Groceries and bike security

[Thom473]

OK, my plan is to ride my radmini to the local grocery to pick up some stuff. I bought a bike lock to keep the bike from "wandering off" after folding it-although it isn't long enough to lock it to something else, so I probably have to get a long cable to do that (more stuff to carry). BUT, I actually am wondering about what to do with my helmet and/or toolkit. ON my motorcycle, they fit inside lockable compartments, but bikes don't have those. Looking for "neat tricks" from you folks who have been riding to stores through the years.

 

[James Kohls]

I usually wear my helmet inside with me. Not sure how you have your toolkit stored. I use a storage bottle in my water bottle holder. Never had anyone mess with it. Then again there's not much worth stealing if you ask me. I've seen a number of people at bike racks lock their helmet with a cable attached to a U-Lock through one of the helmet vents.

You can find lockable trunk boxes, but these are minimal security devices.

 

[walawn]

If you have any kind of zippered luggage on your bike you could buy a small padalock or use a cable tie to hold the zippers together if you have two on one track. The only bad thing is that someone could press a pen into the zipper track to open it and take your stuff and zip over it to shut it again. I haven't had an issue in three years of riding here in Arlington, VA. But this is a very bike friendly community and a high cost-of-living area. Your area may be different. You could buy a small cable lock to hold your helmet to you r bike. Just run the cable through the A-frame of the strap. That would keep honest people honest. I think the best security is out of sight, out of mind. I don't run locks on my Topeak bag w/ panniers, but i do keep all my stuff zipped up in them and not showing. My helmet and all my tools/supplies fits in my bag. I'll even put the rain cover on to deter thieves, by adding a second step in the theft process. The more time a bad guy has to take to get your stuff, the less likely he is to do it in the first place.

 

[mrgold35]

I have the Lockstrap 901 helmet combo lock for my bike helmet,$15, Amazon. It is 2 feet long and has a 3mm cable in the center and it can be a lightweight addition to existing cable and u-bolt you already have. I think it is important to have layers of security so there isn't a single point of failure.

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[Barkme Wolf]

I have been taking my bike right inside with me. So far no one has given me issues. Load the groceries into my bike bags. It really isn't any bigger than a cart.

 

[Chuck GVCA]

I have been taking my bike right inside with me. So far no one has given me issues. Load the groceries into my bike bags. It really isn't any bigger than a cart.

This is exactly what I do. I have grocery panniers and I just fill them up as I walk through the store. I a!so have a center kick-stand that allows for stable loading and unloading operations. Nobody has ever hassled me in the stores I have visited. All comments have been positive with many follow-up questions about my bike and gear. It really is just a shopping cart with two wheels.

 

[E-Wheels]

Chain a hungry Rottweiler or Pit Bull to your bike
I guarantee both the bike and dog will be there when you have returned from your shopping