wheel.

AXA and Abus are both in the game, and have a lock up chain that fits
into a catch receiver, on the lock , to lock the bike onto stuff.

Abus also has a folding lock that would mount on the frame and always be handy
to lock and keep the roll off theft.

adding a shorter but beefy cable to lock your kit to stuff..

In a Parade square in Warsaw PL, I did decline a strangers request
to 'try' my loaded bike out, quickly imagining them riding off saying "sucker".
fietsbob is offline  
Old 03-23-11, 12:38 PM
  #16  
xilios
Senior Member
 
xilios's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Maastricht, NL
Posts: 584

Bikes: Gazelle Playa

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
We use two (cheapish) cable locks and hook up a 120+ db purse alarm (click here) to one of the spokes at night in case someone comes along and wants to take the bikes. It works well as long as you remember to unhook the alarm in the morning, I've forgoten it a few times and the other campers weren't too pleased
xilios is offline  
Old 03-23-11, 01:59 PM
  #17  
raybo
Bike touring webrarian
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 2,041

Bikes: I tour on a Waterford Adventurecycle. It is a fabulous touring bike.

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 101 Post(s)
Liked 76 Times in 40 Posts
Originally Posted by Pukeskywalker
Living in Philadelphia, you all sound crazy to me. I'll be bringing a (mini) U-Lock wherever I go
And, be sure to let us know how that work's out for ya.

Ray
raybo is offline  
Old 03-23-11, 02:18 PM
  #18  
positron
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,268
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by freedomrider
Thanks everyone. I like the low gear, rubberband around the brakes idea. I sounds like a cable lock will suffice for my next trip.
a variation of the trick: stop your bike first, then shift to your granny gear and leave it. A thief jumping on to pedal away will clunk through the gears for a while before ending up in the spinner gear - noisy and takes time. Before you get back on to ride away, just shift back to the original position.

But like others, I use a light cable lock mostly...
positron is offline  
Old 03-23-11, 02:20 PM
  #19  
positron
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,268
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by raybo
And, be sure to let us know how that work's out for ya.

Ray
Not a bad idea if touring through bigger cities... they aren't THAT heavy, and losing a bike while having a lunch and a beer would be horrible. Cables are useless against bolt cutters, after all.
positron is offline  
Old 03-23-11, 03:53 PM
  #20  
raybo
Bike touring webrarian
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 2,041

Bikes: I tour on a Waterford Adventurecycle. It is a fabulous touring bike.

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 101 Post(s)
Liked 76 Times in 40 Posts
Originally Posted by positron
Not a bad idea if touring through bigger cities... they aren't THAT heavy, and losing a bike while having a lunch and a beer would be horrible. Cables are useless against bolt cutters, after all.
Frankly, I wouldn't ever take a Ulock on tour. If I was that worried about my bike, I wouldn't leave it alone. Period.

Ray
raybo is offline  
Old 03-23-11, 04:29 PM
  #21  
AdamDZ
Bike addict, dreamer
 
AdamDZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Queens, New York
Posts: 5,165
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Two steel Master Lock cables that I bought from Home Depot with combo locks. I found that a loaded bike is hard to lock to anything with a u-lock. At night I would cover it, as others said, so it's an additional deterrent.

If touring in Mongolia watch out for the horsemen, locks won't help you much...
AdamDZ is offline  
Old 03-24-11, 04:53 AM
  #22  
staehpj1
Senior Member
 
staehpj1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 11,337
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1030 Post(s)
Liked 527 Times in 405 Posts
I agree in big cities, but since I prefer to avoid bigger cities where possible it wouldn't be an option for me. In camp a mini u lock would often be hard to lock to anything unless you also had a cable. Any place I need that much lock I won't be touring.
staehpj1 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RobWhite
Touring
57
07-07-19 08:27 PM
Sharpshin
Touring
16
06-27-16 04:23 AM
Lance76
Touring
25
03-30-15 11:49 AM
WalksOn2Wheels
Touring
60
01-25-12 02:23 AM
kiyo
Commuting
15
11-27-11 03:59 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -

Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.