Bike security on the road.

Blue Orange

Blue Orange

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I'd be interested to know what you are using to secure your bikes when on the road. Most insurance companies (UK) want you to use 'gold' standard locks and chains.

I have a VW Transporter camper. I have an ebike specific tow ball bike carrier.

I'm under no illusion that if a thief wants them and comes prepared that no lock will stop them and I'm ott about not leaving the bikes out of my sight.

I intend at night locking them to the side of my van in the awning and sleeping with the side door open.

TIA
 
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All locks can be compromised in a matter of minutes given tools, knowledge and opportunity. At the very least, I'd get a lock with a motion alarm so that you can jump out of bed with a baseball bat in your hand as needed.

I've got an Abus Bordo alarm on mine, but I'd only trust that when I'd be able to hear it go off, such as when I'm in the office and the bike is parked under my office window.
 
5CA7E1AC-B2B4-4CD1-BEB1-B09B07E0A8A6.jpeg
 
Talking to a guy up in Scotland last summer who had had both ebikes stolen from the rack on the back of his camper van while they were sleeping. They made a real mess of the back of the van and rack, took him 6 months to get it repaired, but still didn't wake them.
I would be paranoid and unable to sleep tbh.
 
Rich-EMTB-UK said:
Talking to a guy up in Scotland last summer who had had both ebikes stolen from the rack on the back of his camper van while they were sleeping. They made a real mess of the back of the van and rack, took him 6 months to get it repaired, but still didn't wake them.
I would be paranoid and unable to sleep tbh.
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Bloody hell! I wish I could sleep as solidly as that guy. It would be worth the cost of my bike.
 
Blue Orange said:
I intend at night locking them to the side of my van in the awning and sleeping with the side door open.
Click to expand...

Alongside a good lock and the usual precautions, you are already taking you could also buy a battery-powered LED motion sensor light as another deterrent to clip on the van or awning. Mine cost £20 online and the modern LEDs give off a good beam of light. I would imagine there are also similar versions specific to a campervan or caravan etc.

I also use the heavy-duty screw-in anchor ties made to hold down trampolines/garden benches etc, they take minutes to insert in soft ground and are almost impossible to pull out quickly unless the thief is the hulk or uses a grinder or cutter. They are excellent for securing wheels with less robust locks but again are only another deterrent because a professional thief will be equipped with the tools.

As you said not much will stop a determined thief because they are professionals, they come equipped for the job, but they do take decisions based on risk and so the more deterrents the better. Casual thieves are a lot easier to deter. I just don't understand why people will splash out 5k for an e-bike then buy a £15 combination lock to secure it and so you are right to be OTT I know I am.
 
I have a 2m gold rated sold secure bike lock which is long enough to loop under the van through the tow bar frame itself, and back round to the bike(s) which are on the towbar mounted rack. I then use a second gold rated D lock which is locking the bikes to the rack. Plus the locks on the rack itself (these are made of cheese though).

Another important thing is having a decent cover on them when on the rack. The scumbags are more likely to go for the high value bikes they can see on the back of a van rather than the ones covered up. And keep it covered up as much as possible. Either your riding it or its hidden out of plain sight.

The above, combined with the dog sleeping in the van with us and we've never had an issue.

Lastly if we are leaving the van and the bikes to go for a hike then the bikes get locked inside the van with all the curtains closed. And I mean locked to the seats or anchor points as well! A faff yes, but it only takes 10 mins.
 
Several of the motorhome/camper alarm systems have bike loops attached to the system so that they set the vehicle alarm off and notify you if tampered with. I would think other alarm systems would also do this with the same loop used for trailer hitches.
 
Difficult as folk say depending how good a theif they are . I sometimes take bike in van just before bed but not always depending where I am it's cramped . I quite often have Sea Kayak on roof as well so a good steal for anyone. I left bike in van for weekend the other week at a busy Loch area still there when I came back but I did think its not the brightest thin I have done. Saying that a paddle board has been sitting at the mouth of Spey since last weekend the police know about it . Whoever lost it not bothered.
 
A motion alarm with a remote costs less than $20 on Amazon. I would also use multiple shackle type locks, remove the front wheel and put it inside, and then cover the bike with a bike cover. A bit more of a risk for the thief when they do not know the value of the hidden bike and they may pick one that can be easily identified.

A roof top bike carrier is more difficult to use but also a great deal more difficult for a thief to access as well.
 
Motorbike lock and chain. Only a grinder will work. I use a 16mm oxford nemesis lock and chain, can be found online for £130. Not very portable at over 8kg @ 2 meters long but it will slow them down. Also I like the PIR led on the back of the van. I am just looking now for one, keep safe guys.
 
I’ve also put an Apple Airtag inside the frame (which can’t be accessed without the Trek key and unscrewing a few screws). At least if it does go missing, there‘s some chance of recovery. For those Trek Rail owners, I initially just put inside the battery bay (need the key to access) but during a battery realignment, I put above the top battery mount inside the frame.). I’ve done something similar on a Levo.
 
Hill Killer said:
Also I like the PIR led on the back of the van. I am just looking now for one, keep safe guys.
Click to expand...

Energizer LED Motion Sensor Bright Security Light Battery Driveway Garden Shed


It linked my page don't know why, that info will work on eBay.

:)
 
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Tim1023 said:
All locks can be compromised in a matter of minutes given tools, knowledge and opportunity. At the very least, I'd get a lock with a motion alarm so that you can jump out of bed with a baseball bat in your hand as needed.

I've got an Abus Bordo alarm on mine, but I'd only trust that when I'd be able to hear it go off, such as when I'm in the office and the bike is parked under my office window.
Click to expand...
Update: Once I worked out that I could hear the alarm from my second floor office, I got lazy and stopped using a second lock to back up my Bordo Alarm. This is the result from my last day in the office before Christmas:
1704732982519.png

I'd assumed that an angle grinder or bolt cutter would be needed, giving me those couple of minutes to run down and deal with the perp. How wrong was I? Turns out that all you need to do is steal the seat and post from a cheaper bike as a lever, shove it into the loop of the Bordo and twist. Actually quite impressive strength do do that. Bastard.
Thankfully I'm well insured. Mind you, I'd rather have kept my old bike with all the bits on it than have to faff with a new one.
 
Tim1023 said:
Update: Once I worked out that I could hear the alarm from my second floor office, I got lazy and stopped using a second lock to back up my Bordo Alarm. This is the result from my last day in the office before Christmas:
View attachment 132094
I'd assumed that an angle grinder or bolt cutter would be needed, giving me those couple of minutes to run down and deal with the perp. How wrong was I? Turns out that all you need to do is steal the seat and post from a cheaper bike as a lever, shove it into the loop of the Bordo and twist. Actually quite impressive strength do do that. Bastard.
Thankfully I'm well insured. Mind you, I'd rather have kept my old bike with all the bits on it than have to faff with a new one.
Click to expand...
Not nice plus you get more paranoid about leaving anything ungaurded for 5 minutes
 
no one using an apple air tag ? . The thieves shouldn't be so smart that they look for GPS on a bike. thinking about putting one in the seat tube, it should work ?
 
InRustWeTrust said:
no one using an apple air tag ? . The thieves shouldn't be so smart that they look for GPS on a bike. thinking about putting one in the seat tube, it should work ?
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If they have an iPhone, they will be informed after a while that there is an unrecognised air tag near them. They can then make it make a noise and maybe locate it and remove it, depending on location. It's an anti-stalking feature.
 
Tim1023 said:
If they have an iPhone, they will be informed after a while that there is an unrecognised air tag near them. They can then make it make a noise and maybe locate it and remove it, depending on location. It's an anti-stalking feature.
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well it sucks that that function exists. then Apple airtag disappears as an option.
 
Take wheels off and take inside van. Depending where I am at I may leave it on rack
 
Bottom line is hanging expensive (probably 15k plus) of ebikes on your camper is just advertising to thieves to steal them. Locks mean squat. Just as with car jackings while you are at a light etc all the scum has to do is approach you with a knife or a gun and there goes two expensive bikes. You might be better off just renting an ebike near the places you are traveling to and take the insurance rider they offer on a rental.
 
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As a black belt in ninjafu I’d disarm said thief , give him a kick up the jacksie and send him on his way 🤙
 
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