cycle covers

[bygone era]

when cycle camping how do you protect the bikes from the elements ie inside the porch area or with a tarp etc

 

[snorri]

When touring my bike is outside all day in all weathers so there seems little point in covering it at night, apart from a poly bag over the seat!
Few porches are big enough to accommodate a bike, and a tarp is just more weight to carry around and can be difficult to fit securely without flapping in a wind.

 

[raleighnut]

 

[Gravity Aided]

I keep threatening to bodge together a bigger, better version of the Bikecamper

 

[HobbesOnTour]

It really depends on where you will be camping. Many cycle-friendly campsites I've visited have had secure sheds for storing bikes out of the elements. Of course, wild camping you don't have that option. And the bigger campsites may not have that option, or may not be as secure.
As @snorri says, covering the saddle is all I do normally.

I'd be more concerned about protection from thieves than the elements in some places.

As you have a lot of questions can I suggest taking a look over on CrazyGuyOnABike.com? There is a huge reservoir of information over there that will give you ideas of what people use, a lot of it specific to your touring ideas - The Rhine/Danube. The search function is pretty nifty when you get the hang of it. Some journals have evaluations of the gear people used.

Home Page: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/?o=1mr
European Journals: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/categories/?o=1mr&category_id=300&doctype=journal
Danube Bike Trail: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/categories/?o=1mr&category_id=317&doctype=journal
Recent Danube/Main/Rhine tour: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=21122&v=Y5

 

[Dave Davenport]

Plastic bag on the saddle if it's wet is all we bother with.

 

[Blue Hills]

Never yet covered a bike. Have a slight concern on some sites that if I did someone might run or walk over it.