Bike security for camping tour

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Rogo
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Joined: 8 Nov 2014, 7:41pm

Bike security for camping tour

Post by Rogo »

Hi all. About to set off on a multi continent tour, and fear is starting to build that somebody may help themselves to my bike while I'm wild camping. I'll be going a few countries that are somewhat risky, and I was just looking for maybe advice on what some of you have done previously.

My plan so far is to unload all my panniers (Ortlieb - easy to dismount) and place them into the tent (2 man - I'm on my own)

I've also had the idea of buying a rape alarm, and securing the box to my bike, under the seat. I'll then have string attached to the pin which will be tent pegged to the floor, and if the bike is lifted, the alarm will go off, hopefully scaring off any would be thieves. Does anybody foresee any troubles with this?

Any other ideas? Would it be too much to dismount the front wheel and have that in the tent too?
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al_yrpal
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Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by al_yrpal »

I think you will be more relaxed when you are on tour than you are now. Anticipation is worse than the real thing. Just do what makes you feel secure at each place you visit.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
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Cunobelin
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Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by Cunobelin »

Topeak made the ideal answer


However i does preclude an evening ride to the pub once the tent is up



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simonhill
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Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by simonhill »

Multi continent. Well that covers about everywhere so difficult to give an answer.

Some you will be OK to wildcamp, some you won't. Some places will be safe, some definitely won't.

I tour a lot in Asia and don't camp because the hotels are so cheap. Also sneak theft can be a problem, not to mention invasion of privacy. I can't imagine anything worse than camping in many parts of India. In some countries there is little spare land to camp. In other places eg Vietnam I have heard of the locals charging for 'free camping', why not it's their land.

You will need to play it as you go. Try to seek local advice often not from the locals, they often don't understand such things or try to put a good gloss on things for foreigners.

Also be aware that disturbing a thief may not always be such a good idea.

I like the idea of removing the front wheel, I have heard it before. In most countries this will make the bike look like junk (although there are plenty of people who deal in scrap, so be aware of that as well).

If in doubt find a cheap hotel and don't worry.
Rogo
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Joined: 8 Nov 2014, 7:41pm

Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by Rogo »

Thanks Simon, sorry I should have been more clear on where I'll be going. China > UK, via Central Asia (Pamir Highway, Iran, Turkey) then into Europe, where I'll hopefully find more hostels available.

I guess I taking each location on its merit is the best idea, and I certainly take your point about it not necessarily being a good idea to disturb a thief!
robing
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Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by robing »

Rogo wrote:Thanks Simon, sorry I should have been more clear on where I'll be going. China > UK, via Central Asia (Pamir Highway, Iran, Turkey) then into Europe, where I'll hopefully find more hostels available.

I guess I taking each location on its merit is the best idea, and I certainly take your point about it not necessarily being a good idea to disturb a thief!


I don't have any personal experience of those countries, but I have read a lot of books on them. And I think Asia to Europe was generally regarded as pretty safe for wild camping. In fact in the more remote places it's probably your only option. So long as you try and pick a well hidden spot. In Alastair Campbell's book he said that he was quite anxious about wild camping to begin with, but became almost blasé about it.
nmnm
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Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by nmnm »

HexP1.jpg
HexP1.jpg (20.77 KiB) Viewed 2512 times
I don't know about camping in those places but with the Hex Peak 2014 tent, the bike fits inside.
simonhill
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Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by simonhill »

Hi Rogo, I think you will find you are virtually on a bike superhighway so most of the problem areas should be well documented. Other people you meet will be able to give advice on the good and the bad.

Most of my general advice still stands, but hopefully you won't end up in Vietnam unless your map reading is particularly bad!

The biggest problem may be that you may be seen as a walking wallet in some areas, again these will be well known by now.

Have a great ride and don't worry (too much!!).

Simon
Currently sitting in a cheap hotel in Thailand, it ain't rough, it ain't tough but who needs to suffer all the time.
Slowroad
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Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by Slowroad »

nmnm wrote:
HexP1.jpg
I don't know about camping in those places but with the Hex Peak 2014 tent, the bike fits inside.

Interested in this tent - does it come with a pole or do you have to have a walking pole?
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
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gplhl
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Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by gplhl »

If you pick the right places to wild camp nobody should know you were even there.

Leave all the bags on. It's harder for someone to steal unless they are used to riding a fully loaded cumbersome tourer. :-)

Gary
www.longbikeride.co.uk
mercalia
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Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by mercalia »

well the horrible inconvenience, expence and trauma of having your bike ( and bits ) stolen while in foreign parts would not lead me to take any chances; maybe thats just me
iviehoff
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Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: Bike security for camping tour

Post by iviehoff »

You can't completely remove the risk. There was a UK-China cyclist who had built his bike into his tent, but someone in Mongolia came along with a pick-up truck, attached it by a chain to the bicycle, and drove off in order to take the bicycle. Sadly, this rapidly made both tent and bicycle unusable, and sleeping cyclist found himself staring at the stars. There are people who tell of having their bike stolen when it was inside a locked hotel and chained up to solid metal fittings. If someone wants your bike badly enough, they will separate you from it, maybe even at gunpoint. But there's the famous story of the guy who'd been cycling around the world on his bicycle for 40 years or something, and never had a bike stolen until he came to Britain, where it was stolen in Portsmouth shortly after he got off the ferry. So all risk is relative.

People generally say that former soviet central Asia is a bit dodgy, so it is an area to be careful. There are a number of noted cyclist incidents there. I think it is generally wise to stay in accommodation whenever it is available, in any country where it is a bit dodgy.

My general philosophy is that if it's safe enough in general to wild-camp, bike or no, then a cable lock should suffice for your bike. I travelled and wild-camped in South America, but didn't go anywhere dodgier than Bolivia; I later went to Guatemala and I would not wild camp there, at all, nor several other countries in central America. I know several people who have had problems while wild camping in Peru.
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