Bike Rack for Carbon?

[roo4]

I recently bought a Madone. My CR-V has a Hollywood Hitch Rack, the type that has two arms that stick out and the bike's top tube rests on the arms, with straps that secure the bike to the rack.

Now. I just read that OMG! Panic! You Will Ruin Your Carbon Frame If You Use Such A Rack! Really? What say you, women of estrogen?

[redrhodie]

My babies ride in the back seat, so take this for what it's worth (not sure if it will really work)...what about a top tube pad? I use one on the bike that hangs on the indoor storage rack because I'm worried about scratching paint. It's worked great for that. I found one for $5 on sale, nice heavy duty material, just velcros on.

[Owlie]

I have a Saris trunk rack with a similar scheme--two arms where you rest the bike, then you strap it in place. My current bike is aluminum, but I'm looking to buy carbon in the future. LBS said it shouldn't be an issue, but I could buy a pad for the top tube if I was concerned.

[Desert Tortoise]

I'm confused. Aren't the black rubber thinggies the bike rests on safe enough for carbon bikes? Do they need extra padding or should carbon bikes not be on a rack at all?

[roo4]

What I read was that cranking down on the top tube to secure the bike to the black thingies on the rack was bad for the frame.

No one here seems too excited about this, so I think I'll just avoid fastening the bike tightly. ???? OK?? Someone tell me this is fine!

[withm]

Normally I carry my bike inside my car, but I've carried my carbon bike on a rack like that many times, and it's stored on a rack like that in my hallway. Neither of these racks have any clamping devices. I use 1" webbing to secure the frame to the car rack, and I run a bungy cord through the wheels and back to the rack to prevent vibration. In the house, I run a bungy through the frame, front wheel, and back to the frame to keep the front wheel from flopping. My hallway is not very big, and the bikes already take up too much space.

I once arrived at my destination 800 miles from home, went to take the bikes down and one of the front wheels was gone. Either someone stole it (?) or 800 miles of highway driving worked it loose and it ended up in the grill of an 18 wheeler. This was an old beater bike - not a wheel that would have been worth stealing. I'll never know what happened to it but fortunately was able to buy a new one and get it in in a few days, so my vacation wasn't totally ruined.

Just don't clamp anything tight on the top tube, or any other tube for that matter. You should be fine.

There is always going to be someone who will tell you whatever you are about to do is not a good idea. Good idea to listen, but evaluate the information and form your own opinions.

[pinsonp2]

My DH and I both got Madones this year. Our original hitch rack (http://www.amazon.com/Swagman-Cross-Country-2-Bike-2-Inch-Receiver/dp/B0001VO1YY/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1313145589&sr=1-1) worked great for our non-carbon bikes. Our LBS said most racks would be fine. The exception was the type we had that put alot of pressure on the top tube. He recommended the Saris Cycle On Pro (http://www.amazon.com/SARIS-CYCLE-HITCH-RACK-BIKE/dp/B001KURQOM). It is pricey and heavy but works like a charm. If it is just me going for a ride, the Madone goes in the back of the Enclave.

P2

[roo4]

There is always going to be someone who will tell you whatever you are about to do is not a good idea. Good idea to listen, but evaluate the information and form your own opinions.

Which is why I posted the question in the first place: To gather information, opinions, and experiences prior to forming my opinion. :)

[energyandjoy]

New to the forum and appreciate all the info you all have shared! I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd add to it anyway in case someone is still looking out there as I was. My husband and I just purchased our first carbon road bikes (Giant Avila and men's Defy), and had the same question about what kind of bike rack for the back of the car. Did a lot of research online, then asked at the local bike shop (LBS).

We wanted 4 things: 1) something that would not damage a carbon frame, 2) a hitch mount that could be for both a 2" or 1.25" inch, 2) something light that I could install/take off myself, w/o my husband's help, for those rides when he's not around, and 4) a reasonable price.

We are really happy with the SARIS Thelma (2 bike rack) at the very reasonable price of $272. http://www.saris.com/en/bike-racks/vehicle-racks/hitch-racks.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=72&category_id=8

Nothing touches or wraps around the frame, only the 2 wheels of the bike are tied down with very study plastic ties on a hard plastic cradle for the tires. The whole thing weighs about 26 pounds, which is amazing given how heavy the comparable Yakima and Thule platform hitch racks cost. Once you figure out how the whole thing works, you can lift the bike on the platform, scoop the cradle for the front wheel into its forward position and it locks into place; unlock it to take it off, the front wheel support flattens down, and just a short lift down to the ground. When not in use it can fold up against the car. The car fits in the garage even with the bikes on the platform.

The best part was all the help from the LBS (Shark West in Chesterfield, MO): it had two employees who could recommend it (and I got to see it in the parking lot), it highly recommended the company (made in USA and warranty), they recommended a Thule threaded locking bolt so no one could walk off with the bike rack that also stabilizes it, and BEST of all: the LBS put the rack all together for me and even attached it the car and showed me how to work it! Even though the LBS didn't have it on the floor, it was able to order it from Saris online.

The LBS also mentioned that a customer recently bought the Thule Helium, which holds the top tube of the bike. She had a carbon bike and was warned not to tighten the straps; however, turns out she ended up tightening the straps a little too much, and it cracked the top carbon tube. LBS also mentioned he has the Thule T2, and it's so heavy his wife can't put in on or take it off by herself, and he admitted it's even a little too heavy for him.

One last minor issue, if the bikes or rack block your license plate in some states, like MO or TX (and there are others), you can be ticketed 70-100+. Saris, Uhaul, the LBS, and RMV (no duplicate license plate was possible) all had no solutions, but my husband came up with one: take a color pic of the license plate, laminate it, cut 2 slots and insert velcro strips to hang on the outside bike (or the rack when folded up).

[OakLeaf]

Y'know, I tried to dig up the old thread about spammers who don't post links, we were wondering how the whole thing works.

I know this particular poster has had posts removed before. Now they show up with three more this morning. When I searched for their other posts, here's what showed up:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZYlcg7xuuwM/UCegYTt9n9I/AAAAAAAAAVI/mXgkS5pIPDE/s920/posts%2520by%2520okhealthy.jpg

See, in each post there's a link to a .jpg, but the link is invisible in the post. I don't understand how all this stuff works but I have no doubt that every time one of us views this thread, it gets back to the mothership somehow.

So here I am posting in this thread for others to see. :rolleyes: I'm assuming the admins are already aware of this via their magic admin powers, but personally I'm going to be a lot more careful about viewing and participating in threads that contain these posts whose spam nature is obvious but whose insidiousness is concealed. Like the sunscreen one from last week just for instance.

[Catrin]

...So here I am posting in this thread for others to see. :rolleyes: I'm assuming the admins are already aware of this via their magic admin powers, but personally I'm going to be a lot more careful about viewing and participating in threads that contain these posts whose spam nature is obvious but whose insidiousness is concealed. Like the sunscreen one from last week just for instance.

Thank you for this information Oakleaf, it is helpful. Some of these posts are obviously spam, but of the type that it is difficult to choose whether to report it or not. Had no idea there was an invisible image.

[pll]

Thanks OakLeaf -- I wonder what those invisible JPGs do.

To the point of this thread, which I had not seen: I am very pleased with the Yakima HighRoller. I had to install a roof rack in my car (I had no roof rack, nor a hitch). The rack is super easy to use and it does not touch the carbon, only the wheels. My bike is light (17.5lbs), so it is not a problem to lift it holding it by the seat tube and the fork. If the bike was heavy, lifting would be a problem for me.

[roo4]

Thanks, Oakleaf! For a second there, I thought you were eyeing me as a spammer and I couldn't figure out why! So much for reading comprehension.

And in case anyone cares, I'm sticking with my old rack but not attaching the top tube straps super tightly.