Gripsport Dual Bike Carrier Review

[johnny]

1 - Best way of securing the bike to the carrier to hold it in place,(i.e velcro straps around the wheels, or tie it down)

For long distances I use 8 meter long straps that I bought from Kennards Hire. Around the both wheels to the carrier and over the crank/BB intersection to the carrier. As I said earlier, I've aired my 4WD over a speed bump with Squids bike on the back. That's how much confidence I have in this setup. When shuttling, I just stretch an inner tube over the bars and under the carrier and hook the seat with a tube, go under the carrier and back over the pedal. Could easily drive long distances with this too.

2 - Security of bikes, do you lock them to the carrier, do you lock the hitch to the car?

No, I don't let the bikes out of sight.

 

[GravityGuru]

Ryan's Got Grip!!!!
My Dual QR Gripsport rack arrived today. I am absolutely amazed at how solid it is. I'l put up some pictures at some stage.. Just because I can
Love It
Thanks Grip Farkin Fantastic Rack

 

[arpit]

Yeah. i share your postive impressions. I was at manly dam last weekend and this dude turned up up with a grip carrier.
I had only ever seen these carriers from small pics on the website and they looked a bit homemade and dodgy. What I actually saw in person was really good. The welds were excellent, the painting was great, and yes it looked really solid. I wanted to jump up and down on it, but I didn't think the owner would appreciate me bouncing his car.

The thule rack next to it looked heaps flimsy in comparison.

As with all black racks I recommend you attack a couple of coloured reflectors to it. It'll save people from walking into it, and it'll hopeflly prevent people hitting it when driving past the back of your car.

 

[Techno Destructo]

And while we're talking about securing bikes in the Gripsport rack, the FIRST purchase you should make after getting the rack is to buy a tin of PLASTIDIP. Then you can coat your crank holders in the stuff (multiple dips/coats needed), which dries and creates an awesome, grippy, thick pliable rubbery coating which will not only protect your cranks from scratches, but also wedges/holds your bikes cranks in place beautifully.

Warning though... if you do buy this stuff, be careful. I've NEVER handled a product before (like Plastidip) that has as many warnings as this stuff does. And they're scary warnings. Cancer, death, birth-defects, you name it... Be CAREFUL with this stuff.

Apart from that, it's GREAT! If you need some advice on how to do it, you can ask me (although I'm not proclaiming to be an expert with the stuff, I'm really happy with the job it's done!)

 

[Old Shagger]

plastidip

Hey Tecno..Ive just bought the bike rack and i too think its gr8 except for the scratching of my new cranks..THis plastidip stuff..who os the manufacturer and where did you get it from as it sounds like a fairly specialized product??/
Thanks

 

[Techno Destructo]

www.plastidip.com.au

The website has a distribution map that will help you a place that sells the stuff.

I bought mine from:
Johnson Bros. Mitre 10
51-55 Bassett Street
Mona Vale NSW 2103
Ph: (02) 9999 2130
Fax: (02) 9997 1886

 

[racingroo]

I ordered my rack yesterday yey!

I'll be doing that plastidip modification asap aswell.

 

[Old Shagger]

plastidip

Thanks Techno. Getting a spray can today to spray it on so that my cranks dont get a hiding on the way to Lithgow and back for the State race this wend. Hey Grip, sounds like you should maybe look into this prod or offer all us happy customes a flyer with their details etc. If it is as good as it sounds, we will all be even happier grip customers.....

 

[Techno Destructo]

Thanks Techno. Getting a spray can today to spray it on so that my cranks

Whoa whoa whoa... a spray can?

That method just sounds like you're asking for punishment! Do it the dipping method, not the spray on method!

How would you know if you're getting even, or even complete, coverage using a spray?

This is how I did it...

1. Get the narrow, cylindrical tin of Plastidip (which is just large enough to fit the oversize crank holders in without touching the sides of the tin)

2. Support your rack upside down on some supports so the crank holders are hanging down and unobstructed

3. Put something on the ground to catch drops of the uber-toxic Plastidip that might drip off.

4. With gloves on (so you don't get that stuff on your skin/hands), raise the tin up underneath each crank holder to dip it in the tin. Maybe hold it there for a couple of seconds so it fills any holes or stuff. Remove the tin by moving it back down off the crank holder.

5. Let the Plastidip dry before applying the next coat. Check the instructions on the tin for proper drying/setting times.

6. Repeat this method several times to apply several coats. This will give you a good, thick, covering of the stuff. I did six coats. 928stu, at the beginning of this thread, did 4 coats.

I would NOT trust the spray to do a good job.... but that's just me....

 

[Atomizer]

Whoa whoa whoa... a spray can?

That method just sounds like your asking for punishment! Do it the dipping method, not the spray on method!

Motion seconded!

Dipping is certainly the way go. Slowly in, slowly out and as Techo Destructo explained will see the end result run-free and the adherance of the coating to the crank-holder assured. A couple coats will do the job just fine.

And, as for the photo a few pages back of the RAV4 with the Demo 9 on the back the front wheel doesn't pertrude quite as far as the photo suggests. It only extends out about 20cm.

 

[itsajoke]

Got mine yesterday, plasti-dip done and tow-ball plate fitted. Very happy! First test was today but we actually got some rain in T'bar so the ride is off. I may just drive around town to see how it goes. Nice work
Grip!

 

[Grip]

Glad you're happy with it. Shame about the rain though.

 

[TRACKS]

I have had my bike Carrier for 4 month now, and i have done a lot of 4WD with it and had two bikes on. It has held up well, I highly recommend it well done gripsport i love it

 

[racingroo]

I've had mine for a couple of months and its been great. Been to lazy to plastic-dip crank holders instead i've wrapped a tube around the crank and covered the tube with electrical tape. I works pretty well and doesn't look to bad. Fits snug in the holder too.

If anyone was like me and was indecisive whether to buy the carrier, JUST BUY IT YA BUMS!

 

[gilly101]

I LOVE MY BIKE RACK .. although ive backed out of a few drive ways a couple of times a couple of km's to fast and BANG!! SCRAPPPPPPPEEEEE!!! but its so tough and its gotten me to um coffs and back.and , and. yeah i havetn had it long but its great

 

[Techno Destructo]

I LOVE MY BIKE RACK .. although ive backed out of a few drive ways a couple of times a couple of km's to fast and BANG!! SCRAPPPPPPPEEEEE!!! but its so tough and its gotten me to um coffs and back.and , and. yeah i havetn had it long but its great

Yeah, I've scraped mine off the road a few times too... that rack just laughs it off!

 

[ja_har]

Yeah, I've scraped mine off the road a few times too... that rack just laughs it off!

I've backed into trees no issues knowing I have the bullbar on the back..

 

[itsajoke]

It's had the road/off road test now and the results are all good. Once I got the play out of the tow bar on the Subaru it all went well: solid and confidence inspiring. My hard tails cranks (Race face Prodigy) and my better halves (Shimano ?) don't drop all the way down, leaving one tyre an inch above the rack. Other than replacing them has anyone encountered this and do you have a remedy for it?

 

[j5ive]

Cut that one inch from the top of the crank holders. Or get some 3" tyres

 

[Grip]

It's had the road/off road test now and the results are all good. Once I got the play out of the tow bar on the Subaru it all went well: solid and confidence inspiring. My hard tails cranks (Race face Prodigy) and my better halves (Shimano ?) don't drop all the way down, leaving one tyre an inch above the rack. Other than replacing them has anyone encountered this and do you have a remedy for it?

We've actually started selling a quite a few of these to roadies and triathletes because of C/F frames that can't be "hung/clamped" by the top tube (as with normal carriers) and their rear wheels always sit about 3-4 inches off the channel because of much lower bottom bracket heights.

This tends to happen with XC and some jump bikes too, but rather than cut the top off the crank holder I always suggest people just sit a small piece of 4x2 pine etc under their real wheel before they tie their bike down. Simple and adds about 2.35 seconds to the load/unload time.

Cheers