Locking up Bikes on Holiday

Bullet1

We're off to France later to the year as a family and plan on taking my £4k bike to get some decent rides in the Alps. We'll also be taking the kids bikes for them to pootle around on (total cost £400).

We'll be staying with Eurocamp in a mobile home so how would you recommend locking the bikes up? The kids bikes will act as an annoyance and a half decent weight. I also have a heavy chain lock and a decent D-lock with cable, plus other cheap combination locks.

Thinking more along the line of finding a immovable object? The campsites are usually crime free but you never know

Inside the caravan would obviously keep them away from prying eyes, however nothing spring to mind to chain them to and once inside (if we're out) would allow then privacy to try cut the the locks

Alternatively thinking of either
- a sizeable tree
- through the cars alloy wheel
- a sizeable piece of timber or two on the decking
- on the tow bar bike carrier and looped through roof racks too?

fenix

I'd think out of sight would be the best policy - so wherever you can hide it. Personally I'd throw it in the boot of the car wheels off and then nobody would know it was there. Any steel cable can be cut pretty easily with bolt croppers.

g00se

Check with your insurance company (if it's insured for european travel). They may have limitations on locking outside in a public place for long periods.

I would put it inside the chalet. At least it will be away from prying eyes and opportunists. If you really don't want to do that, I would take the wheels off and put it inside the car. That way you'll have a car alarm, car insurance etc. I would imagine there would be a decent anchoring point in there too.

whoof

If it's a caravan you can chain them to the tow hook. If you are renting a chalet at a camp site there should be room inside in the kitchen lounge area when your not there. There is also safety in numbers as many campsites in the Alps have lots of bikes in the summer months.
You could add one of these but you wouldn't be too popular if a cat set it off in the middle of the night.

http://www.crimepreventionproducts.co.uk/vehicle-and-cycle-security/bicycle-security/bike-alarm-with-movement-sensor

I've been spending two weeks cycle touring and camping in France every year for over 10 years and never locked the bike with more than one of these.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/316ygENNA2L._AC_UL160_SR160,160_.jpg

Whilst my bike didn't cost £4k to your average bike theft a bike is a bike.

laurentian

The first thing I would do is ask the campsite owners/managers if they have a secure lock up you could use.

slowbike

Out of sight is preferable.
We camped in Provence - just an old 2 bedroom dome tent - we put the bikes in the middle - locked them when we went off without them - wheels off and in the car is ok, but a PITA ...
I'd do the same with a caravan - overnight just put the bikes inside - go out for the day and do the same - just pop the lock around them too.
Most thefts are opportunistic - a planned theft is difficult to prevent ...

johnmiosh

I do this with eurocamp, but usually take the winter bike without mudguards. We tend to do less hilly areas so can see why you might want to save a few kilos by using the best bike. I also take three others for the rest of the family.

There is generally a small tree on the border of the pitch. I use this to wrap a steel wire around, link a couple of bikes to it with a D lock and use another steel wire lock to go through the D and the two cheaper bikes in front.

Most campers don't bother with any security, sites seem fairly crime free in most areas.

ForumNewbie

I wouldn't risk taking a £4K bike if you are going to be worrying about it's security every time you leave the camp. I'd either take a cheaper/winter bike or a hybrid, then you could also take the kids out for a pootle along some bike paths etc. You could still use that bike for solo rides in the Alps, even though you might not be as fast as on your expensive bike.

Alternatively you could look into the possibility of hiring a road bike over there for rides in the Alps.

Matthewfalle

Check with household insurance if they will cover it while you are away.

SoSimple

Your biggest risk is travelling there and back as that's when someone will clock your bike attached to the car. Service stations are the place to be in guard when your refuel but also supermarket and even a McDonalds stop - and I don't just mean thieves...watch the headroom!

I've stayed in quite a few Eurocamps and as people have said, they are generally crime free but out of sight is likely to be the best option.

DeVlaeminck

If insured check with them what will be acceptable but I'd go for inside the chalet. When I've camped I've locked the bike to a tree with a cable and other bikes with a D lock and crossed my fingers.

Bobbinogs

Yepp, agree about the biggest risk being travel as that is when the bike is usually out for all to see. A colleague of mine had all the family bikes nicked off the top of the car roof during an overnight pit stop on the way back.

I have taken my bike a few times on Eurocamp style holidays and usually just keep the bike in the chalet with a decent D lock. TBH though, my standard bike is worth a lot less than a grand and I wouldn't be happy leaving something worth £4k alone...yet look outside a lot of cafes nowadays in the UK and you will see a big line of expensive bikes in a poor field of vision for those sat inside, and the vast majority of the bikes don't seem to have any lock, let alone even a very basic one.

Bullet1

Thanks for the feedback - current thinking is to blitz it down in one (long) day. If it does involve a stopover then my bike will be coming to bed with me

Nearly been caught out before on the overhead coming through a motorway peage. Bikes now on rear carrier.

Probably best thinking is - wheels off locked in the boot of the car.