Any advice for the lone tourer?

[dhk]

Having previously only toured as part of a group, where at least one member of the group can always be relied upon to "guard" the gear, I'm wondering what advice anyone can share for the lone tourer, re: security of gear while, for example, popping into a shop, toilet etc...

Experience of normal 'town' cycling says lock everything, and take as much as possible with you, but this sounds rather daunting when you're talking panniers etc.. for a short stop?

Any thoughts, what can you get away with, what precautions can you take?

thanks,

Dave

[meic]

I have never had any problems.
Last weekend, I had to temporarily leave my supermarket shopping basket at customer service because I had left my wallet on the bike. .

I guess one reason is that when you are on a bike you are pretty much choosing where you go on the tour and Toxteth or Splott are unlikely destinations.
That said I was nipping into a shop in Splott, the owner saw me and very kindly offered to guard my bike while I was shopping. I had the same in a bike shop in Stoke.

I suppose that (normally on a subconscious level) you do a risk analysis of the place you leave the bike. At supermarkets I prefer to leave it almost in the way at the doorway also I leave it where there are plenty of people so any potential thief thinks that one of them could be the owner.

[Paul-S]

As the above post says don't worry too much.

Just take sensible precautions.

My holy Grail is me bar bag which contains all the critical items & that is always with me.

My only loss in 6 years was a headlamp pinched outside a UK country pub while I was chomping on a sarnie.

Cheers,

Paul

[ossie]

Likewise I have never had a problem. However I secretly long for the day when I catch some scroat messing with my bike

Assuming you lock your bike and leave it in full view,It takes some neck for an opportunist to start going through your panniers or similar. I can think of a few places where this might happen but these arent the sort of places I would visit.

My strangest experience was in Spain where a shopkeeper told me to watch my bike (it was locked up outside the shop in full view, in broad daylight). It was market day and he said the gypsies were in town. A short while late I visited a bike shop and a chap in the cafe next door said he would 'watch my bike as the gypsies were in town' . Seriously this place seemed to be safer than most UK towns I had visited. However I have seen these gypsy gangs close up and personal in Pisa and they are good but it needs to be small and worth something - not a pannier full of smelly clothes.

Clearly they would struggle to lift the whole bike but if you ensure that your panniers simply cannot be lifted from the bike and it would a right struggle to take your tent (bungee or strap it from the bottom)and there is nothing else on show like a GPS etc then you are pretty safe. It still doesn't stop you worrying though.

[Manx Cat]

I tour frequently on my own.

Bring a good lock. I bring a not so good one to be honest - Its a cable lock. But I do think it makes me a bit comfortable if I have to nip to a public loo, or into a shop. I never leave my bike unlocked even for a moment when Im not with it. I make sure essentials such as mobile phone, money, tickets (boat etc) directions for my accommodation, and my GPS unit come with me at all times, they are usually in one of my panniers near the top. (GPS of course is easily removed from handlebars of bike).

I avoid unknown cycle paths through cities, because the only place I have ever felt like a vulnerable female is on one of these routes, when I had to cycle through/past a gang of teenagers - nothing happened of course, not even name calling, but I did feel the 'What if they challenge me for all my gear?' thought. ON the traffic routes I have worried about getting squashed, but never worried about getting mugged.

Dont listen to the folk who will try to convince you that loan touring is THE most dangerous thing on earth to even think of, let alone do.

I prefer touring alone. I like it with others of course, but I prefer lone touring. I can be selfish and do exactly as I please with the hours of the day. I can choose hilly routes if I wish, and if so, I can cycle either 20 miles or 100 miles, its much better than having to plan around others (IMO)

Make sure if you are using GPS that you also have maps incase you lose your GPS unit, or the batteries go flat etc. Also, keep in touch with family, that way, they wont worry about you embarking on such a mad scheme plan as cycling into the unknown a l o n e....

[stephenjubb]

get in and out of shop as quick as possible. where possible, setup camp at campsite then go to shops.

get a pair of white underpants, stain with something to make them appear muckey, then put on top of panniers, should put off people wanting to touch panniers even though they are "clean"

you could try one of them cargo nets that go over panniers but that's maybe overkill.

Avoid large cities for shopping if possible.

[DougieB]

I think a big part of successful solo touring is not letting you paranoia levels get out of control. this, in itself, is one of the positive challenges of being solo, that you automatically apply back in real life and generally find you're the calmest person in a (supposed) crisis

I also think there's a bit of a taboo about messing with a solo (two-wheeled) travelers belongings, aka 'house on wheels'. sure, sometimes people are unlucky, but that's just life. common sense approach, in line with the others, is to keep all real (trip ending) valuables in one place in an easily removable bag. lock the bike outside a cafe, have a coffee and befriend the owner/staff into keeping an eye on it. above all though, don't be too worried about the bike so that it stops you diving into a shop or a market or a whatever. if that's the case, then get a cheaper bike and cheaper equipment.

having had to abandon a motorbike in deepest Africa, and walk out, I always look at the bike and luggage and figure out what would actually stop me traveling. if there's really anything on the bike that would do that, then I don't take it. always my worst case option is buying a rucksack locally and completing the trip as a backpacker. not ideal at all, but losing a bunch of metal tubes and some clothes isn't the end of the world. for the record, I've never had anything stolen while touring, only two bikes (cycle and motorised) while living in London.

the more you solo the easier this gets, as you realise it's much safer on-tour than it is in your local town.

cheers

EDIT: a typo...

[slowpeddler]

Hello

Have to agree with Paul above. Keep your bar bag with you at all times. But I've never once in many years doing this had any problems although I always lock my bike up with a heavy duty Abus chain and padlock.

I prefer solo camping touring. I've never been lonely and always meet great people. You only have yourself to please and your day is yours alone.

I've never had any problems with safety, the only problems can be economic, some camp sites near the coast in Europe charge prices based on couples. Answer, I camp away from the coast.

Over the years I've settled on kit that suits me. A two-man tent with a porch (Vaude), Trangia stove, decent air bed and bag, a one-cup coffee percolator and an Ergoform Stol chair (my back, I'm afraid.)
I take enough just clothes to wash and wear and it all fits into 4 panniers and a Carradura bag.

Take it from me, solo cycle touring is heaven on two wheels.

John

[Paul-S]

the more you your solo the easier this gets, as you realise it's much safer on-tour than it is in your local town.

Spot on

Cheers,

Paul.

[PhilWhitehurst]

Just lock you bike up with a basic lock. What I call a pub lock. Have a br bag and keep your phone and wallet in that. Take bar bag and gadgets with you. nothing more than that really.

[PDQ]

I think they've covered the security stuff.
Other aspects are, don't push too far on the first day or so. Because you are alone it can happen.
Eat well. Drink enough/plenty of liquid.
Look after your personal hygiene well especially on long distance stuff.
Be scupulously tidy with your packing and waterproof everything that needs to be kept dry.
Travel light as poss..but have enough. A delicate balance!!
Load the bike well and evenly.
Keep things (sleeping bags esp.)dry even if it means an afternoon airing session.
Keep skin contact clothes clean as poss.
A newspaper is a great asset: Read it, get a weather forecast, dry things with it, use it as insulation, start a fire with it, improve your foriegn language skills and other uses!!
Chains can be lubricated by using the dregs of oil containers on garage forecourts.
Be especially careful cooking at the end of a tiring day.

[gbnz]

[quote="DougieB"]my worst case option is buying a rucksack locally and completing the trip as a backpackerquote]

That's been my approach too .

As long as you've retained passport, emergency credit card, tickets and health, nothing really matters

[Tasker]

I'd say just go for it because the longer you procrastinate about it the more negative the thoughts will be that come flooding in.

Been through this myself: with me it went like this. First it was 'you know you've got a bad back, so what are you going to do when it suddenly plays up miles from home/anywhere, eh'? eh? Mister "I am quite capable for this."

With me it was, so. You intend wild/stealth camping and just using a camp site for a shower every three/four days do you? Really? - have you never read about these teenage gangs, high on drugs and what they delight in doing to lone cyclists? - Not to mention escaped mad asylum inmates, all out on the prowl after dark, roaming the fields and woods, tooled up with the madman's regulation machete, looking to torture and kill anyone on a bike? And what about the outraged shotgun toting farmer that discovers you camping without payment or permission eh? No use squeaking that you're a CTC member that loves cows and you always recycle as he levels his gun....

You're just not worrying enough. What about the chain/frame/personal you, breaking down, miles from anywhere, the nearest town/village full of inbred mutants waiting to put you in the pot...

All said with the proviso that I've done the 'what about the bike' bit and all of the above mentioned myself - not meant to mock your concern in any way. Hopefully none of the above has occurred to you - I'm a coward with a vivid imagination but I did it and it was fine.

Just lock it up with a simple lock when you have to leave it. Professional eastern European bicycle gangs are few and far between outside the biggest cities and the little opportunist chavs that nick bikes for the sheer fun of it really aren't going to be interested in trying to make off with a bike that has no bling value down outside the local takeaway.

Relax, and have a great time on your trip.

[simonineaston]

Go for it - just trust your instincts... and couldn't agree more with all the sensible folks who advised that you and your essential gear are never parted.

[eileithyia]

Do it.
Trust your instincts.
Keep important stuff where it is easy to take off the bike and with you.
Never had a problem with panniers, if they want my dirty washing ... they can have it.. saves me taking it home to wash