Heres one for you............

trekex977
trekex977 Posts: 95
edited October 2009 in MTB general
I wil be travelliing to the lakes for a week off in 7 days!

I am going to have two trek fuels locked on a Thule roof rack.


Without stating the obvious what tips can you give as to bike protection whilst travelling?

Journey is about 170 miles ish.

Thanks

Comments

  • Whytepeak
    Whytepeak Posts: 2,616
    Don't bomb along at 80mph in the rain.
    It'll put water where you don't want it :shock:
    Now that we are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. ROMANS 15:1
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    just dont leave them on the rack over night.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • _Ferret_
    _Ferret_ Posts: 660
    remove the wheels and put them in the car
    remove the saddle and seatpost - put it in the car
    remove the handlebars, stem and forks -put them all in the car.

    In fact - just put the bikes in the car!
    Not really active
  • BurtonM
    BurtonM Posts: 425
    ^ +1
    yeehaamcgee wrote:

    That's like saying i want a door for my car that doesn't meet the roof, because I once had the wind blow it shut when I was getting in, and I had my head squished between, well, the door and the roof.
  • trekex977
    trekex977 Posts: 95
    _Ferret_ wrote:

    In fact - just put the bikes in the car!

    Hmmm.....that would be the obvious solution. However, four passengers and a couple of suitcases would be a tight squeeze.
  • fourcrossjohn
    fourcrossjohn Posts: 2,500
    5 people 2 bikes?
  • trekex977
    trekex977 Posts: 95
    My bad.

    3 passengers 2 bikes and a driver
  • lm_trek
    lm_trek Posts: 1,470
    Don't leave the bikes unattended at services, well infact anywhere.

    I took my bikes on the roof of the car from brum to scotland and we followed that rule and the bikes where fine, also like others say never leave them in or on the car overnight, if you can remove the thule racks overnight as well.
  • fourcrossjohn
    fourcrossjohn Posts: 2,500
    so what will the other 2 people ride?
  • trekex977
    trekex977 Posts: 95
    fourcrossjohn wrote:
    so what will the other 2 people ride?

    Me and my mate..........haha :D
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    oh, a bit of a sexual holiday as well then? :shock:
  • fourcrossjohn
    fourcrossjohn Posts: 2,500
    now even i am scared
  • scale20
    scale20 Posts: 1,300
    I've travelled all over the country with bikes on the roof of the car, the Thule roof bike carriers are bombproof.

    The more you think of the security of your bikes on the roof of the car the more paraniod you get. Providing you can lock the rack to the car, you can lock the bike carrier to the rack and the bike carrier locks to the bikes why not leave it in a services car park for a brew? It will take some scrote swinging off your bike to get it off and I'm sure the attention they will get will tip you off in time, for a bit more piece of mind get a cable lock through the bikes and rack.

    The Mrs and I went down Afan to camp with the bikes, we slept in the car and left the bikes on the roof all night. We slid the 2 Thule bike carriers together with the bikes on, locked them to the rack an then put a couple of cable locks through both bikes and the racks then threw on the biggest padlock we had. There was no way the bikes were coming off and even someone did want em we would have hear it or felt the car getting ragged about!

    Obviously I wouldnt leave the bikes on the car overnight if you are in a B&B or similar.
    Niner Air 9 Rigid
    Whyte 129S 29er.
  • trekex977
    trekex977 Posts: 95
    Thanks for the advice Scale.

    I was wondering if anyone add protection to the bikes themselves. ie cover stanchions or leading edges etc
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    trekex977
    Nope, just load it and drive.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • fourcrossjohn
    fourcrossjohn Posts: 2,500
    electrified cage over the bike seems to stop any pikeys
  • Raymondavalon
    Raymondavalon Posts: 5,346
    +1 there Scale20

    I have left my bikes on the Thule 591 carriers on many an occasion whilst popping into the Services for a brew and chow. Nothing has ever happened to them while they've been unattended at a major services.
    Don't tempt fate by leaving anything on the bikes that can be nicked like under saddle tool bags and speedos/computers
    The Bouncer
    The Shaker
  • crimsondynamo
    crimsondynamo Posts: 246
    Last winter upon driving down from Edinburgh to Glentress with bike up top, I arrived to find the trusty steed iced up like the Spirit of St Louis! Forks, head tube and bars were totally encrusted! No good for weight weenies!
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,695
    Drove from Cardiff to Caernarfon, with Thule rack. Got to Mid Wales, no problems.
    Stopped for pee near Carno. Drove out of Car Park, bike fell off!

    No damage to bike/car and no idea why, after doing nearly 90 incident-free miles...
    Kids, Mid Wales Mtb monsters, Laura Ashleys ghost or just bad luck?
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,695
    Drove from Cardiff to Caernarfon, with Thule rack. Got to Mid Wales, no problems.
    Stopped for pee near Carno. Drove out of Car Park, bike fell off!

    No damage to bike/car and no idea why, after doing nearly 90 incident-free miles...
    Kids, Mid Wales Mtb monsters, Laura Ashleys ghost or just bad luck?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I'd say that was pretty good luck!
    Imagine if it had happened on that climb out of Machynlleth, you'd never have seen it again :shock:
  • warrerj
    warrerj Posts: 665
    Spent 2 1/2 weeks touring europe (2.5k miles). austria, Italy Switzerland & France. the bikes were locked witha cable lock to the rack on the back of our camper and were never taken off and brought inside int he night or any other time. Infact our M & S insurance will not cover bikes if they are in the car but will if they're locker to a rack.
    My ride :
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2236156/
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2236165/

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