Hi Peeps,
We’re going a little bit further into another region of France this year, over to the Ardeche and I can’t make my mind up about taking the bike.
As it’s a longer trip, we’ll have to have an overnight stay going/returning about an hour or so out of Calais at a French equivalent of a travel lodge.
My bike would be roof mounted and locked into the Thule top rack.

Are such things safe, or is a GB plate considered a ‘must do’ for the local tea leaf?

Thoughts people………
Q

Take it in to the room.

Too much passing traffic in that region too risk it IMHO.

Ive done it with bikes on a rear rack, both locked together and to the rack. They were still there in the morning.

Its a risk though. Put it in your room?

As Pete says. A few minutes of hassle and you will get a decent night’s sleep.

No different from home really. Doubt your average tea leaf cares which nationality he’s robbing.

Given how easily Thule locks can be opened without the key, I wouldn’t leave mine out of sight for more than a few minutes without reinforcement, let alone overnight.

Anything much to stop you taking a clean bike into the Formule 1 or whatever? If you’re that bothered get some Ground Effect bike pyjamas and then it’s just a big bag.

Yes, I suppose that’s the sensible option……
thanks chaps
Q

I left a trailer overnight in Caen ( B&B hotel) and in the morning the tarpaulin had been disturbed,luckly I had a personel alarm fitted inside the trailer so nothing was taken.

My bike was once stolen from the roof of the car in France so take it into your room and you can relax!

I barely trust the roof rack locks for 2 minutes out of sight, nevermind overnight. I have left bikes on a trailer, chained on with a very solid 13mm chain and a few other locks.

I can’t see a problem with taking a bike into a cheap hotel like a Formule 1, other than the fact that it may not actually fit in the room.

Have done it with my road bike in the UK. Don’t ask, just walk it in and look confident.

I once foolishly left my bike on the roof outside a hotel in sleepy Volvic. Securely locked, but in the morning was missing the rear wheel (and the lock). Take it inside!

this is pretty simple would you do this in the uk in say a travel lodge………………nope so why is france diffrent take it in the room 😕

What a stupid question, you are asking for it to get stolen. No wonder so many peoples bikes get robbed, I mean seriously use your brain.

( blush )
Yes I suppose it was a bit of a daft thought. I’ve never had to leave a bike outside anywhere, let alone in France, whih as said can be no worse or better than here.
OK….indoors it is!
cheers
Q

I’ve done it no problem. I got a cable lock long enough to pass through the frames of 3 bikes, then around the roof, inside the car, through the windows. So left the windows open a cm or so.

BUT this was at a hotel in the middle of knowhere private drive etc.

I’m planning similar this year including 2 nights in Paris. I was thinking of putting them in the boot with the seats down under parcel shelf and dust sheet. But I’ll wait and see how secure the car park looks.

At the end of the day, its only material possessions, and insurance is your friend.

Can you dismantle the bike once you get to the hotel, then lock it up inside the car with a sheet over it. Car alarm covers it then.

Park next to a lamp post, and cable lock it to that?

My insurance will not cover my bikes unless they are locked to an ‘immovable object’. A car doesn’t count 🙁

bike safe on car..overnight in france…??

NO!..never ever..

the france bit isn’t relevant – the ‘overnight in a formule un’ is. they aren’t usually in the nicest bits of towns

formule un often don’t have staff, you activate the door with your credit card so there would be no-one to tell you whether you could or couldn’t haul the bike in – i’d take the roof bars in as well !!!!

Which reminds me Ambrose – must pack the heavy duty Motrax security chain for the Alps . . .

Did a similar trip to the ardeche last year-we took our bikes into the hotel (etaphotel) with no problems.

I’ve taken bikes into countless hotels while racing, not all of them clean (the bikes that is!), and no one’s ever batted an eyelid. Go to a Travelodge the night before a major race, there’ll be 50 bikes being wheeled into rooms.

Why would the staff dispute you taking it in, they don’t care!

Of course there’ll be stories of people getting away with it, but it’s daft IMO! Last year at the Margam Park NPS we stayed at the Days Inn at nearby Sarn Park services, some fellow left his Top Fuel 9.8 locked to the roof of his car all night, it was still there in the morning. Meanwhile, 10 miles away at the race, tea leaves cut through the side of a van and broke into cars and tents to steal bikes, there’s only so much you can do!