[Closed] Towbar Rack Security

Yep. BFO motorbike lock through the frame and through the towbar chassis.

Never taken mine off whilst off riding though.

Yes
No

🙂

Yes - various u-locks and one of the massive cables I bought to lock the canoes with.
Mine locks on tow ball, so stays.

Thanks chaps. Lock it and leave it, it is.

Natural trails dont have cafes so no

Big rack (Pendle) stays on but is effectively impossible to lock in place in a way that two minutes with an Allen key and correct knowledge wouldn't allow it to be removed.

The scissor action thule one comes off and goes in the boot while riding.

Bike gets locked to d ring on tow bar with either rack.

Yep, my commuter lock gets put through the frame and round the bike rack which locks to the towball. Not foolproof by any means but makes it a harder target than others. Have had one close call where bikes on racks in the car park (McDonald's) were stolen but mine was left alone.

Never remove the rack when riding though, it's not a big-name one so unlikely to be nicked anyway. Do remove the wheel straps every time though as I've got fed up of those being 'borrowed' 👿

Big 13mm chain through bikes & rack when in car park. When riding all the arms on the rack go in the boot. Thule rack locks on tow ball.

Thanks again guys. And a big thank you to Junkyard for letting us know he is a superior, natural trails only, kind of guy. 😆

I used to be able to run a U lock through one of the alloy wheels on my car and then run a big cable or chain through to the bike. It at least stopped someone just lifting the whole lot off and slinging it in a van.

I'm with Junkyard on this :-p

If I'm going somewhere where bikes might be targeted I usualy put them in the boot as there's usualy some sort of bike wash. The rack mostly gets used for weekday night rides, which probably mean the rack get's left on in more 'public' places, but it'd be oppertunists not targeted theft and my rack needs a BFO spanner to remove.

Thinking of getting a D-ring welded to the car's chassis and running a cable lock through it but never gotten arround to it.

I've got a 3m long cable lock from B&Q and feed that through frames, wheel and through the towing eye on the car. Done ok so far. Although over night whilst traveling down through France I take the bike in the hotel room!!

IMHO its a bit strange to own a MTB and only ever ride trail centres its like you have not really understood what bikes or mountain biking are about.

YMMV

I have one of these secured underneath the car on the towbar 'tubes' and then comes up between the bumper and towbar that I leave on permanently . I then have another cable that I secure through the bikes and a U-lock (onto the upright arms of the rack).

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kryptonite-kryptoflex-4-foot-cable-bike-lock/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&kpid=5300007882&sku=5300007882&ci_src=18615224&ci_sku=5300007882uk&utm_source=google&utm_term&utm_campaign=All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=sqQeM37vk_dc%7cpcrid%7c%7cpkw%7c%7cpmt%7c%7cprd%7c5300007882uk&dest=1&curr=GBP

[i]IMHO its a bit strange to own a MTB and only ever ride trail centres its like you have not really understood what bikes or mountain biking are about.[/i]

Eh? Could be a trail centre, or a café on the way home, the pub after a night ride, the LBS or tbh Aldi and getting some shopping on the way home.

That looks like just the job b r!

@Junkyard - please start your own thread on 'locations where Junkyard thinks it's OK to ride MTBs'. Thanks.

I would already know that though wouldn't I 🙄

Then stop telling everyone else!

Although over night whilst traveling down through France I take the bike in the hotel room!!

and although I'm with Junkyard on the "Cafe, what cafe?, there's no cafe up them there hills"
... security in the post-ride-pint scenario is however worthy of consideration 😉

... so yes, cable lock through the bike frames as an opportunist deterent.

[b]supercilious[/b]
adjective UK / DISAPPROVING

› behaving as if you are better than other people, and that their opinions, beliefs, or ideas are not important

If I had a rack, I'd take the bike with me to the cafe. I wouldn't be going for a shop in Aldi either, or at least not without someone guarding the car.

I'm paranoid though about advertising an expensive bike on the car to be followed home with or attracting attention of the local scum that live near me, so bike goes in the car. Even them a post ride cafe or pub stop, the bike usually comes with me and stays in sight where possible.

IMHO its a bit strange to own a MTB and only ever ride trail centres its like you have not really understood what bikes or mountain biking are about.

Who said that every person with a bike rack only rides at trail centres? Perhaps, just maybe, they could be taking their bikes to a natural trail?

Unless the only cafes in the country are at trail centres?

But to answer the question, I take the rack off when parked up and I don't leave the bike untended when it is on the car. A bit paranoid maybe but not worth the risk.

There are cafés in "natural trail" places. Okay might be a little tea room kind of place that might not be so keen on muddy riders 😉

Plenty of pubs though, or little shops. Surrey Hills has village shops, pubs or the thing up at the tower in Leith. Argue if you like if SH is technically trail centre or "natural"*, given how busy the place is and the facilities that have sprung up due to bikes. Actually, Box Hill has a café, but it's not a trail centre, except maybe for roadies 😛

* - most "natural" singletrack has had trail pixie work anyway even if you don't notice. Bridleways and the like are man made. 😉

Maybe we need another thread with a shortlist of cafes approved for the use of MTB-ers
So....
Maggs Howe (Kentmere)
er, struggling now...

EDIT: Wilfs Staveley

Perhaps, just maybe, they could be taking their bikes to a natural trail?

* FWIW i wish I had not said it given the reaction.

Needs a poll.

Cafe stop at the start, middle or end of the ride?

Cafe in the middle and pub at the end for me. Cafe at the end seems all kinds of wrong, it's neither a pub or do I need the cake/fuel for riding any further.

lock thru wheels and frame to under car - yes
anything to deter opportunists

put in car - yes to avoid the how to get home problem if stolen

I usually reverse hard up to a wall or into a hedge if I can - just to make it an unattractive proposition

Yes
And
No
Always have a lock through the bikes and rack locked to the towbar mount when on the motorway, just in case it comes off at speed !

YES
YES