Securing bikes on a (car) rack

In article <[email hidden]>,

Jules said:

Doing a bit of a (4 wheeled) road trip at the end of the month and plan
on taking the bikes to for some 2 wheeled fun along the way.

Neither of them are particularly valuable, but not so cheap that I'd
feel comfortable leaving them unsecured on a regular clamp-on bicycle rack.

But I'd like to avoid removing them and locking them somewhere every
time we stop.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I could go about securing the
bikes in-situ on the rack? A chain and padlock is an obvious start, but
there's no big holes on the rack to run the chain through that I can
think of.

At top of the car and clamped down using those railed bike carrier? I
have a front fork lock version from Thule that has a key lock. When
locked, it's pretty secure. Most other brands have similar. At the top
of your vehicle, at least it's harder for any casual thief to reach...
🙂
--

Quoted message said:

At top of the car and clamped down using those railed bike carrier? I
have a front fork lock version from Thule that has a key lock. When
locked, it's pretty secure. Most other brands have similar. At the top
of your vehicle, at least it's harder for any casual thief to reach...
🙂
--

Nah it's a towbar one, which is nice because I can leave the wheels on.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Jules said:

Quoted message said:

At top of the car and clamped down using those railed bike carrier? I
have a front fork lock version from Thule that has a key lock. When
locked, it's pretty secure. Most other brands have similar. At the top
of your vehicle, at least it's harder for any casual thief to reach...
🙂

Nah it's a towbar one, which is nice because I can leave the wheels on.

Oh I see. But I wouldn't do it. If someone accidentally reverses their
car into your bikes in the parking lot, you'll find a sorry sight in the
morning. And if anyone who decides to borrow a few spare parts from your
bike, then you'll be carry dead weights.
--

Jules said:

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I could go about securing the
bikes in-situ on the rack? A chain and padlock is an obvious start, but
there's no big holes on the rack to run the chain through that I can
think of.

My rack has two hole (one either side to lock the top plate to the
bottom plate (so 2/3 bikes can not be removed. then I run cable and
chain. through the frame and wheels and lock it together. You will need
2-3 metres. Old tubes are good protection from scratching, or a tin with
thinned plasti-dip might also work (although this stuff is a dirt magnet).

Out of sight, out of mind, drap a cheap poly tarp over the lot so people
can not see the bicycles underneah. tie up with rope.

Jules said:

But I'd like to avoid removing them and locking them somewhere every
time we stop.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I could go about securing the
bikes in-situ on the rack? A chain and padlock is an obvious start, but
there's no big holes on the rack to run the chain through that I can
think of.

As it's a tow ball carrier, what about using your cars existing boot
lock? Just get a length of steel cable, bolt something at either end
(about the size of a tennis ball but more solid). Thread the cable
through the bike, open the boot lid, chuck the ends of the cable in the
boot, close it, lock it and walk away. It won't stop a determined
thief, but nothing will [1], you just need to put off the opportunistic
gits who'll nick anything that's not tied down.

Graeme

[1] And having opened my bike lock with a rolled up business card in
about 30 seconds (including the time take to tear and roll the card)
earlier this afternoon, it seems they don't have to be that determined
:-(

In article <[email hidden]>,

Graeme Dods said:

[1] And having opened my bike lock with a rolled up business card in
about 30 seconds (including the time take to tear and roll the card)
earlier this afternoon, it seems they don't have to be that determined
:-(

You are not talking about one of those U-locks are you?
--

Artoi said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Graeme Dods said:

[1] And having opened my bike lock with a rolled up business card in
about 30 seconds (including the time take to tear and roll the card)
earlier this afternoon, it seems they don't have to be that determined
:-(

You are not talking about one of those U-locks are you?

That's the ones, mind you most types of lock which uses a circular key
is just as vulnerable. I've since found that it's easier just to use a
rolled up bit of paper rather than faff about rolling a business card
smoothly. I've not had 100% success rate (as I've only spent about half
an hour playing at it that's not surprising), but it's worrying enough
that I'm buying new locks.

Graeme

In article <[email hidden]>,

Graeme Dods said:

Artoi said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Graeme Dods said:

[1] And having opened my bike lock with a rolled up business card in
about 30 seconds (including the time take to tear and roll the card)
earlier this afternoon, it seems they don't have to be that determined
:-(

You are not talking about one of those U-locks are you?

That's the ones, mind you most types of lock which uses a circular key
is just as vulnerable. I've since found that it's easier just to use a
rolled up bit of paper rather than faff about rolling a business card
smoothly. I've not had 100% success rate (as I've only spent about half
an hour playing at it that's not surprising), but it's worrying enough
that I'm buying new locks.

Ok, I'll have to make sure my U-lock remain unlubricated, nice and stiff
to screw up those fake keys. 😉
--

Jules said:

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I could go about securing the
bikes in-situ on the rack?

Can't be any harder than securing SNAKES ON A PLANE... oh wait...!!! 😉

gplama said:

Can't be any harder than securing SNAKES ON A PLANE... oh wait...!!! 😉

Dealing with snakes on a plane is easy. Just turn off the cabin heating. Then the movie would have no plot instead of half a plot.

When locking bikes to the car rack, I use a 2 metre plastic coated cable with a conventional padlock, carefully arranged so the padlock hangs below where it can't hit anything.

ghostgum said:

gplama said:

Can't be any harder than securing SNAKES ON A PLANE... oh wait...!!! 😉

Dealing with snakes on a plane is easy. Just turn off the cabin
heating. Then the movie would have no plot instead of half a plot.

You know I hadnt thought of that. Sooooo embarressed 🙁

Dave

Graeme Dods said:

As it's a tow ball carrier, what about using your cars existing boot
lock? Just get a length of steel cable, bolt something at either end
(about the size of a tennis ball but more solid). Thread the cable
through the bike, open the boot lid, chuck the ends of the cable in the
boot, close it, lock it and walk away. It won't stop a determined
thief, but nothing will [1], you just need to put off the opportunistic
gits who'll nick anything that's not tied down.

Or lock a long enough cable (ie: through the bike frame) to the trailer safety chain loop?

Jules said:

But I'd like to avoid removing them and locking them somewhere every
time we stop.

Keep your car in your bedroom.
;-)

Donga

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:45:19 GMT

Jules said:

Neither of them are particularly valuable, but not so cheap that I'd
feel comfortable leaving them unsecured on a regular clamp-on bicycle rack.

But I'd like to avoid removing them and locking them somewhere every
time we stop.

If they aren't that valuable then a long cable lock is probably
enough - put it through the frames and down to the towbar chain
rings[1]. Add the QR skewers that need a 5 sided key (or similar
thief-slowers) so that taking the wheels is more than a couple of
second's work and you are probably OK for stops during the day.

Alternatively have 2 cable locks, run one through both frames and both
front wheels and the other through both frames and both back wheels.
Use velcro cable ties from Jaycar to hold the locks in a sensible
position so they don't move about and wreck paint.

At night I expect you'd be OK in a caravan park but I'd lock them up
more solidly if you are in a motel.

Another alternative: eyeball the mechanism used to bolt the rack
closed on the bikes. How can you stop that from being undone? For
example, if it's a nut that's tightened up, can you replace it with a
wingnut and padlock that to something, or two wingnuts and a padlock
to lock them together? can you get your welder to weld a cage over
the mechanism which you can secure with a padlock? Two holes in the
clamp itself and a padlock?

Zebee

Zebee

[1] if the rings are not real rings but those spiral things, find a
bod with a welder (your mechanic will know) and get them to weld a
ring onto the towbar. A couple of sprays with a paint can, all done.

Zebee Johnstone said:

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:45:19 GMT
Jules <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Add the QR skewers that need a 5 sided key

Just as a side note - these aren't very nice if you've got disc brakes on
the front. I don't think you can sufficiently tighten them, and I know the
ones I had moved under heavy braking - hence they're no longer on that
bike.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
"This isn't life in the fast lane, it's life in the oncoming traffic."
- (Terry Pratchett, alt.fan.pratchett)

In aus.bicycle on 08 Sep 2006 03:10:06 GMT

Dave Hughes said:

Zebee Johnstone said:

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:45:19 GMT
Jules <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Add the QR skewers that need a 5 sided key

Just as a side note - these aren't very nice if you've got disc brakes on
the front. I don't think you can sufficiently tighten them, and I know the
ones I had moved under heavy braking - hence they're no longer on that
bike.

Hmm...

I've been pondering disks. MInd you, as I always lock the front wheel
with the cable lock due to the dynamo hub, I suppose a QR won't matter
if I get a disk brake.

Zebee

Zebee Johnstone said:

In aus.bicycle on 08 Sep 2006 03:10:06 GMT

Dave Hughes said:

Just as a side note - these aren't very nice if you've got disc brakes on
the front. I don't think you can sufficiently tighten them, and I know the
ones I had moved under heavy braking - hence they're no longer on that
bike.

Hmm...

I've been pondering disks. MInd you, as I always lock the front wheel
with the cable lock due to the dynamo hub, I suppose a QR won't matter
if I get a disk brake.

I think Dave was referring to the QR moving/loosening whilst the bike
was in motion rather than locked. It's a bit of a controversial subject
to some, but there's more info here -
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/disk_and_quick_release/

Graeme

In aus.bicycle on 8 Sep 2006 01:45:13 -0700

Graeme Dods said:

I think Dave was referring to the QR moving/loosening whilst the bike
was in motion rather than locked. It's a bit of a controversial subject
to some, but there's more info here -
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/disk_and_quick_release/

Well yes I worked that out 🙂

The reason I have the skewer that needs a key is to slow down thieves.

As I now have a hub dynamo and so lock the front wheel every time I
leave the bike anywhere, it isn't as important on that wheel.

Zebee

Graeme Dods said:

I think Dave was referring to the QR moving/loosening whilst the bike
was in motion rather than locked. It's a bit of a controversial subject

Absolutely. I had it happen a couple of times when I picked up my commuter
that came (2nd hand) equipped with one of those security QRs on the front.
I didn't like the movement in the wheel, so put a normal QR in - problem
solved. I've also got a really cheap and ugly dirt jumping fork (cheapest
thing I could find to get a commuter up and running when the original one
died) that I can't use with discs - You pop a wheelie after braking and
when the front comes back down you can hear the wheel reseat itself...

But with a decent fork and a good QR I've not had a problem. And I tend to
brake *hard* quite a bit.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
"If you're bored, find something and break it"
Jamie Rapson - 1996