Cycling / Camping advice

[vernon]

Do you cover the bikes up at all over night? Or just leave them exposed?

It's a fallacy to think that a tarp draped over the bikes disguises their 'bikeness' If the bikes are adequately locked the only thing that you need to cover are the seats with a carrier bag to keep them dry if it rains. The carrier bag can be stuffed between the seat rails during the day.

 

[mcshroom]

Also tie a guy rope from the tent to them if they are close enough. Hopefully you'll notice the tent moving while they try and untie it.

 

[Bodhbh]

Do you cover the bikes up at all over night? Or just leave them exposed?

Just leave them. I did go thru a phase of tarping the bikes, but it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Like Vernon says, it probably doesn't hide them, and if it does hide them, the magpies will no doubt assume it's something even more worth nicking.

 

[xilios]

We tie them together using a cable lock, stand them up next to the tent and connect a 120db purse alarm with a fishing line to one of the wheel spokes, if they are moved during the night the whole camping is awake.
We know it works as we've forgotten the alarm a couple of time

 

[steveindenmark]

For securing a bike or two to the floor when camping is easy enough. Get 2 dog lead skewers and have the small gap in the ring welded closed.

Screw the skewers into the floor about 1 meter apart. Screw them down as far as they can go. Lay your bikes on top of the skewers and secure with wires and locks. Make the wires as tight as possible.

 

[doog]

Do you cover the bikes up at all over night? Or just leave them exposed?

leave them, it takes some balls to steal a bike from outside a zipped up tent and unless your'e in a large commercial site at the height of summer I wouldnt worry.

As for the racks etc, if its a one off for a short trip get the cheapest , take some cable ties and a small reel of gaffa tape should the worst happen but it wont. Your only issue might be the spoke count / strength of your rear wheel if you are going to start lobbing weight on there.

 

[Ootini]

Your only issue might be the spoke count / strength of your rear wheel if you are going to start lobbing weight on there.

I'm just running the standard 4za wheels that came with the bike, I'm taking a guess that with the rack, bags, tent and other kit I'll be adding about 8kg(?) to the rear wheel load.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Yep that's it - mine doesn't have the rearmost ones - it's study as anything, but I only have 26" wheels and the bag did rub a tiny bit at first before I tightened up the bag fixings, and it's still quite close - but then it's a laptop bag for a 17" latop, so quite long. For a tenner it's a great rack if it will work for you, but if it doesn't it will be annoying I'd have thought It is light though - it doesn't have a sprung bit, but I've never seen the point of them (my mum's shopper had one) as even if you can get wedge shaped things to fit under them, they don't seem to hold things very well. Or at least the one on my mum's shopper didn't Just get bungee chords.

I prefer straps to bungees, lack of elasticity is a plus in this instance.

 

[Ootini]

I prefer straps to bungees, lack of elasticity is a plus in this instance.

By the you mean ratchet straps I assume? Or something less, aggressive?

 

[jay clock]

One issue not mentioned is heel clearance. Touring bikes are built with a longer wheelbase, and road bikes with narrow clearances can mean your heel bangs the panniers...

 

[Gravity Aided]

By the you mean ratchet straps I assume? Or something less, aggressive?

Just stuff like the standard nylon webbing straps are fine. You can get them at outdoor stores. Bungees sometimes stretch when the bike is bouncing, letting stuff loose. Smaller ratchet tie downs wouldn't be a bad idea, it's just the hardware is a bit heavy. I sometimes get old woven fabric belts at a thrift store. Those work out pretty well. A lot of my touring was done when there wasn't a lot of special bike touring equipment like you see now a days. Maybe a Pletscher rack and a bag or two. Touring bike? You gonna ride that thing how far?

 

[doog]

I'm just running the standard 4za wheels that came with the bike, I'm taking a guess that with the rack, bags, tent and other kit I'll be adding about 8kg(?) to the rear wheel load.

Just avoid pot holes

One issue not mentioned is heel clearance. Touring bikes are built with a longer wheelbase, and road bikes with narrow clearances can mean your heel bangs the panniers...

had this on my CX but managed to get the panniers back far enough on the rack

 

[Blue Hills]

I'm thinking if space is an issue, which it will be, I'll ditch the sleeping mat.

This sounds like a thoroughly bad idea.

You should have a mat of some description between you and the ground.

This isn't just for "squishiness" but also for thermal insulation.

At least take a £5 foam mat.

 

[xilios]

You should do everything possible to have a comfortable nights sleep, a proper mat and sleeping bag are essential.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Otherwise, you'll feel every bump and tiny detail of the ground, just enough to keep you from getting to sleep at night. As well as the ground insulation from cold.