Advice on strapping bikes to cycle carrier

[loopyloo]

I'm fairly new to this cycling lark. Got a rear-mounted cycle rack as it's my only affordable option and is for occasional use (am saving for roof bars but it'll be a few years). Just tried fitting two bikes to it as a test and it took over an hour to figure out the safest way! What am I doing wrong?

It might seem obvious but is there a special way to strap bikes to a rear-mounted rack? My carrier has rubber fixings which I used to secure the frame of each bike to the rack, then there are two red straps with a silver metal fastener. I hooked these around the wheels of each bike to stop them spinning. They were only just long enough to enable me to do this so I don't know what you're supposed to do when there are three bikes on there.

It's not going to take me as long next time obviously, but I wanted to find out if there are any tricks to safely securing bikes to a rack or whether it is just common sense. Looking at the picture on the box (the instructions only covered fitting the rack, didn't extend to securing the bikes) you place each bike end to end, i.e. the opposite way around on the rack, which I did.

Any helpful advice gratefully received.

 

[Downward]

Buy some Ratchet Lashing like this stuff.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/p...lashing/path/tie-downs-strops-blocks-shackles

You can get it from any decent DIY store.

Then just wrap it around bikes and attach to carrier.
I think we have 2 ratchets and last time we used them was to take 2 x heavy DS MTB's on a weeks holiday which was about a 1400 mile round trip.

 

[ASC1951]

... to find out if there are any tricks to safely securing bikes to a rack.

Don't forget that if the bikes obscure the number plate and lights (which they often do, even if you can see them through the spokes), you should have a tailboard with your number and brake and indicator lights. Effectively you can't have a low-slung carrier without a power take-off.

Enforcement varies, but round here you are quite likely to get a penalty notice, especially after dark.

 

[loopyloo]

Thanks both - that's really helpful.

 

[Dave5N]

Just buy some braided nylon toestraps. Quick, easy, cheap.

 

[Muddyfox]

I secure with the rubber mounting straps and then use a Bungee around the wheels for 3 bikes

I've never lost one (yet) at speeds up to 85mph

Simon

 

[Cubist]

Loopyloo
The red straps you refer to are to secure the frames as a secondary fixing. The rubber holders won't hold the bikes onto the carrier by themselves. Don't worry about the wheels spinning, it doesn't affect the security, but you must use the red straps to hold the frames. I didn't trust the ones on mine so used bungy hooks as well.

 

[loopyloo]

Loopyloo
The red straps you refer to are to secure the frames as a secondary fixing. The rubber holders won't hold the bikes onto the carrier by themselves. Don't worry about the wheels spinning, it doesn't affect the security, but you must use the red straps to hold the frames. I didn't trust the ones on mine so used bungy hooks as well.

Thanks. I find it hard to believe the instructions don't contain such information and that it isn't mentioned somewhere online. I really did research this before buying and assembling it so that I knew the safest way of attaching the rack to my car, but couldn't find anything about securely attaching the bikes, and there's a serious gap in the instructions in this respect. Fortunately I've not yet made a journey further than around the block to test the safety.

 

[Dave5N]

Repeat: toe straps.

 

[N1ck]

Don't forget to lock the bikes on to the carrier.

 

[PaulSB]

Thirded for toe straps. Go to B&Q and buy some pipe insulation foam, cut this to fit on the cycle rack and it will protect your cycle's paintwork.

 

[Arch]

Toe Straps and bungies, you can't have too many of them kicking about anyway, they come in handy for all sorts of stuff.

Does seem daft not to have instructions. I saw a car on the ferry over to France last month, had the rack low (so the bikes obsured lights, plate, the lot) and the bikes tilted and so low that as they drove up the steep ferry ramp and the car tilted, I heard one bike tyre drag on the tarmac - that'll be a nice weak spot now. My friend reckoned the Gendarmes would pick them up on it quite quickly...

 

[Dave5N]

When you have put the pipe insulation, cover it with lengths of old (wide) inner tube. A squeeze getting it on) then seal ends with black electrical tape.

Also, use a cable to lock bikes to towing hook, not rack.

 

[BalkanExpress]

For the full belt and braces effect I have, but can not remember where I bought it, a 5ft plastic coated cable with two large plastic balls threaded through either end. You weave it through the bikes and then shut the balls in the boot/hatchback when you close it: the idea being that if something catastrophic happens to the rack and it falls off everything stays attached to the car rather than all over the motorway.