Cycle Carrier - Problem lining up Bikes

Cannock Chase

I've just bought a Thule 2-bike towbar cycle carrier. I'm having great difficulty in lining up mine and the wife's MTB's. When I mount them in opposite directions my handlebars and the wife's saddle are the same height. This is stopping my bike standing vertically and preventing my front wheel sitting in the wheel channel correctly.

Is this a common problem with bikes of different size or am I just unlucky?

Do I just have to raise or lower the wife's saddle whilst it is on the carrier?

Thank you

The Rookie

Put on a qr seatpost clamp and drop the saddle, simples, often have to drop saddles when squeezing 4 bikes on the four bike rack.

Cannock Chase

Thanks for the replies.

The Northern Monkey

take the saddles/post off an put them in the car?

Cannock Chase

The Northern Monkey wrote:

take the saddles/post off an put them in the car?

Bin there, done that.

That's ok if you don't want to put anything else in the car such as luggage and additional people.

Also bikes covered in mud and cow/horse sh*t doesn't make for the best travelling experience.

JBA

I think he meant put the saddles in the car.

Cannock Chase

JBA wrote:

I think he meant put the saddles in the car.

Whoops..... stupid me..... many apologies..... :oops: :oops:

Good idea.....

batmo

Solution 1: as already suggested, adjust saddle height or remove seatpost.

Solution 2: on longer journeys, to and from hols for e.g. I loosen the steerer clamp on the stem and rotate the bars parallel to the frame, just nipping the bolts up enough to prevent movement.

Solution 3: good excuse to buy yourself a new bike with a contrasting wheel size!

Mattharrier

Removing anything you can from the bike will also help reduce drag thus improving fuel efficiency (admittedly, it probably won't make much difference, but every penny counts).

bigmitch41

Yep my Thules the same, as above mount them in opposite directions and drop the seat post on one or each of them, both are 29" and a snug fit on the x2 tow bar carrier.