Covering bikes on a rack.

YellaBelly

Does anybody cover their bikes on a car rack? I don't like getting to a race or a ride with a wet bike covered in road muck when the weathers bad.

I've got a Thule 3 bike towbar mount, so a bog standard cover would fit. BUT I imagine it would probably blow off, or at least get ripped to bits in the wind before long? Does anybody cover their bikes with any success, and how do you do it?

navrig2

I would guess that you risk damaging the bike more with a cover acting as a sail than you would with the exposed bike - even with a towbar mount.

cougie

Its a bike. It will get wet anyway if the roads are wet. As the others have said - it'd be a giant sail with a bag over it. If its that important to you - get a car that can carry it inside ?

dabber

The only thing I do on long journeys is tape a plastic bag over the leather covered saddle.

rafletcher

YellaBelly wrote:

I've got a Thule 3 bike towbar mount, so a bog standard cover would fit. BUT I imagine it would probably blow off, or at least get ripped to bits in the wind before long? Does anybody cover their bikes with any success, and how do you do it?

Do NOT try and cover them. The additional windage is astonishing, evem at relatively low speeds.

YellaBelly

cougie wrote:

Its a bike. It will get wet anyway if the roads are wet. As the others have said - it'd be a giant sail with a bag over it. If its that important to you - get a car that can carry it inside ?

I have (soon to be had) a car that would carry them inside. I'm having to sell it and put the money into buying a new car with the wife. I've been informed bikes are most certainly NOT allowed inside the car Kind of fair enough though I guess....

As for the wind resistant/acting like a sail comments. I thought that would most likely be the case, but I just wondered if anyone else has found a clever solution. Seems not. Thanks for the input fellas.

xixang

get a roof mount to get them away from worst of the road spray if it's that important. will still get wet but they will get wet anyway when riding

BenderRodriguez

If you don't mind a bit of dismantling (mainly removing the seat post and bars) it is quite possible to fit a couple of road bikes in a decent sized roof box. I have often done this on camping trips, and the bikes are also more secure when the car is unattended. Fuel consumption is also much better than when carrying 'naked' bikes on the roof. Just use plenty of pipe lagging and take the time to figure out how best to fit them in. Also look around to see what box has the best shape for this task. (My box is a FAPA Alto - 480 litres. I don't know if they are still made.)