Overnight Bike Theft

[urbancoyote]

I'm concerned about leaving my bike out overnight and having it
stolen. That's one reason why the MSR Velo tent (where the bike gets to
stay inside) is attractive to me, even though it's pretty heavy.

What do others do about overnight bike security?

[valygrl]

Lock my bike to an immovable object (fence, picnic table, etc.) with a lightweight 6-foot cable and a simple combination padlock.  I lock it near my tent.   I guess someone could clip the cable quietly and steal the bike, but I don't worry about it.  

I don't like having my stuff own me on tour.  My really important stuff (wallet, camera, passport) stay with me at all times in my handlbar bag/purse, the other stuff - I'm reasonably careful, but it's only stuff.  I would want a lock anyway, for non-camping stops, so adding an extra heavy tent to keep the bike in the vestibule wouldn't be worth it for me.

[BrianCM]

When I rode the Seattle-to-Portland ride, we were advised to lock our bikes up, even if it was only with the flimsiest lock on the market.  The only bikes that were stolen were the ones which were not locked up at all.

[biker_james]

I also go with the light cable lock. They won't stop a serious thief, but then not much will. I'm not sure that touring bikes are high on the list of most stolen bikes anyway. A light lock will stop the teenager out goofing around, or the drunk who thinks it would be funny, or the guy just looking for something easy to take.
When we tour we lock the bikes either to a fence or picnic table at night, or if that isn't convenient, we just lock our two bikes together-hard to move without creating a disturbance. We also generally (not always) carry covers that go over the entire bike and panniers, so when they're sitting around the campground, no one is tempted to see whats in the panniers. Keeps the tree sap, bird droppings, and rain off everything too.  

[RussellSeaton]

On RAGBRAI and other week long state rides I use a cable and padlock to lock the bikes to each other and to the tent.  This is overnight and when leaving for supper for an extended period.  The bikes are unlocked for brief periods during the riding day and when first arriving in the overnight towns.  I use a similar locking scheme when loaded touring.

[ptaylor]

I did a 4,000+ mile, 93 night tour this summer (The Northern Tier) with five other riders.  I locked my bike with a light combination cable in towns when I knew I was going to be out of sight for an hour or so. Some of my fellow riders locked ther bikes every night, but I never did. None of us had any problems.
On the other hand, I have had 3 stolen bikes:

• Outside my house, in the backyard, unlocked in Indianapolis
• Securely locked at a commuter train station in surbubran Chicago
• In my garage, apparently with an open garage door, in surburban South Bend, IN

I agree with valygrl, as I normally do, that you keep your important stuff with you. I use a fanny pack, but I see the advantages of using your handlebar pack for that purpose.

Paul

[tofubicycle]

On long trips I always take some sort of functional lock with me for use in towns. On long trips or trips with a second person, I use my Hilleberg Nallo GT tent and park the bike(s) in the vestabule. On shorter solo trips I use a tent which does not afford such an option. When the bike is parked outside, I always park it on the opposite side of my tent from the trail or path and I utilize a 5mm diameter cable which I had custom cut to a length of 15 feet and looped on either end. I thread this cable around the frame, through both wheels and into my tent, gathering up the slack and attaching it to my sleeping bag. This offers me the piece of mind that if someone is going to try and steal my bike, they're going to disturb me in the process. Certainly, they could cut the cable, but short of carrying a U-Lock, there's no real way to avoid that if the thief is going to go that far.  

--
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.........-\<,
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i'd rather be biking.

[jeff]

I don't know if its because I paid too much for my bikes or its from living in the city too long, but I always carry a U-Lock with me when I travel with my bike. If I'm camping where there is nothing to lock to I at least lock the back wheel to the frame. I figure this way whoever tries dragging it off with racks and bags still attached will most likely wake me up in the process. The Krypto Evo series doesnt' weight that much and can easily be strapped down to the top of your rear rack. I'd rather carry the minimal extra weight than be stuck out in bumf*ck with no bike.

[RussellSeaton]

Several people mentioned locking their bikes to their tents and or sleeping bags when camping.  With the premise that they will be awakened when a thief tries to steal their bike in the middle of the night.  Is this a wise idea?

Scenario.  Middle of the night, dark night.  Wide awake thief.  With heavy metal bolt cutters.  Adrenaline pumping because he knows he is committing a crime.  Eyes adjusted to the dark because he has been in the dark for quite awhile.  Thief does not see cable on bike attached to tent/sleeping bag.  Suddenly awakened bike rider who feels his tent/bag moving.  Still groggy.  Stumbling out of a zipped tent door in the middle of the pitch black night.  No night vision because he just woke up.  Biker beginning to make sounds.  Nervous thief, with heavy metal bolt cutters in hand, decides noise is bad.  Thief runs over to tent door while biker is sticking his head out trying to get out to save his bike.  Thief makes split second decision to use heavy metal bolt cutters on bikers head to keep him quiet.  Biker dies of head wound because its still several hours before daylight and before anyone will find him.

Of course the other scenario is the mighty righteous biker comes out of the tent and confronts the thief, apprehends the thief, turns thief over to police, saves his bike, continues his bicycle tour with feelings of pride and justice.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.  In this scenario it might be best to not know anyone is stealing your bike.  The thief is committing a misdemeanor property crime.  No intentions to commit a felony assualt or murder.  But if things do not go as planned, then the situation could easily escalate into something unplanned.  Try to lock up the bike to something immovable near by.  A tree, picnic table, light pole, fence, other bikes.  If the thief is thwarted then he will likely move on to an easier target without becoming surprised in the middle of the night and making split second decisions.

Forgot to mention the thief will be in his late teens, twenties, maybe thirties.  Biker on tour will be middle aged or older most likely.  Even without the heavy metal bolt cutters, the thief has the physical advantage over the biker.  Unless the biker is considerably bigger and muscular than the thief, or the thief is very scrawny and small, then the thief will be able to beat the biker with his bare hands.

I do lock the bike to my tent on RAGBRAI, etc. at night.  But there are hundreds or literally thousands of other people around.  A very different situation to a lone camper in a tent.

This message was edited by RussellSeaton on 12-1-06 @ 8:58 AM

[alfonso]

A gripping scenario, Russell. We all assess risks based on the most
likely circumstances.

I'm assuming that you won't be facing a professional crim with
professional tools; you'll be facing a wandering opportunist who has
little or no idea what he's stealing. That kind of person is likely to run
if they know they've disturbed a (probably bad-tempered) owner.

If the thief is armed and/or substance-fuelled, nothing's going to
defuse the situation - but what are such people doing so far away from
the boozer or the nightclub?

[litespeed]

My rule is that if I can't see my bike for more than a couple of minutes I lock it up - unless I'm in a motel room, of course. I use a big Performance cable lock with the four digit combination. It's a bit heavy but the peace of mind is worth it. It automatically coils up into a neat little bundle about 4-5" in diameter. I keep it in my handlebar bag. It is long enough to usually go around a picnic bench seat and through both wheels. If not I go through the rear wheel. If there is no picnic bench I can always find something to lock it to like a tree or fence. I place my tent just 3 or 4 feet away and aligned so I can see my bike unless it's raining and the flap is zipped down. My loaded touring bicycle is the most valuable thing I own that isn't real estate. In many tens of thousands of miles of bicycle touring no one has ever tried to steal anything from me. But if I were to travel to a country where petty thievery is common, like San Salvador or Costa Rica I would find a way to lock my Ortliebs to my bike.
Actually, I worry more about supermarket or restaurant parking lots than campgrounds. There I lock my bike to a lampost, shopping cart pen or railing.
The best thing touring cyclists have going for them is that people either think you are nuts or envy you. In either case will they not rob you.
One final point: I once travelled a couple of days down the California coast with a guy named George, a highly experienced, bearded touring cyclist from Houston. He had NEVER locked up his bike. No kidding. He didn't consider it necessary. He never had any trouble.

This message was edited by litespeed on 12-4-06 @ 3:24 PM

[Cupocoffee]

I will be going cross country in April and have given considerable thought to this topic. I plan to buy a cheap door hanger alarm which is motion activated and battery operated. Clip it anywhere on the bike and if it is disturbed an alarm will sound and hopefully will startle the person or animal away. They are lightweight and available at hardware stores. I would rather a thief be frightened off rather than confront him. My bike will also be locked.

[Sailariel]

Smart move. You don`t want to confront the thief. The battery operated motion detector could work most of the time but it is designed to be used indoors, so a wind gust could set it off. My preference is to lock the bike to something substantial near the tent--or where I can see the bike. If I see a person messing with the bike--I would have to hear him first, I let loose with a drillsergeant`s whistle and wake up the whole camp from the safety of my tent.

[BrianCM]

Many years ago, when I biked from St. Paul to Denver, we didn't lock up our bikes.  We simply camped away from people.  Now this is known as "stealth camping."  If nobody is around, they aren't going to bother you.  If you are at a campground, the most likely time that someone will swipe your stuff is when you have your shower.  You are away for a certain amount of time, and the thief knows you won't be running back out.

I read an article about a couple who has stuff swiped while they were sleeping.  They had hung their stuff up in the trees away from animals, but their stuff was still in reach of humans.

One time I had a motion detector alarm for my motorcycle.  It went off all the time, and the sensitivity could not be adjusted.  Therefore, the alarm was completely useless because I had to leave it off.

As for the scenario of the thief in the night, at lease carry pepper spray!  I have never read about someone who was accosted.  But if you are accosted, be ready to defend yourself.  Seriously.