Is my expensive bicycle safer under a tonneau or a camper shell?

Personally I think diamondback tonneau cover is the most secure, even in the cab still has issues just cause someone can bust a window. If it was me though I would get a leer cap and tint it with 5% making it damn near impossible to see a black bag/ blanket on the floor of the bed. Then lock it so if anything ever did get stolen it’s “attached” to the car and you should be able to go through insurance. And I will add again what someone said before get rid of any stickers that basically say “I may have expensive bikes, guns, fishing gear, tools in here you should check”

 

You're not going to easily be able to fit 2 mountain bikes under a tonneau in a short bed. You will have to take both front wheels off so the handlebars fit, and lay both bikes on their sides. That's the whole bed space. No room for any other gear. I used to barely fit 2 bikes under a tonneau in a long bed.

On a recent trip I stored 2 bikes upright (with front wheels off) under my softopper with rear window covered. Bikes were locked to the accessory rails with cable locks. Both 5k+ bikes, custom builds. The bikes were put in the bed at the trailhead, and bed not opened at any other location. A bike thief doesn't know its in there. A regular thief would have to have brought tools to cut the cables. You can't get 100% thief proof, best you can do is make it reasonably difficult to steal.

Get a camper shell, cover the windows, lock the bikes, don't open anything at the hotel. That's the best you can do. Think about it - that's about as secure as the bikes are at your house when you're not home anyway. IMO you're over thinking it if you try to go further than this.

Edit: Also not sure why people are suggesting you bring bikes into your room if you are staying at B&B type places. A lot of these places are more like an extension of the owners home than an institutional chain hotel. I think it would be disrespectful to bring a dirty MTB into a place like this. You might call ahead and ask the owners if they would have a secure garage or somewhere you can store the bikes, but if it were me I would just leave under the camper shell.

 

Thanks.

 

good points, with one small exception as regards “respect”; they’re charging you money to stay there!

 

I believe I ought to respect other people's property whether I am paying to use it or not. My opinion: bringing a dirty bike into old Mrs. Mcgivern's B&B would not be respectful.

 

Shit my demo is only worth like 2k and I would never leave it in the back of my truck. Plus no way your fitting two bikes in the back of a Tacoma under a tonneau

 

If a shell is OP's preferred option this is probably the best way to deter theft. Definitely back it in against a wall, tree, light post, anything like that.

 

Make sure they’re cool with you bringing a bike and wash it off before you arrive?

 

I have always viewed traveling with an expensive bike is like traveling with a dog, don't leave it locked up in your truck, call ahead and make arrangements. If you are at a hotel just bring the bike in, no one will care as long as you don't leave a trail of mud. Or if you are at a B&B find one that will accept your bike or at the very least offer a secure place to store it over night.
Instead of spending $1000+ on a topper/tonneau invest $200~ in a portable pressure washer that has it's own water supply. That way you can wash your bike after a day of riding and bring it inside guilt free.

Remember a clean bike is a happy bike.

Something I used to do in the past when just camping is have a cheap travel MTB/road bike, cheap by comparison, something in the $1000 range so if it does get stolen it's not the end of the world and it is still nice enough to enjoy riding.

 

Exactly what I do. Zero chance I leave a $5k bike in any vehicle. I wouldn't leave anything of value like that in a vehicle. You get a bag and put the bike in it and no one will have an issue even in the finest of resorts.

 

Sure, if you ask ahead and they're cool with it, no problems! I bet many (most?) B&B type places would make arrangements for you if you just ask.

 

$5k is cheap compared to a couple of my bikes, and I would NEVER leave them in a hotel parking lot overnight. Take it in with you, if they dont allow it, stay somewhere else.

 

Keep it out of sight. They won’t be tempted to steal it if they don’t know its there.

 

Remove front wheel and seat, leave seat post/dropper. Make them work for it if they wanna ride it away

in all seriousness, just bring the bike in the room. If they protest, ask if they will cover lost property stolen from vehicles on their property. If they can’t guarantee they will cover the loss if its stolen, then you can argue you are bringing it in he room for that reason.

 

ARE V Series. Yes you can order the windows in any of the frames. I use my truck for work and have stuff in the back that i'd like to keep so I got aluminum inserts in all the frames.

My total with the Windoors, tilt slider in front, roof tracks, aluminum inserts, and folding T handle locks was $3200. I have more pics of it in my media file under my profile if you want to see more detailed pics.

 

Now in BC we have a lot of hotels that have full on bike wash stations for guests, and when you hit major places like Whistler, Sun Peaks, you get bike valet, living the good life!

 

With the tonneau cover you are probably gonna have to take the front wheel off every time as either that or the handlebar will get in the way. Just don't do it in the hotel lot where everyone can see what you got. With the price of that bike I would also suggest looking into vehicle mounted motorcycle locks/chain mounting points. Would have to get under the truck and mount the equipment with smooth round top bolts through the bed with locking nuts underneath.

In the end its easier to just put both wheels and the frame in the back seat or wheel it into the hotel room.

 

Well this seems like a moot point. It finally cooled down today for me to be outside for a few hours. I took off the front wheel, and with my 27.5+ Medium sized mountain bike frame there is no way it would fit under the tonneau cover in the short bed. I would have to take off the handlebars as well and it would still be a squeeze. I decided against the camper shell because I want to be able to put oversized crap in the bed sometimes. Really all that leaves is a bike bag to take inside with my other luggage, unless anybody has a better idea.

 

Take the wheels off and carry it into the hotel in pieces. Or take the wheels off and leave it in the truck. Most people don’t kNow how to put the wheels on it to ride it away. And very few people want to steal a “broken” bike.

 

Quit acting like a triathlete. Mtbrs don’t give a $#!+ about rules!