What about your Bike??????

[10speed]

Thanks for all the ideas.

You would think that one of these tent companies would make something for us cyclist. So that we could park our bikes inside the vestibule.   

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Ghisallo-1/OU9469,default,pd.html

[pptouring]

I mean when you are in your tent sleeping you cant see your bike and you might be somewhere that there is nothing to lock it to.

I always have my Glock next to me! 

Seriously, we've never worried about it. I mean... how many criminal types are wondering in the woods and/or campgrounds looking for a bike to jack?

[esassaman]

Thanks for all the ideas.

You would think that one of these tent companies would make something for us cyclist. So that we could park our bikes inside the vestibule.   

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Ghisallo-1/OU9469,default,pd.html

I took one of these for a 2 month tour of Europe and let me tell you, it was the best thing ever. 1) You don't need to lock your bike in camp, it's right in the tent with you. Out of sight, out of mind - people don't even know you have a bike (unless it's your camping neighbor that sees you stash your bike into the tent) 2) Dry as a bone in the worst weather. No need for saddle covers, etc. 3) Like people have said, keep your bike in sight at all times, there's something very very comforting knowing that it's in visible range even when you're zipped up tight in your tent Even when you need to run to the shower I felt fine with it stashed out of sight - I was more worried about my bags getting jacked than the bike.

It only weights 2.75 lbs, it's easy to set up and easy to clean out (pick it up and shake the dirt out). Vestible is big enough to stash all your bags no problem. It doesn't have a lot of room in there if you're a big guy or like a big tent. On the up side the ground cover doesn't need to be big.

Every morning I'd get my shammie out and wipe all the dew off the outside of the tent, wait a bit for it to dry out, and it breaks down in a few minutes and into the stuff sack.  I love that tent!

One more trick I used is to wrap a good strong velcro strip around the rear wheel and another around the brake, like a parking brake. This kept the bike from rolling in case you're on an incline and if someone did try to take the bike there's going to be at least a minute of confusion while they try to figure out why the bike won't move, get off, find the velcro and pull it off, etc. It's the cheap man's super lightweight stealth short-term lock

We had one bike stolen (out of two locked together) right outside our hotel room in London England at the tail end of our 2 month trip. We had a pretty substantial cable lock but they cut it clean through. Big cities need full lock protocol against professional thieves, as previously discussed, no doubt about it. By some miracle we didn't get our bikes jacked in Amsterdam, looking back at it.

[mucknort]

Most hardware stores sell cable by the foot. I bought 12 feet of thin (lightweight) stuff and had them loop the ends and crimp with a metal piece. Total cost: $6. On tour, I use this in combination with a 6' cable/combination lock to string through wheels and parts, or to a distant heavy object, or through one of the loops in my tent (so as to wake me at night if someone tried walking off with the bike).

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

Seriously, we've never worried about it. I mean... how many criminal types are wondering in the woods and/or campgrounds looking for a bike to jack?

Seriously, as a park ranger for 23 years, bike patrol for the past 17, working in a very rural state forest/park area for the past 8 years, I lock my bike whenever I leave it unattended. Anything that can happen in the city can happen in the parks and forests, too. We have had homicides, suicides, rapes, assaults (even on rangers!) and many, many thefts in the parks where I have worked. Tents, sleeping bags, stoves, radios, and yes, bikes, have been taken from campsites. Sometimes, the loose items are taken while the campers were sleeping right next to them. It happens. Rangers can't be everywhere at once.

Ride safe,
Hans

[happyriding]

I carry a medium weight cable and combination lock when touring.  My tent has loops in the straps that you stake to the ground, and one time I locked my bike to one of those loops.  I always lock my bike when in camp: either to a picnic table or tree, and I pitch my tent right next to my bike.

I looked at those Ghisallo tents, but they are too small for me and my x-large bike.

[Bicycle Rider]

I lock the bike to the bench, a tree, post that the garbage can is locked to or whatever other immovable object may be available. if not, then I lace the lock and bike through the tent or fly lines in such a way that it would be near impossible to tamper with it without seriously jostling the tent itself (I'm a light sleeper). The panniers I keep inside the tent, which protects my gear from weather as well. One reason I prefer packs to trailers. If I'm staying in a motel then obviously everything comes in with me. I have never encountered any trouble from the management with doing this.

To the poster that mentioned making tents big enough to bring the whole bike inside, May I suggest a tent such as a 4 man timberline? That is about the smallest such tent that will let you accomplish this. if you want to carry that much, go for it. A company by the name of early winters once made a Bivy that actually used the bikes wheels instead of tent poles to give it shape. Unfortunately both it and they are history.

Edited fer speeling

[jinx]

I use a small cable lock, bike cover and a bike alarm. The battery cover on the alarm is up against the tube you mount it to and the sensitivity can be set. The unit is always up and the 9v battery last about a month or so.

http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?p=830139

[Tourista829]

I am not as trusting as the others above. I use an eight foot Saris cable and lock. Lock my bike around a tree. Not possible all the time. I take the front wheel and seat/post inside my tent with my panniers/handbar bag. If at a motel, in my room or in a locked storage area. So far so good.