Bicycle Safety

Campfire Time wrote:
There are lots of options out there. As Way2Roll said, nothing is foolproof, but you can slow them down and discourage them from spending the time on trying to get them.

mittshel wrote:
We are in a nice CG in a nice little town.

Hmm... Can't be that nice if people are walking around with bolt cutters stealing bikes. We've never had an issue and we never lock our bikes while in our campsite. Our bikes are not expensive but they aren't big box store bikes either.

And no, buying cheap bikes is not a solution for people who really like to ride. Cheap bike are harder to ride and will leave you very sore after 30+ mile ride.

You are naive if you think theft only takes place on the wrong side of the tracks. On my travels it has been the nice places that have had reports of theft. But that is where the nice stuff is so not really a surprise. That is not saying theft is a rampant problem. One of the places I visited it was actually the locals taking advantage of the clientele because they knew the type that stayed there. And when caught they were not the type of person who actually needed the money or item stolen.

I bought a toy hauler and keep them inside. My bikes are worth more than the 5th wheel; having them outside where they can be stolen is not a realistic option. Unless you're willing to have them stolen, take them inside.

Cable locks are useless, they can be cut with a set of side cutters. Nor will any old chain work, no matter how heavy, against bolt cutters. Hardened dedicated bike chains are very resistant to even large bolt cutters but are very heavy and expensive.

If a tree is handy we lock our trikes up around a tree with Kryptonite's best chains and locks. We can also use one of our RVs leveling jack legs to lock to. We also use cable locks that alarm when the cable is cut. On top of that we have motion sensors that alarm if the trikes are moved.

There are lots of options out there. As Way2Roll said, nothing is foolproof, but you can slow them down and discourage them from spending the time on trying to get them.

mittshel wrote:
We are in a nice CG in a nice little town.

Hmm... Can't be that nice if people are walking around with bolt cutters stealing bikes. We've never had an issue and we never lock our bikes while in our campsite. Our bikes are not expensive but they aren't big box store bikes either.

And no, buying cheap bikes is not a solution for people who really like to ride. Cheap bike are harder to ride and will leave you very sore after 30+ mile ride.

As a cyclist it's not uncommon for me to have a few bikes on a trip worth several thousand dollars. I use a master Python cable lock to my swagman rack and then a cover. While the lock could be cut, the rack can be cumbersome if you don't know what you are doing by the way it secures the bikes with 2 ratcheting top tube locks and a strap to each wheel to the tracks in the rack. Add that the cover is on them secured with zippers and straps and no one knows what's under there. The rack itself is bolted to the receiver and has a locking pin. Nothing is foolproof to a thief that wants something, but been doing this for 8 years and so far I haven't had a bike stolen yet. In the FWIW department, if someone were to steal a bike, my insurance would allow me to get a brand new one - which is more than DW will let me do. ;)

There are bicycle lock chains and there are bicycle lock chains. The best are VERY heavy (too heavy for most bolt cutters) and cost a lot (>$100).

Best answer is, buy cheap/old bikes or pack them away when not in use.

Thanks all for all the great ideas. I enjoyed reading each one. We are in a nice CG in a nice little town. A couple nights ago there were two very expensive bikes taken that were locked up with a giant piece of chain. My husband always says no one wants our cheap bikes. But that is not the point. I am determined to prevent losing them. Thanks again. Betsy.

Quality bicycles are rarely stolen since they are stored inside RVs and TVs.

I use a long cable or chain to lock the bikes up at night. It's not perfect but I'm sure it keeps most of the thieves away.

As far as avoiding campgrounds that have a theft problem, that can sometimes be problematic. Here in San Diego some of the most popular and difficult to find openings are the beach campgrounds South Carlsbad and San Elijo . Yet these two campgrounds also have a high theft problem. So if you want to take the kids camping on the beach, you have to either put everything away at night, or take a chance that it could get stolen.

I lock ours to the rear bumper, or the side of the rig furthest from the road. Not quite as visible to passersby on the road. If I have real doubts about the area (which makes me wonder why I would stay there anyway) I throw a camo tarp over them -- a couple yards of camo cloth from walmart. This hides their shape and color, and makes them even less noticeable from the road.