Security and automobile bike carrier

[MollyJ]

Now I'm going to sound like a nervous mother but I am taking my bike by bike carrier to another town to do a ride. This is the most expensive bike I've owned in my life and I love it. So...take me with a grain of salt.

Do you secure your bike to your bike carrier with a lock? Do you worry about leaving it alone when you go in a restaurant? What are normal prudent things to do? :o

[Irulan]

It depends on the quality of the rack. If it's a strap on type rack I would either park where you can keep an eye on the bike 100% of the time, or run a lock through the frame and the bumper or towing eyelet if you have one. If you can do neither, I'd take the bike off and either put it in the car or chain it to something substantial.

If you have a rack that is securely mounted to the car, (Locking towers, locked to the hitch) then I'd just cable it through the frame and wheels and hitch. I will use multiple cables sometimes just to make it more complex. Just remember that anyone with a good bolt cutter can cut through most cables.

[TigerMom]

It depends on the quality of the rack. If it's a strap on type rack I would either park where you can keep an eye on the bike 100% of the time, or run a lock through the frame and the bumper or towing eyelet if you have one. If you can do neither, I'd take the bike off and either put it in the car or chain it to something substantial.

If you have a rack that is securely mounted to the car, (Locking towers, locked to the hitch) then I'd just cable it through the frame and wheels and hitch. I will use multiple cables sometimes just to make it more complex. Just remember that anyone with a good bolt cutter can cut through most cables.

Yep. I have a lot of biker friends who have had their locked bikes stolen. I even had a friend that his locked biked was stolen because someone cut through the tree that it was tied to. I have had friends with bikes stolen out of their back seat of their locked car at their house. Many TE members have had bikes stolen from their garages.

You just do your best to keep your eye on it/eat at restaurants with outdoor patios.

Have I locked my bike on to my bike rack and left it. Yes, but only if there was no other option.

[MollyJ]

Glad to hear I don't sound like a neurotic paranoid.

I have a carrier that is attached to a trailer hitch; it's not just a strap on but still they are just there "for the taking". I kind of like the idea of more than one cable and thanks for the info.

[ny biker]

When I had a trunk rack for my bikes I used two u-locks to secure the bike to the rack. However that was more to make sure the bike didn't fall off the rack. I never left the car unattended with the bike on the rack.

[luvmyguys]

If it's just me and I don't need to use the rack, I don't. It goes in the car. I left it unattended during lunch ONCE. Dh said it would be fine, but I went out way too much to make sure everything was still okay.

Won't do that again, even though everything was okay.

We were on a trip this past weekend, and I brought the bike (and I didn't have room to put it in the car with 4 people and baggage). When we stopped for lunch, we sat by a window so I could keep an eye on it.

You're not paranoid at all.

[Irulan]

here's why you can never be too paranoid
http://laatsteronde.tumblr.com/post/49851470585/i-am-driving-from-boston-to-portland-or-i-am

[Bike Writer]

I admit that I've had brief moments that I've left my bike on my rack unlocked, but more often than not I lock it to my rack if I run into the grocery store to pick up a couple of things and at a restaurant I usually park where I can keep my eye on it too, even if it's locked. Stuff happens and a lock will not stop a determined thief. Insurance is the best bet.