eBike security when on site?

[CRD]

Hi, this is my first post in the forum, and it's a question that has been intriguing me.

We want to buy our first MH soon, but as it will be in the 6m - 6.5m length, it almost certainly won't have a garage large enough to store two eBikes.

We're still trying to choose between a PVC or coachbuilt, but that is another question entirely!

So how can you keep expensive eBikes secure when you are in the MH particularly as ours cost about £3k each? Storing them in an awning won't be sensible, but would a bike rack with the bikes covered be safe enough?

I'd really welcome your thoughts and experience.

Thanks
Chris

 

[SandraL]

We were in a gated fenced marina in netherlands. Bikes on racks went missing overnight, according to local police this was not first occasion. I would be reluctant to leave expensive bike on a rack, cheap one I could afford to lose maybe.

 

[Andacami]

You could add a Thule or similar bike rack to the rear. Pick one that has lockable arms. You can also run a long, quality cable and padlock combo through and then cover.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

.....or a strikeback alarm which has a bike loop. Set the alarm and when the loop is broken off goes the alarm and if the thieves have been smart it will have been the last thing to go.

It is very hard to defend against - either a garage (which you do not have) or inside, which is not very convenient.

 

[Guigsy]

My £3k mountain bike gets d-locked to the carrier and I run a wire through the tow-bar.

For our two Bromptons (one is electric), one of the reasons we bought them is they can be stashed inside.

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[gerrym11]

We keep our 2 e-bikes on the bike carrier. The carrier has locking arms, I put a Gold secure lock on each rear wheel and then use a heavy duty chain to connect the 2 bikes to the frame of the carrier.
I am not suggesting it is safe but by Christ have they got to be clever to nick them. And I keep the batteries and chargers are in the moho so I question if they are actually worth going to all the trouble of nicking them?

 

[Lenny HB]

Normally bike insurance requires the bike to be locked to an immovable object and a motor vehicle often doesn’t count as one.
No substitute for a garage in the a Motorhome if you are going to take expensive bikes with you.

 

[cliffanger]

We keep ours on a bike rack and padlock them together and to the rack with these - they are very, very loud!

<Broken link removed>

We locked them together in Padstow harbour, and a family were there crabbing, and accidentally touched the bikes - the alarm went off and the family told us that their granny nearly had a heart attack!

 

[bridgedino]

We keep our 2 e-bikes on the bike carrier. The carrier has locking arms, I put a Gold secure lock on each rear wheel and then use a heavy duty chain to connect the 2 bikes to the frame of the carrier.
I am not suggesting it is safe but by Christ have they got to be clever to nick them. And I keep the batteries and chargers are in the moho so I question if they are actually worth going to all the trouble of nicking them?

We do similar. Stored on the rack, each bike is locked to each other and the rack as well. Bike covers also. Batteries removed

 

[Clewsy]

We keep our 2 e-bikes on the bike carrier. The carrier has locking arms, I put a Gold secure lock on each rear wheel and then use a heavy duty chain to connect the 2 bikes to the frame of the carrier.
I am not suggesting it is safe but by Christ have they got to be clever to nick them. And I keep the batteries and chargers are in the moho so I question if they are actually worth going to all the trouble of nicking them?

We do similar and have also fitted removable pedals which clip off in seconds - all to make the bikes less attractive and a little more difficult to steal.

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[pandas]

Before we had a garage we used to lock the bikes through one of the wheels of the Motorhome. Our insurance insists on each bike be secured to an immovable object so 2 wheels in the case of 2 bikes. Ie you cannot piggy back one bike to another. Yes batteries removed which is the most expensive part.

 

[CRD]

Wow, thanks so much for these comments and thoughts (what a fantastic forum this is!). It seems to be a mine field, particularly when you consider the insurance aspects.

Taking our bikes with us is a major part of our "adventure" plans with the MH and bike storage and security will play an important role in our MH choice. The Burstner Travel Van T620G seems to have a large garage that may be big enough to store two eBikes. I haven't seen one yet, but has anyone else got any experience with this model?

Please keep your thoughts coming as it is really helpful.

Chris

 

[Kannon Fodda]

I have to accept the bike is vulnerable. I've been on a number of sites on the New Forest where they give stern warnings as you arrive as to the risk of theft. Since the sites are so open, footpaths running though them, all too easy for the undesirables to wander through checking stuff out. I've certainly heard stories of people being woken as scroats try to relieve a secured bike from the back of a vehicle. Having said that, I consider the bike at greater risk when I'm out and about, and want to stop off for a coffee (or something more exciting) and can only leave it secured to a lampost.

As I have a 5.4m Panel Van Conversion, I can't get the bike inside. or I wouldn't fit, and a "garage" would be impractical. Worth noting that e-bikes are often quite heavy so even lifting a little onto some rack systems or into garages might not be practical.

All I can do is make it hard for the scumbags. First the battery is removed and kept in the van (probably needs charging anyway). Then the mountain e-bike is on the towbar Thule carrier. The carrier is locked to the towball, and the carrier arm locked to the bike frame. I'm fairly sure the Thule locks are easily overcome, they don't seem very robust and the system for swapping them over is too quick for them to be secure. I have a long locking cable between the PVC's towball mounting brackets wrapped through the carrier and bottom bracket of the bike. I use a further cable lock to secure the front wheel and frame to the carrier, and then a Litelock Gold standard thing goes round the back wheel and carrier (wont reach to get the bike frame). Then the bike is attached to the Vanbitz Strikeback Alarm (which if it were activated would wake the entire campsite) using the accessory loop wire. The Strikeback (and Growler) are designed so you can activate it at night, with internal sensors in the Motorhome, turned off so you can freely move around, but if a door was opened or that loop was broken it will go off. Finally I put a cover over the bike so it's not obvious what model make it is until you start looking around.

Also worth noting that even if you are fortunate to have a garage, an e-bike might not fit until you start to disassemble. It's one thing to turn handlebars to mount on a carrier rack, but if you need to start taking off wheels, saddles and stuff to shoehorn it in ... Oh and probably the most vulnerable time will be the casual opportunist, when you've come back from your ride, sorting yourself out, and lay that bike down next to the van whilst you make a brew before tidying up.

 

[Arnside037]

We do similar. Stored on the rack, each bike is locked to each other and the rack as well. Bike covers also. Batteries removed

Likewise, but we remove the saddles as well. It also stops them getting wet ... nothing worse than a soggy bum at the start of a ride.,
We drive with the bikes uncovered, but cover them on site to keep them out of sight of toe rags seeking expensive e-bikes. .

 

[Rob Turner]

Carthago Compactline 141 just over 6.5m and a big garage too.

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[Guigsy]

Two Bromptons in a 5.4m van:

Instagram

www.instagram.com

 

[CRD]

Also worth noting that even if you are fortunate to have a garage, an e-bike might not fit until you start to disassemble. It's one thing to turn handlebars to mount on a carrier rack, but if you need to start taking off wheels, saddles and stuff to shoehorn it in ... Oh and probably the most vulnerable time will be the casual opportunist, when you've come back from your ride, sorting yourself out, and lay that bike down next to the van whilst you make a brew before tidying up.

Very good points, and great post. Thank you.

 

[Viennese]

We have a PVC so not enough room inside for e-bikes at night. We lock ours to the bike rack. I also have a screaming alarm padlock as an extra protection.

 

[Grianan]

We remove pedals, saddles and battery. Bikes locked to bike rack with alarm loop. I know they’re high risk and accept that risk

 

[Waveski]

I use a very heavy motorbike chain through the bike frame and the tow bar. This is accepted by my insurance company as connected to an immoveable object. I also have strike back alarm loop. Battery and seat are removed and bike kept under a cover. No problem for the last 3 years.

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[CRD]

Carthago Compactline 141 just over 6.5m and a big garage too.

A great suggestion. Thanks. I think we would have to find a used one!

 

[Landy Andy]

Years ago we ruined two nice mountain bikes by transporting them on the rear of a vehicle uncovered. I would never do it again, especially with over £7 grand of Ebikes. Garage for us.

 

[Clive Mott]

For that money a Brompton folding Ebike is the answer. Store them in the cab overnight with you. Outside that loop wire and alarm plus a thick lock and chain will help as long as you can run fast.

 

[sgl5gjr]

Aye good locks and covered is the way...take batteries off too...I do the same lock and coverwise with my Gravel bike circa £1k. .... Clumber Park site has a shed for bikes due to theft... Decent locks and make it tricky for them, I fit my locks high on the bike rack too and use cordura sleeve chains like the motorbike ones...bike thieves like it easy...even those with cordless angle grinders

 

[Aerialmark]

I agree with all of the above plus a good strong bike cover. We have two eBike which are worth about 8k and when on site and not using them we put them back on the rack with 2 Abus granite D locks plus a abus cable lock joining them together. Then on my mountain bike I have a little movement alarm which is activated by a key fob and also a tracker. It is all then covered by a thick material twin bike cover I bought from Yorkshire covers. Passers by cannot then see what’s underneath expensive or cheap. We have had no problems in two years. I think it’s all down to common sense as to where you park and also a little bit of luck that you are not “ in the right place at the wrong time “ Also my Cube bike can disable the motor by removing the display unit and only that unit can switch it back on again as it’s coded by Bosch. Not that a thief would know that or even care. Having my eBike has changed the game for me as far as motorhoming is concerned and I would not go anywhere without it. Good luck.

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[Captain Birdseye]

Hi, this is my first post in the forum, and it's a question that has been intriguing me.

We want to buy our first MH soon, but as it will be in the 6m - 6.5m length, it almost certainly won't have a garage large enough to store two eBikes.

We're still trying to choose between a PVC or coachbuilt, but that is another question entirely!

So how can you keep expensive eBikes secure when you are in the MH particularly as ours cost about £3k each? Storing them in an awning won't be sensible, but would a bike rack with the bikes covered be safe enough?

I'd really welcome your thoughts and experience.

Thanks
Chris

You need a dog like our Buddy. Great hearing, great guarding instinct, loud bark and big teeth in powerful jaw. Don't forget that in most European countries the police have no problem with your dog protecting your property. They take the view that the criminal/trespasser should not have been on your property up to no good. That is my experience anyway. Only in "Great Britain" would they take action against you and your dog.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Holy moly, £4000 each! No wonder they get nicked if people will pay that much.

Our Honda scooter was £1070 at six months old, takes 2 at 50mph and probably won't get stolen, I certainly don't worry about it.

The best strategy if you must have a push bike is to buy a piece of crap, some are that bad they don't need a lock

 

[grasscutter]

There was a big problem down at Roquetas De Mar with cycle theft on the wild camping area. Twice we had straps and cover cut. We use two large chains and padlocks to to secure the bikes to the bike rack.
In the end I took the front wheels off of a night and we were not targeted again.

 

[dnhunter]

We have a Chausson 640. 6.99m with an enormous garage with doors either side into which we put our electric semi-recumbent electric tandem, without any disassembly - and also our BBQ, table, chairs, Cadac etc. Having said that I also have 2 bikes on a rack on the back with looped alarm, Gold secure chain and also a cover.

 

[sallylillian]

Holy moly, £4000 each! No wonder they get nicked if people will pay that much.

Our Honda scooter was £1070 at six months old, takes 2 at 50mph and probably won't get stolen, I certainly don't worry about it.

The best strategy if you must have a push bike is to buy a piece of crap, some are that bad they don't need a lock

Holy Moly, £1070 for a scooter. I bought a second hand Honda 50, old style, not working, for £50, spent 20 weeks collecting parts on ebay and rebuilding it discounting my time only £50 in parts. So £100. You must be rich.

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