I have heard several stories of campers who lost their bikes while camping, and honestly, the thought of my bike being stolen whilst being 150 km away from the house in the middle of nowhere haunts me.
How to keep bike safe when camping is a comprehensive question, but here we will try to summarise it based on my experience and research.
Because I know; I’m not alone in this. Most campers have this thought while camping. But from now on, you don’t need to be worried about your bike anymore. Because I’m going to tell you how to keep bike safe when camping, so without stretching it any longer, let’s start our blog.
How to Keep Bike Safe When Camping?
Camping with bikes is one of the most thrilling summer activities, but it could also be a call of unforeseen challenges, and losing a bike is the most common among them. But the amazing thing is you can avoid these challenges by following a few simple steps. So, in this article, we will provide you with some bike safety information and tips. These tips will teach you how to be safe in camping.
While camping, you often need to leave your bike alone while hiking, fishing, and boating, and it is the most critical time because most of the camper’s bikes get stolen during this time.
So, you must first consider where to keep the bike when not in use or when you are away. It needs to be somewhere safe but also away from foot traffic so nobody can damage it intentionally or unintentionally.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
The strategy that I adopted was out of sight, out of mind. When people don’t know your bike is there, they won’t try to take it away. While camping, you need to find a place that most people are unfamiliar with, so nobody can reach. You can also hide the bike in your tent.
Note: Folding mountain bikes are best in this regard because they fit in the camps easily.
But finding a safer place in the mountains is sometimes difficult, so let’s add more bike safety information to your bucket.
Your Bike Should Be Difficult to Steal-How to Keep Bike Safe When Camping
No thieves want to be caught, so they make cowardly attempts to do their work, and if you make your bike difficult to steal, there are high chances of thieves leaving your bike because they never want to put their lives at risk.
The easiest way of doing this is locking your bike. Simple wheel locks may not help, so here is a technique to provide the utmost security to your bike. Lock the frame or the seat of the cycle with something hard to move, like a mature tree or a heavy rock.
I subtly use the mature tree above because it is difficult to cut, so it is now a challenging target for thieves. And there is a high chance of thieves leaving your cycle.
People usually use a cable lock to secure their bikes. Ensure the wire lock you buy is strong enough to keep your bike safe. It is preferable to buy a heavy steel chain lock.
Following the rules of bike safety for camping is much easier than regretting a bike lost, so for more bike safety tips, make sure to continue reading this article.
How to Keep Bike Safe When Camping Outside the City
Finding a tree and rocks to secure your bike while camping along an ocean side is difficult. So, what are you going to do? In these cases, sturdy wire locks are quite helpful, but as I explain, they are unreliable.
So, in this case, you need to make your expensive bike less attractive to the thieves so they take your bike less worthy of risking their lives.
So, while you are camping away from your bike, try to chain the wheels and nod. Moreover, try to remove the saddle and chains, and it is possible to remove one of the wheels. Now nobody would dare to steal this useless bike.
Get Your Bike a Movement Alarm
These motion alarms have eased the life of bikers. The simple motion alarm will alert you with a loud alarm if someone wants to move it from its secure position. The alarm is loud enough to awaken you from a deep sleep at night.
Modern motion alarms come with a GPS tracker. These trackers help you to view the live location of your bike on your smartphone. So, with this alarm, you can continuously keep an eye on your bicycle.
Don’t Forget the Bike Covers
If you want to secure a bike properly, you should learn it from professional bikers. One thing that I learned is that they always remember to take their bike covers with them. It may sound like an ordinary step, but it can have a detrimental effect.
Bike covers will save your bike from unforeseen weather conditions. In addition, bike covers are hard to lift, and it is almost impossible to move a bike with a cover on.
Bike covers come with a hitch lock. And breaking these hitch locks is not a piece of cake.
So, if you want to keep your mountain bike safe, don’t forget to buy a bike cover. And don’t forget to cover your bike while you are moving away without It.
Don’t Leave Any Loose Items on the Bike
Don’t leave any loose items on the bike when you are going away, even for an instant. It can include bike helmets, water bottles, bags, and clothes. I have seen people taking these things lightly and then crying over the loss they faced due to this slightest negligence.
So if you are going away, remove all the valuable loose items from the bike and keep them somewhere safer.
Most of you know how to keep your bike safe when camping. So, now you are ready to go on your bicycle camping tour, but wait, do you know what to carry with you for this adventurous journey? No?
I know rolling away with your two wheels vehicle is the most liberating thing, but only if you start with the journey with proper planning and careful backpacking. Otherwise, it could be a tiring and unpleasant journey.
Most of you don’t know what to carry with you on a bike camping vacation but don’t worry because we have your back. In the next part of this article, we will share the ultimate bike camping list.
What to Pack for Bicycle Camping-How to Keep Bike Safe When Camping
Before packing, you need to consider the type of vogue you are setting for, the duration of the journey, and the number of people joining you on this journey.
If you travel with a tourist or a group of people, you are less responsible because you can share the burden with your group mates. However, if you are going alone or with one or two friends, you need to be careful and put everything in your bags to avoid inconvenience.
You have a handler pack and a seat pack to keep your bags. I recommend keeping the lightweight bags on the handler pack and the heavy-weight bags on the seat packs; overloading the handler pack makes handling the bike difficult.
The frequently used items like water, snacks, and maps should be kept within reach, so it is easier to get them.
I recommend putting heavy items like a stove, extra gear, and other items in the seat pack.
Keep in mind I laid out this plan of packing based on my experience and research. It can help you get started by the time you gain experience. You will know what you need most for bike camping and alter the list accordingly. So, let’s begin the bike camping list with the handle pack.
1. What to Keep in the Handle Pack
Handle packs are easily accessible, so you should keep the frequently used items in the handle packs because things buried in the seat pack are tough to get. But make sure not to overload the handle pack because handling and turning the bike will be difficult.
The handler pack is the best place to stow the water bottle, snacks, gears you carry with your bike, bicycle gloves, lightweight clothes, and other frequently used items you want to carry.
2. What to Keep in the Seat Pack
Remember that access to the seat pack is terribly difficult, so keep the stuff used less frequently in a seat pack. Seat packs are the best place to keep the sleeping bag, tents, and cooking accessories (stove), but do not overload the seat pack. Otherwise, it will disturb the balance of your bike.
Make sure to carry the waterproof bag in the seat pack so it can save your clothes and sleeping bag from bad weather.
3. What to Keep in the Frame Pack
Some cycles have a frame pack as well. The top tube, seat tube, and down tube create a triangle in the body of the bike which creates space for the frame pack.
You can put heavier items in the frame pack. Weight on the frame pack reduces the bike’s center of gravity and enhances stability while driving uneven roads. You can place valuable items like watches, cycle locks, and other heavier items here.
Access to the frame pack is also difficult, so avoid keeping frequently used items there.
In addition, you can carry a bag pack on your shoulders, in which you keep your clothes and personal hygiene items; doing this will reduce the burden of your cycle.
Now you all know what to pack for bike packing. Following are some pieces of advice that you need before setting up your new journey.
Tips You Need to Know Before Going a Bike Camping
Before starting the adventure with your two-wheel partners, remember to give the test ride with all the packing, similar to the big day. Doing this will help you understand how you will feel riding the loaded bike.
Packing for the bike adventure is a bit of a puzzle. Most people need help deciding what to keep and what to not, and they ended up overpacking. And this overpacking disturbs the whole adventurous journey. So, try to keep essentials only.
Remember the essentials; remember your medicines, identity card, and driving license.
In group cycling activities, the organizers manage the bike safety camps. There, they deal with the minor injuries bikers get during this journey, but if you are going alone, you must carry a first avoid box containing the essentials of first aid.
I will also recommend carrying the helmet and all the safety gear and following all the traffic rules while driving to stay safe and keep your environment safe because safety is the priority. After packing, make sure you know exactly how to keep bike safe when camping to save all the precious stuff you just packed.
International Bike Safety Day
Every year bike safety day is celebrated on May 1; this day is celebrated to remind all cyclers that safety is the first priority. On this day, several seminars demonstrate the importance of safe driving and wearing safety gear.
In addition to this, these seminars also highlight the importance of cycling, and they also teach you how to keep bike safe when camping. In case you want to know the benefits of cycling after dinner, click here.
It is impossible to summarize the importance of following traffic safety rules in a single article, so let’s end the discussion here. But I hope I have answered all bike safety questions that pop into every cycle enthusiast’s mind.
Final Thoughts
Planning a bike camping ride with your friend is super easy for all of you because you know how to keep bike safe when camping. So, pack your bags and start the bike camping journey full of fun, adventure, and new experiences.
FAQs
Q.1 How to keep bike safe when camping?
Do not forget to carry the wire lock of your cycle when camping; locks help to keep your cycle safe. For additional safety, you can buy a safety alarm and GPS tracker for your cycle.
Q.2 How to be safe when camping?
To be safe, keep the bike wire lock and all the personal safety equipment before starting the journey.
Q.3 How to properly secure a bike from weather and theft?
To properly secure a bike from bad weather and thieves, it is recommended to always carry cycle covers with you.
