stupid question

[cyclebum]

Ok so this may sound stupid but It is a question that has been bugging me for a while now. I have a high rise bike rack (at least I think thats what I think it's called) on the back of my car. As I was heaving my MTB onto it today (with much more ease than I used to thanks to the weights at the gym) it came up again. You guys with roof racks, how the hell do you get the bikes up there? Do you carry a step ladder with you or perhaps a collapsable crane????

 

[DLB]

it's not a stupid question . i have wondered the same thing.

 

[DustBowlRefugee]

I always make sure that there's a pretty female watching me. It's amazing how much lighter the bike feels then.....

 

[Elmer Fudd]

I always make sure that there's a pretty female watching me. It's amazing how much lighter the bike feels then.....

I always get the pretty female to load the bikes.... and admire the view .

 

[bonj2]

Ok so this may sound stupid but It is a question that has been bugging me for a while now. I have a high rise bike rack (at least I think thats what I think it's called) on the back of my car. As I was heaving my MTB onto it today (with much more ease than I used to thanks to the weights at the gym) it came up again. You guys with roof racks, how the hell do you get the bikes up there? Do you carry a step ladder with you or perhaps a collapsable crane????

with difficulty
that's why i've got a van
It's not the lifting it up there, that's not too hard if you slide the rack to the side of the car you're standing, - just hold it with one hand on the fork lowers and the other on one of the top bits of the rear triangle. It's the whole faffing around sliding it back into the middle with the bike on it, fastening the fiddly straps, tightening the fiddly bolts, having to get the car out of the car park/drive/garage without the bike on it, then park, then get the bike to park on it, etc. etc. that used to piss me off. I just couldn't do it at all in the dark it was such a faff.

 

[cyclebum]

I will certainly admire users of these contraptions more in the future, meanwhile I will stick with my back rack. At least then I can see my bike bouncing about through the rear window. On the roof I think I would be stopping every few miles to check the bikes were still up there Either that or strap one of the kids up there to hang on as extra security, or bang like fury on the roof if the bike falls off, always asuming they havent come off with the bike and are busy behind me pedaling like fury to catch up

 

[John the Monkey]

Lift the first side mounted bike on - make sure the wheels are in the runner and then angle it towards me enough to move the frame tube holder up. Tighten the tube holder and secure the wheels.

Mount the bike that goes in the middle the same way.

Mount the bike that goes on the side the same way.

I find it easier if I heave the bikes up by grabbing the fork and the bit of frame under the seat tube / top tube. Sometimes I use a little set of steps to tighten/adjust the attachment of the centre bike, or alternatively open a door and stand on the sill. Bike carriers are Altera Giro, mounted on Thule roof bars, car is a Vauxhall Astra.

Edit: cf Bonj's comment, I fix the bike carriers in place before putting the bikes on.

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

I take the front wheel off the bike, wrap the rest in a plastic seat and put it on the back seat. When I was going out with my sons when they were smaller, I used a roof rack. There was a problem that if I put the bikes on the car at the top of the drive, then I couldn't get past the plum tree. So, I had to park at the bottom of the drive and lift the bikes up onto the car in one steady lift, into the slots. I'd then keep the bike balanced with one hand while I fixed it in. It wasn't easy and it was much better if you had someone to help.

 

[rich p]

Slightly OT, but I tried to put my 52cm Spesh Allez on the rear carrier of a friend and the 2 hanging prongs were set too far apart for the length of the top tube. Anone else had that problem?

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

Why didn't you sit in the plum tree and hoist the bikes up, wrapped in your plastic seat?

You've been reading too many of bonj's posts.

 

[Arch]

I've only tried to put bikes on a roof rack once, 'helped' by a lady shorter even than me...

In the end, we had to find a low wall to park next to, so I could stand on it.

So it's not silly at all. Some people have better upper body strength, and long arms, but for the rest of us, the rear mounted rack is better...

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

I've only tried to put bikes on a roof rack once, 'helped' by a lady shorter even than me...

In the end, we had to find a low wall to park next to, so I could stand on it.

So it's not silly at all. Some people have better upper body strength, and long arms, but for the rest of us, the rear mounted rack is better...

I recall seeing a photograph of you carrying a policeman. The technique you used was to get a firm grip through his legs. Did you put him on your roof rack?

 

[rich p]

I've only tried to put bikes on a roof rack once, 'helped' by a lady shorter even than me...

In the end, we had to find a low wall to park next to, so I could stand on it.

So it's not silly at all. Some people have better upper body strength, and long arms, but for the rest of us, the rear mounted rack is better...

Ah, Arch, you prefer the rear mounting then??

 

[MrGrumpy]

another stupid question

Ok when riding fixed, how do you let rip . Remembering that you have to also concentrate when riding fixed and not stop peddling

 

[cyclebum]

carefully i would suggest