Rooftop bike carriers



I've made a few roof rack mounts from some cheapies that Cecil Walker were off-loading for about $10 a set. They were designed for light-weight road bikes, but I joined two together for a tandem. One set I modified with just a front axle and QR, another I changed the down tube clamp for a 2" fence clamp for use with fat tube mtbs. Had to bash out the wheel trays to widen them for knobbies.

Whether I use the front QR or the both wheels I always use tie-downs from around the seat tube/top tube junction. I doubt that the racks are strong enough for a tandem or even just an mtb without the straps.

The other weekend we went away with a tandem, mtb and trailer bike on the roof and 2 mtbs on a bike beak, on our Liberty wagon. For one tandem we normally just lay it flat on the roof bars.

I did have a minor carport incident. An upright bike doesn't fit under our carport, but the folded up trailer bike did. But, I found out that it doesn't fit under the open roller door. Only by a centimetre or so. No damage done, until having taken the trailer bike off, I was distracted and neglected to watch my side while backing out and turning. Swiped the front indicator off, but luckily didn't break it. It's held in there by tape now.
 
Artoi wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "BT Humble" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Artoi wrote:
> > > "Boostland" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >
> > > > I have been using a Toyota Hiace van when I need to travel with my
> > > > bikes...
> > >
> > > You are in a league of your own! :p

> >
> > Oh, I dunno - with careful stacking I can carry 30 bikes at a time in
> > *my* vehicle:
> >
> > http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/236/truckback.jpg

>
> You are out of this world! :p
> --


Meh, that's not a quiver. This is a quiver!
http://preview.tinyurl.com/v9cmu

Donga
 
Donga wrote:
> Artoi wrote:
>> In article <[email protected]>,
>> "BT Humble" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Artoi wrote:
>>>> "Boostland" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I have been using a Toyota Hiace van when I need to travel with my
>>>>> bikes...
>>>> You are in a league of your own! :p
>>> Oh, I dunno - with careful stacking I can carry 30 bikes at a time in
>>> *my* vehicle:
>>>
>>> http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/236/truckback.jpg

>> You are out of this world! :p
>> --

>
> Meh, that's not a quiver. This is a quiver!
> http://preview.tinyurl.com/v9cmu
>
> Donga
>


That's not a quiver.
This is a quiver!


http://oranckay.net/blog/wp-content/turubong_bicycles.JPG
 
Friday wrote:
> Donga wrote:
>
>> Artoi wrote:
>>
>>> In article <[email protected]>,
>>> "BT Humble" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Artoi wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> "Boostland" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I have been using a Toyota Hiace van when I need to travel with my
>>>>>> bikes...
>>>>>
>>>>> You are in a league of your own! :p
>>>>
>>>> Oh, I dunno - with careful stacking I can carry 30 bikes at a time in
>>>> *my* vehicle:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/236/truckback.jpg
>>>
>>> You are out of this world! :p
>>> --

>>
>>
>> Meh, that's not a quiver. This is a quiver!
>> http://preview.tinyurl.com/v9cmu
>>
>> Donga
>>

>
> That's not a quiver.
> This is a quiver!
>
>
> http://oranckay.net/blog/wp-content/turubong_bicycles.JPG

But why are the bicycles so dangerous that there are armed guards
everywhere?

--
Remove norubbish to reply
 
Friday wrote:
> Donga wrote:
> > Artoi wrote:
> >> "BT Humble" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>> Artoi wrote:
> >>>> "Boostland" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> I have been using a Toyota Hiace van when I need to travel with my
> >>>>> bikes...
> >>>> You are in a league of your own! :p
> >>> Oh, I dunno - with careful stacking I can carry 30 bikes at a time in
> >>> *my* vehicle:
> >>>
> >>> http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/236/truckback.jpg
> >> You are out of this world! :p

> >
> > Meh, that's not a quiver. This is a quiver!
> > http://preview.tinyurl.com/v9cmu

>
> That's not a quiver.
> This is a quiver!
>
> http://oranckay.net/blog/wp-content/turubong_bicycles.JPG


I'll graciously concede defeat, but I *would* like to point out that
mine was a 1-man effort with no armed guards accompanying me! ;-)


BTH
 
Artoi wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Donga" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Artoi wrote:
> > >...As for inside the car, well, it's just not
> > > practical if you drive a environmentally responsible vehicle.

> >
> > Boll*cks. A bike with wheels removed fits into the back seat of a
> > Barina or the boot of a corolla sedan. But is that what you call ERV?

>
> One more thing, trying to fit a bike frame into the back of a small car
> is like playing with a puzzle. You try different directions and
> orientations to see if you can get a fit. In the process with long
> stretched arms and bent back, it's the perfect posture to give you a
> slipped disc. It's just not worth it.


You only have to solve the problem once though. Generally, front wheel
off, back wheel against the passenger seat backrest, bars rotated and
in she goes.

Works for all the small hatches I've put roadies into.
 
Bleve wrote:
> Artoi wrote:
>> In article <[email protected]>,
>> "Donga" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Artoi wrote:
>>>> ...As for inside the car, well, it's just not
>>>> practical if you drive a environmentally responsible vehicle.
>>> Boll*cks. A bike with wheels removed fits into the back seat of a
>>> Barina or the boot of a corolla sedan. But is that what you call ERV?

>> One more thing, trying to fit a bike frame into the back of a small car
>> is like playing with a puzzle. You try different directions and
>> orientations to see if you can get a fit. In the process with long
>> stretched arms and bent back, it's the perfect posture to give you a
>> slipped disc. It's just not worth it.

>
> You only have to solve the problem once though. Generally, front wheel
> off, back wheel against the passenger seat backrest, bars rotated and
> in she goes.
>
> Works for all the small hatches I've put roadies into.
>


And then de-grease the back seat from chain ring muck. A towbar rack on the back
of my car suits me best. I've had the same rack on the last three cars, you just
need a towbar on the car.

--
Karen

"Reverse the polarity and invert the particle flux!"
"You mean put the batteries in the other way?"
"...yes."
-Star Trek (any of them)
 
BT Humble wrote:
> Friday wrote:
> > Donga wrote:
> > > Artoi wrote:
> > >> "BT Humble" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >>> Artoi wrote:
> > >>>> "Boostland" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >>>>
> > >>>>> I have been using a Toyota Hiace van when I need to travel with my
> > >>>>> bikes...
> > >>>> You are in a league of your own! :p
> > >>> Oh, I dunno - with careful stacking I can carry 30 bikes at a time in
> > >>> *my* vehicle:
> > >>>
> > >>> http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/236/truckback.jpg
> > >> You are out of this world! :p
> > >
> > > Meh, that's not a quiver. This is a quiver!
> > > http://preview.tinyurl.com/v9cmu

> >
> > That's not a quiver.
> > This is a quiver!
> >
> > http://oranckay.net/blog/wp-content/turubong_bicycles.JPG

>
> I'll graciously concede defeat, but I *would* like to point out that
> mine was a 1-man effort with no armed guards accompanying me! ;-)
>
>
> BTH

Snatches moral victory from the jaws of defeat!
 
Donga wrote:
> BT Humble wrote:
> >
> > I'll graciously concede defeat, but I *would* like to point out that
> > mine was a 1-man effort with no armed guards accompanying me! ;-)

>
> Snatches moral victory from the jaws of defeat!


*gazes heroically into the sunset as the stirring background music
plays*


BTH
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Bleve" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Artoi wrote:
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > "Donga" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > Artoi wrote:
> > > >...As for inside the car, well, it's just not
> > > > practical if you drive a environmentally responsible vehicle.
> > >
> > > Boll*cks. A bike with wheels removed fits into the back seat of a
> > > Barina or the boot of a corolla sedan. But is that what you call ERV?

> >
> > One more thing, trying to fit a bike frame into the back of a small car
> > is like playing with a puzzle. You try different directions and
> > orientations to see if you can get a fit. In the process with long
> > stretched arms and bent back, it's the perfect posture to give you a
> > slipped disc. It's just not worth it.

>
> You only have to solve the problem once though. Generally, front wheel
> off, back wheel against the passenger seat backrest, bars rotated and
> in she goes.
>
> Works for all the small hatches I've put roadies into.


True, but can you remember the technique the next time?

Then there's the perpetual scratches to the interior and with any tight
turn, I hate hearing those metal rubbing coming from the back.

Getting a roof rack just makes life so much easier, so why fight it?
--
 
Artoi wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Bleve" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Artoi wrote:
> > > In article <[email protected]>,
> > > "Donga" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Artoi wrote:
> > > > >...As for inside the car, well, it's just not
> > > > > practical if you drive a environmentally responsible vehicle.
> > > >
> > > > Boll*cks. A bike with wheels removed fits into the back seat of a
> > > > Barina or the boot of a corolla sedan. But is that what you call ERV?
> > >
> > > One more thing, trying to fit a bike frame into the back of a small car
> > > is like playing with a puzzle. You try different directions and
> > > orientations to see if you can get a fit. In the process with long
> > > stretched arms and bent back, it's the perfect posture to give you a
> > > slipped disc. It's just not worth it.

> >
> > You only have to solve the problem once though. Generally, front wheel
> > off, back wheel against the passenger seat backrest, bars rotated and
> > in she goes.
> >
> > Works for all the small hatches I've put roadies into.

>
> True, but can you remember the technique the next time?
>
> Then there's the perpetual scratches to the interior and with any tight
> turn, I hate hearing those metal rubbing coming from the back.
>
> Getting a roof rack just makes life so much easier, so why fight it?


There are many ways to skin a cat, sometimes a roof rack makes sense,
sometimes the back of a hatchback, sometimes a strap on rack, sometimes
strapped into the back of FIGJAM's hiace .... it depends on the
circumstances.
 
Theo Bekkers wrote:
> BT Humble wrote:
>
> > Oh, I dunno - with careful stacking I can carry 30 bikes at a time in
> > *my* vehicle:
> >
> > http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/236/truckback.jpg

>
> And a bench, apparently!


Bench? That's a motorcycle loading ramp on the left, and the thing on
the right is a rather dodgy home-made spoiler that I bolt to the roof
of the cab when I've got the canvas canopy on the cage.


BTH
 

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