Clamping carbon frame in bike carrier?

JGTR

Hi all, I'm after a new bike carrier and was looking at Thule towbar mounted one which has the arms that clamp into the frame but have been told that I can't clamp my carbon frame?

Is this right? If so what other options are there? Don't want a roof carrier.

Thanks

fat daddy

you dont need a vice like grip to clamp a frame ...... when you pick the bike up with your hands, you can hold it firmly enough not to drop it without crushing the top tube

Same goes with putting it on a rack.

The wheels are strapped to the deck of the carrier so the bike isnt going to go anywhere .... then just lightly do the clamp up on to the tube .. I use a strip of insulation foam around the tube, mostly to protect it from scratching, but also works by providing a decent grip to teh frame without coming anywhere near crushing it.

Just be sensible

JGTR

oxoman wrote:

I'm in a similar position to your having changed car and not had a towbar fitted this time. I was looking at the saris grab condo.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sari ... d|503035UK
I'm also looking at thule fork mounted rack to go on my roofbars as not happy clamping my carbon bike.

I have a tow bar fitted and want a carrier that fits onto the towbar but all the ones I've found require clamping the top tube which I've been told shouldn't be done with carbon?

JGTR

fat daddy wrote:

you dont need a vice like grip to clamp a frame ...... when you pick the bike up with your hands, you can hold it firmly enough not to drop it without crushing the top tube

Same goes with putting it on a rack.

The wheels are strapped to the deck of the carrier so the bike isnt going to go anywhere .... then just lightly do the clamp up on to the tube .. I use a strip of insulation foam around the tube, mostly to protect it from scratching, but also works by providing a decent grip to teh frame without coming anywhere near crushing it.

Just be sensible

That's what I'm thinking

fat daddy

thule do a carbon frame protector ..... which is effectively the same thing as the foam tubing ... it wraps around the top tube and helps distribute the clamping force

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/gb/bike-rac ... r-_-984000

JGTR

fat daddy wrote:

thule do a carbon frame protector ..... which is effectively the same thing as the foam tubing ... it wraps around the top tube and helps distribute the clamping force

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/gb/bike-rac ... r-_-984000

Cheers, that settles it then

Craig_Broadbent

Could go for a front tyre grip type carrier as commonplace in USA.

Available from Auxtail.com

JGTR

Craig_Broadbent wrote:

Could go for a front tyre grip type carrier as commonplace in USA.

Available from Auxtail.com

Looked at these, had mixed reviews. Security seemed to be a potential issue i.e. bikes becoming detached from carrier

figbat

I frequently clamp my carbon MTB and road bike on my Thule roof carrier... not dead yet. As above, it’s not a vice, it’s just to hold it upright. I just clean the frame before mounting it to prevent any scratching or marking from grit or dirt.

Craig_Broadbent

With the Thule clamps they are not fully wraparound jaws.

If you do not close the mouth to be smaller than the frame, then there is a chance it will slip out and rotate around. So adding material and lightly fastening could be an expensive mistake. The wheel straps might hold the bike for a bit as it drags along the road. :?

I would be interested in understanding the issues found with tyre grip type

JGTR

Craig_Broadbent wrote:

With the Thule clamps they are not fully wraparound jaws.

If you do not close the mouth to be smaller than the frame, then there is a chance it will slip out and rotate around. So adding material and lightly fastening could be an expensive mistake. The wheel straps might hold the bike for a bit as it drags along the road. :?

I would be interested in understanding the issues found with tyre grip type

I did find that which is why I've ordered a Fiamma clamp for my Thule carrier.

DJFish

I clamp mine on the seatpost or sus forks....

marcus'73

Just a word of warning, as someone mentioned above- I've been clamping my carbon frame in a Thule roof mounted carrier and wrapping an old chain stay protector around it to give it a bit of padding, travelling down the motorway yesterday I hit a bump in the road and it must have slipped out of the clamp as suddenly the bike was hanging down off the roof alongside my car- luckily the wheel straps held. I'm thinking I'll try a length of old inner tube round there next time give it a bit of grip between the clamp and the frame as I'm reluctant to use the clamp with nothing else as it stripped all the paint off the underside of my old bike and even cleaning the frame before clamping it doesn't seem to stop that

JGTR

I’m using a Thule towbar mounted carrier with Fiamma arms and frame straps, the straps go right round the frame so it can’t slip out. I use pipe lagging around frame....I can also clamp it around the rear shock instead of the frame.

I used the Thule clamp on my aluminium frame but had to wrap a bungee strap round it as it looked like the frame could slip out of the jaws.

JGTR

oxoman wrote:

JGTR, suspect that's why they've altered the design.

Not on rear cycle racks, same type of clamp as before

02gf74

fat daddy wrote:

you dont need a vice like grip to clamp a frame ...... when you pick the bike up with your hands, you can hold it firmly enough not to drop it without crushing the top tube

Same goes with putting it on a rack.

Yes but when you're holding the frame are you running at 80 per hour over potholes and are the clamps as soft as your hands ? I'm sure the forces exerted on a frame in a car rack exceed those when it is held by you.

I have a couple of lightweight carbon frames whose downturns flexes with not much finger pressure.

Personally I would not clamp carbon frames.

alta_racks

http://www.altaracks.com
We humbly would like to suggest a different way of carrying your bikes. This system protects your bikes from rubbing, from the rack and other bikes. Made in the USA, carries up to six bikes of any kind. designed for off road and rough road driving. We dont void your warranty for driving on dirt.
https://instagram.com/p/BdQsOskhln4/

JGTR

ALTA RACKS wrote:

http://www.altaracks.com
We humbly would like to suggest a different way of carrying your bikes. This system protects your bikes from rubbing, from the rack and other bikes. Made in the USA, carries up to six bikes of any kind. designed for off road and rough road driving. We dont void your warranty for driving on dirt.
https://instagram.com/p/BdQsOskhln4/

Not sure my Renault Megane would actually move once I’ve bolted 2 tonne of military grade steel to it and hung 6 bikes from it. A bit overkill for what I was after.

JBA

They don't ship to the UK anyway.