I'm planning a few walks in the Highlands this year, and looking at opportunities to use a bike. These mainly aren't the sort of Munros where it makes sense to take the bike to the summit (even if I was fit and skilled enough). What I have in mind is riding up glens to the foot of mountains, riding into a bothy or camping spot, or pushing/carrying the bike up to a bealach then hike to the summit. A bike is almost a necessity on some of these routes, but other times just makes it more enjoyable.
This obviously means leaving the bike unattended somewhere for anywhere between a couple of hours and a full day.
Take the ride-in on tracks scenario. A cheap bike will do this job fine, and wouldn't be a disaster to have it stolen so I could go about my day without worry. It needs to be a reliable bike though or it might turn your day into an epic. However I only have space to take one bike in the car with the hiking and biking gear, so no good for a mixed hiking/MTB trip. And some of the tracks I've walked down would be a blast to do on a good bike. You can lock it to a post, and a lightweight lock would probably be fine as nobody will have anything more than a multi tool on them (could cut fence to get lock off a post with it though) given you're far from the road. The lock would probably be more to keep honest people honest - borrowing a bike to ride 5 miles out of a glen after a long day might tempt a few.
Now the bike to the bealach scenario. This needs your proper mountain bike. Maybe there'll be somewhere you can hide it away from the path (but make sure you remember where it is!), but there probably won't be anything you could lock it to. Personally I don't think I could enjoy my day knowing my bike was just left somewhere for the taking. Most people up here don't have the competence to ride down chunky terrain, don't have a helmet, and won't have pedals/axle to fit in place of those you removed and took up the mountain with you. They could carry it down, and for very few it'd be worth the effort for a nice bike.
I've seen many cheapish bikes left around bothies and where the estate track ends. Never came across any good bikes - probably a rarer thing to do, taken further up, and hidden. I saw a video of someone and their friend leaving a Deviate Highlander and a Privateer 161 halfway up a mountain for a few hours to hike the summit.
Generally I see mountain people as pretty decent honest types, popular touristy areas aside. Nobody's going to leave their bike on the way up Ben Lomond with the volume and types of people it attracts.
My head says a good bike is probably fine in the right location, hidden away, locked or key parts removed. But I know I'd be thinking about it every minute it'd be out of my sight.
What do STWers do?
HIde it in the heather off the path and if really paranoid take the axles with you up the hill. I really wouldn't worry.
Maybe Ben Nevis or Cairngorm are busy enough that I'd give it a second thought but even then I'd probably do as TJ says.
Have left bikes and rucksacks full of kit in plenty of places in the Highlands quite happily,
Hide it, take an important bit or two, lock it with a lightweight lock, but also leave a dated note taped to it just to make it clear that it is not unwanted and abandoned.
You don't want anyone assuming that the pedals dropped off or axel fell out and so you decided to dump it rather than carry it home. People like my father in law would assume they were doing the world a favour by clearing abandoned junk from the countryside.
Yep, no real need to worry I'd say. There's a few spots I can think of (won't list them here to tempt fate!) that look like a veritable bike park on a summer's day. Normally ratty old 1990's mtbs mind you ridden unnervingly swiftly by ratty old boys made of nothing but skin and sinew out for a monumentally long day in the hills.
I've been leaving bikes lying around in the hills for decades. If you're truely cycling in far enough that it's saving a very long walk then the only folk passing will be other walkers (and maybe cyclists). I've left rucksacks full of kit lying around too. I never really give it a second thought. I guess you could set your mind a wee bit at rest by walking a little distance away from the main throroughfair and, unless it's remarkably bump-free, you'll likely find a patch of heather or peat hag to hide it.
Same here. Usually I dump it behind a hillock or peat hag, or round the back of the Bothy so it’s out of sight a bit. I’d be most worried about some cheeky, knackered toerag using it to avoid the long walkout than actually nick it. Taking an axle should see to that. Never had an issue.
Believe me leaving it hidden in the heather your biggest worry won’t be is it still there but can I find it again 😂
Can also leave a note saying "not abandoned, just off for a quick summit."
Believe me leaving it hidden in the heather your biggest worry won’t be is it still there but can I find it again
Its a lot simpler since I started carrying a GPS.
wouldn't worry about it. my dad uses his turbo levo to access some of the more inaccessible munros, riding as far in as he can on farm track etc. will then ditch the bike - he takes off the back wheel, locks to frame and hides bike - he has a small scrim net he takes with him to help cover the bike over. he's been doing similar for years without any issues. biggest risk is forgetting to log location where you've hidden it and having to hunt around for an expensive bike when cold, wet and tired from a long day on the hills!
Another one who has left bikes and bags of kit many a time.
Behind a hillock or just 30m off the path and a) no one will find it unless they're really shy about a wildy-wee and b) they are fellow hillgoers who the vast majority of whom are brilliant people.
I've certainly left rucksacs on an out-and-back, and would do so again without hesitation in the wilds.
No real difference locking it to something and just putting a lock through the wheel. If someone breaks the lock, they can take it. No-one's going to carry a locked bike far anyway.
The lock would probably be more to keep honest people honest
Your definition of honest is different to mine - are you a Boris Johnson supporter?
With bike pushing, comes scuffed shins.
I’ve got a (Kalloy? magnesium) version of these:
It would be pretty uncomfortable for someone to ride your bike downhill, taking their entire weight on their ass.
With bike pushing, comes scuffed shins.
Got myself some of these for the car interior, will take them with me if I'm expecting a long push.
https://singletrackworld.com/shop/nox-sox-pedal-covers/
It would be pretty uncomfortable for someone to ride your bike downhill, taking their entire weight on their ass.
Oh yes. I once rode a demo bike without any pedals for 50m down a gravel track.
@scotroutes dropping a marker with a GPS has absolutely improved things. It’s incredible how some of the heather filled hollows swallow up stuff.
Just leave it to the side and take a small, light cafe lock to put round the frame and wheels. Chances of it getting stolen are miniscule but that at least reduces it further and tells anyone passing that it hasn't been dumped.
I have gone places with the intention of doing this, and then realised it can be quite difficult (sometimes) to hide a bike from view.
I would take skewers out and leave a note.