Towball Rack for Y-frame Bike?

"Westie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've googled until things have gone blurry. I now know more about bike racks than I ever wanted to
know, except for

one

Quoted message said:

thing... has anyone got a good reasonably priced towbar mounted rack that will carry a
Y-framed bike?

My cheap Y-shaped rack won't fit the new VT, and I
a) feel like a poser with a roof rack on a little Jap car and,
b) don't want to spend that amount of dosh on a roof rack that probably won't fit my next vehicle.
I'm thinking of swapping vehicles when I can afford it, which means in 6-12 months time
probably.

Any ideas? Or should I just
c) take the cheap frame down to the local engineers workshop and let them 'customise' it to fit
the new bike?

I think there's a bar of some sort that mounts between the stem, and seat post for frames like this.
Try Performance Bike.

I bought my Yakima Rimroc (holds them by the wheels so frame style doesn't matter) at a "Play it again" sports store for less than half of retail (I think I paid $120?) a couple of years ago and have been happy with it, for the most part. The only "down" side is it's smallish capacity (3 bikes) I guess it's also a pain in the buttocks if you come up missing one of the straps that go over the tires (gotta buy them in packs of two I believe). I've seen the same racks on the net's auction sites under $200 new. Folks around here seem to like the Sportworks (?) racks. They are very nice, but pricey.

As mentioned above there is a product that fits between the seat post and front of the bike and allows the bike to hang from that bar as a traditional framed bike would. They should(?) sell them at some of the stores which sell racks. They are certainly on the net. Good luck. Be sure to not swim for at least 1/2 hour after intense googleing!

K.

"ireman_1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I bought my Yakima Rimroc (holds them by the wheels so frame style doesn't matter) at a "Play it
again" sports store for less than half of retail (I think I paid $120?) a couple of years ago
and have been happy with it, for the most part. The only "down" side is it's smallish capacity
(3 bikes)

That small capacity isn't a foreseeable problem for me. I've seen the Rimroc on the Yakima website
already. It looked a bit ungainly and awkward, but you say that you're happy with it. How is it for
short trips? Is it quick to load/unload? What about using one bike on it for 90% of the time? Is it
overkill for just one bike?

Quoted message said:

I guess it's also a pain in the buttocks if you come up missing one of the straps that go over the
tires (gotta buy them in packs of two I believe). I've seen the same racks on the net's auction
sites under $200 new. Folks around here seem to like the Sportworks (?) racks. They are very nice,
but pricey.

As mentioned above there is a product that fits between the seat post and front of the bike and
allows the bike to hang from that bar as a traditional framed bike would. They should(?) sell them
at some of the stores which sell racks. They are certainly on the net. Good luck. Be sure to not
swim for at least 1/2 hour after intense googleing!

I'd never heard of these bars. I'll see what I can google. Thanks
--
Westie (Replace 'invalid' with 'yahoo' when replying.)

Quoted message said:

How is it for
short trips? Is it quick to load/unload? What about using one >bike on it for 90% of the time? Is it
overkill for just one bike?

--

Quoted message said:

Westie (Replace 'invalid' with 'yahoo' when replying.) [/B

It takes about 1 1/2 minutes to get it from fully folded up (already on the car of course) to ready to load a bike on it. That is once you know what you are doing. It's not really overkill, but when it is "unfolded" and ready to haul it is pretty crazy looking. I leave mine on the truck at all times, but have it in its folded and compact "mode" when not hauling a bike. It is not an issue like that. It's pretty easy to load bikes on it. There are straps that go over the tires and hold the bike to the rack. I've never had an issue with one coming off or losing a bike type thing. You can swing it down (with or without bikes) and have easy access to your trunk/whatever. Have fun.

K.

K.

Quoted message said:

I'd never heard of these bars. I'll see what I can google. Thanks

performancebike.comProfile.cfmOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Folks around here seem to like the >Sportworks (?) racks. They are very nice, but pricey.

Pricey - Yes Worth it - Yes

2 seconds to fold the bike rack down. 10 seconds to load the bike.

On Tue, 2 Dec 2003 21:16:32 +1300, "Westie" <[email hidden]> doth put forth:

Quoted message said:

"ireman_1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I bought my Yakima Rimroc (holds them by the wheels so frame style doesn't matter) at a "Play it
again" sports store for less than half of retail (I think I paid $120?) a couple of years ago
and have been happy with it, for the most part. The only "down" side is it's smallish capacity
(3 bikes)

That small capacity isn't a foreseeable problem for me. I've seen the Rimroc on the Yakima website
already. It looked a bit ungainly and awkward, but you say that you're happy with it. How is it for
short trips? Is it quick to load/unload? What about using one bike on it for 90% of the time? Is it
overkill for just one bike?

Quoted message said:

I guess it's also a pain in the buttocks if you come up missing one of the straps that go over the
tires (gotta buy them in packs of two I believe). I've seen the same racks on the net's auction
sites under $200 new. Folks around here seem to like the Sportworks (?) racks. They are very nice,
but pricey.

As mentioned above there is a product that fits between the seat post and front of the bike and
allows the bike to hang from that bar as a traditional framed bike would. They should(?) sell
them at some of the stores which sell racks. They are certainly on the net. Good luck. Be sure to
not swim for at least 1/2 hour after intense googleing!

I'd never heard of these bars. I'll see what I can google. Thanks

Mine is made by Saris, called a bike Beam:

graberproducts.comarticle control.aspOpen ↗
lArticle&id=164&class=8&push=originForm%3DfDetailCategory%08nextForm%3DfAssociatedArticle%08id%3D67-
%08class%3D8%08bctitle%3DRelated+Products

--
Derek Lloyd [email hidden] <*

"Westie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've googled until things have gone blurry. I now know more about bike racks than I ever wanted to
know, except for

one

Quoted message said:

thing... has anyone got a good reasonably priced towbar mounted rack that will carry a
Y-framed bike?

Although it may not be the most cost effective way of doing things <rolls
eyes> I've started cheap and worked my way up - I sound like most mtb'rs,
don't I? I liked the look of the 'bike beams' that provide the horizontal bar that attaches at
seatpost and stem (it'll fit my existing cheapy rack and cheapy rack can be mounted/dismounted
within 60 seconds). I tried the performance bike site, took a hit with international postage, and
awaiting what will probably be close to a 25th December delivery date. Merry Xmas.

Next step is to go to the Yakima Rimroc - especially if i begin to regularly carry more than one
bike and when I change vehicles. Looks like what I want but just a little too much for a little jap
sports car, if you know what I mean?

Finally, because I know a guy that welds a mean aluminium tube (that's a-loo-min-i-um, to you Yanks)
I might try to find a clamp in the style of 'bike beam' and weld that and a couple of other widgets
onto the existing cheapy rack.

Thanks everyone. It's been very helpful. ;-)
--
Westie (Replace 'invalid' with 'yahoo' when replying.) "With typical Kiwi 'I-can-fix-it-by-myself'
attitude and the heritage of hundreds of years of using #8 fencing wire to fix everything and
anything, Westie bravely steps forth into the new world of high speed secure bike-vehicular
containment mechanics..." John Britten, move over... britten.co.nzbritten.co.nzOpen ↗

Here is a new hitch mounted bike rack that is a wheel mount, it connects to the bike crank and
wheels. should solve the Y-frame problem

here is a quick link etrailer.comp.aspOpen ↗

or the full link
etrailer.commerchant.mvOpen ↗

here is another version a few bucks cheeper etrailer.comp.aspOpen ↗ $24.95