Transporting a bike

On 11 Apr 2005 12:07:33 -0700, "TrailRat" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I was wondering the groups preferance to getting a bike from A to B
over a long distance in a short time.

So what is everyone elses opinion on this topic?

Some dismantling to get the bike in the car. Blankets to protect
seats and trim^w^w^w bike as necessary.

TrailRat <[email hidden]> wrote:

: So what is everyone elses opinion on this topic?

Roof based racks (Thule make some nice ones) are far, far preferable
to the boot based monstorsities that seem designed to bend bikes and
wheels.

I've not tried tow-bar mounted ones so can't comment on them, but
the basic idea looks ok.

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
Don't get me wrong, perl is an OK operating system, but it lacks a
lightweight scripting language -- Walter Dnes

On 11 Apr 2005 12:07:33 -0700 someone who may be "TrailRat"
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

I was wondering the groups preferance to getting a bike from A to B
over a long distance in a short time.

Fold it up. Take on large taxi. Relax with a few cans of cider on
the journey.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

Arthur Clune said:

Roof based racks (Thule make some nice ones) are far, far preferable
to the boot based monstorsities that seem designed to bend bikes and
wheels.

Interesting, I was thinking of borrowing a boot based job soon. How do
they manage to bend wheels? Is there a way to avoid it?

Graham

TrailRat said:

I was wondering the groups preferance to getting a bike from A to B
over a long distance in a short time.

Quoted message said:

So what is everyone elses opinion on this topic?

If train is not an option how about hiring a 'Man and Van' type operation.

We have taken all our bikes (incl tandem trike and trailer) and six
people in a minibus 80 miles to meet up with the European Bike Express
on a couple of occasions.

John B

Graham Ashton said:

Arthur Clune said:

Roof based racks (Thule make some nice ones) are far, far preferable
to the boot based monstorsities that seem designed to bend bikes and
wheels.

Interesting, I was thinking of borrowing a boot based job soon. How do
they manage to bend wheels? Is there a way to avoid it?

Graham

Not used a roof rack but 2 obvious disadvantages are 1) fuel
consumption increases more than with boot based rack 2) if you forget
its there and drive under something low (like some car park entrances)
you may bend your car as well as bikes and wheels. They also tend to
be much more expensive to buy. OTOH I guess they are a lot less faff
than a boot-mounted rack (see below)

My cheapo Halfords boot-mounted rack has been used to carry up to 3
bikes all over the place including several near-1000-mile round trips
to Scotland. Tips for use:
1) Be very careful when strapping bikes on, to avoid putting
unnecessary strain on wheels etc (also watch for delicate bits like
derailleurs etc)
2) Remove some or all pedals to make arranging multiple bikes easier
3) Use foam pipe lagging (costs not a lot from DIY stores) to protect
frames where they may get rubbed
4) Strap rack and bikes securely. After a couple of miles, stop and
check strarps are tight. After another 10 miles or so, check straps
again.
5) In hatchback try to remember not to use rear wiper (blade gets
obstructed by rack)

I've never had anything bent from using the rack but I admit I
wouldn't want to use it for a "best" bike.
--

John
change xx to uk for email

On 11 Apr 2005 12:07:33 -0700, "TrailRat" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I was wondering the groups preferance to getting a bike from A to B
over a long distance in a short time. In other words car furniture. Now
I know the obvious would be to ride said bike to said destination in
time for the event in question but what if you just don't have the
time.

Have you considered a train? As a foot passenger you generally want
to be within 2 miles of a station either end. With a bike I find up
to 15 miles is quite acceptable.

John Abramson said:

Not used a roof rack but 2 obvious disadvantages are 1) fuel
consumption increases more than with boot based rack 2) if you forget
its there and drive under something low (like some car park entrances)
you may bend your car as well as bikes and wheels.

My Dad has one that we used to use a lot when I was younger. There were a
couple of hairy moments when we realised in unison that we wouldn't fit
under the upcoming bridge...

Quoted message said:

My cheapo Halfords boot-mounted rack has been used to carry up to 3
bikes all over the place including several near-1000-mile round trips
to Scotland. Tips for use:

[snip]

Thanks, that's much appreciated. I'll hopefully get to try them out over
the next couple of weeks.

Graham

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

Quoted message said:

So what is everyone elses opinion on this topic?

TR

The Unfit Family use a towbar mounted bike carrier for up to three bikes.

Cheers, helen s

On 12/4/05 10:55 am, in article [email hidden], "wafflycat"

wafflesATv21netDOTcoDOTuk said:

The Unfit Family use a towbar mounted bike carrier for up to three bikes.

Should that not be "the not very unfit and actually doing quite well" family
now ;-)

...d

David Martin said:

On 12/4/05 10:55 am, in article [email hidden], "wafflycat"

wafflesATv21netDOTcoDOTuk said:

The Unfit Family use a towbar mounted bike carrier for up to three bikes.

Should that not be "the not very unfit and actually doing quite well" family
now ;-)

Or "soon we won't need the car and will be riding everywhere" ;-)

John B

John Abramson said:

5) In hatchback try to remember not to use rear wiper (blade gets
obstructed by rack)

6) If your bikes obscure your number plate and lights you will need a
lighting board to remain legal which means fitting tow bar electrics to
your car if it doesn't already have them.

Some designs of carrier seem to carry the bikes high enough to avoid
this problem. Others don't.

--
Dave...

dkahn400 said:

6) If your bikes obscure your number plate and lights you will need a
lighting board to remain legal which means fitting tow bar electrics to
your car if it doesn't already have them.

Some designs of carrier seem to carry the bikes high enough to avoid
this problem. Others don't.

I use a high hatchback carrier (an elderly Halfords own-brand, which I
suspect is based heavily on a Thule design).

General: reasonably happy with load security, although I always pull
over after a couple of miles to check the tightness of the straps, and
for long distances or three bikes on the rack I'll add one bar of my
roof bars and add a safety strap around that. For anti-theft, I tend
to lock the bikes to the carrier and add a wire loop to the car itself
(around the rear spoiler *cough* or the towing loop). I have to be
careful with the derrailleur positioning, and for long journeys I add
some padding where the frames rub.

Pros: fairly cheap to buy, can carry three bikes at a pinch although two
is more comfortable.

Cons: high enough to make fuel consumption at high speed a *very*
considerable cost; I'm beefy enough to lift the bikes up onto the
carrier, but a smaller less beefy person might have difficulties; the
rack itself is a bit of a PITA to install, but you get used to it.

R.

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

Quoted message said:

On 12/4/05 10:55 am, in article [email hidden], "wafflycat"

wafflesATv21netDOTcoDOTuk said:

The Unfit Family use a towbar mounted bike carrier for up to three bikes.

Should that not be "the not very unfit and actually doing quite well"
family
now ;-)

..d

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue in the same way though ;-)

Nathan is quite fit these days, as the cycling to & from college over the
winter, on a bike loaded with college stuff has done wonders for him. I'm
certainly fitter as well as slimmer. Vernon is too tied to the desk I'm
afraid.

Cheers, helen s

wafflycat said:

"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Should that not be "the not very unfit and actually doing quite well"
family
now ;-)

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue in the same way though ;-)

Just settle for The Fit Family then ;-)

Tony

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

Quoted message said:

Just settle for The Fit Family then ;-)

Tony

How about The Partially Fit Family then ;-)

Cheers, helen s

wafflycat said:

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

Quoted message said:

Just settle for The Fit Family then ;-)

Tony

How about The Partially Fit Family then ;-)

Par-fict

Tony

in message <[email hidden]>, John Abramson

(') said:

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 21:20:22 +0100, Graham Ashton
<[email hidden]> wrote:

My cheapo Halfords boot-mounted rack has been used to carry up to 3
bikes all over the place including several near-1000-mile round trips
to Scotland. Tips for use:
1) Be very careful when strapping bikes on, to avoid putting
unnecessary strain on wheels etc (also watch for delicate bits like
derailleurs etc)
2) Remove some or all pedals to make arranging multiple bikes easier
3) Use foam pipe lagging (costs not a lot from DIY stores) to protect
frames where they may get rubbed
4) Strap rack and bikes securely. After a couple of miles, stop and
check strarps are tight. After another 10 miles or so, check straps
again.
5) In hatchback try to remember not to use rear wiper (blade gets
obstructed by rack)

I've never had anything bent from using the rack but I admit I
wouldn't want to use it for a "best" bike.

I use a spare wheel mounted rack, which is of course more vertical than
hatchback mounted racks, and thus more like a towbar mounted rack.
Previously I've used a towbar mounted rack. On the whole both are very
good. The advantage of the towbar rack is it's very solidly mounted on
the car; the disadvantage is you can't open the back door. The
advantage of the spare wheel mount is you can open the back door, and
the disadvantage is that it can (unless strapped very tightly) rotate
around the wheel. I have a friend who uses roof-mounted racks on a
Disco, and he has to carry a small roof-rack with him to get bikes on
and off. I don't see that as being a good solution, although when
mounted the bikes are very secure.

I'm really quite sceptical about the need for excessive strapping of the
bikes. Yes, you don't want your bikes to move around, but they would be
very unlikely come off even if you didn't strap them at all, and I just
use a couple of bungies to secure £4,000 worth of bikes on my rack.
Plenty of pipe-lagging foam is definitely a good thing, and I have the
tubes of my rack permanently covered with it.

Having said all that, when transporting my good road bike, it goes _in_
the car, very rarely on the rack. Mountain bikes are expected to get
dirty and scratched - it's part of the job. Road bikes aren't.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

I shall continue to be an impossible person so long as those
who are now possible remain possible -- Michael Bakunin

Halfords are currently doing a promotion for thule roof mounted carriers 2
for less than £60.

cheers
Jon_H