Bike Cover

[Pepper]

I'm curious (and didn't see any other posts on this), how many people cover their bike while camping at night, either to hide it or protect it from the elements? Do you bring an extra tarp to cover it, or just let it get rained on?

[JimF]

I've used the Arkel bike bag (see the ACA store for item) on tours. Compact, light weight, durable. Holds up well to high wind-blown rain. A little expensive these days, but if rain is frequently likely, it's worth it.

[bktourer1]

I got one from Nashbar (on sale at the time).  When not using, makes great pillow.
Covers the whoel bike with F/R panniers

[staehpj1]

No cover here.  Just extra weight to carry that I don't need.

[Tourista829]

Although extra weight, I like the Big Agnes, Big House 4 Tent and Vestibule. You can put your bikes in their. (sensor alarm on zipper) It protects against the rain, prying eyes, and if we have a disagreement, I can sleep in the vestibule not outside. (LOL) When we travel we like the room, especially on really rainy days. www.bigagnes.com

[staehpj1]

Although extra weight, I like the Big Agnes, Big House 4 Tent and Vestibule. You can put your bikes in their. (sensor alarm on zipper) It protects against the rain, prying eyes, and if we have a disagreement, I can sleep in the vestibule not outside. (LOL) When we travel we like the room, especially on really rainy days. www.bigagnes.com

Wow, you must really like a lot of space to be willing to carry 15+ pounds of tent and vestibule (16+ if you bought the footprint too).  Is that for two of you?

I carried a 9 or 10 pound tent for three of us on the Trans America and cursed at it's weight every single day!  A couple days in the Appalachians I felt like all I did was curse at the tent   If I were starting the same trip today, I would be willing to spend a good bit more and put up with a bit less space to lose a few pounds on the tent.  Since then, I have since decided that 30 pounds base gear was my limit including panniers and 20-25 is my goal.  That requires a much lighter tent for me.

[Spokey]

I split an 8lb or so with my brother and it doesn't bother me.  We used to share a Eureka timberline, but that kind of wore out over the decades and got a similar (Expedition or something?) which is also a 4 person tent.  We took that on the TransAm.

But 4 person is a joke.  Maybe with 4 skinny and under 5 foot that would work but both of us are over 6 foot (I'm 6'4") and both well over 200 lb.  The Eureka allows us some room and a place for our panniers.

[BobG]

I just cover the saddle with a plastic bag If overnight rain is expected. If my bike gets rained on all day and perhaps again tomorrow, it seems silly to tuck her in to bed overnight to make amends. Getting wet is part of her job description! If a picnic pavilion is available.........then she gets a dry night!

[bogiesan]

I'm curious (and didn't see any other posts on this), how many people cover their bike while camping at night, either to hide it or protect it from the elements? Do you bring an extra tarp to cover it, or just let it get rained on?

Traveling with Cycle Oregon—rain or snow is guaranteed— I have seen a wide variety of covers from commercial products to blue tarps and black plastic.  On a supported tour, of course, a good bike cover is a stylish accessory someone else carries for you. Lots of seasoned travelers just used a plastic bag to cover the seat, that's what I do these days although my recumbent seat takes a good-sized bag.

Personally, I've never been self-contained on my bike but, from a few seasons of ultralight backpacking, I packed using the weight-to-utility ratio. I cannot imagine a bike cover qualifying as useful mass.

david boise ID

[Pepper]

If my bike gets rained on all day and perhaps again tomorrow, it seems silly to tuck her in to bed overnight to make amends.

Ha! Well, when you put it like that, it does seem a bit ridiculous. Thanks for helping me save some weight.

[litespeed]

I never considered getting a bike cover. I figure if my beloved Litespeed Blue Ridge can stand being rained on while I'm riding it, it can bear nightly rain. Besides, it's titanium alloy and will never rust. Also I have Ortleib panniers and handlebar pack so everything stays dry. Rain doesn't seem to hurt the seat either.

[indyfabz]

I usually carry one of those blue, plastic tarps.  It weighs nothing in the overall scheme of things compared to the total load of my 6'2" body, my 61cm bike and my gear.  It can be used not only to cover the bike but also to proect your butt from wet and/or muddy ground that could be the only place there is to sit.  I have also strung it between trees with light weight twine to create a shelter.  Beats cooking in the rain or under your fly.  If you have a picnic table and plan to leave out cooking gear for the next morning, you can cover the gear in case it rains at night.  When riding, I fold it into a rectangle and place it between the bars of my rear rack and my tent.  (My rack is designed to carry geat parallel to the bike.)

[paddleboy17]

I do two things.

First of all, Brooks makes a waterproof saddle cover, which I use cover my saddle.  Since I have a leather saddle, I don't want it getting wet.  The Brooks cover fits well, and stashes easily when I ride.

Second of all, I have a steel bike and prefer not to get it wetter than I have to.  I use a tent footprint purchased during an REI garage sale.  It was cheap because it fits a tent that they no longer carried.  I use spring clothes pins to secure the footprint to the bike.  I also carry parachute cored for a clothes line, so the clips do double duty.  I could also probably rig a cooking vestibule if I needed to from the clothes line and clips.  All multipurpose and all useful, and all easily stuffed in my panniers.

[John Nelson]

I can appreciate taking a cover for security reasons. And I can appreciate wanting to keep your chain dry so you don't have to relube it so often. But I cannot really appreciate the other reasons for taking a cover. If I were ever to take a cover, and it seems very unlikely, it would be something much lighter than a blue tarp. And I don't see any reason to cover your saddle unless it is real leather.

[indyfabz]

And I don't see any reason to cover your saddle unless it is real leather.

So you don't have to set out a dry day on a saddle that is saturated with cold water from the rain the might before?