Best way to attach bike to bike car rack

gkf9

I have had a strap on bike car rack for a few months now, and was wondering, are you

suppose to strap the excess strap (once buckled up) to your bike?

I have been wrapping the excess round the rack body once attached to the car, then fixing
my bike to the rack with separate straps with buckles if you know what i mean.

The instructions i received are very basic and poor! Was thinking of cutting the excess strap
off..so to save time having to tie the loose ends up, and just carrying on using the separate straps to fix the bikes to the rack... Can anyone tell me the best way?

Many thanks

Splasher

Why not just let them flap? Do they cause damage or obstruct your view?

If you do cut them use a hot knife so the ends don't fray.

Mancunianfightingcat

If you let them flap, once travelling at speed they could and probably will severely scratch the paint of the car or bike.

anto164

i wrap it round the bikes a few more times, then finish it off with a pretty bow.

keeps the excess from whipping about..

Team515

I just cabled tied the excess up, once i had strapped the bike on, keeps them neat and tidy

gkf9

Team515 wrote:

I just cabled tied the excess up, once i had strapped the bike on, keeps them neat and tidy

so do you wrap the straps round your bike first before cable tie...ie do you not use separate
straps?

Dont suppose anyone's got any pics of how the bike is strapped on?

GOLDGPR

GKF9,

I use a Saris Gardian bike rack, after knotting the strap after the buckle then wrap the excess strap around the rack frame and then tie on again. Dont leave them loose as flap and mark the cars paintwork.

For the bike the saris racks have very good attachment points made from ruber frame slots into rubber chanels and then straps lock the frame down. i then just get two bunggies and wrap around the wheels to stop then spining and to keep the front straight and another round the crank to stop it turning and hitting the boot.

GOLDGPR

Put links on as the pictures are too big (anybody know how to reduce them???)

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279 ... nrack1.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279 ... nrack3.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279 ... nrack2.jpg

Chris`I

As the others have said, just wrap it around the car rack to frame to keep it tidy. You find that they come with a lot of excess as they are generic straps and in some cars you need a lot to reach a secure point to attach them to. If you want to cut them down then cut them with sharp scissors and then use a lighter to seal the ends. Bungee around the wheels is also a very very good idea to stop them hitting the car.

Heres mine, made from a modified Halfords bike rack (admittedly with the ex-owners bike on it :oops: : )
(click for full size)

Sikora

You may find that by cutting the straps down, you have less to pull on when tightening the straps. They may also find they're too short if you ever fit it to another car

Just tie the straps together of wrap them round the bike.

gkf9

Thank you everyone for taking the time to post pic's and giving me your advice very much
appreciated!!

Next time i put the rack on i will decide what to do, whether to cut the straps down a little so i can still get plenty of leverage on the buckles or to still tie the excess round the rack...Its just that i wanted to save time when putting the rack on and off...Gets abit of chore after a few times.

Thanks again everyone.

GOLDGPR

I know what you mean takes around 20mins to tie mine on, Try one of these,

http://www.saris.com/p-301-bones-rs.aspx

I am looking to get one next, only two straps (metal) and it can be locked to the car with no excess.

BikerDan

Supposidely they'rs some new laws coming in regarding bike racks on cars, what are they?

GOLDGPR

Duno aint heard of anything know that if you go abroad they have to have a certain safty mark. I know that if the bike covers the lights then your surposed to run a light board but never have and aint been pulled for it (touch wood)

Rich Hcp

GOLDGPR wrote:

GKF9,

I use a Saris Gardian bike rack, after knotting the strap after the buckle then wrap the excess strap around the rack frame and then tie on again. Dont leave them loose as flap and mark the cars paintwork.

For the bike the saris racks have very good attachment points made from ruber frame slots into rubber chanels and then straps lock the frame down. i then just get two bunggies and wrap around the wheels to stop then spining and to keep the front straight and another round the crank to stop it turning and hitting the boot.


http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279 ... nrack1.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279 ... nrack3.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279 ... nrack2.jpg

DO NOT USE BUNGIES!!!!!

I nearly lost an eye with them when one of the hooks became dettached.

Ended up in A & E with a wound just below my eyebrow that went straight to the bone.

Those things are so dangerous.

There are plenty of straps on the market that can be used to secure bikes to racks, use them.

Two black eyes, seven stitches and passing out are no fun.........