eBike security when on site?

[Riftzoner]

E bikes are ridiculously expensive compared to cheap Chinese ‘twist n rip Chicken chaser’ Mopeds but hey that’s the leisure industry for you Being an avid cyclist myself with (if the wife’s reading) only one or two bikes (I lie, okay lots of bikes) including a full on e-mountain bike. Yes, there’s several things to do.
1-install a good quality alarm with an external protective loop. There are several on the market, Phantom, Vanbitz, Outsmart The Thief to name but three.
2-Remove the battery, this makes it a 25kg lump of scrap metal with some additional expensive bits attached (brakes gears etc) but never the less, an ebike without a battery doesn’t carry half as much value, as the batteries can cost up to £600 to replace & then there’s aLeo a charger required.
3-carry it in a good quality carrier Thule or the like which is physically locked to the vehicle via the tow ball or bolted onto the vehicle which in turn has lockable securing knobs with which you lock the bike. I also use a lockable reinforced lockable tie wrap (Hiplock) through the frame & carrier & yes I’ve had a bike stolen from a locked Thule Classic carrier. It just required some meathead with enough determination to rip it out of the locked jaws. Believe me it can be done.
4- Remove the pedals & leave in top (stiffest gear). I also reverse & re install one of the pedals so that the pedal will hit the frame when anyone attempts to move the bike & unless they have either a pedal spanner or Allen keys they ain’t going anywhere & at best would still only have a one pedalled bike
5- Beyond this point any further deterrents will probably be illegal
As with any deterrent the the name is in the title ‘Deterrent’ & that’s all it is. You basically want to make it so awkward for the would be thief that they’ll leave yours as being too much bother & move on to look for easier pickings. Remember, they’re basically Human Jackals, much preferring easier pickings.

As for the previous member who expressed shock at ebikes costing £4000, please don’t check out Santa Cruz Bikes as they’re ebikes can set you back £12000! Yes, that really is Twelve Thousand Pounds

 

[Vipar]

Extra 5k on the insurance claim if you get hit up the rear

 

[Crafty]

E bikes are ridiculously expensive compared to cheap Chinese ‘twist n rip Chicken chaser’ Mopeds but hey that’s the leisure industry for you Being an avid cyclist myself with (if the wife’s reading) only one or two bikes (I lie, okay lots of bikes) including a full on e-mountain bike. Yes, there’s several things to do.
1-install a good quality alarm with an external protective loop. There are several on the market, Phantom, Vanbitz, Outsmart The Thief to name but three.
2-Remove the battery, this makes it a 25kg lump of scrap metal with some additional expensive bits attached (brakes gears etc) but never the less, an ebike without a battery doesn’t carry half as much value, as the batteries can cost up to £600 to replace & then there’s aLeo a charger required.
3-carry it in a good quality carrier Thule or the like which is physically locked to the vehicle via the tow ball or bolted onto the vehicle which in turn has lockable securing knobs with which you lock the bike. I also use a lockable reinforced lockable tie wrap (Hiplock) through the frame & carrier & yes I’ve had a bike stolen from a locked Thule Classic carrier. It just required some meathead with enough determination to rip it out of the locked jaws. Believe me it can be done.
4- Remove the pedals & leave in top (stiffest gear). I also reverse & re install one of the pedals so that the pedal will hit the frame when anyone attempts to move the bike & unless they have either a pedal spanner or Allen keys they ain’t going anywhere & at best would still only have a one pedalled bike
5- Beyond this point any further deterrents will probably be illegal
As with any deterrent the the name is in the title ‘Deterrent’ & that’s all it is. You basically want to make it so awkward for the would be thief that they’ll leave yours as being too much bother & move on to look for easier pickings. Remember, they’re basically Human Jackals, much preferring easier pickings.

As for the previous member who expressed shock at ebikes costing £4000, please don’t check out Santa Cruz Bikes as they’re ebikes can set you back £12000! Yes, that really is Twelve Thousand Pounds

But for twelve thousand quid you can hook a caravan on the back and don't need the MH?

 

[Lemut]

How about a Uni-Com Garage and Shed Alarm (search ebay) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/36312409...d=link&campid=5338547443&toolid=20001&mkevt=1 . Secure the unit within the vehicle but rather than fitting the reed switch (white sensor), join the ends of the wire together. Run the wire through the bike frame and back into the vehicle. The alarm will sound when set is anyone breaks the wire.
You could fit a waterproof connector in a suitable place near the bike to make fitting and removing easier rather than feeding the end of the wire back into the van each time.
Not going to probably stop anyone having a go but there is the deterrent effect and if the wire is broken you would know to check out what has happened.

 

[bobski]

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

I use kryptonite D locks onto the bike rack. Thieves would have to use an angle grinder to get them off. The cable locks are useless as a set of bolt cutters will sail through them. The locks are 100 quid each but worth it.

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[The Wino]

We're in a pretty low crime area but think I wouldn't fancy leaving £3k worth of bikes locked to our garden fence for a week next to the road. There must be a pretty big risk even with good locks on

 

[Jake Royd]

We use 2 secondhand 'cheap' ebikes on an external carrier.
I loop a bloody great chain and padlock through them.
But of course the carrier itself is only riveted to the uprights on the van rear panel.
batteries kept inside.

 

[JJ]

My last bike, bought in the Algarve, cost me two jars of Marmite...

Never felt the need to lock it up...

One makes one's bed and then lies in it.

JJ

 

[138go]

We bought cheap folding bikes, which my husband converted to electric. They are brilliant and we've done miles on them.

 

[CRD]

Chris, don't look at the vehicle and and its length / layout separately from the storage and security of the bike.

This thread is brimming with superb advice, but this is a great point and is why I raised it now when we haven’t yet bought a MH and, for that matter, bought the eBikes that we are looking at yet.

Thanks so much to everyone for participating like this. It looks like bike security is an important aspect of MH use.

I have been tempted with a 6.36m PVC, but I think a coach built with a large garage is definitely the way forward now as being able to explore with bikes will be a major part of our MH adventures (as it appears to be for a lot of funsters).

Chris

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[Carol]

Hello and I can see you have had a lot of reply's and I have to admit to not reading them all so forgive me for maybe repeating a answer, our Hymer is 6meters so the bike's have to go on the rack and chained on then covered with a good quality bike cover well secured, when we are on site and not useing them we chain them to something solid and again cover them with the bike cover we have had two lots of good quality Electric bikes for the past 17 year's and travelled extensively.
But try not to worry about them when you are not there as it spoils your relaxation, and of course Have them insured.

 

[gus-lopez]

You need to modify the saddle stem like this......

Or add an air bag via tracker that can receive command to activate.
if you have to leave them on the back , or by the van locked to a wheel/towbar ,etc, as someone has already posted loop an alarm mine to it tucked away.

 

[pandas]

I use kryptonite D locks onto the bike rack. Thieves would have to use an angle grinder to get them off. The cable locks are useless as a set of bolt cutters will sail through them. The locks are 100 quid each but worth it.

Except my Fiamma bike rack was made out of aluminium tubing which would be slipped off in a jiffy no matter what your bike lock was made out of.
When on travelling with the bikes on the back we firstly used two D locks - frame to frames it would have made it awkward to lift them off. Then we used a good quality coated fabric bike cover - not a plastic one. Proceted the bikes from the elements plus visually the bikes were out of view - well that they were electric anyhow. Better to check with your own Insurance company in terms of their requirements, insurance for our two bike @ £4k was £50 ish additional cost onto of our John Lewis Home Insurance - would have been 3 x that were we to have had a separate bike exclusive insurance cover.

 

[Steve N Tracy]

Was the insurance through your house insurance or a stand alone policy?

Stand alone from eversure.

 

[pandas]

Stand alone from eversure.

My quote was for over £200 for two bikes through eversure. With my home insurance policy with the same level of cover a third of that.

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[JonnyWilson]

Having just bought a bigger van and one of the main factors was that I could store my bike inside without compromising on space I opted for a 6m PVC with garage/store under the middle of the folding bed (which stays down all the time). I am planning on building a slide rail/rack like in this video:

YouTube Link probably needs Jim’s approval!

Only difference being I don’t have the twin double setup so will also have to air out my front suspension forks to clear the bed frame. It’s all measured up and will fit like a glove I just need to stop enjoying the van so I can have a weekend or two to build it.

 

[Crazylegs]

We were pitched next to a couple of very keen cyclists in Italy who had their costly bikes stolen, despite being locked up with expensive gold standard locks. The police attended ( fancy that ! ) and advised against carrying expensive bikes uncovered on a rear rack as the local scumbags will follow you to your campsite. Once they know where you are they come during the night armed with angle grinders that make short work of any lock.
A garage gets my vote and it doesn’t need to be huge if you remove the wheels, they are normally quick release on quality bikes. I would fit extra locks as well.

 

[gus-lopez]

Here in Spain anything over 3k is classed as needing to be itemised individually on a house policy ,would doubtfully be insured anywhere outside the house premises,would attract a large premium additionally and when buying/selling any item over 3k, needs to be shown on yearly tax returns.

 

[pandas]

Here in Spain anything over 3k is classed as needing to be itemised individually on a house policy ,would doubtfully be insured anywhere outside the house premises,would attract a large premium additionally and when buying/selling any item over 3k, needs to be shown on yearly tax returns.

On our policy in the UK, cycles over £1k to be itemised but then insured anywhere in the EU - not sure about Worldwide.

 

[pandas]

We were pitched next to a couple of very keen cyclists in Italy who had their costly bikes stolen, despite being locked up with expensive gold standard locks. The police attended ( fancy that ! ) and advised against carrying expensive bikes uncovered on a rear rack as the local scumbags will follow you to your campsite. Once they know where you are they come during the night armed with angle grinders that make short work of any lock.
A garage gets my vote and it doesn’t need to be huge if you remove the wheels, they are normally quick release on quality bikes. I would fit extra locks as well.View attachment 496248

we had those swivel Fiamma locks as extra security on our habitation door but when looking to have the same on our new one advised against them as a crow bar between the door and the lock arm forced them off easily- more importantly causes considerable damage to the main bodywork. Sounded to us like a reasonable argument so we didn't have them fitted. Agree garage get our vote too but often that's not an option.

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[Jenben]

As people who like to cycle as part of our Motorhome trips we used to carry our bikes on the back of our PVC with a decent cover and locked onto the bike rack.

After someone tried to cut them off the back of the van in the middle of the night whilst we were in it we decided that our next van would have a garage for the bikes to be stored completely out of sight.

 

[Steve N Tracy]

My quote was for over £200 for two bikes through eversure. With my home insurance policy with the same level of cover a third of that.

My home insurance was only slightly less but did not give the on motorhome cover or the third party insurance, with the price of the bikes £4.00 a week for cover and peace of mind is a bargain

 

[bobski]

Except my Fiamma bike rack was made out of aluminium tubing which would be slipped off in a jiffy no matter what your bike lock was made out of.
When on travelling with the bikes on the back we firstly used two D locks - frame to frames it would have made it awkward to lift them off. Then we used a good quality coated fabric bike cover - not a plastic one. Proceted the bikes from the elements plus visually the bikes were out of view - well that they were electric anyhow. Better to check with your own Insurance company in terms of their requirements, insurance for our two bike @ £4k was £50 ish additional cost onto of our John Lewis Home Insurance - would have been 3 x that were we to have had a separate bike exclusive insurance cover.

I forgot to mention that our ebikes are always covered with a good cover too. The less that potential thieves know, the better.

 

[RoamingMan2]

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

 

[Aerialmark]

Aerialmark What tracker do you have for the MTB?

biketrax-gps-tracker-for-bosch

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[orridge]

View attachment 496376biketrax-gps-tracker-for-bosch

Cheers

 

[Bessie600]

Remove seat aswell as battery if you can when padlocked to moho

 

[Cheshirecat57]

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

I suppose another thing to consider ( assuming you wouldnt leave them outside at home,even with multiple security devices), would you consider cheaper bikes just for the back of the camper.?

 

[CRD]

I suppose another thing to consider ( assuming you wouldnt leave them outside at home,even with multiple security devices), would you consider cheaper bikes just for the back of the camper.?

That certainly is an option, as long as they have a long enough range, and are fun to ride. We still wouldn’t want them to get nicked though!

 

[AndyVW]

CRD. You actually have already mentioned the answer to your own question, Part of the purchase of any type of MH, is your "priority list".
make the garage for bike a priority, then all these suggestion go away. You know it makes sence.!!

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