Camping with eBikes

[Nautical Biker]

Hello everyone, I'm looking for advice from anyone who takes their bikes on family camping trips. What's the best way to keep the bikes secured and also charge them up overnight? Locked on a bike rack or in the porch area of a big family tent.
I was thinking of taking the family on a long camping trip so I am in the market for a good family tent to comfortably accommodate five persons and perhaps two or three bikes. While the girls go off horse riding with I will be out shredding with my son!
Anyone else get up to this kind of camping trip? what gear do you use?

 

[Mikerb]

VWT5.+ Berhaus Air tent. + I book a camping pitch with electrical hook up. When not being ridden the bikes are on fork mounts in the T5. Overnight they are also secured in the van with chain locks. The van is alarmed.

 

[Gary]

Assuming you're taking a vehicle I'd keep the bikes locked inside it (and as out of sight/covered as possible)
If camping on sites. Ask in the campsite office if they have somewhere you can charge the batteries?

 

[Nautical Biker]

VWT5.+ Berhaus Air tent. + I book a camping pitch with electrical hook up. When not being ridden the bikes are on fork mounts in the T5. Overnight they are also secured in the van with chain locks. The van is alarmed.

Thanks, I will look up the tent. The Berghaus ones seem to be very popular. I have a pick up truck not a van so have a dilemma about leaving the bikes on a tow bar rack or bringing them inside the tent.
Mains hook up seem best, I have browsed the forums on people using Leisure batteries and inverters etc, there is so much conflicting advice it's hard to know where to start.

 

[Gary]

I have a pick up truck

With a family of 4/5? A crew cab then? If so you should be able to fit a couple of bikes in there if you take the front wheels off them. then lock them together and to the seats and cover them with a tarp.

 

[Nautical Biker]

With a family of 4/5? A crew cab then? If so you should be able to fit a couple of bikes in there if you take the front wheels off them. then lock them together and to the seats and cover them with a tarp.

I have a Ranger with the double cab. I can't believe I didn't think about putting the bikes in the back of the cab. That's a really good idea! Thanks. I will do a test fit tomorrow.

 

[2WheelsNot4]

Overnight I'd have them in the porch of the tent if you have room, but i'd still be for locking them together just to be safe. NEVER outside.

 

[Swissrider]

Remember that a lot of camping charging points are set up for caravan/motorhomes and you’ll need an adaptor for bike charger.

 

[Mikerb]

standard kit from camping shops is a waterproof 4 way socket gang with a long extension lead terminating in the blue socket that plugs into the supply on the pitch. You then have plug points for fridge, lights, phone chargers and bike chargers etc. If you intend running all of that it is worth making sure the pitch has 16 amp supply.
Crusader 3 Way Mobile Mains Unit 15M CampingWorld.co.uk

 

[Nautical Biker]

standard kit from camping shops is a waterproof 4 way socket gang with a long extension lead terminating in the blue socket that plugs into the supply on the pitch. You then have plug points for fridge, lights, phone chargers and bike chargers etc. If you intend running all of that it is worth making sure the pitch has 16 amp supply.
Crusader 3 Way Mobile Mains Unit 15M CampingWorld.co.uk

Thanks for the kit advice!

 

[Vegas36]

1Up bike racks have a bolt thru locking system that works well. Also have used Zeal Pro bike covers while traveling. The bike covers need to modified for the locking system.

 

[Nautical Biker]

1Up bike racks have a bolt thru locking system that works well. Also have used Zeal Pro bike covers while traveling. The bike covers need to modified for the locking system.

I have seen people talking about those racks but I think they are not on sale in the UK. US only?

 

[Jax]

standard kit from camping shops is a waterproof 4 way socket gang with a long extension lead terminating in the blue socket that plugs into the supply on the pitch. You then have plug points for fridge, lights, phone chargers and bike chargers etc. If you intend running all of that it is worth making sure the pitch has 16 amp supply.
Crusader 3 Way Mobile Mains Unit 15M CampingWorld.co.uk

Bought 3 socket electrical hook up kit from Halfords and have used it on a few sites with hook up and no problem charging bike. Lock bike in van overnight and make sure rear door is backed onto a post or tree to prevent entry.

 

[BobR]

I currently lock mine in my camper but have been looking at ways to keep them locked on my rack inside a big bag so people cannot see what kind of bikes are there. The problem with a really nice bag is that people will conclude there are really nice bikes in the bag… looking for a bag that is functional but does not look that great so people will just think I am trying to keep my Walmart bikes out of the rain

 

[Binhill1]

Depending on where you are . I sometimes take bike in van at night sometimes I leave it on rack. When you hear stories about people taking of garage doors and stealing cars it's not easy.

 

[HarryJune]

I currently lock mine in my camper but have been looking at ways to keep them locked on my rack inside a big bag so people cannot see what kind of bikes are there. The problem with a really nice bag is that people will conclude there are really nice bikes in the bag… looking for a bag that is functional but does not look that great so people will just think I am trying to keep my Walmart bikes out of the rain

This is what we do. Locked in van during day if we are out, locked together and to the van wheel overnight with large mattress bag over them.

 

[LowStandards]

VWT5.+ Berhaus Air tent. + I book a camping pitch with electrical hook up. When not being ridden the bikes are on fork mounts in the T5. Overnight they are also secured in the van with chain locks. The van is alarmed.

Anyone noticed Transporter owners are like vegans - they just have to tell you

 

[Mikerb]

Carnivor hit a nerve there methinks

 

[LowStandards]

Owning a Nissan Elgrand, I like to make up a single bed in the Nissan Elgrand, then have the bike in the space next to me in my Nissan Elgrand


I've yet to need more than one bed in my Nissan Elgrand, so have space, but I imagine i'd suck it up and sleep in a tent outside my Nissan Elgrand and keep the bikes locked inside the Nissan Elgrand if there was a few of us










Nissan Elgrand

 

[Binhill1]

Owning a Nissan Elgrand, I like to make up a single bed in the Nissan Elgrand, then have the bike in the space next to me in my Nissan Elgrand


I've yet to need more than one bed in my Nissan Elgrand, so have space, but I imagine i'd suck it up and sleep in a tent outside my Nissan Elgrand and keep the bikes locked inside the Nissan Elgrand if there was a few of us










Nissan Elgrand

I have the Alphard double bed but with wheels off I still get bike in front of r and r bed . Just take it in at bed time or if I go hill walking. Spot on

 

[Mikerb]

"I've yet to need more than one bed in my Nissan Elgrand"

Says it all








Nissan Elgrand

 

[Planemo]

Mine and my sons Trances were nicked from an Isle of Wight campsite a couple of years ago. It's not happening again. They were both locked (2 separate locks) to a metal fence about 2 feet away from where my head was in the tent.

Woke up, looked outside, that moment of thinking 'somethings not right here' and that unbelievable realisation that someone has nicked not only your but also your sons pride and joys that (being a skint person) took me ages to save up for. After the shock, that was probably the most angry I have been in a long, long time. I could really have done some damage to someone, which isn't me at all.

The locks were gone too. No sign of anything left. To this day I have no idea how they did it, especially when I wake up at the sound of a fart. I can only assume they picked the locks cos they didn't cut them (or the fence).

Told reception, they confirmed that many campers had attended and said the same. All told it seems around 20 bikes were nicked between 2 and 4am that night. Wankers.

So now, the bikes go inside our camper awning (where I sleep). So a scumbag would need to unzip the awning, walk about on a noisy groundsheet and either work in the dark (or risk using a torch right next to where I'm sleeping) and be in a confined area. The bikes are locked together with sold secure locks, and both have motion alarms which I have to say is probably the cheapest, most effective device I have ever used on bikes. They work really well and there is no way on earth they wouldn't wake you up. A slight knock will make them chirp (loudly). Knock again and they go off, big time. I've actually practised being a thief and tried to carefully lift the bikes/unbolt the alarms/moved the locks about and no matter what I try I couldn't stop them going off. Good luck to anyone who can do it, especially in the dark.

 

[Nautical Biker]

Mine and my sons Trances were nicked from an Isle of Wight campsite a couple of years ago. It's not happening again. They were both locked (2 separate locks) to a metal fence about 2 feet away from where my head was in the tent.

Woke up, looked outside, that moment of thinking 'somethings not right here' and that unbelievable realisation that someone has nicked not only your but also your sons pride and joys that (being a skint person) took me ages to save up for. After the shock, that was probably the most angry I have been in a long, long time. I could really have done some damage to someone, which isn't me at all.

The locks were gone too. No sign of anything left. To this day I have no idea how they did it, especially when I wake up at the sound of a fart. I can only assume they picked the locks cos they didn't cut them (or the fence).

Told reception, they confirmed that many campers had attended and said the same. All told it seems around 20 bikes were nicked between 2 and 4am that night. Wankers.

So now, the bikes go inside our camper awning (where I sleep). So a scumbag would need to unzip the awning, walk about on a noisy groundsheet and either work in the dark (or risk using a torch right next to where I'm sleeping) and be in a confined area. The bikes are locked together with sold secure locks, and both have motion alarms which I have to say is probably the cheapest, most effective device I have ever used on bikes. They work really well and there is no way on earth they wouldn't wake you up. A slight knock will make them chirp (loudly). Knock again and they go off, big time. I've actually practised being a thief and tried to carefully lift the bikes/unbolt the alarms/moved the locks about and no matter what I try I couldn't stop them going off. Good luck to anyone who can do it, especially in the dark.

Wow, that's terrible and it really is the nightmare. I guess no option is completely safe, but as you say, if the bikes are in the tent and secured as best as you can manage then thieves will have to create a disturbance to steal them.