So - given that staycations are the new going away, we’re off for a few weeks travelling around, and I’m taking two bikes on a towbar-mounted rack. We’re in a few different hotels (not much biking) before heading over to NI where we’ll be in an Airbnb for a week. Bikes are likely to be more used while we’re there
So the question is how to protect the bikes from the typical UK weather, plus the long journey while also securing them whilst at the hotels (if it’s not possible to bring them in)
One of these is an eBike. Nothing grand - just a shopper-type thing but obviously the battery will be off
I've never worried about protecting bikes from the weather - they are meant to be used outside after all. Not aware its caused any problems.
On the bike rack I take cables and my strongest locks, and fasten them to the rack itself when left unattended. Staying anywhere, bikes go indoors. Premier Inn and Travel Lodge have always let me keep bikes in a room, and I don't stay anywhere more upmarket than those!
This winter I had some issues with wet roads getting road grime and salts onto my bike contaminating my discs and turning my NX chain rusty, I picked up the muc off disc covers for less then £20 which worked to stop that, for the chain I would give it a quick spray of GT85 and a wipe before each journey to protect, eventually the chain wore so I went X01 which has rust protection.
When travelling I'd always have a motorbike lock on the bikes, through the rack and locked to the car chassis, I'd then try to park near cameras if a car park had them or very tight to hedges, anything sharp and pointy which would put people off.
If it's really a staycation then just leave them in your house overnight.
If it's actually a standard holiday then the approach I go with is 6metres of Pragmasis chain looped around the rear axle of the van.
( not when driving obvs. The chain alone is about half the nose limit for the tow hitchh!)
I use a cable and D lock, cable goes through frames and wheels and D locked to the carrier.
Most importantly, I try to never let the bikes out of my sight. If we stop at a services then we take turns to go inside so somebody is always watching the bikes. Overnight they come into the room with us or if there is secure storage at the accommodation then they get locked together with my motorbike chain.
A bit paranoid but I've seen far too many holidays ruined by bike being nicked.
Don't leave on the car - either bring them in, or find somewhere secure, but you'll need some good locks (which I'd assume you have ?).
In the car when parked up? Locket to anchor point/ seat anchor.
Saw a blinged up Yeti on the roof of a car outside Decathlon in Braehead on friday, madness.
Most places will have a garage or secure shed you can lock them up in if you ask. Much better than being visible to all especially in a town.
I used a Kanulock tie down strap, mainly as it easy to use and didn’t scratch the bikes like a chain or cable. (*check length needed first - longer the better imho)
For cover look at motorhome bike covers, taylormade, fiamma etc etc,
So I ended up with a motorhome bike cover and a long kanulock that was round the bikes and used to “clamp” the cover to the bikes to stop it flapping and holid it in at the rack.
Can you not put the bikes inside the car overnight while no passengers are in there? Though given the current demand for bikes and parts, I wouldn't be leaving them outside a hotel for an hour let alone overnight.
Put them in the hotel.
Even if you lock them to the car chassis, someone can still strip the parts with a small multitool.
Get something like this if you think the hotels will make a fuss...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rhinowalk-Folding-Transport-Mountain-Bicycle/dp/B08NX1LZVJ
Buy a van. Make sure that you don’t cover it in biking stickers and that there are no windows into the cargo area. Ideally a white transit style with nothing fancy on it. Then make sure no one is following you before you park up.
Stealth is better than security.
Also chains, lots of chains.
Failing that put them in your room. People still break into cars to steal CD players (WTF? Who even has CDs nowadays) so they’ll be straight in for a bike as that’ll get them more crack/heroin than your stereo.
Premier Inn - the best friends a traveling cyclists can have.
On one trip, we were given white fluffy towels to clean our bikes before taking them in #pampered
https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/short-breaks/cycling-trails.html
Ask if you take them in with you, failing that put them inside the car, should be loads of room with o passengers in, I wouldn't be leaving anything decent/expensive on a rack!
I once left my bike on a towbar rack in the middle of a Lakes town for a couple of hours and it was ok, used a chunky chain and very tough padlock to lock them to the towbar frame under the car which you’d have to saw off.
Cheers folks. It’s far north Scotland initially - west side of NC500. Got a few big locks for when on the car plus the obbligato rack locks (probly not worth sh1!t)
Inside the car won’t work for the ebike - so hotels it hopefully is!!
Muchos muchos
Whilst the car is parked and not in use, dismantle bikes and put them in car.
Sounds simple but whenever I travel with the bikes, wherever we stay always check the rack and bikes can be stored somewhere safe, and when at services one of us always stays with the car/bikes, got caught a few years back when someone tried at the services on way to FOD they didn’t get anything we spotted them on the way back to the car.
