Bike rack for truck hitch ?



lamsung

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Jul 30, 2017
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Just purchased a new Felt Z85 . The top tube is slanted or on a angle like most modern road bikes now . I have a Ram truck with a 2" hitch . Question is ? How will the bike sit level on the bike rack with the slanted top tube ?
 
I had a bike rack (Saris Bat Rack) years back. It worked ok but never really trusted it. Nothing but rubber straps to secure the bike. Then the sloping tubes came out and never have attached one to the rack. I just use the extending bar across my bed.

Some people have used a flat piece of wood, then attached fork mounts to the wood. Lay it in the back of the truck. Pretty secure too. I have done it just as an experiment. Worked well.

But I carry mine like this on a bar.

Unless you insist on a hitch mount, this might be an idea for you.

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On my Wrangler, I have a smittybilt receiver hitch and bike rack that I got from Amazon, then I bought a Yakima tube top adapter so that my bike will sit level on the hitch-mounted rack. I know Thule has this kind of adapter also.

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How will the bike sit level on the bike rack with the slanted top tube ?
There is no weight savings because the small amount of weight that is saved in tubing is made up for by the longer and usually heavier seat post. While true compact frames do save on inventory by requiring fewer sizes, there are many frames made today that have slanted top tubes, but are not technically compact. They come in about as many sizes as standard geometry bikes. A good example is the Trek Madone series. It is now more about style than anything. Kids just like the look.


I like the way it mount to my truck ,it's just what I was looking for,But I was nervous at first because the L- tube ( support tube ) is very light weight. So far I had no problems what so ever . The only thing I did not like was the T-bolt that is use for the bike frame clamp. I have to unscrew the lock down knob all the way off , so I can put the clamp on or off. So I made myself a longer T-bolt. Top line please make your T-bolts longer for the newer bike with bigger tube .The other thing that I had some concern with is there is no locking pin / clip at the end of the L-Bar. Just in case the hold down clamp loosen as you drive down the road. I just use a hose clamp for right now , But I will be installing some type of locking pin. I will give it four star for right now ,But I will do an update later to give or take away a star. Update : I still like bike rack. Read a review from auto accessories blog bestnetreview.
 
I also have a ram 1500 truck which i am currently using for best price towing queens ny, but i am using Hitch mounted racks in my truck its easy to manage and cheaper than that, try this one its easy to deal with this.
 

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