New To Cycle Camping / Touring / Journeying - What do I need?

[mjr]

Does anyone have any comments about OPs security question? I'm planning on a Coast and Castles tour in the summer with my wife. We'll be staying in B+B each night, but planning on stopping at every castle we can to look around so need to lock things up for a few hours every so often.

Touring, I lock it up like I do around town (D lock rear, alarmed cable front) because at some point on tour, I'll lock up in a town to go look at stuff or go shopping so I'll be carrying town locks anyway so I figure I might as well use them!

Unless I'm on my folder. That can usually come with me, so only a cafe lock is needed.

 

[reppans]

Here's another spin on ultra-light/ultra-compact for asphalt rides. I'll max out at 10Kg/30L with water, a couple days food, and 3-4 outfits (can all be worn at the same time for cold layering). Tent doubles as a rain cape, quilt as a down camp poncho, and fuel as dehydrated vodka.

I'm rigging my 700x32 gravel bike for unpaved trail rides and am settling on a frame bag for the heavy, inexpensive, replaceable stuff (water, lock, bike repair, heavy food - stuff I'll already leave locked w/ the bike anyway) and a ~25L drybag/backpack strapped to the top of a rear rack for the rest of the bulky, expensive, hard to replace gear. The backpack should top out <7kg, is easily removed for off bike security, and I think, worn it might be a great option to tackle tough single track riding (frame bags are super secure).

 

[MarkF]

Touring, I lock it up like I do around town (D lock rear, alarmed cable front) because at some point on tour, I'll lock up in a town to go look at stuff or go shopping so I'll be carrying town locks anyway so I figure I might as well use them!

Unless I'm on my folder. That can usually come with me, so only a cafe lock is needed.

I only use a cable lock, even when leaving the bike for a considerable time, I just carry my cash, phone & passport. I don't want the weight of D lock and after my first tour (where I was worried) I just don't think about it now. AFAIK nobody has ever so much as looked in the panniers.

EDIT: Forgot, somebody in Peterborough centre nicked my front wheel skewer.

 

[DanZac]

EDIT: Forgot, somebody in Peterborough centre nicked my front wheel skewer.

I suppose that annoying as that is, at least you were in a town centre so could probably get a new one quite easily.

Unlike if you were in the middle of nowhere when you'd be a bit stuffed.

 

[robing]

I only use a cable lock, even when leaving the bike for a considerable time, I just carry my cash, phone & passport. I don't want the weight of D lock and after my first tour (where I was worried) I just don't think about it now. AFAIK nobody has ever so much as looked in the panniers.

Me too. I sometimes run a thinner cable lock through the panniers too. I can't be bothered with the weight of a D lock either. The only thing I've had nicked was a battery pack that I left charging in the toilet block of a French campsite, luckily nothing plugged in to it.

 

[MarkF]

I suppose that annoying as that is, at least you were in a town centre so could probably get a new one quite easily.

Unlike if you were in the middle of nowhere when you'd be a bit stuffed.

Yes, there was a car/bike accessory shop within 2/3 minutes walk. But my thinking is, what good would the bestest D lock be if somebody really wanted to steal my bike, or the seat, or a wheel, or the skewers? Not a lot.

 

[mjr]

Yes, there was a car/bike accessory shop within 2/3 minutes walk. But my thinking is, what good would the bestest D lock be if somebody really wanted to steal my bike, or the seat, or a wheel, or the skewers? Not a lot.

One, that's why I use a cable too. And the D lock goes through a wheel too. No lock will stop a determined thief but cable, alarm and D means your bike is rarely the easiest pickings.

Two, qr skewers are unwise on a touring bike for this reason.

 

[DanZac]

Springy wire rope lock for me. Through rear wheel and frame, up through pannier handles and round something solid. If someones really that desperate to steal my dirty undercrackers and wet tent, then make a quick getaway on my overloaded bike then there welcome to it.