Locking bike while camping

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barnesy

Well-Known Member
Ive asked a few questions before about my upcoming first tour round Ireland and i have most things in. I never really need a lock for my bike as i store it in the office in work. I have a combination lock from halfords, roughly £30 lock.

Im planning to use this whenever i run into shops or cafes but what about at nighttime?

Are campsites fairly trusting or wold i need a sturdier lock? Ive spent a good bit of money on the bike and would hate it to go missing hundreds of miles from home.

Also while im asking, i bought a bar bag from wiggle (Dhb) and i cant fit it to the bars because its a flat bar bike and the brake levers get in the way, should i ditch the bag or get a bar extender or move the breaks so the bag fits? (This would mean the brakes pointing close to straight up or straight down.)

Thanks
 

samid

Guru
Location
Toronto, Canada
FWIW - on my only tour so far, I used a Kryptonite U-lock, and locked my bike to a tree or fence for the night. Gave me some peace of mind even though I didn't like the weight of the lock. And, you have to make sure you don't lose the key when the bike's locked :sad:
 

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
I don't think that bike thieves routinely target camp sites. Touring bikes are not that attractive to them and the market for s/h touring bikes is pretty limited.

More often than not I didn't lock my bike when camping here in the UK or in France and when I did, it was with a cable lock with a cable diameter of 1cm or so. Not enough to prevent theft via bolt croppers but enough to dissuade the opportunist thief.

Seek to pitch your tent near to an immovable object and secure your bike to the object e.g. tree, bush, fencing.
 
Have a chat!

Often campsites have "groundsmens sheds" wher they keep maintenance equipment snd you can use.

Otherwise I simply carry a "Dog lead anchor"

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Place in ground and lock bike to it. Bike cannot be removed without roating it round which is a little obvious.

Trees and fences are better, but as a last resort.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
I don't think of camp sites as being high risk for cycle theft, but it might ease some of your security worries by lying the bike on its side with one of the wheels under the tent fly sheet which would allow you to check its presence through the night without opening the tent door.
You could tie a string between bicycle wheel and your toe, but that might be taking things a bit far.:smile:
 
OP
OP
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barnesy

Well-Known Member
Thanks for your replies

I was considering buying another lock, a decent U lock but i didn't want to carry that extra weight. Its good to know that campsites aren't likely to be targeted (lets hope no would be bike thieves decide to read this thread)

So my ordinary cable lock would be okay, locked to say a picnic table or fence?

I was considering tying one of the tents guy lines to the bike so if someone tries to walk off with it without realising its tied town i might be woke, does anybody do this?
 

Gerry Attrick

Lincolnshire Mountain Rescue Consultant
I think Irish campsites will be much much safer than in the UK.
 

andym

Über Member
barnesy said:
So my ordinary cable lock would be okay, locked to say a picnic table or fence?

It depends on the lock. Unfortunately there's a real trade-off between weight and security. A lightweight cable lock may only be of use against a casual thief - and if someone is going to sneak into a campsite looking for a bike to steal then the chances are they'll probably have some basic tools.

barnesy said:
I was considering tying one of the tents guy lines to the bike so if someone tries to walk off with it without realising its tied town i might be woke, does anybody do this?

I always wondered about this, but the downside seems to me to be that you could end up waking up in a collapsed tent which you'd first have to extricate yourself from before you could tackle the thieves (assuming that's your intention).
 

Joe24

More serious cyclist than Bonj
Location
Nottingham
Some campsites will be high risk.
Columba(right spelling? maybe not) Park campsite is very high risk for theft. The people on the caravan site dont lock the bikes up, and theivs just come on and take a load of bikes in the night without anyone really noticing.
When i go on campsites my bike is locked to the caravan wheel lock, and to the floor with one of them dog spikes on a wire loop thats cropper proof(apparently) and a D lock.
 

Davidc

Guru
Location
Somerset UK
Quite a while since I camped! Have a look on ebay for a cheap and cheerful but loud alarm. If anyone moves your bike it'll go off - may not be popular with everyone else if it does at 2am but will probably protect their kit as well!

it would be very effective combined with the giant corkscrew dog thingy.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
I have often thought about what I would do if I became aware that my bicycle was being tampered with in the middle of the night, but have been unable to form a complete plan of action.
My plan so far is to extricate myself from sleeping bag and unzip tent doors, and clamber out in to the half light. Assuming the thieves have not already ran away, I'm standing there naked confronting two of the toughest, roughest blokes I have ever seen. Not exactly a strong stance for negotiation. Can anyone help with the next stage please?
I think we just have to take basic precautions and hope for the best.:sad:
 

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
I've only camped on the continent and have never felt unsafe in terms of bike theft but lock it to a tree or fence, as others have said.
 
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