carrying carbon bike by car - safe ways?

gdcfc1

Going carbon. What ways are safe for transporting the bike by car? How not to damage? I am not going to have a trailer so it is down to roof or options of rear racks. Thanks

marcusjb

How are you currently carrying your non-carbon bikes in your car?

Jahmoo

I use Roof Rack and Thule 591.

Works fine for me.

gdcfc1

marcusjb wrote:

How are you currently carrying your non-carbon bikes in your car?

roof rack. Worried about over tightening on frame clamp, or not then having wobble. Probably just paranoid??

diy

roof rack or rear rack.. I had 4 on the back of my motorhome this summer for 1700 miles and some fairly bumpy roads. No problem at all.

I use a thule 591 pro ride on the roof of my Xc90 and a fiamma pro c on the motorhome

but if you are worried just wrap a rag round the frame.

It doesn't need to be tight its the combination of having 3 points of contact that holds them in place

anjasola

Towbar carrier is my preferred option.
Not many bikes on the continent are carried on the roof.

StillGoing

Roof rack and fork leg clamp. I don't clamp the down tube. Have carried two carbon framed bikes these way on numerous occasions without mark or incident.

dirtymonkey1985

I've used these for over 4 years and they have always been perfect. Never felt the bike could fall off and they are really easy to take off and store http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/elit ... -prod57881

dirtymonkey1985

I've used these for over 4 years and they have always been perfect. Never felt the bike could fall off and they are really easy to take off and store http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/elit ... -prod57881

slowbike

diy wrote:

roof rack or rear rack.. I had 4 on the back of my motorhome this summer for 1700 miles and some fairly bumpy roads. No problem at all.

You're cruel ... we put ours inside - clamped down by the forks - for 2000 miles this summer ... but the only carbon bits were my forks ... didn't take the road bike ...

imposter2.0

Atera Giro - or Giro Speed

Lance9109

Bought a Saris Bones 3 bike carrier. £100. The straps are rubberised/plastic and as DIY said I just bought some of those thin sponge dishcloths from the supermarket and wrap them around the contact areas on the frame before strapping to the carrier. Finally use electrical tape if needed (wrap around bike and to carrier) just to sure up any wobbles. To be honest the Saris carrier holds the bike fairly securely though anyway. No dramas as yet.

gdcfc1

Thanks all. So roof or rear is fine just don't over tighten or leave too loose so there is wobble.

Got it.

cougie

Even better if you have a car with a big boot and you can keep it inside.

But if you can't - the roofrack is fine.

crikey

Not many bikes on the continent are carried on the roof.

Um...

Tjgoodhew

Mine goes straight in the boot of the Fiesta - front wheel off, towel down to offer a bit of protection and fits fine.

I dont have a family so no problem with putting the back seats down.

Have even got mine and the OH in with an old duvet to stop any damage with the two rubbing

sniper68

I carry mine in the boot(estate) if I'm travelling alone.When we went to France in the summer I removed the wheels,wrapped it in an old blanket and put it in the roofbox 8)
I have a towbar mounted carrier but generally use this for the MTBs when there's 2 or 3 of us.

northpole

I always try to carry mine in the car - not such a problem as it is quite a large estate and can easily take two bikes with removals blankets to stop any parts rubbing.

I have a Thule roof bar system which works well but I much prefer not to use:

- quite a faff putting them on/ taking them off
- same for putting bikes on the roof
- wind noise/ fuel economy implications
- danger of forgetting about the bike on roof and driving under height restrictor with terrible consequences

I've been in a 4X4 with four bikes on a Thule platform/ rack fixed to the tow bar (not everyone has one of these!). If i had a tow bar and had to carry a bike outside the car, I'd much prefer this system. I think it offers the bikes more protection from wind etc; easier to mount the bikes at a lower height; less aerodynamic impact; danger is forgetting about the rack/ other motorists in car parks not seeing it and possible accidental damage but hopefully this can be avoided! I have seen comments previously that the rear mount rack is a bit more of a security issue in so far as if you stop at motorway services it's not so easy to keep your eyes on a low rack. Common sense should prevail!

Peter

anjasola

crikey wrote:

Not many bikes on the continent are carried on the roof.

Um...

Except by team cars

ben@31

Just how fragile is your frame like? I'd be more worried about the pot holes.

+1 For Sarris Bones if you have a saloon car or sports car.

gdcfc1

Ben, frame not fragile but read scare stories of how easy it is to break carbon frames so thought I'd ask in case best ways suggested .... or no-nos raised. Thanks for your reply too. Seems most methods no problem.

smoggysteve

anjasola wrote:

crikey wrote:

Not many bikes on the continent are carried on the roof.

Um...

Except by team cars

You have obviously never been to Holland then, since it seems to be standard to have at least 1 bike stuck to your roof. I see dozens every day.

rs6mra1

I have seen on several occasions bikes carried on the roof of a vehicle whereby they are held in place by the forks and the wheel is on a separate carrier. The reason for this I now know is that it is better to mount a carbon framed bike in this manner. Thule I believe do offer such a carrier

The Mechanic

I have a Thule tow bar mounted carrier that holds 3 bikes. There is an arm with a clamp but, with my carbon framed bike, I use the seat tube directly below the seat clamp as this has got to be a robust area given that it has the seat tube and the seat post inside it. Virtually no risk of crushing the tube.

BTW, my bike was covered in stickers, when I bought it, stating that I was not to clamp any part of the bike in anything, including work stands and turbo trainers.

Manc33

I was paranoid before I got a carbon frame but that stuff is ludicrously hard. Harder than you think.

My front mech band clamp is carbon fiber and it is stupidly thin, it says "3nm" on it, but I don't think that will stop the mech slipping on the tube (ruddy carbon-to-carbon!) so I do tighten it more, its been fine. You do get a feel for it and I would not dare tighten it any more than it is.

Same on my full carbon saddle - when I got it I was thinking "no way can this be strong enough", it is nearly as thin as a credit card and the rails are carbon... its tightened on my seat post clamp with about 12Nm and is fine. That was a China carbon saddle, which can be had for around £25-£40. Not bad since its 91g.

I would be far more worried about my head tube going while on the bike, than anything else.

There's carbon frames now that claim to be 720g that are affordable. 8) Stick a 380g fork on that and you get 1100g. Or get one at about 1400g for half the cost.

gotwood25

I've got one of these and its great, attaches to the bike's wheels so no contact with the frame. Driven all over Germany and Switzerland from the Northeast of England with no issues at all, really is a sturdy piece of kit.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/saris-gran-fondo-2-bike-rack/

e17blade

I have a Thule Euroclassic and would thoroughly recommend it. I have done a lot of miles with it and it has always been absolutely rock solid. Very easy to use too. Not cheap though.

Pic below of my carbon bike on it during a trip to the Pyrenees this year. I put a bit of pipe lagging on the top tube and on the wheel rims for a bit of extra protection - not sure if it is necessary but it stops me worrying. I can also get another three bikes on it if I'm out with the family.

slowbike

Tjgoodhew wrote:

I dont have a family so no problem with putting the back seats down.

Have even got mine and the OH in with an old duvet to stop any damage with the two rubbing

Do you think this may be a contributory factor to not having a family?

cougie

gotwood25 wrote:

I've got one of these and its great, attaches to the bike's wheels so no contact with the frame. Driven all over Germany and Switzerland from the Northeast of England with no issues at all, really is a sturdy piece of kit.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/saris-gran-fondo-2-bike-rack/

I'd really be scared to drive with my bike hanging off the back like that ! I'm sure its perfectly safe - but I just couldnt bring myself to do it !

slowbike

Having seen a tow bar mounted bike carrier fall off a car in the middle of a French motorway I was happy enough to have our bikes inside the car - and subsequent times we've been we've also put them inside ... but a towbar mounted carrier is my preference - carbon or not - you're not going to overstress the carbon with a strap ...

diy

You also have to watch speed bumps with tow bar mounted carriers particularly on longer wheelbase cars. The lever effect can be amplified quite a bit when the rear goes over the bump. more of an issue on a camper though.