RobWhite

I trust this will be a retread many times over for some of you. Sorry if I'm clogging the forum with a redundant post. If this was just settled once in for all three weeks ago, please point me to the post Back on-line after being active with online bike forums in the late 90s and early 00s. I'm finally, after literally thinking about it for several decades while work, other hobbies, and life in general intruded, just putting the finishing touches on a touring bike (LHT) and am super excited to get in some shorter multi-day tours this summer with maybe something much longer next year.

..and then I realized, oh, I should probably lock my bike on pit stops and certainly overnight. (I've ridden a Kvale fast road bike for decades on day rides but have never once locked it in rural areas, stopping for a bathroom or meal break, though I watch it nervously like a hawk...) But I have this 'huge' 4 lb 25 year old Kryptonite U-lock, and I'm thinking there must be a better way now. I've done a lot of searching and reading online leading to a lot of ideas, but not yet to any conclusions.

So what do you use? I've obsessively considered everything from a modern Kryptonite mini U-lock (maybe the New-U Evolution LITE mini-6? Too small for touring where dedicated bike racks could be rare?), to the ABUS Bordo 5700 folding lock (until I saw the LockPickingLawyer on youtube bypass it in seconds), to the Kryptonite folding lock (until the L.P.L. broke it in seconds with a basic hacksaw), the Ottolock (ditto - LPL; maybe 1 second with cheap tin snips), to the Foldylock Compact (my current favorite; though likely because I haven't seen a youtube video defeating it in seconds yet....)

Seems like for touring, generally in rural areas, the risks of bike theft is relatively small. So the question is really, is there any reason to get anything other than something really light that should stop an opportunity theft by some local kids or petty criminal with no tools, seeing an unlocked bike out of the blue? It seems clear that for determined experienced thieves in urban areas, any lock can be defeated quickly with an electric angle grinder and/or bolt cutters and/or lock picking skills. But what are the odds that a bike thief with an industrial bolt cutter will be stalking your Surly touring bike with rim brakes, racks, and panniers at the small town 7-11 on a coffee or bathroom break, or some remote cafe in the middle of no where when you are watching it from a window seat?

But especially for camping overnight, or longer visits to historic sites, etc., you probably want SOME level of security? So what is the best compromise, assuming we don't want to lug a 10 lb NYC chain and lock around on tour?

I'm considering getting two different relatively light locks: Maybe the Foldylock Compact, because it seems like a good compromise between security and weight and would be ideal to mount under the downtube on the third set of bottle bosses, to use for day trips and rural camping overnights. And then for longer tours where I want a bit more protection and may have some unknown risks, back it up with something else, maybe a little lighter, like the lightest modern Kryptonite mini U-locks (the Messenger or Lite Mini-6 are both well under 2lbs), or maybe the TiGr lock.

But is this just obsessive crazy overkill for touring? (Or naive?) [For context I live in the Methow Valley in north central Washington and am looking to tour initially in rural areas around the pacific northwest.]

Has anyone had their bike stolen on tour, or from a small town gas station or cafe on a pitstop? Is this like being afraid of a shark attack when you live in Iowa?

Is anyone using things like the Ortlieb pannier cable locks? (Has anyone had their panniers stolen off their parked bike?) Pitlocks for wheels? Any other type of safety measures? Or is this just paranoia and petty robbery in the touring world is exceedingly rare? All the bicycle crime information I could find related to a handful of major metropolitan areas.

fietsbob

[tl,dr] where do you plan to go? know what the place is like ?

I added a 10 foot long pretty light cable so I could lock up my bike to trees and picnic benches
in rural areas.
there was no internet or cell phones like there are now..

if nothing to lock to lock to your tent while you sleep. assuming the theft attempt will wake you ..

a few years ago a few juveniles from the nearby town, trolled the state park campground
and stole visitor's bikes ,
but I did not see them, how they were secured, or interview the victims ..

At the time I had an armor sleeve covered cable lock , kept out handy coiled up .. as my primary lock..

I used non Ortlieb bags that were not simple to remove..

I use Ortlieb's now, primarily as my grocery shopping bags.. they go into the store empty..
frame mounted ring lock & secure but reasonably light chain to fix bike to bike rack..








....

Rob_E

It will depend on where you want to tour. I live in a mid-size city, and because I will often use some kind of mass transit to get to the start of a trip, I will end up in a major city for at least a little while. I also like cities, and I want to be able to spend a little time in them, but that's really the one place where security is an issue. I'm currently carrying an Abus folding lock and a cable with a padlock. It's not quite as secure as the U-lock I tend to use at home, but it travels better, and at least now there are two locks to defeat, rather than just one. That said, in an urban area, I try not to leave a loaded bike unattended and out of sight for any amount of time. If I'm spending a night in the city, I will bring my bike inside, and I will unload it while exploring the city, and load it back up when it's time to leave. The rest of the time I just try to pay attention to what's going on. A small convenience store in the middle of nowhere, I won't bother with my lock at all. I might shift into high gear on the assumption that any opportunistic thief would be stalled for a minute or two when they found the loaded bike impossible to ride off on. But that's never happened, and I never expect it to. If I'm in an actual town, I usually lock it with whichever of my two locks works best in the situation. I don't tend to worry about people going through my stuff or taking my panniers, but I do keep my electronics in a separate bag that stays with me. If I'm camping, I almost never worry about locking the bike. I sleep in a hammock and have a large tarp. If there's rain in the forecast, or if I feel like there's any concern about theft, I bring the bike under the tarp. In a crowded campground, I have not only brought the bike under the tarp, but run the cable lock around the tree and through the bike, but I'm not aware that it's ever been necessary.

I don't mess with Pitlocks or the Ortleib retaining system. I have considered pitlocks just because my touring bike is also my commuter, and it'd be nice to have the extra security around town, but usually I just make sure the cable goes though one wheel and the lock through the other. Most wheel thefts seem to happen to people who leave their bikes parked on the streets overnight, which I never do.

Bring what makes you feel comfortable. Locks are heavy, but the peace of mind is good to have. On your second trip, you will likely make adjustments. I will certainly vary my lock situation depending on where I will be traveling and how often I expect to leave my bike alone, but in general I feel like no one wants all the crap you have strapped to your bike. Yeah, it would cost a lot to replace a full pannier set and some nice camping gear, but a prospective thief would have to be pretty savvy to turn your used gear into a worthwhile amount of money. I figure thing people are looking to steal from the bike racks is the bikes themselves, and no one's making a fast getaway on my bike. Which is not to say it doesn't happen, but know your area and know your options, and I don't think you'll have a problem.

Cyclist0108

Get the Garmin Edge 530 (or 830) with the bike alarm.

spinnaker

That is why I put valuables and anything you can't afford to lose in your handlebar bag. It goes everywhere with me, including into the shower at campsites and hostels. At a hostel, I try to select a bunk next to a wall and put the bag between me and the wall. No wall? Then it goes between the pillow and head of the bunk.

fietsbob

I adopted a money belt worn under my clothes , but my valuables were not electronics back then ..

Passport , Debit Card* , Return Airfare ticket, that sort of stuff ..

*No extra Fees to get cash in National local currency ..







....

acantor

Location, location, location!

Are you passing through New York City or Amsterdam? Use two, maybe three different theft deterrents.

Cycling through rural upstate New York or towns in central Holland? Any lock that will give pause to an "honest thief" is probably good enough.

u235

You won't need a lock until your bike is about to be stolen. Even then, the lock may only add 10-60 additional seconds to it not being stolen. When I have my handlebar bag, it has my "valuables" in it and it unclips and goes with me like a purse. When I am not touring, I grab my valuables out of my seat bag which is usually only my cell phone and maybe grab my Wahoo off. I carry and use a cheap $6 4 digit combo lock at times but it is mainly just for looks. Putting my bike in the highest possible gear (50x11 in my case) and putting my helmet strap through a wheel is probably more effective against anyone trying to do a quick peel away. I have TRP Hy/RD brakes and they are really easy to lock out the arm movement with the thumbscrew adjuster rendering the brakes inoperable (integral part of the cable tension adjuster). I thought about doing that preventing any braking and giving someone taking off a surprise but in the end decided that was a really dumb idea. I would forget to reset it and....

boomhauer

Use a combination lock....not the keyed style.
A key is just one more thing to misplace.

PedalingWalrus

"They" took my wallet out of my handlebar bag in Brunswick Maryland while I went in and out of the fancy church cafe... :-(

indyfabz

+1. Especially the bold. Situational awareness.

I have spent four nights outside this year so far. Didn't lock my bike up in camp at all. Locked it during a day trip from camp to a public zoo. I know the places I camped very well. They are not the sort of places that you are likely to find bike thieves, and public access is very limited. In contract, last year during my two-week tour I locked my bike both nights staying in the municipal campground in Burlington, VT because there is relatively easy access from a bike trail. In fact, one night there I did see a suspicious looking character (e.g., potential tweeker) walking around camp. When I shone my headlamp on his for a bit he made a hasty exit from the facility. Following that stay I camped at four state parks that were nearly empty and had difficult public access. No locking. One night I spent in a restored caboose in a somewhat rough MA town. Locked the bike to a metal fence.

Like at least one person commented above, "valuables" (wallet, camera and phone) always come with me, even to the shower/bathroom. The only attempted theft from me was in WY. I stupidly left out my expensive stove near my tent, which was pitched near a road that led to a trailer park or something. Car stopped, one of the two inside got out, jumped the low, post-rail fence and headed toward my stuff. I saw what was going on from outside the laundry room. Made a bee line toward my site and the kid got back in the car, which sped off. Don't make yourself an easy mark.

raybo

I carry a thin cable and keyed lock, but rarely use it. To stop snatch and grab thefts, I use a large rubber band around the front brake handle which will stop the bike from moving easily. I use the rubber band when I have the bike in view, say going into a bakery. I use the cable lock when going into a store, after assessing if I can bring the bike into the store. These days, many people bike and are happy to find a secure place for a bike in a store or restaurant.

I try to avoid big cities. When I can't, I generally rent a hotel or use warmshowers, both of which provide a safe place to keep my bike while I am out shopping or sightseeing.

All my valuables are in my camlebak that goes with me everywhere.

While I am aware that my bike is a target, I am much more concerned about cars or self-caused accident ending my tours.

alan s 

Most trips I carry a 6’ cable and small padlock for lunch and overnight camping. For higher risk areas, I use the Abus Bordo Granit X Plus 6500. It weighs a bit, but is carried under the downtube, so doesn’t take up space in my bags.

RobWhite

Thanks, good information.

djb

this part intrigued me. 20 years later, are online bike forums any different? Back then I was on a motorsport forum and we only had access from actual computers, with the dialup speed interwebness, so there were probably less folks on bike forums, or maybe less "casual" questions asked, but do you see a difference?

There's a part of me that figures that its more or less the same, the same bike nerd/bike touring folks still probably talk about the same stuff all in all. Sure, one can argue about slightly different stuff, doubles vs triples, disc vs rim or whatever, but I figure the stuff to discuss is the same.

so, for your question from someone who hasnt toured before (not a dumb question at all btw)---as in 2000 or today, use common sense, and like the others have said, urban settings are generally more tricky, but Ive hardly ever been in urban settings where I have had to lock up my bike while touring. I personally have never lugged a U lock, partially for weight, and a coil lock is always going to be better for attaching your bike to a tree, or fencepost, or picnic table or wahtever, or even going through a couple of pannier handles and a rear wheel when going into a store.

main point--valuables in handlebar bag, hbag goes with your always, like always.
keep bike in sight at a restaurant, or if necessary, in a store, but you have to use common sense to evaluate the risk of Sleepyhollow, Oldfolksville or whatever....
If you were on the internet 20 years ago, you aint a kid, so just use common sense, and be safe rather than sorry and use the lock you have if you have to leave the bike, but go with your instincts for when and where you leave the bike.
Store folks will often happily comply if you ask to leave your bike inside the store within sight while you shop, so put on your friendly face and it often works.

I always lock my bike in a campground, always.
I grew up in cities, so aint no schmuck, you gotta lock it.

good luck on trying out biking touring and biking again in general. Its a great sport/activity.

RobWhite

Thanks for (gently..) pointing that out. I'm a little ashamed to admit, before just reviewing the dictionary, that I didn't realize the difference between theft and robbery. Good to know!

Rob_E

That part intrigued me, too. I feel like "forums" were more like "bulletin boards" back then. I have to say, forums like this are the reason I got back into bike touring, so thank goodness for the internet. I had taken a stab at it in the early 90s, when there was no internet, at least none that I had access to. I made bad gear choices and bad bike choices and bad everything choices all along the way. I didn't have a miserable time, but I didn't have a great one, either. Didn't know any other bikers, and I lived in a small town with no bike shop, so I just made it up. Then I gave up bike touring as an idea because I didn't like being sore, cold, and wet all the time. Finding an on-line community with great advice on gear that doesn't suck, keeps you warm and dry, and bikes that can carry it all has been great.

u235

usenet, rec.bicycles.rides or any of the rec.bicycle.* groups. Still there in some different form via google groups.
Same discussions and content today as then but with emoji and embedded picture support now. Usenet hierarchy and typical Usenet reader layout and format was much easier to follow than the current webpage formats. Much more clicking and scrolling now.

In the *tech group, you have the same exact discussions on chain lube then as you do now here, that debate is still not resolved. People were asking about putting drops on their MTB, all nothing new

RobWhite

Thanks djb. I hadn't thought about it. I literally have just been sluicing around the forum for the last few days, so I don't have enough to go on just yet, but I'd say probably little difference. Though as you say, a lot fewer people back then. Though there were still a lot of casual questions, even in a smaller circle on what was then a newer platform. Cyclists, like most other obsessives, ;-) can wring an awful lot out of the barest of minutia (and life is just endlessly fascinating because of it.) It does look like there are a lot more categories and a lot more information now that comes with the volume of people. I don't remember the platform I was on, but it was about classic and vintage race bikes, and is probably still around with some of the same people. At that time (around 1999 or 2000) I bought a beautiful refurbished 1981 Kvale racing frameset from the builder (Chris) based on a tip from Richard Sachs! I built it up with mostly modern (at the time) Campy components and have loved it and ridden it hard ever since. The LHT is my first new bike since then.

Thanks all for the input, good information. I think I will buy a cheap longer cable lock. Especially for camping overnight, just to help encourage an otherwise decent citizen from turning into a petty thief ;-)

(The cable lock would be in addition to something relatively small and robust, like a mini u-lock or folding lock, for situations as noted where you might want at least the appearance of more security.)

djb

in the end, you'll see that crap can accumulate, aand weight, and it will shock you riding that bike first time with all your junk on it and how bloody slow it is to accelerate and hump up hills, even small hills....
Its pretty common to take too much junk first times, and if you havent done self propelled outdoor activities before, youll most likely pack too much

but live and learn, a mini u lock is pretty darn heavy still. but it depends on many factors. Ive just never taken one myself.

ricrunner

I use 2 locks, a thick cable lock for a bike rack, or a seat, or a tree, and a disc brake lock, home made, that goes thru the rear rotor, thru the seat stay with a small padlock. On the two occasions, the cable lock has been cut, I have come back to see the bike still their, as the panniers hid the lock. The panniers have a small lock on all four, keyed alike, but that is only when I am in big towns or cities.

Machka 

Yes.

Hub and spoke long weekend tour.
Small rural town campground where "this sort of thing never happens".

robert schlatte

Like others above, valuables in my handlebar bag and goes everywhere with me. If you have a phone, wallet and credit card at least you can make arrangements if your bike is stolen. For my bike, a thin cable lock to at least dissuade theft. Also, bike is never far from sight. Common sense goes a long ways.

mev

Dating myself here, but I recall first following newsgroups just prior to the great renaming in late 80s. I forget the exact name but net.bicycle??? became rec.bicycles.rides. In this era prior to invention and adoption of www, the group sometimes had trip reports in ASCII format. I still have a trip report I sent via nntp about a 1994 Ride the Rockies trip - Ride the Rockies '94 and also put my Atlantic Coast trips in 1995.

By mid-1990s, there was bit more separation of trip reports and discussion groups. I followed rec.bicycle.rides in that era but then also used the web more for trip reports, both posting and reading. My first digital camera came in 1996 and others seemed to get them in similar era so that changed trip reports, access and discussion a lot.

I came into this discussion group at tail end of 2007, so a lot more recent. Not sure I've seen as many differences in discussions since that time...more differences in contrast to newsgroup discussions.

djb

Rob and Machka
What happened to her must have been very upsetting, I know the bike meant (and means) a lot to her, not to mention the practical messiness of having a bike stolen.
We do know however that the chances of this happening are pretty low (a BIG TOUCH WOOD on that one though!!) and it sucks to say, but the bike wasnt locked. (again, a big touch wood for all of us of having similar bad luck, as we have all left our bikes unlocked at times, so could have been at the wrong place, wrong time also)

Machka's experience certainly shows that things can happen, even in Sleepytown, so en garde everyone, and touch wood again just for good measure.