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Keeping bikes secure on urban tours?

Old 06-16-22, 03:31 PM
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greatbasin
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Keeping bikes secure on urban tours?

Where or how can you secure your bike when touring urban areas?

I just returned from a tour of Point Reyes, Marin County and San Francisco. I was only in San Francisco for two half-days with a couple of others, and we kept the bikes with us the entire time except at the hostel which thoughtfully had a bike storage room. We ate at restaurants where we could sit outside and keep an eye on the bikes. On this tour, we didn't have a lot of time for anything but peddling, eating and sleeping, but I can imagine another tour in a similar location where I might want to go in museums or other places. I've been to SF many times so I knew what I was missing, but even so, it could have been nice to step into the Conservatory of Flowers or have lunch at the Top of the Mark, but what would I do with a bike?



San Francisco is infamous nowadays as a smash-and-grab hotspot. People actually leave their car doors and hatches open, or windows down when parked so thieves won't break glass to rummage through their car. There is no bike lock that could secure a bike with even modest components like a decent touring seat, tires and wheelset or a good lugged steel frame, never-mind Ortlieb panniers.

I live in a rural area and most of my bike touring is in wilderness areas, camping, and I don't have a reason to leave the bike or any concern doing so. I'm not savvy when it comes to city living. I was impressed that throughout the city, there was an abundance of bike lanes, bike paths, and no shortage of accommodation for cyclists. But how much accommodation could I expect if I started to roll my bike into buildings?
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Old 06-16-22, 04:21 PM
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I can only recall three places where I was asked to leave my bike somewhere other than in my motel/hotel room, and those were nice places with small rooms on the back side of nowhere. And two of them had reasonably secure places to lock the bikes.

If you roll into a motel lobby and look like you know what you're doing when you ask to check in, most places will let you. And many will be happy to give you some too-old-for-pool towels to use as a cleaning rag to wipe the bike and other equipment down, if you came in through the muddy construction zone.
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Old 06-16-22, 05:50 PM
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Originally Posted by greatbasin
Where or how can you secure your bike when touring urban areas?

I just returned from a tour of Point Reyes, Marin County and San Francisco. I was only in San Francisco for two half-days with a couple of others, and we kept the bikes with us the entire time except at the hostel which thoughtfully had a bike storage room. ...
It is nice to know that Hostels are still in business after Covid. In 2014 I stayed at Fisherman's Wharf hostel, perhaps you used the same bike storage room I did.

It is the standard list of things, use a good lock, park your bike (which you do not clean) next to bikes that look more inviting to thieves, etc., etc.

A friend of mine was worried about theft with his titanium bike in Florida Keys, the first photo below is the lock and chain he used.



When I saw this cable on the ground in San Fransisco when I was there in 2014, I had to take a photo.



Situational awareness is the most important thing. Just look around, do you feel safe? And if you do, still take some more precautions.

When I rode the Pacific Coast route, one motel would not allow us to park our bikes in our motel room. We locked them in some bushes immediately outside the motel office window, as the motel said that their office was staffed all night.

My titanium bike is not my most expensive bike, but it looks like my most expensive bike. I paid over $100 for the lock I use on that one, yet I still do not like to lock it up in some places.
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Old 06-16-22, 06:49 PM
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I'm not so concerned about hotels I might be staying at. I think I can reasonably expect them to accommodate a bicycle or I will find one that does. It's the restaurants, museums, gardens, and other attractions. I don't really know what I expect because it's not like I want to roll my bike tableside in the dining room or around inside the Louvre. A chain might deter theft of wheels and the frame, but what about the rest of the bike and touring gear and what about vandalism? Some places have bike box lockers:


But these are probably more practical for suburban office parks. Within the city, maybe I could find parking garages with secure bike storage. I just looked it up and it appears SFMTA installed 48 of these at garages back in 2016:

Obviously, 48 lockers is too few in a city like San Francisco, but maybe private garages have lockers or secure storage areas with a ticket to redeem a bike.

The hostel at Fort Mason (adjacent to Fisherman's Wharf) is in business. The hostel at Point Reyes is on a vacation-rental basis -- a group has to rent the whole thing. I was also trying to get in a hostel at Ano Nuevo in August, but it's booked out on the weekend I needed so I don't know. Hosteling can be great, especially when traveling solo and the living area doesn't just have a dozen screen zombies inhabiting it.
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Old 06-16-22, 06:55 PM
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Many cities have bike share systems. These are perfect for exploring, just put the bike back into a nearby locking rack, and it's no longer your responsibility. Then check another one out when you are done walking around. I used my bikeshare subscription on a 5 mile trip to the big farmer's market, and parked the bike at three different locations to go walk down the street, visit the market, and stop for ice cream and sit in the park on the way back. Spontaneous!

locking a touring bike on the street and leaving it for a few hours? I'd be nervous.

There's a new underground garage near downtown that has locking racks for bikes. There's partial bikes locked in the slots now. Nobody is watching closely enough to stop the thieves.

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Old 06-16-22, 07:03 PM
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The hot ticket for urban touring in one word: folding bikes.

We haven't been refused entry toting and trolleying our folded bikes. (Note: our bikes fold up small and have a good trolley mode. Some folding bikes do and some don't.) If I don't see a "No Strollers" sign, I figure it's okay. If it's ever not, I'd ask about a cloakroom or a luggage storage locker or a desk where they can hold things.

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Old 06-16-22, 07:09 PM
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Right, but what if you arrived on a touring bike? I suppose you could leave it in a secure place like a hotel room and use a rental bike to get around but the rental won't necessarily accommodate the items you'll want to have with you like cameras, lenses, art supplies, journals, medicines, first-aid kit, water, or whatever it is you want to have to do what you want to do, and while I don't want to be a bike snob, they won't have the features or components you invested in to have a nice bike to ride.
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Old 06-16-22, 07:23 PM
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In the city even Beater Bikes are not safe. I think they steal those just ta stay in practice...
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Old 06-16-22, 10:44 PM
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Originally Posted by tcs
The hot ticket for urban touring in one word: folding bikes.....
That is a good idea. I had imagined arriving to the city with a full touring load, but supposing I dropped off most of the camping gear, clothing, and just kept what I wanted for a day ride, a folding bike could carry all that quite handily and if it had a smart trolley mode that would probably be accommodated almost anywhere.
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Old 06-17-22, 07:03 AM
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Originally Posted by zandoval
In the city even Beater Bikes are not safe. I think they steal those just ta stay in practice...
I have been locking up bikes on the streets of Philly for decades. Never had one stolen--except from inside my house while I was home and awake. Being smart about where, when and how you secure your bike is the key. One Sunday afternoon a woman had her bike stolen from outside a popular market. It was parked right next to mine. In fact, we locked up at the same time. I used my Kryptonite U-lock and thick cable. She used a flimsy chain and padlock. Dude must have been waiting for someone like her because he rode off with her bike maybe 5 minutes after she locked it. Mine was safe and sound.

OP: In case this has not been mentioned, one possible option is to ask a local bike shop if you can leave your bike there while seeing the sights.
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Old 06-17-22, 08:20 AM
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When I’m touring in cities (or anywhere) I carry a strong u-lock. If I’m staying in a hotel I’ll leave my panniers and gear there. If camping, ask around at local bike shops and someone might have room to store your stuff for a bit while you’re sightseeing. And avoid locking your bike outside overnight in a city whenever possible.
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Old 06-17-22, 08:39 AM
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Originally Posted by greatbasin
Right, but what if you arrived on a touring bike? I suppose you could leave it in a secure place like a hotel room and use a rental bike to get around but the rental won't necessarily accommodate the items you'll want to have with you like cameras, lenses, art supplies, journals, medicines, first-aid kit, water, or whatever it is you want to have to do what you want to do, and while I don't want to be a bike snob, they won't have the features or components you invested in to have a nice bike to ride.
I was about to suggest using mass transit (like the locals) if where you're going is too far to walk from where you're staying. Then I saw this list. Maybe you should rent a U-Haul for a day?

Most people I've run into are happy with a point-and-shoot camera; the photographers among us usually have a small bag. A small notebook will fit in the photo bag. First-aid kit? Stick a bandaid in your billfold, if that. I don't expect to have to treat snakebite or road rash walking around a city. Art supplies? Did you bring a folding easel with you?? I've always been able to take a water bottle in one hand, or hand over a credit card to buy chilled drinks; no need to drag a cooler all over town with me.

Slow down, enjoy the city, if that's what you're going to do. It's unrealistic to plan to visit the art museum, the natural history museum, write your novel, take award-winning pictures of sunrise and sunset, sketch the most interesting sites you see, and enjoy the opera that evening all in one day. It is realistic to burn yourself out trying to do too much, too fast.
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Old 06-18-22, 10:45 AM
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They have tools to open u-locks too, I had a Trek stolen in Seattle, that had a u-lock. 😟

Bottom line is, don't trust anything or anyone, unless it's someone you know.
Touring with at least one other person is a great idea. I tour alone, and cross my fingers sometimes, just using a restroom. Quickly. And with the bike locked, obviously. 🙄😉
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Old 06-18-22, 11:11 AM
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In a place like SF, I'd lock the bike in a hotel room or some kind of secure bike storage service, get a Clipper card for bus and BART and see the city that way. At least for one day have some relief from always keeping an eye on the bike.
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Old 06-18-22, 12:27 PM
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I carry a heavy u-lock on tour. It weighs about 5lbs. It sucks but there is no other alternative. I also keep my bike inside my hotel room at night. If a hotel does not allow me to take the bike inside, I get back on my bike and ride to the next hotel.
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Old 06-18-22, 05:23 PM
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Originally Posted by greatbasin
Right, but what if you arrived on a touring bike? I suppose you could leave it in a secure place like a hotel room and use a rental bike to get around but the rental won't necessarily accommodate the items you'll want to have with you like cameras, lenses, art supplies, journals, medicines, first-aid kit, water, or whatever it is you want to have to do what you want to do, and while I don't want to be a bike snob, they won't have the features or components you invested in to have a nice bike to ride.
I forget. Have you actually done any touring?
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Old 06-18-22, 08:07 PM
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Yes. See post #1. I did only begin recently. I also toured the Owens Valley in April. By bike touring, I merely mean riding for several days or longer for the purpose of seeing and enjoying the place ridden. Since I started this thread, I've learned to look for bike lockers or secure storage at parking garages, and that folding bikes would be great for urban touring (though I doubt I will acquire one only for that purpose).

U-locks are stronger than padlocks or bike cables, but they are heavy, only secure a couple of components at most, and can be defeated by a bottle jack. It seems to me they would do a reasonable job of keeping a bare-bones bike in the place you left it, but I doubt a fully loaded touring machine could be secured merely by the application of a u-lock.

A hotel or hostel can offer secure storage, but I'd like to use the bike to get places and I might have checked out and be riding to the next one when I want to park the bike for an hour to see the tea garden, the maritime museum, or visit the planetarium. It seems that most places would have car parking within a very short distance and that it would behoove them to offer secure bike parking also, for a fee of course. I suppose if I was riding a stripped-down bike, I could secure it in a simple bike rack with a bike lock, but I'm betting that besides touring, some people commute on better-than-junk bikes and that they pay to park them securely.

Well, I ride and tour predominantly in rural areas, but I'll have some ideas about what to do next time I'm in the city.
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Old 06-18-22, 08:23 PM
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Iggy list updated.
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Old 06-19-22, 07:41 AM
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Hmm, some caustic answers.

I thought it was a great question. I hear tour accounts and read journals and almost always it's 'X miles, Y days'. Now, if they're destination cycletourists, great. If they're journey cycletourists but they're not visting local museums or distilleries or what have you or touring historic structures or gardens &etc. because they're afraid to take their eyes off their bike&gear, that's sad.

Back in the day organizations like the LAW and CTC pressed for cyclist accommodation, and places could get little signs or placks to display advertising they met some set standard. I don't know of any cycling advocacy organization today that has that in its mission statement.
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Old 06-19-22, 08:25 AM
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I don't spend too much time in cities when on tour, but when I do I typically leave the bike in the room and use public transportation or am just very careful about where I leave my bike.

I have never been refused to take the bike in the room, but have been offered other places to store it. In some cases I have accepted the other places, but on;y when sharing a room and it would be crowded with multiple bikes.

Wherever I am I judge the risk and act accordingly. Mostly I am pretty careful about where I leave my bike, but use a minimal lock or in some cases have not taken a lock. I figure that maybe at some point in my life I might lose a bike and/or my gear to theft. I figure that I have bikes and gear that I can afford to replace and will deal with that eventuality when and if it arises. A tour might be delayed or shortened if near the end anyway, but generally I could be going again in a few days either by buying new stuff or having other stuff shipped from home. Worst case I'd continue with walmart stuff until I could get other gear purchased or from home.

I'd be more sad for sentimental reasons about a couple of my older bikes than I would be the financial loss of any of my other bikes. It probably helps that by anyone else's standards those older favorites of mine are beaters. The "nicer" bikes I don't have so much emotional attachment to. They are all just bikes and gear and replaceable when you look at it from a practical standpoint. I am at a point in my life where I can afford to replace any and all of my stuff without much pain. It helps that I buy fairly frugally to start with.

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Old 06-19-22, 10:20 AM
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Originally Posted by staehpj1
... or in some cases have not taken a lock. ....
I know you are an ultra light camper, but I would expect at least some precaution for the opportunist thief. Something like a skier lock, I sometimes use those if I feel very trusting. They weigh almost nothing and are very quick to use.



A friend of mine went to the grocery store, forgot his lock, so he made it a quick trip and only bought a few items he absolutely needed, only a few minutes. Came outside, the bike was gone. Stood there looking around. And he saw it abandoned on the other side of the parking lot. He concluded that the thief either did not know how to use downtube friction shifters, or felt that the bike did not have enough value to steal.

I even lock up my old rusty Bridgestone which is what I typically take to the grocery store.
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Old 06-19-22, 02:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
I know you are an ultra light camper, but I would expect at least some precaution for the opportunist thief.
Yes I generally do carry a light cable lock. I have only very rarely gone on a tour without a lock. Right off the top of my head I don't recall which ones, but likely something like a mixed surface or off road tour where I'd be in camp and not in towns much. I think I did also it at least once where it was all very rural small town stops.

I am super careful if I feel like I need to be and will take my bike into a store and wheel it up and down the aisles or ask to park it by the registers. Other times I don't worry. Some places I absolutely don't leave it out of my sight, others I am pretty lax.

So far I have had no real issues other than a carabiner and a pair of crocs snatched off the back once. I suspect they were after the nice locking carabiner and just took the worn out crocs along with it since they were hanging by the carabiner. That was from the entry area in a walmart. I should have wheeled it up and down the aisles as I often do.
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Old 06-19-22, 03:16 PM
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I use a light lock even for a 5 minute in/out visit to a convenience store.

A friend had his bike stolen from inside the Banff Safeway. He wheeled it in, 15 minutes later it was gone.
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Old 06-19-22, 06:45 PM
  #24  
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I have never seen anyone wheel a bicycle up and down the aisles in a grocery store. But I have always lived in areas that are relatively safe. That said, I am five miles from a campus where there is a lot of bike theft. If I have a reason to go to campus, I take my rusty errand bike, not one of my more expensive looking bikes.

This is off topic, but related. I have registered my bikes with Bike Index. I doubt that it makes my bikes any safer from theft at all, but it would slightly increase my chance at bike recovery if it is stolen. I also bought the Bike Index stickers so any cops that recover one of my bikes would know to check with them.
https://bikeindex.org/

Years ago someone stole my dad's bike, several months later the police called and said he should come and pick up his bike. At that time Minneapolis had a license program, when the police recovered it they looked up the owner for that license, which was my dad.

My community (Madison WI) used to license bikes, but does not any more, now they suggest Bike Index or Project 529.
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Old 06-20-22, 05:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
I have never seen anyone wheel a bicycle up and down the aisles in a grocery store.
I haven't either, but I have done it myself quite a few times in both large-ish grocery stores and in walmart or similar big box stores and no one has ever said a word to me about it. I'd advise leaving all bags and panniers zipped up tight to avoid looking like you were shoplifting. Obviously you are limited how much you can carry when doing this since you can't put stuff in a pannier. I have used one of those little plastic shopping baskets that stores have. I typically don't buy more than will very easily fit in one of those.
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