C
Claire Petersky
Guest
"Sheldon Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Atoc does make a very fine product called the "Tandem Topper" and it is
> the only fork-mount unit I could recommend. The Tandem Topper (unlike
> the version shown on the Nashbar site) has a _pivoting_ fork mount.
>
> To use it, you rear the tandem up on its back wheel and connect the fork
> to the rack while the tandem's weight is still resting on the rear tire.
> Once the fork is secured, you .lift and swing the back of the tandem
> up and into the tray. This is vastly easier than using a fixed fork
> mount, and can be accomplished by one person of average height with no
> problems.
>
> See: http://harriscyclery.com/atoc-frame.html
"No problems", eh? I have this style of tandem rack, made by Thule. It is
non-trival for me, who has a relatively short wheelbased tandem with
fenders, and has arms no stronger than a chicken's instep, to use this style
rack. At the very least, it takes the stoker steadying the rear wheel of the
bike on a step stool while I secure the fork while trying not to fret that
the fenders are being deformed again.
Maybe it was just because it was late, dark, and raining, and we were tired,
but my daughter and I had a little scene last night around 9:20 PM trying to
get the &%$#@ tandem up on the rack. It was precisely because the fork mount
swivels around that I struggled and struggled trying to get the fork on --
it would just slip out of place as I would just almost get the fork in.
Meanwhile, Rose was hyperventilating and grunting trying to keep the rear
wheel in place on the step stool, and not have it fall off and on to her.
Finally, somehow I got the bike up on top of the car, just simply not at all
in the rack. I then did what I've done before in this situation -- shed my
jacket and shoes, and clammered on to the roof of the Subaru. From that
position, standing on the roof, I could hoist the bike up entirely into the
rack, and then, I thought, secure the fork into the mount. I was pretty well
sopped through, but sitting on my daughter's soaking wet gloves left on the
driver's seat as I got behind the wheel was just a little frosting on my
cake.
We pulled out of the parking lot and I heard a thump. I stopped the car. In
my fatigue in the dark, I had the swivel mount pinned into place 180 degrees
from the position it was supposed to be in. I got the step stool out again,
and this time I climbed up to its top step, pulled the fork out, turned the
swivel mount around into the proper position, resecured the pin and drove
home.
My husband, bless his heart, took the bike off for us when we got home.
--
Warm Regards,
Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
news:[email protected]...
> Atoc does make a very fine product called the "Tandem Topper" and it is
> the only fork-mount unit I could recommend. The Tandem Topper (unlike
> the version shown on the Nashbar site) has a _pivoting_ fork mount.
>
> To use it, you rear the tandem up on its back wheel and connect the fork
> to the rack while the tandem's weight is still resting on the rear tire.
> Once the fork is secured, you .lift and swing the back of the tandem
> up and into the tray. This is vastly easier than using a fixed fork
> mount, and can be accomplished by one person of average height with no
> problems.
>
> See: http://harriscyclery.com/atoc-frame.html
"No problems", eh? I have this style of tandem rack, made by Thule. It is
non-trival for me, who has a relatively short wheelbased tandem with
fenders, and has arms no stronger than a chicken's instep, to use this style
rack. At the very least, it takes the stoker steadying the rear wheel of the
bike on a step stool while I secure the fork while trying not to fret that
the fenders are being deformed again.
Maybe it was just because it was late, dark, and raining, and we were tired,
but my daughter and I had a little scene last night around 9:20 PM trying to
get the &%$#@ tandem up on the rack. It was precisely because the fork mount
swivels around that I struggled and struggled trying to get the fork on --
it would just slip out of place as I would just almost get the fork in.
Meanwhile, Rose was hyperventilating and grunting trying to keep the rear
wheel in place on the step stool, and not have it fall off and on to her.
Finally, somehow I got the bike up on top of the car, just simply not at all
in the rack. I then did what I've done before in this situation -- shed my
jacket and shoes, and clammered on to the roof of the Subaru. From that
position, standing on the roof, I could hoist the bike up entirely into the
rack, and then, I thought, secure the fork into the mount. I was pretty well
sopped through, but sitting on my daughter's soaking wet gloves left on the
driver's seat as I got behind the wheel was just a little frosting on my
cake.
We pulled out of the parking lot and I heard a thump. I stopped the car. In
my fatigue in the dark, I had the swivel mount pinned into place 180 degrees
from the position it was supposed to be in. I got the step stool out again,
and this time I climbed up to its top step, pulled the fork out, turned the
swivel mount around into the proper position, resecured the pin and drove
home.
My husband, bless his heart, took the bike off for us when we got home.
--
Warm Regards,
Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
