Locking Bike Overnight At Flume Gorge Parking Area

[ImYourHuckleberry]

Does anybody here think it would be an issue or cause any alarm if I locked a bicycle overnight at the bike racks at the Flume Gorge parking area? I have an idea in mind which will have me leaving my car at the Skookumchuck lot, then pedaling the bike path down to the Flume Gorge lot, and not picking the bike up until early evening the next day.

 

[JToll]

You could them up and ask

 

[jfb2]

I did something similar once, but not overnight. Rather than locking the bike to a rack which is visible to everyone, I hid mine in the woods and it was still there when I returned. I've thought about buying a cheap bike just for that purpose.

 

[ImYourHuckleberry]

I did something similar once, but not overnight. Rather than locking the bike to a rack which is visible to everyone, I hid mine in the woods and it was still there when I returned. I've thought about buying a cheap bike just for that purpose.

Yeah I've left it there before for the day. Parked at Skook and rode down to Flume Gorge, then hiked up Flume Slide and crossed ridge and back down Skook. But I didn't leave it overnight that time. And yeah, it's an old mountain bike (30 years old) so if it got stolen it wouldn't be the end of the world. I'm more concerned about raising an alarm with staff that might think the owner got hurt or lost.

As JToll mentions, maybe I should call. But I'm more of an ask forgiveness than ask permission kind of guy. Except I really don't want to cause an alarm. Maybe I should attach a laminated card to the bike with my name, phone number, and plans for returning.

 

[sierra]

I used to stash my bike in the woods locked to a tree, much safer. Most people never leave a trail or parking lot.

 

[peakbagger]

I do the same. I have a long cable and stash the bike in the woods. Thieves go where there is easy opportunity which would be an active bike rack. Most would be too lazy to wander around in the woods.

 

[ImYourHuckleberry]

I guess ditching in the woods solves my main concern about accidently raising an alarm, so I guess I'll do that. Thanks all.

 

[peakbagger]

BTW, I have a beater bike and and a expensive E mountain bike. I have owned the beater since I bought it with money from my paper route about 50 years ago. I still lock it just in case someone decides they need to more than me. The only reason I leave a bike at a trailhead is avoid a long walk back to my car so I really do not want to come out of the woods after a long hike and have to do an unexpected even longer walk back to my car. The Ebike allows even longer distances between trailheads. When it gets stashed, the battery is detached and gets stashed separate from my bike. I can detach the control head from the bike and that goes in the pack. It still can be used as a regular bike. I met someone once who would stash his bike and unscrew a pedal with a thin wrench designed for removing pedals. He threw the wrench and the pedal in his pack. Someone would need to be real desperate to try to ride a bike with one pedal.

 

[jfb2]

I met someone once who would stash his bike and unscrew a pedal with a thin wrench designed for removing pedals. He threw the wrench and the pedal in his pack. Someone would need to be real desperate to try to ride a bike with one pedal.

Wouldn't the bike thief just have to roll the bike out of the woods to his car?

 

[peakbagger]

There are multiple types of bike thieves. If a thief with a resale market wants your bike, its gone and either sold out right or stripped for parts and the parts are sold. Sad to say there are plenty of folks who will buy high end parts at a big discount even though they suspect they are stolen. A battery powered grinder with cut off wheel will go through any lock in seconds. Reportedly bike theft is a thriving trade for some folks living on the fringe in the Burlington VT area, if you see a good deal on a high end bike or parts and its near Burlington, expect they are stolen or someone is selling their old parts to replace stolen ones that they just obtained. Police regard bikes as property crimes and its low to no priority. Even if someone gets busted, new bail laws and courts means the thief is out on the street in hours. Folks living on the fringe regard it as easy low risk way to generate cash. The folks doing this are going to go where the bikes are and a trailhead in the whites is not loaded with high end bikes, those thefts are going to be predominantly urban areas. Look at video from clean ups at homeless encampments and there are usually dumpsters full of stripped bikes hauled out.

The other type's of theft is rationalized by thinking it as "borrowing". Someone sees a bike, has a use for it, and takes it for ride and dumps it, that does happen anywhere including a trailhead. It not unknown that some small minority of AT hikers at road crossings might grab a bike to get into town. A rock applied to a window of a car loaded with valuables is a lot quicker if someone is out to make quick cash.

 

[jfb2]

There are multiple types of bike thieves.

When I leave a bike at a trailhead, I worry about those who might see me walking my bike into the woods on a hiking trail.

 

[Ear Drum]

When I leave a bike at a trailhead, I worry about those who might see me walking my bike into the woods on a hiking trail.

They may accuse you of cheating on your quest for the patch!

 

[skiguy]

When I leave a bike at a trailhead, I worry about those who might see me walking my bike into the woods on a hiking trail.

I’ve done bike stashes many times. Just use your head a bit and you’ll be fine.Pick your time and place and use a lock. Not a big deal or worry IMO.

 

[BillyGr]

BTW, I have a beater bike and and a expensive E mountain bike. I have owned the beater since I bought it with money from my paper route about 50 years ago. I still lock it just in case someone decides they need to more than me. The only reason I leave a bike at a trailhead is avoid a long walk back to my car so I really do not want to come out of the woods after a long hike and have to do an unexpected even longer walk back to my car. The Ebike allows even longer distances between trailheads. When it gets stashed, the battery is detached and gets stashed separate from my bike. I can detach the control head from the bike and that goes in the pack. It still can be used as a regular bike. I met someone once who would stash his bike and unscrew a pedal with a thin wrench designed for removing pedals. He threw the wrench and the pedal in his pack. Someone would need to be real desperate to try to ride a bike with one pedal.

Perhaps that would be a reason to bike at the beginning (much like many recommend parking at the end of the hike and getting a shuttle ride to the start)?

That way, after the hike you have a little drive to pick up the bike, but not the issue of it having gone missing when you need to ride back to the car .

 

[jfb2]

Perhaps that would be a reason to bike at the beginning (much like many recommend parking at the end of the hike and getting a shuttle ride to the start)?

That way, after the hike you have a little drive to pick up the bike, but not the issue of it having gone missing when you need to ride back to the car .

Plus, there's less of a chance you'll have to ride back to your car in the dark.

 

[peakbagger]

I have done it both ways, with the Ebike its a nice cool down. I like to be hiking quite early so would rather be riding back to the car in the afternoon but to each their own.

 

[ImYourHuckleberry]

Perhaps that would be a reason to bike at the beginning (much like many recommend parking at the end of the hike and getting a shuttle ride to the start)?

That way, after the hike you have a little drive to pick up the bike, but not the issue of it having gone missing when you need to ride back to the car .

That is exactly what I do when doing a bike 'n hike.

 

[NHClimber]

I’ve done bike stashes many times. Just use your head a bit and you’ll be fine.Pick your time and place and use a lock. Not a big deal or worry IMO.

This. Don’t over think it. I’ve done exactly the same.

 

[Flearoy]

Personally I would definitely never leave my bike on my car overnight anywhere. I have this dilemma often because a lot of my trips involve biking, hiking, and kayaking on the same trip. If I'm kayak camping or backpacking I have to keep the bike safe. Sometimes I ask at a nearby house if I can leave my bike or kayak locked to their tree overnight. Other times I remove a wheel and put the bike in my hatchback covered with a tarp. I think that's the best solution, although of course car break-ins are not uncommon.