Beware of bike thieves at the CAMC Edinburgh site

[dripster]

Staying a few nights at the Edinburgh CAMC site. Lots of signs about bike thieves and they have free lockers, so I asked at reception if we could lock the bikes in one. They advised that unless they were ebikes or very expensive they would be fine, so we left them locked on the bike rack.
This morning someone had had a go at getting the bikes, they'd cut through the cable lock but hadn't managed to get it from the rack lock. Better £30 cable lock than the bikes, but a bit annoyed that they advised that they would be ok.
So if you're staying here make sure you lock the bikes in a lockers, whatever their apparent value or advice you get.

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Not nice but good to hear they didn't actually take your bikes.

Whilst pretty much anything can be cut with the right tools but a chain like that is very easy to cut with an easily concealable tool. If you want some decent protection you need to get a chain with a mimium of 16mm diameter links.

 

[Kev56]

Bike theft is worrying, most of the sites I go to seem ok camper people wise. What I do now is once the awning and sides are out I chain my bike through the rear wheel.

 

[acer]

Not nice but good to hear they didn't actually take your bikes.

Whilst pretty much anything can be cut with the right tools but a chain like that is very easy to cut with an easily concealable tool. If you want some decent protection you need to get a chain with a mimium of 16mm diameter links.

…and double the weight of you bike in the process

 

[Van Diesel VW]

Puts me off buying a descent e-bike.

 

[KevH]

You would think that if bikes are being regularly targeted, the CAMC would install some additional security as a deterrent, eg cameras.
It really isn’t on to simply put signs up imo.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Camera's??? Invading your privacy.....where do you draw the line!

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

You need one of these. Even an angle grinder struggles

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[acer]

Puts me off buying a descent e-bike.

Because you only pedal up hill?
(Someone had to say it)

 

[Van Diesel VW]

You need one of these. Even an angle grinder struggles

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They might steal the lock and leave the bike as worth more than my cheap Decathlon fold up

 

[dripster]

You would think that if bikes are being regularly targeted, the CAMC would install some additional security as a deterrent, eg cameras.
It really isn’t on to simply put signs up imo.

They have got cameras, and said they'd "have a look" but didn't find anything before we left today. :-(

 

[KevH]

They have got cameras, and said they'd "have a look" but didn't find anything before we left today. :-(

To be honest, it just sounds like they can’t really be bothered.

 

[Corradobrit]

Puts me off buying a descent e-bike.

Stick to a Brompton and sleep well at night.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Or a motorhome with an internal garage

 

[Ch1pbutty]

To be honest, it just sounds like they can’t really be bothered.

Site owner probably owns a 2nd hand bike shop

 

[Doorbundle]

Site owner probably owns a 2nd hand bike shop

Cynicism is realism borne of bitter experience. Just saying.

 

[Mark Masters]

Staying a few nights at the Edinburgh CAMC site. Lots of signs about bike thieves and they have free lockers, so I asked at reception if we could lock the bikes in one. They advised that unless they were ebikes or very expensive they would be fine, so we left them locked on the bike rack.
This morning someone had had a go at getting the bikes, they'd cut through the cable lock but hadn't managed to get it from the rack lock. Better £30 cable lock than the bikes, but a bit annoyed that they advised that they would be ok.
So if you're staying here make sure you lock the bikes in a lockers, whatever their apparent value or advice you get.

View attachment 139518

We had both ebikes stolen in Rome when parked outside a police station. They were secured with a cable identical to yours but cut through with and angle grinder in the night. I now use a chain link lock but not sure if it is any better. The bike shop in Florence advised me that the chain would be more secure but not sure. It is inside a fabric which may tangle angle grinders

 

[Katie Jones]

Had bikes stolen off our van in Maastricht. The only thing that would have offered more protection would have been to put bikes inside van which wasn’t possible. We use a towbar rack and I do suspect that if secured too well thieves would just remove from towbar as a whole and take rack and bikes.

 

[Kev56]

Not a solution for the majority but a Brompton is a good option.

 

[Mark Masters]

Had bikes stolen off our van in Maastricht. The only thing that would have offered more protection would have been to put bikes inside van which wasn’t possible. We use a towbar rack and I do suspect that if secured too well thieves would just remove from towbar as a whole and take rack and bikes.

Our tow bar rack would be nigh on impossible to remove with out the locking key. To steal two bikes locked together plus the bike rack would be a mission and likely to encourage the thieves to look for easier pickings

 

[Corradobrit]

I assume everyone removes their batteries. A lot of value of the bike is tied up in those. Also have Apple Airtags secreted on the chassis. Cheap and will give something for law enforcement to work with if location can be determined.

 

[Mark Masters]

Our tow bar rack would be nigh on impossible to remove with out the locking key. To steal two bikes locked together plus the bike rack would be a mission and likely to encourage the thieves to look for easier pickings

Our biggest challenge has been to obtain insurance for our ebikes. We travel from NZ to Europe each year and use our California that is stored in Amsterdam for three months. Our travel insurance will only cover if stolen from within locked premises. We can obtain insurance from NZ but have to travel with the bikes which is difficult being ebikes. They are heavy and we would have to ship the batteries via sea transport. So the bikes stay with the Van. Any suggestions would be most welcome.

 

[sticky1]

My son was at Amsterdam University and he said bike thief gangs would turn up in big vans and electric grinders and target expensive bikes en-masse.
We have two options - electric Brampton's or store the full sizes bikes inside the van when we are out and about.
There are a couple of u locks that cannot be cut by angle grinders easily. We’ve got the Hiplock A1000 but you then have to look at what you are attaching it to.

 

[sticky1]

Staying a few nights at the Edinburgh CAMC site. Lots of signs about bike thieves and they have free lockers, so I asked at reception if we could lock the bikes in one. They advised that unless they were ebikes or very expensive they would be fine, so we left them locked on the bike rack.
This morning someone had had a go at getting the bikes, they'd cut through the cable lock but hadn't managed to get it from the rack lock. Better £30 cable lock than the bikes, but a bit annoyed that they advised that they would be ok.
So if you're staying here make sure you lock the bikes in a lockers, whatever their apparent value or advice you get.

View attachment 139518

I stayed at the CAMC site in Peterborough and they have the same problem with bike thieves wandering around their huge site at night stealing bikes.
I think you can get movement alarms, perhaps popping one on the lock so that when they move that an alarm goes off.

 

[leeb]

Staying a few nights at the Edinburgh CAMC site. Lots of signs about bike thieves and they have free lockers, so I asked at reception if we could lock the bikes in one. They advised that unless they were ebikes or very expensive they would be fine, so we left them locked on the bike rack.
This morning someone had had a go at getting the bikes, they'd cut through the cable lock but hadn't managed to get it from the rack lock. Better £30 cable lock than the bikes, but a bit annoyed that they advised that they would be ok.
So if you're staying here make sure you lock the bikes in a lockers, whatever their apparent value or advice you get.

View attachment 139518

These cable bike locks are really useless...we use Abus d locks...the cost a fair bit , but so do the bikes