BIKE RACKS AND CARRIERS FOR CARS MEGATHREAD - all questions asked and answered here

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
Im not a fan of crank holders either.......

*Cranks are either too tight and jam or too loose and flop around in the holder.
*They scratch the crank arms
*They are a hazard to rotors / pedals when loading
*They are a trip hazard to the person loading

I designed our trailer with my dislike of crank holders in mind.
*Quick and easy to load
*No damage to cranks
*Fits all size cranks , haven't found one that doesn't work with our trailer yet.:p

.....and yet my cranks are scratched to the f... from using club trailers at races. Oh well.....

We could fit 9 bikes on it with extra racks , but seeing as the car only takes 5 people , no point.

EDIT: Unitecs trailer looks cool , nice idea.
Thats a freaking cool system. When I was in Queenstown my tour giuide used that kind of system for our bikes with one small change. The sides were hinged so the the tyres of the bikes were essentially locked in, see photo for what I mean.

 

mudmav

Likes Dirt
Anyone made up racks for the back of their 4x4

Hey guys i recently bought a giant faith 1. I drive a short wheel base nissan patrol and have to take the wheels off to get the bike in the back (no rear seats). Only thing is this is becoming a PITA. Anyone made racks for the inside/outside of their 4x4's to suit downhill bikes or seen racks to suit a 4wd as i dont really wanna put the bikes on the roof cause my car is lifted 6 inches with 35 inch tyres so getting to the roof is also a PITA.
 

GUmtber

Likes Bikes
Gripsport all the way! Fits multiple different frame types. Great for DH and with the large amounts of clearance it won't drag on the ground like it would on a lowered car.
 

MrCove

South Shore Distribution
do you a spare on the back?

i have THE most simple single bike rack on my defender

one friction bite strap around the spare, through the center of the wheel

i left the bike up, shove the pedal into the center of the spare wheel, then put the strap around the top tube an pull it tight.
bike sits up snug against the spare tyre and doesn't move

for addew security i put an old inner tube from the spare wheel mount, through the fork then loop it around the seat

obviously this is only good for one bike

i'll post a picture..... later
 

timrob

Likes Dirt
Bike Racks for a Trailer

Hi,

I have been building a camper trailer/general purpose trailer and am wanting to mount my three bikes across it.
Reason being is im packing up and shipping off from the shores of Tasmania and heading back to Western Australia.

As a result im looking for a way to transport my Meta 5 (15 QR), Nicolai DH (20mm) and Roadie (QR) safely across the nullabor.
Key things im chasing:
- Stability = given the bikes are treking 3500km i dont want them to be flopping around chafing them selves to death or fatiguing mounting hardware etc.
- Security = Need to be lockable, allthough not a major component as i can loop a bike chain through them etc and lock them down, but the less enviting it is to steal something the lower the chance it will actually happen!
- Useability = Along my trek i plan on stopping off and riding as much as possible, hence i dont want to have to undo a chinese puzzlebox to get the bikes out! (if you live along this path and want to go for a peddle send me a PM! and you can show me the local trails etc)

I envisage mounting them across the top of my hardtop lid and using a rock deflector to offer some protection from the 4wd throwing shit at it.
So my question is:
Full bike mount? or Fork mounted?
DIY bike mount? or off the shelf? (remebering i have built the rest of the trailer allready, and have the equipment available....although not always the patients)

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated, i have attatched a photo of the trailer to give you some perspective.

Cheers.

IMAG0152.jpg
 

Dwain

Squid
There are multiple options available that should do the job. I would recommend the Thule 594xt as these are lockable, easy to use and you should be easy to adapt it to your trailer.

There designed for DH bikes and they should handle off road use.

There are no options that you could buy off the shelf and use in the way they were intended for.

There is also the option of a remote tow ball with tongue to accommodate a grip sport carrier.

Good luck!
 

T-Rex

Template denier
Three Gripsport crank grabbers will do the job, pull your lh pedals off and slip a bit of XC tube over the cranks to stop them getting hacked up.
 

gcouyant

Farkin Advertiser
Key things im chasing:
- Stability = given the bikes are treking 3500km i dont want them to be flopping around chafing them selves to death or fatiguing mounting hardware etc.
- Security = Need to be lockable, allthough not a major component as i can loop a bike chain through them etc and lock them down, but the less enviting it is to steal something the lower the chance it will actually happen!
- Useability = Along my trek i plan on stopping off and riding as much as possible, hence i dont want to have to undo a chinese puzzlebox to get the bikes out! (if you live along this path and want to go for a peddle send me a PM! and you can show me the local trails etc)

I envisage mounting them across the top of my hardtop lid and using a rock deflector to offer some protection from the 4wd throwing shit at it.
So my question is:
Full bike mount? or Fork mounted?
DIY bike mount? or off the shelf? (remebering i have built the rest of the trailer allready, and have the equipment available....although not always the patients)

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated, i have attatched a photo of the trailer to give you some perspective.

Cheers.
Timrob, well done on the trailer!

Firstly, what a trek you have ahead of you. Depending upon how adventurous you are, there are some decent tracks along the railway line service roads along the Nullarbor - but some stone patches can be brutal on tyres. Wouldn't do it alone though. There are also some sensational beach camps where you can kick back, ride, fish and walk - but he sharks can be pesky if you swim.

Carrying bikes on the trailer is a whole new world. Trailers vibrate a great deal without you really noticing it in the tow vehicle - particularly along the Nullarbor where you can spend hour after hour at a harmonic frequency that induces vibration upon the trailer roof assembly.

You have awesome bikes Timrob so it's worth the effort to protect them during your journey. It's best to avoid supporting the bikes with rigid mounts that support the bike by the cranks or secure the wheels with the frame unsupported. The support forces and vibration is taken up in the bearing races and without the bearings rotating, the balls and races end up wearing and failing prematurely. It's a pain when you're in the middle of nowhere and you want a ride.

What we do for our customers in cases such as yours is to use the Extreme Duty carrier because of it's inherent strength and vibration safe mounting but with a special mount that is fixed to the top of a trailer.



The horizontal tubes, wheel hoops, vertical frame support post and double padded frame support cradles are slipped out of the main carrier beam assembly and transferred to the special trailer mount.

I don't have a picture of the Extreme Duty trailer mount but it essentially raises the horizontal tube off the roof of the trailer and slips into a pair of standard 25mm RHS tubes (orientated North/South) that you can mount to the trailer top. The CAD model below is of the Town and Country trailer top mount and will give you an idea of what it's about.



Be aware though that the Town and Country uses a common horizontal tube - unlike the Extreme Duty which has one horizontal tube per bicycle and allows for greater clearance and zero sideways offset when carrying the bikes on the back of the car.



Not that this is going to matter on the top of the trailer, but it will when carrying the bikes on the back of your 4WD through tight tracks or those with overhanging vegetation. I hate having to offset one bike to the left and the other to the right in order to make them fit on a bike carrier.

The net result is a safe, secure and very convenient bike mount to the trailer. You can be riding within seconds of stopping - zero hassle.

The other option is to have a strong and rigid tow bar mount on the rear of the trailer. One that picks up more than one chassis cross member. You can slip the Extreme Duty carrier into the trailer receiver and with the carrier's 40 degree departure angle, never have to worry about dragging the bum.



Plenty of our customers do this but you do need a trailer with a rigid tow hitch receiver and trailer dampers with a fair bit of rebound damping.

If they're safe, you're not stressed. If they're easy to load and unload, then you'll actually hop on and ride during the trip. I'm all for zero hassle travel and happy to help Timrob.
 

timrob

Likes Dirt
Thanks for the excellent information! the racks look awsome, really nicely built and thoughout. I would snap one up in seconds if i was not destined to head overseas about 2 weeks after i get in to Perth!
Cant really afford to fork out $500 on racks at this stage, i think ill make do with a bolt on fork mounts for the MTB's and partially dismantle the roadie and hide it in the car for safe keeping (given it dosent have suspension to soften the blows) also limited to height and length restrictions, as the Spirit of Tasmania (ferry) charges you per meter for cars etc. and there are limited spots for over height vehicles!

However when i get back ill definately consider the purchase, i can modify the trailer to put a reese hitch in the back pretty easily.

Thanks again
Tim
 

gcouyant

Farkin Advertiser
Thanks for the excellent information! the racks look awsome, really nicely built and thoughout. I would snap one up in seconds if i was not destined to head overseas about 2 weeks after i get in to Perth!
Cant really afford to fork out $500 on racks at this stage, i think ill make do with a bolt on fork mounts for the MTB's and partially dismantle the roadie and hide it in the car for safe keeping (given it dosent have suspension to soften the blows) also limited to height and length restrictions, as the Spirit of Tasmania (ferry) charges you per meter for cars etc. and there are limited spots for over height vehicles!

However when i get back ill definately consider the purchase, i can modify the trailer to put a reese hitch in the back pretty easily.

Thanks again
Tim
No problem Tim, it's most important that you make the most of your trip and that the bikes are always available to ride. Tim, from my experience, a long trip with bikes mounted rigidly on a trailer (via fork mounts) is courting tears. The forks and front end supports the entire bike load and with the vibrations and loads placed on the bikes mounted to the trailer, you will be exposing the bikes to potential fatigue related failures. Fork mounts on a well dampened high mass vehicle are a whole different world to that on a stiffly sprung and under damped trailer.

You really should look at keeping both wheels on the bike with two contact points per tyre and supporting the frame. You are obviously experienced at fabrication, so it won't be difficult for you to create something suitable. I can guide you there if you wish.

When we travel we often stop at a town and hop on the bikes to just ride and look around. We typically ride a street one side off the main drag and return on the other street on the other side of the main road. You not only get the feel of the place but also spin the legs and feel fantastic. Moreover, local people are ever so welcoming when they see you on the bike and you get to learn a lot about the area and all of those great hidden little gems that you would never normally find. You see, when you drive through you're a tourist, but when on the bike, you become a traveller - and everybody loves a traveller. Yes Tim, it's important to have the bikes available at all times. If it's no hassle to load and unload the bikes then you will use them. Otherwise they just stay there and add nothing to the journey.

Hey, no sweat if you buy or not mate. The benefit here is that we get to share the experience and enthusiasm of adventure. It's infectious! There's something very special about embarking upon a big trip and when you can take the bikes along, it has the makings of a fantastic experience. Furthermore, you are going to travel through a huge variety of fantastic sights and terrain. Do it right and you'll have sensational life long memories.
 

gcouyant

Farkin Advertiser
Thought I'd just pop back onto this thread with an update of the specialist trailer products we are developing. They are pretty cool and very effective.

With so many of us heading into remote regions with off-road trailers and caravans, it's almost mandatory that the bikes come along. There's nothing better than camping in those special spots - in comfort and safety with a van - with the ever ready option to explore further by bicycle. Off road trailers and vans present their own unique design challenges not only because of the harsh operational demands they place upon bicycle carriers, but more so the compartments and other equipment that must continue to be deployed with the carrier in place. More so it all has to happen with zero hassle.

The next of the trailer products is a special StronArm support and carrier for the Kimberley Karavan.



The StrongArm is installed on the drawbar and the bicycles carrier up above the versatile front multibox storage compartment to keep them up out of harms way - and with the top of the bicycles below the top of the van's roof line.



The idea here was to keep the bicycles as far back as possible for the maximum turning lock but this presented a challenge in order to access the multibox. You don't want to limit the turning circle because to be frank, with a trailer in tight and rough trails, there is sometimes the need to turn around. And it's tough. On the up side, by having the bicycles only second aways from riding, you can hop on them easily and scout ahead if you suspect something difficult before you commit the car and van to the track. This alone is worth its weight in gold up in the High Country.



But back to the multibox access. By rotating the carrier forward on the lower security pin, the whole assembly moves out of the way of the opening multibox door.



Another feature is that with an optional vehicle mount, you can slip the bicycle carrier off the van and quickly have it on the car for further exploration. Awesome if you can drive to the top of a mountain range and hammer down on the bikes back to camp.

And yes, as already mentioned above, there's nothing better than camping in those special spots - in comfort and safety with a van - with the ever ready option to explore further by bicycle.



Especially when there's a frosty coldie waiting in the fridge, a lovely hot shower to wash away the sweat and the contentment that riding only the best terrain on the planet can bring.
 

danjoy25

Cannon Fodder
Whats the go with Rego plates blocked by car bike carriers?

Anyone knows whats the go in NSW as just got a bike carrier and plan to carry 2 x MTBs. Tried to test fitting today and the rear rego plate is not visible once the bikes are all loaded up in the car.
 

dcrofty

Eats Squid
You get to give lots of money to the government. Like $750 or something.

Edit, perhaps not that much, more than you want to give though.
 
Last edited:

dcrofty

Eats Squid
Google=http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/numberplates/index.html


Bike rack plates
If the rear number plate of your vehicle is obscured by a bike or bike rack, you must either:

mount the number plate elsewhere, or
purchase a special bike rack plate.
Bike rack plates have the same number/letter combination as your vehicle's registration, but they are only available as black characters on a white background. You can order bike rack plates from a motor registry, by calling 13 22 13 or online at myPlates.
 
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