bikes - what do you do with them

[SparkyUK]

Was planning on bringing our bikes on our upcoming trip, and have just realised, how do I keep them safe when we aren't on site? We're going to be in France which seems more prone to thieves in my mind for some reason. Will chaining two bikes together be enough? Or do sites have facilities for storing bikes? I've never done it before so never thought to look.

We took our bikes to France and just propped them by a tree/hedge on pitch and chained them up.

Not sure what else you can do

You don't have to make your bikes impossible to steal, just more difficult to steal than other peoples'.

I would try and find a tree / fence post etc to chain the frames to, then a D lock through the wheels and frame.

Even chaining them to a piece of furniture would help! Very easy to casually lift two chained-together bikes into the back of a van without attracting much attention, not so much if they are chained to a sun lounger

We either chain them together outside, or put them inside the tent, still chained together, when we're out

Get some d-ring locks and padlock them to a tree/fence. If not then padlock them together. If they have quick release wheels remove the wheels and take them out in the car boot with you.

I have to say, campers are generally very honest! Think of all the valuables you leave in your tent, protected by just a zip, on a daily basis.
I'm sure your bikes will be fine.

I totally agree with you in theory proud but the bikes themselves together (along with the locks and child seats, etc) would cost close to a thousand pounds to replace. I don't leave anything like that around in my tent. In fact, even if someone nicked my tent and all its contents it would cost less to replace than the bikes. And it would take 45 minutes + to pack it all up, as opposed to just discreetly popping the bikes into the back of a van in 15 seconds.

And really, it's just a worry I'd have in France, I guess because the sites are so much larger, and also, the only stories I've read of people being robbed have been in france. (Didn't someone on here get her bag stolen in the night by somone who cut a hole in her tent??)

The sites all seem to be covered with trees and hedges so we will go that route and if that's impossible we will chain all of our chairs and pots and pans to them so that if someone does try to lift them, not only does it look very conspicuous, but it will also make loud alarm-like noises :)

Thanks wonders off to see what else I can panic about in the remaining 5 days before the holiday