Car Cycle Carrier Security

[Tom B]

I am going on holiday in the summer to France, we will be taking two bikes, through the tunnel and into Northern France. I have a Thule Roof Bike Rack with oval bars. The rack is secured to the car roof with bolts, the bolts tops are covered with lockable covers that also cover the fixing of the bars to the brackets. The Bike holders then lock to the bars. The bikes are then put on the roof, secured by the wheels and secured with a downtube clamp which is also lockable.

When i drive any distance particularly on speedy roads, for peace of mind I generally put a ratchet strap through the bikes.

I am not worried about the bikes falling off, but I am worried about the bikes being stolen. Either overnight on a campsite or perhaps on a day whilst we are out and about and leave the bikes locked up on the roof of the car, (we will be staying a night in a travelodge in SE England too.) I am thinking about putting a couple of cable locks around the bikes in addition to the strap and rack locks.

Does anyone have any experience of this sort of thing?

Bikes are worth about £550 each.


Would a tow bar rack be more secure - It would mean buying a tow bar and a rack, but a tow bar is always handy!

 

[Drago]

Big cable lock betwixt frame and the vehicles roof rails. Even then it as vulnerable as any bike locked up in the street.

Oh and use a different lock for each frame so if Pierre le Scumbag manages to cut one he only gets one bike.

 

[Cubist]

Hi. I use a towbar bike rack, which is great but you have to factor in the cost of a towbar which can be eyewatering.

For security I have a gold secure DLock and a length of supposedly sawproof cable. That threads through all the frames and wheels on all three bikes, looped through the rack itself.

At home the same cable loops through a ground anchor, and on campsites it either goes round a tree or a static caravan chassis.

 

[400bhp]

Never leave them out of sight. Or out of sight for as little time as possible.

I don't use roof bars any more but use d locks/chains around the wheels/frames/roof bars. Anything to deter thieves.

Check your insurance policy to see if bikes are covered whilst on the roof (accidental damage or theft). Doubt they are but worth checking.

 

[steveindenmark]

Never leave them out of sight. Or out of sight for as little time as possible.

I don't use roof bars any more but use d locks/chains around the wheels/frames/roof bars. Anything to deter thieves.

Check your insurance policy to see if bikes are covered whilst on the roof (accidental damage or theft). Doubt they are but worth checking.

Not leaving them out of sight is not practical on holiday. Otherwise you are chained

to your bikes all the time.

You just have to lock them up the best you can and hope for the best.

I like to think most people are honest.

 

[Dave7]

The thieves will "clock you" the minute you leave the ferry.
Re' Travelodge.............I can't recall if it was them or the other chain we used but I took the bikes into the room and padlocked them to the furniture.
Are you camping?......you mention a campsite but is that for the whole holiday? We had a caravan and when we were 'out & about' the bikes were locked in the caravan or to the decking.....not sure what is best if you are camping. Can you contact the site owners and ask if they have any secure place....maybe an out building ?

 

[fossyant]

If you are camping, think about getting a couple of screw in ground anchors with a loop on. Put a couple of these into the ground, and use locks to secure the bikes. If the ground screws are not next to each other, they will be difficult to get out of the ground.

 

[Levo-Lon]

You can never be too careful ,your car will have a towing loop so use that for a anker..
get a long chain and a long cable..

 

[Tom B]

Thanks for the advice.

I am going to see if I can get the bikes in the car, especially when at the Travelodge. They'll then only be on the roof for travelling.


I'm also going to get a big sleeved chain and loop that through the bikes and a car wheel if we leave them on the campsite

 

[ufkacbln]

Thanks for the advice.

I am going to see if I can get the bikes in the car, especially when at the Travelodge. They'll then only be on the roof for travelling.


I'm also going to get a big sleeved chain and loop that through the bikes and a car wheel if we leave them on the campsite

I have taken everything from Brompton to recumbent trikes into a Travelodge

On one occasion the were even given their own room free of charge

 

[Tom B]

I shall ask! Thanks for the tip!

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Don't bother with the towbar rack, they are good but they won't necessarily give you any more security, really.

Some you could feasibly just unbolt the towball, or the neck that holds the towball and remove the whole lot!

 

[bozmandb9]

We took our very expensive road bike to France on the roof. First thing, remember to be very careful at every Peage. Always take the high vehicle lane.

I checked with my insurance and was told we would be covered if I secured the bike with Gold standard locks. I took photos so I could prove the security standard in case of a claim. Still felt paranoid at services though, so made sure I could see the car or bikes.

We phoned stopover hotel and checked that we could leave the bikes inside securely in advance