Solo touring security

[craigr12]

Hiya,

I'm planning a tour of Essex and The Fens this summer and I'm trying to decide between credit card or camping. I'm tending towards camping but I'm planning to take in cathedral s, museums etc along the way and I'm not sure how to keep my bike and luggage safe.

Any sage words of wisdom?

Thanks,
Craig

[Jdsk]

"Bike touring- What to do with bike at museum":
viewtopic.php?t=138237

Jonathan

[Nearholmer]

This is a challenging one, I think, and I’ve not cracked it.

My standard approach, even on day rides, and very definitely if carrying luggage, when visiting such places (NT etc) is try try to sweet-talk someone into putting the bike in a shed, store room or whatever, because so few have decently secure bike parking. That usually works in rural places, there’s nearly always a kind person who understands the problem, but most urban museums etc simply don’t have hidey-holes.

One possibility that has occurred to me is to carry a bike cover, because a locked-up and covered bike wouldn’t be such easy prey for casual pilferers, and I’ve bought one for the job, but it’s yet another thing to lug around, so maybe it won’t see much use!

PS: Ely Cathedral is a “must see” where you’re going, but I’ve not found a secure bike parking place there. Maybe plan an overnight stop in the town, and leave your bike at the accommodation while you’re looking round.

[Bice]

"Bike touring- What to do with bike at museum":
viewtopic.php?t=138237

Jonathan

All good advice.

At west end of Ely Cathedral is the town tourist office, which may have a yard or take in the panniers. Actually, I suspect the cathedral might take the panniers, unless someone has a security hissy.

In France, I was impressed the Angers tourist office had large bike boxes which took a bike fully loaded, and meant I could see the castle and old town with peace of mind. In Nantes at the main chateau, I had to leave the bike locked outside, underneath the officials' windows, which was a worry, but I could put the panniers into a couple of lockers.

At Le Havre, I left the bike outside locked with a cheap combination cable on deserted streets on a very hot August afternoon - I figured all the petty crooks would be having a swim - and took the panniers into the MuMA (Musee Andre Malraux art gallery: one of biggest collections of impressionist art outside Musee d'Orsay) and the guy gave me a discount - a first - "parce que vous êtes arrivé en vélo".

I was so pleased I tried the same thing at the archaeological museum at Lillebone 40kms on, and the woman said: "Of course, there is no 'reduction' for cyclists, but since Le Havre did it, why not?"

Did not work a third time at the Abbaye de Jumieges, although caused some amusement that the other museums had done so.

[craigr12]

Thanks for that, folks.
I feel somewhat more relaxed now.

[st599_uk]

Köln Hbf has a fully secure bike park underneath with rented luggage lockers. The Dom and old town are then all a short walk away. I'm pretty sure other towns have similar.

Quite a few Dutch places have big secure bike garages. I've used them in Haarlem, Arnhem, Vlissingen and a few others.

It's such a shame the UK is behind the curve.

Invest in a couple of good locks - you need to look a worse proposition than the surrounding bikes.

[hamster]

I never bother locking or removing panniers. Anything valuable (phone, wallet, camera) is in my barbag and removable. I think the chance of somebody wanting a 10 year old tent, sleeping bag and cooking kit remote. Yes, it could be taken by idiots, but it's not happened in 30 years of touring.
I lock the bike properly with a decent D-lock, that's all. Furthermore my bike is old, unflashy and desperately unfashionable having no suspension, carbon fibre or disc brakes.
As a result I can relax and enjoy my touring.

[scragend]

Köln Hbf has a fully secure bike park underneath with rented luggage lockers.

I wasn't aware of this - thanks! Interesting that it appears to be some kind of not-for-profit initiative rather than provided by the local authority (or the railway).

One thing I've always found strange about Berlin Hbf is that, for such a majestic modern station, the bike parking provision is so bad. Just some stands outside each entrance, with the Europaplatz side always feeling very sketchy. Maybe being on the north side and so usually in the shadow of the building doesn't help with the feeling of sketchiness, but I wouldn't be keen on leaving my own bike there.

Berlin is quite a cycling city so it really could do with a proper facility at the Hbf.

[gloomyandy]

One thing to be aware of... There has been a recent GCN video about bike theft, one thing I was surprised to see in the comments was the number of folks both in the Uk and NL saying that there was a major problem with bikes being stolen from these secure bike parks. I've no personal experience of them, but it may be worth investigating if you plan to use them.

[plancashire]

Bike boxes and small bike garages are popping up over Germany in addition to the big parking places at railway stations. You may need to register and use an app to get into them. My wife and I used a couple of bike boxes in Marburg while doing the Lahntal Radweg. One was being used by a homeless person.