Mountain bikes on car carriers

CrookedCucumber

Hi

I have a bike carrier for my car which provides, essentially, two stalks the stick out the back, which are intended to support the bikes' top tubes. I'm sure you know the sort of thing I mean.

It works fine for my road bike, which has a conventional top tube, but it's a really struggle getting mountain bikes on it. There just doesn't seem to be anything to hook onto. I usually end up wiggling one of the stalks through the angle between the seat tubes and the seat stays, with some other part of the bike resting on the other stalk.

It's not very convenient, and I often end up scratching the bikes.

Is there some hidden knack to carrying mountain bikes on a carrier like this, which everybody knows but me? Or is it just awkward?

Best wishes
CC

Steve_F

All depends which bike you've got an which carrier you've got.

Tend to find the mtb has to be strapped on through funny places but as long as it's on securely I don't really care. Would be surprised if there's a way to do this you haven't spotted.

CrookedCucumber

Yeah, that's my feeling, too I was rather hoping that somebody would know of some clever, but non-obvious trick for this.

In general, I find getting four full-sized bikes on a car carrier a real bear, particularly mountain bikes. Apart from investing in a purpose-build bike trailer (which I would like, but can't afford), I wonder if there is any straightforward way to do this?

Siechotic

Have a look at this.

http://www.skidrive.co.uk/cycle/product ... tno=982000

CrookedCucumber

Ah! I knew there had to be a engineering solution to this problem Thank you, thank you, thank you....