Locks / security while touring

To some extent it depends on how stealable your bike is. I've just used a lightweight lock in the past, but that was touring on an old rigid mountain bike and not going near cities etc.

Where are you going? Somehwere like the Scottish Islands and I would use a thin cable. Use an old brake cable and crimp a loop on.

posh and expensive but doesn't really look it.

Where are you going?

heading for Bilbao via ireland, england and the netherlands ( But I have family there) In the highlands I just used the 700g cable and padlock I hope to be away for 3-4 months. No real fixed plan or route

We use an Oxford Revolver lock as a compromise. Heavier than the cable option but lighter than the D Lock.

Supermarkets:

Remove front wheel and drop in caddy, drop closed panniers in the caddy too, add saddle if it has a QR. Lock up remaining bike with any old flimsey lock to dissuade the unprepared thief. Go shopping. The prepared thief will have a bolt cutter and battery angle grinder so a big lock is pointless.

I always lock it somewhere public and try to get it all tight-up so you can't spin/lever the bike to bust the lock.

Main thing is time. I don't leave mine for any more than a few hours.

The big lock has saved my bike 3 times. Even a battery angle grinder would take a while to cut it. Boltcroppers won't cut it

Tricky this. I'm not sure I have an answer, but I think with your brief I'd be tempted to go for a nice light mini u-lock or one of those fabric LiteLok ones. Some ideas here:

https://thebestbikelock.com/best-bike-lock/lightweight-bike-locks/

I like the idea of the mini Abus one since it says it's also motorcycle gold rated. Not that the sold secure ratings are much guarantee but it's a start. Also has an ART rating. I'd couple that with absolute minimum time away from the bike unless it's in a good location. And tell your insurance company, ask them if you're covered abroad. They may require a gold rating.

The prepared thief will have a bolt cutter and battery angle grinder

Those things are only really usable if it's out of the way. If you lock right in front of a busy supermarket with a security guard it's going to have to be a pretty ballsy thief.

boltcropper on a cheapo lock takes 2 seconds. Thats the MO round here and they will take bikes from anywhere.

How rife is bike theft in rural france Edukator?

The prepared thief will have a bolt cutter and battery angle grinder

Those things are only really usable if it’s out of the way. If you lock right in front of a busy supermarket with a security guard it’s going to have to be a pretty ballsy thief.

I know you wont be riding in London, but still....

boltcropper on a cheapo lock takes 2 seconds

Yes, well aware of this, but the absolute first line in bike security is not leaving it in a city. If I were touring and I wanted to go into one I'd book into a campsite, leave my bike locked by the office, in their bike sheds, or ask them to keep it in their office; and I'd take public transport.

I bought a lighter d-lock for this purpose - about 500g. Not as secure but still looks the part and acts as a decent deterent. With a bike worth any kind of money, leaving it anywhere is a risk. Even with the best lock money can buy you could well return to find bits missing from it. On that basis, a decent but not too heavy lock, and only ever leave your bike where you feel it's safe.

Lightweight lock and a padlock through the brake rotor?

I would go for the cable lock, it's the best compromise between weight and security. Also, wrap yr bike in old tape/innertubes to make it look cack!

Also, wrap yr bike in old tape/innertubes to make it look cack!

According to you lot it already does 🙂 But the french cyclists I met thought it classy and it would break my heart to do so 🙂 I have done this in the past with a bike left all day in high crime areas

I've got one of them Litelocks. I like it. It takes a bit of a knack to close it because they're not as flexible as they look but are a decent size and strap along the top tube. Gold standard and not cheap, but neither was your bike.

1) Insurance.

2) Leave it at home and hire one.

Those things are only really usable if it’s out of the way. If you lock right in front of a busy supermarket with a security guard it’s going to have to be a pretty ballsy thief.

I fear you're overestimating the general public's desire to get involved.

Leave it at home and hire one.

4 month tour? cycling all the way? Bike custom built for this?

Hey, TJ, you passing through this way? Come say hi to some of the East Lancs contingent.

4 month tour? cycling all the way? Bike custom built for this?

I assumed you were hiring a motor.

That sounds epic. Start a blog.

I obviously haven't made enough ego boosting fuss about it. 🙂 East Lancs? High probability given I have pals in leigh and manchester and aim for the north sea ferry from Hull and will be getting a ferry from ireland to wales.

If there's two of you, then you can go with a lighter lock abd take it in turns to shop.

If your on your own you will have to leave it in areas your not familiar with. The lock has worked in the past. If a scoat nicks your bike the rides over.

Your riding on your own so not trying to keep up with anyone, take the proper lock and have piece of mind.

Lock with alarm

I believe tested on here at some point.

I have the non alarm version and it feels robust and better to transport than a DLock

How rife is bike theft in rural france Edukator?

So far so good. I'm pretty selective about where I leave a bike though. The worst places are where the thief can get a van close to, the best are where there's some distance to carry a bike without a front wheel past people and CCTV.

There's rural France and rural France. Lower risk in Lozère than the Gard and higher risk wherever there are tourists..

Plus don't clean your bike, we are 6 weeks into a tour. The bikes are bogging , avoids that's a nice flash looking bike there. 🤔

On campsites we sometimes chose a pitch next to an old couple with a caravan and a TV in the awning. Once you've had a chat with them it's like having a guard dog tied to you bike/kit. Campsite crime is surprisingly low in rural France, but if you are stupid enough to stay on les Prairies de la Mer you'll be sharing space with white trash from all over Europe.

East Lancs? High probability

Plus we have a Binners.

Make of that what you will.

Its 2kg but you would also be gutted if your bike was stolen as it's very special.  Unless you are off somewhere super hilly I'd be temped to live with it for the piece of mind.

Hmmmm

the issue is my luggage for the tour of the highlands weighed 13 kg ish which is too much - and that was with a 700g lock. I can loose some weight in the waterproof and cold weather kit but a 2kg+ lock adds a good %. I did climb best part of 30 000 ft in 13 days in the highlands and want to go over the pyrenees and alps on this tour - and I love the massif central area in france. i was sooooo sloooow climbing

Ta for your thoughts

Buy a Tractive dog tracker (with long life battery) and then find a decent place to disguise it - a moulded insert underneath the mud guards would work well.

Still take a lock but the Tractive will help you to locate it if it gets nicked. Don’t bother with Apple AirTags - they broadcast their presence and a thief will have them off in no time.

You'll get quicker though.

Mini d lock and choose where you lock wisly. Mini d locks can be pretty secure and not too heavy but are more restrictive on how and where you can lock up.

We’ve gone for a lighter cable lock, and one of these alarms which can fit round your chain ring or disc rotor  https://www.oxfordproducts.com/motorcycle/brands/oxford/security/disc_locks_and_padlocks/micro_xa5_disc_lock_yellowblack/ Was suggested by someone else on here. It’s incredibly loud and has given me a lot of peace of mind whilst in the tent. Yes won’t stop a determined thief but I do like it provides two different types of deterrent.

Just posted an AirTag thread @tjagain
Might be of interest to you.

We've travelled Europe on bikes for years. We have Ortlieb panniers on a rack at the rear and I have the tent between them. In Summer the bags weigh under 10kgs with food and in Winter about 10kgs because I add an MRS stove and thicker sleeping bag. In Summer, on the occasions we feel like cooked food someone can make a profit feeding us. If in doubt chuck it out, you can always buy stuff on route but you'll be reluctant to bin stuff you realise is superfluous. Start with some really awful T-shirts, when they are falling off you use them to clean the bike and buy nice replacements.

I too have been touring for years. This is for an indefinite tour. there is very little I don't need and nothing I didn't use when on the two week test tour.

Im an old man - go to light and the camping is uncomfy. go too heavy and the riding is too hard. Its a difficult balance

I ain't going full on german or dutch style with 30 kgs 😉

You won't be taking a stool then. 😉

I find that I pack the same for a week or a couple of months. I dress for the worst conditions I'm likely to encounter then add a couple each of t-shirts, pants and socks.

Our trip last year was only three weeks with 19 days in the tent, one in a hotel when the Doubs floods drowned the campsite and one in a rented flat to visit Reims without the bikes.

Hiplok DX, supposedly best rated mini D lock, and 1.1kg.

I wouldn't be happy leaving for extended periods in a city (an angle grinder would need two cuts, but would get through it) but ok for an hour or so.

I also carry a small cable lock for rural shop visits.

Edukator - I have an armchair!

Actually a thermarest trekkerchair - under 200g

Proper D lock, it's a pain but I'd kick myself forever if the bike was nicked with anything else.

Last time in Netherlands we found dedicated bike parking with parking attendants on site which gave us a feeling of security and we happily did museums, and exploring on foot.

A 225g Karrimat type mat serves for all sitting/lying duties (wrapped around the tent on the rack for transport). How much does the trekkerchair and its mattress weigh?

I’d go for the D-lock as you have it.

The new Liteloks are OK. A little more versatile than a D-lock. But as heavy and not as easy as a D-lock to put on or take off.

A 225g Karrimat type mat serves for all sitting/lying duties (wrapped around the tent on the rack for transport). How much does the trekkerchair and its mattress weigh?

trekker chair weighs under 200g. My mattress weighs 450 g. A foam is not enough for this old man

I think I would take the heavy d-lock. Anything less and you will never be at ease leaving the bike.

and want to go over the pyrenees and alps on this tour –

Ah, that makes the spec super difficult.  Light enough to go up real mountains but strong enough for occasional city use.  Not sure that is possible.  FWIW I've locked my Shand up in Brussels loads of times over the last 10 years without any issues but I also completely recognise it's a lottery and I may have been lucky.  The lock is a crappy old 1kg Kryptonite so if someone wanted to go for it I'm sure it wouldn't take too long.  So here are some more random thoughts:

I wonder if having a less known brand like Shand helps a bit as it is more difficult to sell on/know the value of.  Anyone who has ever talked to me about it already knows what it is

My current lock is 1kg and no way would I go any lighter.  I'm a little uncomfy with it as it is.  So if you are only going to save 500g (go from your 2kg down to 1.5 say) then I wouldn't bother.  1kg might be nice though

I've also had to disc cut a bit Abus lock off of someone elses bike at a railway station once and it took a few minutes but only one person came up to talk to me and it was super easy to put them off by chatting.  No-one took photos or anything like that.  But.... it was a few minutes, not 30 seconds.  Given the choice I'm sure most thieves will go for something easier unless they really know both the value and that they can sell it on

It is much easier to disk cut a D lock than a chain because you can brace it in position.  Good chains tend to be heavier though so I would still stick with a D lock

It took two cuts to get through the D lock as with one I couldn't prise it apart enough to get the frame through without damaging it.  I think that is because both ends of the 'U' locked rather than one end locking and the other end pivoting out of the way.  That's worth looking at if you buy another lock as well as buying a smaller one that is less likely to pry open enough to only require one cut.

If you do go for a cheaper lock then consider letting the air completely out of your tyres before you go to the pub/museum/house of ill repute.  In the videos I've seen of people stealing bikes one of the people then jump on the bike and ride away.  Make that impossible and obvious.  It's a pita for you but if you are only occasionally stopping in a super high risk space then that may make it possible to downgrade your lock a bit

Good luck, there is no obvious solution and I know I would be gutted if my Shand got stolen as it is irreplaceable 🙁

How will you secure the luggage on the trailer?

Cable thru the handles. Token only.

and want to go over the pyrenees and alps on this tour –

When you get there, work out where you want to go. Post the lock and any other kit you won't be using to your destination on the other side, just email or phone before hand to plan it. Chances are through the pyrenees you won't need a lock but you will need it getting there and afterwards.

A foam is not enough for this old man

Any fool can be uncomfortable in a field! Air tags in the tyres using the Muc-Off attachment for some find it after it's moved peace of mind?

I’ve done the posting thing as described by Damascus

I have toured loads but a long time ago. I think the answer is that we secured the bike at accommodation when in cities. I’m sure where ever I stopped in Spain or Greece some one would find us an enclosed court yard

If you’ve got luggage on the bike then your very vulnerable. I think it’s light lock and careful storage

I've got a folding lock made of hinged links. Bought for the same purpose (touring) , it's a bit heavy but I think there is a light version.

Whatever you buy, spend some time in the shop trying to defeat it before parting with your money. Some bloke on the same train as me managed to forget his key and had locked his bike to the storage rack with a pretty standard looking cable lock. It took three seconds of concerted effort to pop it open.

As above if I were visiting a city (which I would probably be unlikely to do) I'd book a cheap hotel and leave my bike in the room. Or I'd find a decent campsite with good facilities etc. TBH if I were on an extended tour I think I would want a real bed and shower every now and then.

As above if I were visiting a city (which I would probably be unlikely to do) I’d book a cheap hotel and leave my bike in the room.

I am trying to do this on £30 a day ish. Hotels are just not on bar very occasionally

Yeah, I'd look at that as £210 a week, which seems pretty good to me. I reckon that allows for a couple of nights in a fully-featured campsite or a cheap motel a week if needed, or if you don't then save it for when you do. Not sure about Spain but in France you have lots of places like Formule 1 which are around £30/night plus loads of other options.

Might need un peu de Francais for some of them though 🙂

We have toured fairly extensively.

When in cities we have adopted the hotel room approach. Often in dive motels as they were easier to get bike into.

Or campsite on city limits and leave the bike with the campsite management.

I've never bothered trying to get my bike into my tent.

Most folk seem amenable to help out travelers by bike.... Its just the recreational and commuter cyclists everyone seems to hate