Mountain biking to trailheads and safety

[haleyc927]

Hi! I'm moving across the country and hoping to spend a few days hiking on the way. I have a sedan that does NOT like many of the roads in Colorado and I'm considering just mountain biking to some of these trailheads to save time and my car. Is that a thing? Is it recommended? I don't remember seeing that before and wasn't sure if there was a reason why. I have a few concerns in doing so and would love to hear some input.

1) Do I have to worry about anyone stealing my bike at the trailhead? I'll lock it up wherever I can and I assume I'll just bring my helmet with me.
2) If I leave my car at a lower trailhead with most of my belongings in there, do I also have to worry about people breaking in? Especially if I leave it overnight to camp at or closer to the trailhead?
3) Should I also worry about people messing with my gravel bike on my hitch rack at trailheads? I'll still have at least one bike on the rack and left at a trailhead during my hikes.

I'm from the east coast and have had my car broken into/trust no one, so I'm still getting used to leaving my things out and it not being an issue. Would love to hear some advice and what to expect. Thank you!

[justiner]

I've ridden to all the 14ers on a bike, twice. Lock up the car, lock up the bike (usually use the TH info sign). I use a small lock to keep the bike from rolling away, and have never had a problem. Can't comment on the car, but breakins do happen.

I wouldn't keep your bike on a car-mounted rack unsecured (or really even secured) in any large city in Colorado. Bike theft is higher than any bike owner would like. Bikes are often stolen off cars. Sometimes while the owners are in the car, at a stoplight.

[dan0rama]

so I'm still getting used to leaving my things out and it not being an issue.

Where are you moving to where this won't be an issue? I don't think this is something to get used to in this day and age

[seano]

Trailhead breakins are apparently a thing, but I haven’t had it happen in 15 years of leaving my car at trailheads throughout the west. But I drive a poor person’s car, so your Lexus may be a different matter.

As for bike locks, I see them as a deterrent for lazy/honest people. If someone really wants your bike, they will take it no matter what you do. But if they have to cut it off the trailhead sign, or drag it 50 yards to their pickup while it’s locked to itself, most people won’t bother.

[bdloftin77]

I’ve heard the I-70 corridor has a decent risk of break-ins, so be wary and definitely lock everything up in that area especially (and generally regardless of where you are).

I’ve biked to trailheads or along 4wd roads a decent amount. Looking at pictures people have taken of the road can help you figure out how bikeable is it on the way up, as well as plotting it out on Google earth to see how steep it is. For some roads, bikes are great, and save time both up and down. For other roads, the road is either very steep (or steep in places), gravely, rocky, or all the above. You might still save descent time if you walk/push your bike up, but might regret it as you lug it up to the TH. Depending on how far the road is, might just consider walking, hitching a ride if there’s a lot of traffic, or going with someone who has 4wd if it’s a longer road.

Justiner’s also mentioned getting an E bike for this very purpose (or attaching an electric motor to an existing bike if you don’t want to buy a whole new bike).

On some of my trips, the bike has been well-worth it. Other times, I wished I’d have just walked up and down the road. The Lake Como road is notoriously rough, and even super-biker Justiner mentioned having to walk the bike both up and down in places. So some research on the road is definitely super helpful.

I definitely lock up my bike if I’m near a road or a trail that people are likely to be on. Sometimes I risk it if I’ve biked a ways on an unpopular trail, and hide it in vegetation a ways off the trail.

Not a bike, and not in Colorado, but I made the mistake of leaving my tent, sleeping bag, etc outside my car when I parked near Queen’s Mine to hike Boundary Peak in Nevada. Seemed like a super remote road. But as I hiked, I saw a few cars parked further up, passed by some hikers and hunters. When I got back to the car, the tent was gone, and a bunch of my belongings were strewn out in the dirts. Very frustrating, and a learning experience about packing/locking things up.

EDIT: On the other hand, one time I was in a rush and forgot to secure my bike to the bike rack after driving away from a TH. Half an hour later I realized my mistake, and drove back. Fortunately maybe less than a mile from the TH (in a forested residential area), someone had leaned the slightly beat up bike against a tree. Needless to say, I was very grateful.

[madbuck]

It’s a good option in some cases, I’ve ridden to a few without issue, either stashing and locking in the woods out of sight, or locking near the TH. Like others said, I think more remote trails away from major roads have less likelihood of an issue. Even locking the wheel to the frame would make it a PITA for a lazy opportunist. People aren’t out there looking to steal bikes, the ones that do usually have a system in a targeted area. I had bikes stolen from my car at a hotel near Council Bluffs/Omaha, these were meth heads that hit up spots like that regularly, it turns out, right off the freeway. Have upgraded a cable lock to a chain at least though. But no problems at trailheads. It sounds like you have a hitch rack? That will be better than a trunk rack that could be cut off, esp if the rack locks.

I definitely recommend the CO trail to Mt Princeton, that makes for a fun ride. I’ve run/hiked Antero and Humboldt from the nearby roads but have seen people biking those roads. Of course Elbert and Pikes are known for riding but those are beyond my skillz.

I would hide your Most Important Stuff hidden deeply in your car of course. There were a few weird times I Ieft personal notes in my car or on my bike when I was worried. Dunno if it helps but thinking that any small thing that de-anonymizes people and gives pause might help.

Good luck in your hiking and move!

[TravelingMatt]

Basically anyone can buy some bolt cutters at Lowe's and take any bike they want. I've cut through chains with bolt cutters no problem, when a neighbor wanted me to liberate her bike for whose chain lock she had lost the key.

My solution to this is own a $200 bike instead of a $2000 one. I've noticed bikes in Dillon sitting in the same place all winter, and the next summer, unlocked. I'll tell you where they are if you want.

Cars... I parked at a very popular trailhead once right off a major highway for four days and I had left my windows down. Had my laptop inside among other things. Came back, everything was there.

If I wanted to worry about this kind of thing I'd still be living in Chicago.

[speth]

I biked to the upper Handies trailhead years ago from Winfield. I slept in my car the night before and left my bike locked (tired to frame) leaning against the car. No problems - I figured someone would have to be pretty bold to take it in the night.

When I got to the upper trailhead, I pushed the bike away from the trail by 50 feet or so, and if memory serves me I locked it to a tree. But maybe I just locked up the wheel again, I can’t remember.

My idea was to basically hide the bike or make it sufficiently annoying to just walk away with. Like others in this thread, I see a lot of bike theft in urban areas and am weary, but not terribly worried in a place off the (relative) beaten track. But with that being said, there’s never a foolproof way to not get a bike stolen. People suck.

[cedica]

I biked to the upper Handies trailhead years ago from Winfield.

Strava or it didn't happen.

[speth]

You’ll have to take my word for it. FKT legend for sure.