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  • #1

    Transporting your bike

    It seems that many on CUF have large hills in their backyards are somewhere very close. That is convenient for you, but I have no such luck. My only hill is an overpass and it's .25 miles long. There are some hills up north about 1 hour and I'd like to go up there once in a while to test out the other 17 gears on my bike (I seriously only use 3 gears for the most part).

    I can fit my bike in the backseat of my car if I take off the front wheel, but it's not convenient and I've gotten some grease on the seat, so I'd rather not do that. Plus I can only transport one bike this way. So I looked into a way to transport my bike and found few options:

    - Roof rack - This is the most expensive option as I'd have to buy the base support system and the bike rails, but it's my preferred option as I have built in holders for the footings and they'd be easy to take on/off. I also like that my wife's car has a support system already on the roof so I could easily move it to her car.

    - Trunk rack - This is the cheapest option, but I don't like the network of straps and potential to scratch up the paint on the car. It also looks "white trash" but that's just my opinion.

    - Hitch rack - Not really an option given that I drive a small sedan and I don't want to put the hitch on the car, but a lot of people around here have these. This might be a better option for my wife's car.

    Anyway, I'm not looking so much for advice (I know I'm going with the roof rack) but was just wondering what other people use.
    "Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf
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  • #2
    I've done a number of different things over the years.

    With a small sedan, I've always been able to drop the rear seat forward and slide the bike in through the trunk, with the front tire removed. Its pretty easy and takes just a few seconds.

    I also have a trunk rack that I don't use anymore (you can have it if you want it). I stopped using it for the very reason that you mentioned - it was always scratching either the trunk or the rear bumper. I was also able to put it on my wife's minivan when we went on vacations. A bit of a nuisance to put on and take off, but it did the trick.

    Now I have a hitch bike rack that I use on my wife's SUV. It fits 5 bikes without much trouble. They are getting pretty cheap and are really easy to put on and take off. Most either drop down or swing away to be able to access the trunk with the bikes still on. Swing aways are nicer, imo, but will cost a bit more.

    Several friends have the roof mounted racks. They are easy to use and don't look bad on a car when not in use. Most people that I know rarely take them off their car when not using them. If you go this route, make sure to talk to RCViking about a bike bra. I think he has some special insight into these things. He is a bit of an expert in the field.

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    • #3
      I've used a trunk rack, but it does get dirt under the hooks and scratches the paint. I've also got a hitch rack, but never use it because the bikes tend to bang together and scratch each other. Plus, I don't know if a carbon frame would get ruined in the top tube clamp. I thought of getting some padded hollow tubing like what you'd use to insulate your a/c lines, but haven't done that yet. When my wife and I go to CUF rides or anywhere with our bikes, we lay them down inside my Expedition with blankets between them. Yeah, it takes a lot of space, but it keeps them away from bugs and scratches. None of this helps your case, but you said you didn't care what we say, anyway.

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      • #4
        Roof rack - On the plus side this wins in the cool factor catagory. On the negative side it's hell on a bike and car when you drive into a garage with your bike still on top.

        Trunk rack - Easy and cheap but I always worry about my bike flying off when I go with this option.

        Trunk - With both wheels off I can fit my bike into my trunk (a civic). I use this system if I'm traveling a long distance.

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        • #5
          We put a hitch on my wife's small SUV, but on short trips we put the back seat down and can put two bikes in the back. We're driving to Portland Thursday and I haven't decided to use the hitch rack or put them inside, since we won't have much in the way of luggage. I really like the hitch rack, though, as it's perfectly secure (I've had a trunk rack slip a time or two) and your bikes arrive bug-free.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by bluegoose View Post
            Several friends have the roof mounted racks. They are easy to use and don't look bad on a car when not in use. Most people that I know rarely take them off their car when not using them. If you go this route, make sure to talk to RCViking about a bike bra. I think he has some special insight into these things. He is a bit of an expert in the field.
            With the reduced fuel economy from one of these, I'm probably better off driving my wife's tank and just throwing the bike in the back.



            Originally posted by mtnbiker View Post
            None of this helps your case, but you said you didn't care what we say, anyway.
            I care, I just won't take it as advice in my current situation . However, I'll admit there is some good stuff in this thread already.

            To add to the above post, I'll likely not keep my rack on my car. This all depends on how easily it can be removed, but I anticipate only using it sparingly as I'm only a weekend biker and won't likely find a lot of time to take weekend trips.
            "Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Moliere View Post



              It looks like a brilliant design.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by RC Vikings View Post
                On the negative side it's hell on a bike and car when you drive into a garage with your bike still on top.
                My friend did this and came away with a nicer bike from his home owner's insurance policy. If I parked in a garage, I'd be tempted to try it out.

                Originally posted by mtnbiker View Post
                I don't know if a carbon frame would get ruined in the top tube clamp.
                I've been told the carbon frames can get damaged. I had a hitch rack once that I loved. It was the Thule T2 rack where the bikes rest on the wheels, not on the top tube. These racks are pretty pricey, but they're great.
                When things are at their darkest, it's a brave man that can kick back and party. --Tuck Pendleton

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by RC Vikings View Post
                  It looks like a brilliant design.
                  What's the reason for the bra? Is it just to deflect bugs?
                  "Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Moliere View Post
                    What's the reason for the bra? Is it just to deflect bugs?
                    Signature quote!
                    Prepare to put mustard on those words, for you will soon be consuming them, along with this slice of humble pie that comes direct from the oven of shame set at gas mark “egg on your face”! -- Moss

                    There's three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who's got the same first name as a city; and never go near a lady's got a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, everything else is cream cheese. --Coach Finstock

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Moliere View Post
                      What's the reason for the bra? Is it just to deflect bugs?
                      It's to keep your bike free from bugs and dirt while on top of your car. I say it's brillant because many years ago my brother and I designed and developed this product. It never made us much money but it got us into the bicycle industry for a couple of years.

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