how to start a tour

So here is the story of Bish and John's marvelous adventure around the world.

Day 1: on our new bikes, fully kitted out, we set off from south Bucks (UK) on a warm-up tour and headed towards Cambridge. 70 miles later, we were there, a little tired but happy to have finally started.

Day 2: After spending a day receiving farewells from many well-wishers at Tom's house, we cycled 3 glorious, unladen miles into Cambridge and had a quick pint. It was with a feeling of shock, disappointment and embarrassment that we walked out to find a space where our bikes had once been, with nothing more than our locks lying on the ground, evidently sliced through with ease.

What I want to know is this: has anyone reading this has ever heard of a worse or more inept start to a cycling tour than ours? It certainly makes the smiles on our front page look a little out of place. Right, I guess I'd better start looking into getting bikes again.

No waaaaaaaaaaaaaay, that's the worst luck ever. Erm, could you comission (bribe) the bobbies of Cambridge to conduct a bike hunt on your behalf? Seriously, I think you need some press coverage. After Ed Genochio (http://www.2wheels.org.uk/) had his bike nicked by a Mongolian on horseback, he managed to get a new bike donated and shipped out to him - so your misfortune could work in your favour? Suggest you contact the papers.

We're really gutted for you, guys.

That's terrible. What kind of locks did you have? Perhaps others can learn from your misfortune. Thanks.

Is it my imagination or do i really detect a note of amusement at yourselves and your dreadful misfortune. Rest assured we all commiserate with you, i am sure, but now i just want to make some silly joke about your plight.

Have you got insurance? Is that why you are laughing at yourselves or are you still in a state of shock.

So that was your first round-the-world travel, I can't wait to hear what adventures befall you on your second rtw. ;-)

But seriously, I have never heard of such bad luck amongst cyclists, stolen bikes for sure (some girls in india - they packed up and went home), but I have heard of sailors who sailed their yachts right into lighthouses and smashed their boats. In fact the worst such case was effected by a harbour master who I met. How do you beat that for incompetence?

Oh hell, thats seriously bad luck. So sorry to hear it.

But as #1 says, maybe there could be a silver lining. Get a press release out quickly, you might get good publicity out of it, you never know what might turn up. It can't quite match Eds crazy bike theft tale, but you never know what might happen.

My annual inept start to a cycle tour usually starts with 3 hours wandering vainly around some strange cities suburbs trying to find the road out...!

#3, I wish they were insured but unfortunately all the insurance companies said it was too high risk and now I can see why. We are trying to claim back on house insurance at the moment and hope to get back about half of what we paid. So unfortunately our self-amusement is a little forced, one day it will be funny but in reality it's pretty annoying at the moment.

#2, we were using magnum chain locks and double locked the bikes. We were going to take a D lock with us aswell but were advised against it due to its weight - obviously we regret that now and will be sure to get a D lock when we get new bikes.

It's not all bad though, like #1 said, at least we should be able to use it to increase publicity of the trip, maybe help to get cheaper bikes this time round.

If anyone hears about a couple of good-quality second hand Dawes Ultra Galaxies, let us know.

Ah, that's terrible news. I'm just carrying an Abus cable lock myself, which I think Abus rate as medium secure. I was using an Abus D-Lock in London, one of their top of the range ones, but it was just too heavy.

As it happens, after leaving the UK, I feel much less concerned about the security of my bike. It may well be that something happens to it in the next 12 months, but I feel much less concerned about leaving it outside a grocery store in a poor country than I would in "developed" Britain. But is that just a perception?

Good luck getting replacements, hopefully you can get some free or cheaply. Good thing they were unladen. to lose your gear as well would be a total nightmare (perhaps a sign you should do something else instead? ;-).

The good news is that bike thiefs outside the UK and some European and US cities are not nearly as well prepared. Magnum locks are decent, so should protect you in most countries.

From what i understand from various British cycling forums, there are professional thieves in the UK who focus specifically on good quality bikes, often targeting people hopping in for a coffee or beer while on a sunday cycle in the country. They will have top class tools, including tools like angle grinders so can get through any lock you can buy. In a matter of seconds they would have had the locks broken and the bikes in the back of a van.

Fortunately, in most countries, the overwhelming majority of potential bike thieves are opportunists, so will only have quite crude tools with them - screwdrivers, wirecutters, etc. Any mid range lock from a reputable company (such as Abus) will give you reasonable levels of protection. So there is no need I think to go over the top with massively heavy locks. I'd also look to get lockable skewers and clamps to prevent theft of wheels and saddles.

If you are well prepared to get a bike, your kit could include a pocket pack canister to freeze and shatter a lock, or pocket pack gas torch. No lock system will withstand that.
On lighter note. Perhaps if they are professionals, try advertising for a bike. They may want to sell it.

funniest post i've on TT bike forum.

I would probably not be laughing if this happened me though.

But everthing has a bright side -

a) you are doing this for charity right?

b) this is the kind of story the media would devour

Get in touch with some Radio Stations with this story - they will love it - tell them you are
still collecting money for charity. Some businesses would love to get some free publicity in return
of a donation.

Turn this episode to your advantage.

I have a (privately published) book by a reverend gentleman who cycled north from South Africa to Cairo during the second world war. His bicycle was stolen from outside the bank while he withdrewn money just as he was to start. In his case, it had not occurred to him that he needed to lock up the bicycle.

Another bicycle was procured. He travelled with a (never used) siren on his handlebars to frighten elephants, and he had leather bags hanging over the top tube to carry water. He wore a woollen jacket at all times and a sun helmet. Otherwise he had very little luggage, and managed to find somewhere to stay just about every night. Eventually he ran out of time and much of the journey up the Nile by train and riverboat.

I had my new bike stolen within 5 hours of buying it last summer. Nothing really seemed to ease the frustration and helplessness of the situation (I was broke from spending my last penny on the bike, and was now out of transportation). I had my eyes peeled for the bastard for a few months (...did I really think he/she would be riding it down the street?), but in the end I just had to let it go and buy a new one.

Since then I've bought a D lock (I had a cable lock before) and I also lock my tires to the frame. Even then I still worry.

Bike thieves are really the lowest of the low...

Very sad.

One bit of advice not mentioned is to 'trash' your new darling. Mat black paint, sticky tape, get rid of the makers name and model stickers etc. These professional thieves know what they want and intend to sell. A 'trashed' bike is much less sellable unfortunately.

Alternatively, ride a (well specc'd) wreck - that looks low value.

Thanks to all for the comments, advice and sympathy.
Since our initial stumble, things have been looking up, perhaps it's karma working in our favour. The Cambridge press have loved the story and with the papers, radio and local tv covering the story, a local bike shop (Station Cycles) decided to help us out and are supplying our new bikes for less than half price, arriving today (hopefully). We have also managed to get some money back from house insurance and so shouldn't be too much out of pocket, if at all. The worst thing is that we've missed out on our warm-up tour and that we'll have to break in our Brooks saddles from scratch again.
So it's not all doom and gloom after all, and we have learnt lessons from it too. Our replacement bikes are the same Ultra galaxies but we will be sure to scruff them up straight away, we are carrying D-locks and cable locks (for the front wheel) at least until we are out of England. We will also be more careful with the bikes whilst in cities and if we do have to leave them will do so under cameras if there are any.
With our bikes arriving very quickly (there happened to be a Dawes rep in the shop when we were trying to sort out the replacements), we should be OK to keep to our leaving date on the 23rd April. Thanks to everyone for their comments, which soothed our pains in a low time for us both! Lesson learnt: it's never as bad as it first seems.

Its amazing how well a disaster can turn out. Hope you have a great trip.

yeah, for sure i agree with number 12 simonhill. you gotta make your bike look like a piece of junk. i put black tape over any writting or bright bits on the bike and actually on most of the frame is black tape too. my bike is not very expensive so if it gets stolen its $1000aus to replace and not $5000 like a lot of cycle tourers i have met. i also just take my bike into any shops, pubs, hostels and certainly never leave the panniers on the bike if it is unattended.