Bike Racks

[blighty11]

What's the right style of bike rack for carrying a carbon frame bike. I have a full carbon and my partner a composite...had varying opinions from retailers to date....some say definately don't use a towbar mounted rack, put them on the roof, others have said it's not true today with the new straps etc on some of the better tow bar racks. Any experiences or advice would be welcome

 

[Peter@vecchios]

What's the right style of bike rack for carrying a carbon frame bike. I have a full carbon and my partner a composite...had varying opinions from retailers to date....some say definately don't use a towbar mounted rack, put them on the roof, others have said it's not true today with the new straps etc on some of the better tow bar racks. Any experiences or advice would be welcome

Ask this gent..Bobby Noyse. He is the expert.

RockyMounts

 

[vspa]

check out Saris

Saris Cycling Group

they are built with some kind of Polymer. They are strong yet light, no scratchs to your bike or car and fits practically any vehicle - from sedans to mini - vans

 

[frenchyge]

There's nothing inherently wrong with putting a carbon bike on a hitch or trunk-mounted rack. For an individual rack, you'll need to look at is the method of mounting the bike to the rack, since 1) carbon frames have curved tubes, odd cross-sections, and molded joint angles which don't always line up well with the attachment points of certain racks, and 2) cheap, plastic straps can mar the clear-coat finish on a carbon frame more easily than a painted alloy frame.

I use extra padding to protect the finish of my carbon bikes, and have had no problems using a cheap trunk rack for carrying them around town. I would like to have a roof rack, however, as I see that as the preferred, and more secure method of attachment.

 

[strings&gears]

A poster above referred to the Saris website. My lbs also referred me to the Saris Thelma-2 hitch-mount rack. His opinion was you shouldn't use a rack that supports the carbon bike by the tubes. After x amount of transporting, the inherent vibration can & will wear on the carbon. Additional padding (foam pipe insulation) can be used to protect. The Saris rack could be considered the "ultimate" solution as it holds the bike by the wheels. It sits in the trays and the rack locks around the wheel holding the bike firmly in place. I have had no trouble with mine, after traveling to NJ from NC.

There will be several opinions out there regarding the carbon wear issue, but I look at it this way: after spending 3k+ on a carbon bike, I wasn't taking any chances.

 

[blighty11]

Thanks for your help...still haven't decided....Thule have some nice tow bar mounted racks, but the roof racks still appeal....just need to convince myself it's worth the extra $500

 

[strings&gears]

Another thing to consider with roof racks is the affect it will have on gas mileage. Depending on how much travelling you will be doing with it will determine if it's a material consideration or not. At any rate, when I used a roof rack, it dropped my gas mileage by 3-4 miles per gallon. Travelling up and down the east coast, that can add up really quick. The bikes create a significant amount of drag being on top vs behind.

 

[dhk2]

I wouldn't be concerned about road vibration damaging your CF frame, since it's nothing compared to what your bike actually gets while riding rough roads with you on it. Of course, you might be concerned about scuffing of the paint or clearcoat on your new bike by hanging the bike on the carrier for long trips, but that's "only" cosmetic. When you see that first scuff or scratch, just remember "it's a tool, not a jewel"

Good point about the added drag is a drawback for roof racks in terms of fuel consumption. Also can make a noticeable difference in highway performance on a small-engined car. Rear hitch racks are gaining popularity here; the ones where the wheels sit on rails and the securing bar contacts the tire should be safe enough for even the softest finishes. IMO, carrying the bike inside is still hard to beat though since it's protected from weather and locked inside when you need to leave the vehicle.

 

[gman0482]

Roof racks are the best for me. Definitely don't want to "hang" a carbon frame eventhough you could make a very soft wrap for the trunk rack w/ some cloth or other materials.

If getting a roof rack, I recommend a partial slip-on cover for the front of the bike.

 

[two wheels]

I have been thinking of getting a roof bike carrier. Where should I look for a good one? We hit all the rails to trails here in Fl. and our bikes are getting scratched up from our bike carrier(hanging behind). We do all of our travelling in our Scion XB Box.( 33mpg) compared to my trucks 15 mpg! So I need something that will fit on the Scion.

Thanks, Mark

 

[alienator]

Roof racks are the best for me. Definitely don't want to "hang" a carbon frame eventhough you could make a very soft wrap for the trunk rack w/ some cloth or other materials.

If getting a roof rack, I recommend a partial slip-on cover for the front of the bike.

Nah. You can hang carbon. Securely fastened CF bikes will be just fine. My 595 rides muy fine on the back, on the rack.

 

[dhk2]

Won't the bikes fit inside an xB, standing up? A buddy here just got a Fit, and two bikes go inside upright: it's just tall enough to clear the saddle on my 58 frame. He mounted two of the skewer fixtures on a board to hold the front forks, just like on a roof rack.

Some people in our club always have a rack on the car, and prefer to use a rack even with an SUV, van or big sedan where it would fit inside easily. Again, I always go for transporting the bike inside if possible. I put my bike in a New Beetle all the time. Two is tougher inside, but can be done with a couple of towels or a blanket between. The old Rhode Gear rack works fine on the hatch too, but have only used it once as it's easier just to put the bike inside.

The other issue with the roof rack is of course the concern about driving under a low canopy roof at a gas station or fast food place, or into your own garage. People who I view as reasonably intelligent assure me it's easy to forget the bikes are up there when driving home after a long day on the bike. One friend even managed to snag his bike on a low hanging cable line while turning around in a parking lot at a trailhead. From what he told me, by the time you hear the crunch, it's too late.....and backing up doesn't help much

 

[steve]

The other issue with the roof rack is of course the concern about driving under a low canopy roof at a gas station or fast food place, or into your own garage.

been there done that broken frame/forks and nasty dents and scratches on the car roof

 

[gman0482]

Nah. You can hang carbon. Securely fastened CF bikes will be just fine. My 595 rides muy fine on the back, on the rack.

Try riding on my streets where there's a huge pot hole every 10 yrds. It's just more secure (at least for me anyways).

 

[alienator]

been there done that broken frame/forks and nasty dents and scratches on the car roof

Who cares about the car. That's a criminal thing to do to a bike.