# Watch your bikes !!!!



## cavaqueen (Mar 27, 2006)

Hi there

We are presently on a very nice campsite on Ile De Re in France, I got up yesterday morning and noticed that our bicycle cover had moved a bit, but thought no more of it, until a couple pitched nearby said their bike had been stolen.

Our bikes were chained to a tree, there's weren't secured at all, they believed they were safe on the campsite with it being gated at night.

I don't know if it was someone who climbed the fence into the site, or if it was a fellow camper who took their bike.

They went to the police who told them that it was a regular thing on Ile De Re.

It had been a very busy weekend on the site due to the bank holiday.

So this is a reminder to all of us not to become complacent, these scrotes are everywhere nowadays. 

Cavaqueen


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## thegamwellsmythes (Jul 29, 2008)

Thanks for the reminder.

We're heading off in that direction this weekend.

We nearly always lock the bikes up but its an extra incentive to remember.


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

This could be a Safe Travel Tip. Please post a few lines Here and it'll go into the Guide.

Thanks.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

I've got another tip that I'll post for you later Wug. Needs a photo.

Some scrote pinched one of my headlamp protectors a couple of weeks ago. My modification won't prevent, but it might be enough to deter. :? 

Dave


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

It's a sad state of affairs but the best advice has to be
"Lock it or loose it"


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I never ceases to be amazed at (some) peoples stupidity :roll: Fancy not even locking their bikes up!!!

A bike is an easily transported (i.e. nicked!) bit of kit yet many people think just puting a lock through the front wheel is enough.

If you check the small print of your insurance you will almost certainly find that any bike must be secured to an IMMOVABLE object, such as railings etc. 

I secure mine (2 x electrics) with a hefty Kryptonite "D" lock AND a length of very sturdy plastic coated stainless cable and a QUALITY padlock through the frames and then loop the cable round the rear leaf spring of my van. At night they are always back in the (alarmed) locker 'cos I trust NO-ONE  

After many many years of taking crime reports I came to an inescapable conclusion.

"No matter what it is or where it is SOMEONE will nick it given half a chance"

p.s. we are off to Ile D'Oleron tomorrow on the 2300 LD Lines ferry from Portsmouth. If you see me come and say hello!!! (short white hair, short white beard and a look of total distrust on the face, cant miss me :lol: :lol: )


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Hi ya Plodd.
If your working your way down the west coast of the Cherbourg Peninsular, our stopover is very safe (so far). As cars and sheds are always left unlocked apart from summer school holidays when strangers start appearing.

Ray.


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## donegal5 (Sep 11, 2010)

cavaqueen said:


> Hi there
> 
> We are presently on a very nice campsite on Ile De Re in France, I got up yesterday morning and noticed that our bicycle cover had moved a bit, but thought no more of it, until a couple pitched nearby said their bike had been stolen.
> 
> ...


thanks, ive got £000's worth of bikes on back and never even lock on site...I will now!


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## emmbeedee (Oct 31, 2008)

cavaqueen said:


> Our bikes were chained to a tree
> 
> Cavaqueen


A few years ago, when I had my shop, one of my customers left her bike chained to a tree in her back garden (in London). When she went to unlock her bike next morning, the tree had been cut off & was lying on the ground. Her bike had gone: 8O 8O 8O 
So if you're using a tree, make sure it's a Bl00dy big one :!: :!: :!:


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Beside Kingston on Thames railway station lots of commuters left their bikes chained to the railings.
If the scroats could not steal them they then proceeded to stamp on all the wheels distorting them so as to be unusable.

Is this a sign of the times? It was 20 years ago.

Ray.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Mrplodd said:


> If you check the small print of your insurance you will almost certainly find that any bike must be secured to an IMMOVABLE object, such as railings etc. . . .
> 
> . . . . then loop the cable round the rear leaf spring of my van. At night they are always back in the (alarmed) locker 'cos I trust NO-ONE


Hi MrPlodd

I think your insurance would refuse to pay out if the bikes were nicked while secured to your van. Could be worth asking them directly.

I believe that (_for reasons known *only *to themselves_!! 8O ) they don't consider a motorhome to be an immovable object. Bloody stupid I know . . . do they think the scrotes will pinch the bikes by dragging the motorhome away!! :roll: :roll:

Dave


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Hopefully bikes in our MH garage, immediately under our bed, are relatively safe....but having read about people sleeping through thefts, I would not be too sure.

Anyone had a MH garage broken into?

Don't all answer at once! - form an orderly queue, if you are British.

Geoff


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Unfortunately we haven't got a garage model, wish we had, so we secure our bikes on the bike rack. Just hope they are secure enough 'cos nothing else we can do really.

Denise


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

joedenise said:


> Unfortunately we haven't got a garage model, wish we had, so we secure our bikes on the bike rack. Just hope they are secure enough 'cos nothing else we can do really.
> Denise


I think there is, Denise. :wink:

It wouldn't be too difficult to waterproof a rape alarm in a plastic bag, and set it up to trigger if the bikes are moved. Attach its magnet to a bit of cord and tie that to the outside bike . . . with a little bit of slack to avoid false alarms.

Then the alarm would go off as soon as the bike was moved.

Worth a ponder?

Dave


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I guess the worry factor of having your bikes nicked is proportional to the amount you paid for them in the first place but inversely proportional to the reliability of the locks and alarms you have fitted.

So - sleep well by having good locks and alarms but buy your bikes at boot sales.


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

I have a rusty nail of a bike with good quality running gear, but you wouldn't look twice at it, I hope


Ian


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

tonyt said:


> I guess the worry factor of having your bikes nicked is proportional to the amount you paid for them in the first place but inversely proportional to the reliability of the locks and alarms you have fitted.
> 
> So - sleep well by having good locks and alarms but buy your bikes at boot sales.


I understand your logic but whether a bike is worth £1 or £1,000
it's still your property and the inconvenience of having it stolen is the same.

I might wire mine up to my inverter, 240v should make the scroates wish they'd stayed at home :lol: but knowing my luck I'll forget to turn it off when I come to unload them :roll:


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## b2tus (Sep 7, 2009)

What site were you on in Ile de Re? We had a wonderful week there last year and used the bikes all the time. There were however locked onto the bike rack when not in use.

We also have an extension to our vehicle alarm system where a wire goes through the bike frames and is part of the circuit. If the wire is cut, the alarm goes off. Can't tell you who it was installed by as it was on the M/H when we bought it.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We always lock ours securely even though, being old Raleigh Shoppers,we're not sure thieves would find them cool enough to ride or to sell.

What really annoyed me this trip was having my gel saddle cover pinched while the bikes were securely locked to a bike rack outside the entrance to a busy Baumaxx near Vienna. There were dozens of people going in and out of the store and, since the cover was tied on with numerous knots and toggles it would have taken some time to get off, but no-one apparently saw anything. It was only a cheap French supermarket one but it makes a difference to my comfort on the bike !

We also had someone take our watering can- hence the Baumaxx trip ! The first time- ever- we've had anything stolen and both happen in Austria.

G


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## jimmyd0g (Oct 22, 2009)

I realise that what I am saying may come across as cynical but it is, as one or two on here have said, worth paying for a very decent bicycle lock. The Association Of Cycle Insurers (or whatever the organisation is called) rate locks per various levels of insurance, so their site will be worth checking. The cynical bit of my comment is that a really determined thief will find a way of overcoming just about any lock, _but_ most of the time all you need to do is dissuade the thief from having a go at your bikes & move on to the next poor so & so instead. It's a bit like the joke about two guys seeing a lion; one starts to run away; his mate says' Why bother, you'll never out run a lion'; to which his pal replies 'I don't have to out run a lion, just out run you!'. Different situations, same principle.


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

some of the shows there is a south african guy selling alarmed padlocks good sturdy bit of kit you can reverse the hasp so alarm doesn't go off while travelling i think they were £15 for 2 at shrewsbury last year and aldi had them for £8 50 each earlier this year, 
as a bonus the hasp goes through the eye on a folding bike meaning they cant be put together and ridden off


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

No matter how good the lock is a half-decent thief will just bypass it and cut the cable or chain.

Just, as already been said, make your bikes as unattractive as possible.

Can't really understand anyone who would leave very valuable bikes on a bike rack.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I use one of these to compliment sturdy motorcycle chain and lock.

If the cable is cut an alarm goes off. At night the alarm is popped thro the window above my head.

If you would not leave your wallet unatended, don`t leave anything else.
Dave p


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## G7UXG (Feb 14, 2011)

Left our two bikes chained to some railings in Annecy last September. Got back to them a couple of hours later to find two young boys trying to remove the lock.

They quickly scarpered when they saw me coming and realised they were mine.

Lock it or lose it. 

Sometimes you lock it and still lose it but the chances are massively reduced.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

icer said:


> I have a rusty nail of a bike with good quality running gear, but you wouldn't look twice at it, I hope Ian


I know where your coming from Ian.
My old mountain bike is handpainted in runny white with blobs.

Pretty safe...... :wink:

Ray.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Its all very well securing bikes to bike racks, but have you looked at just how easy it is to remove the entire rack from the back of your MH??

I am amazed not more racks are nicked, yes the toe-rags would need to buy a set of fittings.

Zeb

I am a bit concerned about your comment that MH's are NOT considered immovable !! Phone call coming up !!!

I like the idea of putting a padlock through the clamp eye on a folding bike !! must investigate that one a bit further (I have 2 x folding electric bikes, total value about £1200 so ANYTHING that makes them less attractive than the one next door has to be good>


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## tubbytuba (Mar 21, 2007)

Bought a cheap bike lock whilst in Aldi today. Pretty poor on its own - but added to my other lock plus cover plus straps hopefully it'll look a bit too much hassle and they'll move on to easier pickings :?:


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