Iainj837
Guru
- Location
- Shepton Mallet Somerset
I was wondering, if I am camping how would you suggest that I don't get my bike stolen whilst leaving it over night or if I am having a pint after a days cycling ?
Stopping bike being stolen
- Thread starter Iainj837
- Start date
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asterix
Comrade Member
- Location
- Limoges or York
Lock it to a tree. Then they will just nick your tent and everything.
Having said that I have never had anything stolen from a campsite. It come of trying to camp in wild and lonely places, I suppose.
Having said that I have never had anything stolen from a campsite. It come of trying to camp in wild and lonely places, I suppose.
ComedyPilot
Secret Lemonade Drinker
- Location
- The Kingdom of Yorkshire
I always camp in the furthest, quietest corner of the campsite. Longer to walk to the showers/loos etc (but having ridden 70+ miles, I aren't a lazy git that needs to camp right next to the ablutions) Camping there also has me out of sight of the main gate etc.
I have no issues wild camping and leaving my bike next to the tent, i cover mine in a grey waterproof sheet, the kind the poundshop sells, to some degree it camouflages it due to the colour.
I'd probably be more wary of leaving my bike in a campsite oddly enough, unless i found something solid to attach it to.
The problem you'd have with campsites is drunks and people messing around.
You don't have that with wild camping as there is no one to disturb you.
If you are wild camping you make sure you've got a good undisturbed spot.I often pick spots where the only people passing are car drivers up to 20 to 50 feet away and no one lives nearby.
So unless an eagle eyed thief passing by on a car at 10 mph looks out at the precise time they pass me my bike is safe.
Here's an example on how theft isn't as bad as you may assume, i left my bike at 8 am inside Penzance station fully loaded with panniers, in the station cycle rack.
I then went away on the bus to other parts of Cornwall , returned about 4 pm to catch my train up to Bath and no one had touched my bike in 8 hours of it being left there.
Am i just constantly lucky, i don't think so.
I'd probably be more wary of leaving my bike in a campsite oddly enough, unless i found something solid to attach it to.
The problem you'd have with campsites is drunks and people messing around.
You don't have that with wild camping as there is no one to disturb you.
If you are wild camping you make sure you've got a good undisturbed spot.I often pick spots where the only people passing are car drivers up to 20 to 50 feet away and no one lives nearby.
So unless an eagle eyed thief passing by on a car at 10 mph looks out at the precise time they pass me my bike is safe.
Here's an example on how theft isn't as bad as you may assume, i left my bike at 8 am inside Penzance station fully loaded with panniers, in the station cycle rack.
I then went away on the bus to other parts of Cornwall , returned about 4 pm to catch my train up to Bath and no one had touched my bike in 8 hours of it being left there.
Am i just constantly lucky, i don't think so.
Take it to the pub with you. Then overnight I lock it to something solid or take the front wheel out so at least it can't be wheeled off by an opportunist thief. An advantage of camping with someone else is locking two bikes together makes them pretty hard to manhandle. In the end you just have to do what you can and hope for the best, I think it'd pretty rare for stuff to get nicked on campsites, though not unheard of. I see some of these palace tents and they have a lot more to lose than my cycling stuff.
But I'm also insured, just in case, I bought my kit in better financial times, now it'd take me years to save up and replace it all.
But I'm also insured, just in case, I bought my kit in better financial times, now it'd take me years to save up and replace it all.
xilios
Veteran
- Location
- Maastricht, NL
We try to set up close to a family or an older couple and while setting up we talk to them. This way we have someone to automatilcaly watch your stuff while away. A smile and a chet will get you far.
The down side is that you have to say where you're from where you're going etc.... every day
We also lock both bikes together with two cable locks and hook up a 120db purse alarm.
The down side is that you have to say where you're from where you're going etc.... every day
We also lock both bikes together with two cable locks and hook up a 120db purse alarm.
doog
....
- Location
- The beautiful south
Down here in Dorset bike thefts are quite common from the larger camp sites around Weymouth, Poole and Wareham / Purbeck. Its something the thieves are catching onto as a nice easy little earner. These tend to be the busy sites with static caravans and all the amenities etc.
No real issues in the quieter sites, although thefts from tents seems to be catching on.
I stick to quiet out of the way, off the beaten track camp sites.
No real issues in the quieter sites, although thefts from tents seems to be catching on.
I stick to quiet out of the way, off the beaten track camp sites.
That bike alarm is one option. You might buy a removable pedal too, like some folding bikes use. In a big field, a bike with only one pedal may get dumped after two metres. Also there are corkscrew ground anchor pegs for dogs - like big curly tent pegs. You wind them into the ground then lock the bike on. I suppose you ideally need two to stop them rotating the bike to remove the corkscrew peg from the ground. Maybe they would struggle in hard ground. Or there's the big tent option. A few tents can fit a bike standing up in the vestibule, others with front wheel off. Some tents can pitch outer only, allowing you to push the inner out of the way, and stick the bike in the space - no use overnight but good for when you are off at the pub maybe.
I'm going to use the insurance option myself. Fully insured, with a policy that doesn't require a d lock, lock the thing to a tree, a fence or a heap of pannier bags just inside the tent door.
I'm going to use the insurance option myself. Fully insured, with a policy that doesn't require a d lock, lock the thing to a tree, a fence or a heap of pannier bags just inside the tent door.
The problem is though that insurance companies generally do require you to use a decent lock.
It's true. Evans bike theft insurance requires a "sold silver" lock iirc, or maybe it was sold gold. I looked it up and it was a heavy enough, dear enough lock that I'd not bother with insurance to go with it. But some travel insurance is less specific. I looked up Essential Travel's insurance (it lists cycle touring under sports level 2) and it doesn't exclude bikes under sports equipment and makes no lock requirements. But the single item limit is £250, excess £90, too low for me.
Lock it to something solid.
What we do is:
Have one lock between all our bikes and a 2 meter kyriptonite cable
In the middle of a field we use a 'Dog Spike' like a large corkscrew whch you put into the ground, if a large dog can't pull it out, then nor will a bike thief without drawing a lot of attention to themselves
We also tend to cover the bikes with 'Bike Pyjamas' - you can get two bikes easily complete with panniers etc and 3 at a push under one cover.
The cover also doubles up as a picnic sheet and in an emergency a storm shelter for 3 people when caught in a summer downpour
What we do is:
Have one lock between all our bikes and a 2 meter kyriptonite cable
In the middle of a field we use a 'Dog Spike' like a large corkscrew whch you put into the ground, if a large dog can't pull it out, then nor will a bike thief without drawing a lot of attention to themselves
We also tend to cover the bikes with 'Bike Pyjamas' - you can get two bikes easily complete with panniers etc and 3 at a push under one cover.
The cover also doubles up as a picnic sheet and in an emergency a storm shelter for 3 people when caught in a summer downpour
dicko
Guru
- Location
- Derbyshire
The dog anchor is the best idea yet. We used to go caravaning and we had four bikes to lock in our awning. Once two young ladies camped close to us and we took their bikes in with ours and looked after them when they went to the pub and slept at night. Just ask you will find campers and caravaner's quite friendly and eager to help.
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