should i get an upright or a fork mount rack?
- Thread starter NRSracer
- Start date
Is this for a car? What type of car? Pickup, SUV, sedan? Do you have a trailer hitch? Or do you want a roof or trunk rack?
I've had problem with downtube claping uprights on heavier DH bikes. The loosen up at the base of the clamps. Oh yeah and the scrated my bike after going back and forth across the country a few times.
By clamping your bike to a fork mount on top of the car, you are subjecting your fork and headset to loads it is not designed to carry. I generally tote the bikes inside our van, but recently took a trip with my wife's WRX...got the bike rack when we bought it but had never used it. It is a Yakima with the upright mounts. The bike sways a bit, but if you think about it, there is NO stress put on the bike, as long as you don't overclamp the downtube.
Yakima now has racks that carry the bike upright, but just have a channel to hold the front wheel...still allows some movement, so it shouldn't put any unusual stresses on the bike...
JUST DON'T DRIVE INTO THE GARAGE! I don't want to hear anymore horrow stories....PLEASE!!!
Yakima now has racks that carry the bike upright, but just have a channel to hold the front wheel...still allows some movement, so it shouldn't put any unusual stresses on the bike...
JUST DON'T DRIVE INTO THE GARAGE! I don't want to hear anymore horrow stories....PLEASE!!!
/\ /\ /\ Clamping it by the front dropouts produces unusual stresses - but clamping it by the downtube doesn't?
Anyhoo - those downtube clamps are a PITA for anything other than a pretty normal bike (in frame design and tubing size). A funky FS rig or a CF frame and you aren't going to be able to or not want to clamp it. And they will end up scratching the bike - especially a dirty mt bike on the return trip.
A fork clamp works great - newer deisgns space the QR beack away from the fork to clear air valves and calipers. Although if you have a 20mm thru axle its a big problem.
Perhaps the best bet would be one of those crank are grabbers - although if you had a chi-chi new XTR or carbon crank you probably wouldn't want something grabbing them.
Anyhoo - those downtube clamps are a PITA for anything other than a pretty normal bike (in frame design and tubing size). A funky FS rig or a CF frame and you aren't going to be able to or not want to clamp it. And they will end up scratching the bike - especially a dirty mt bike on the return trip.
A fork clamp works great - newer deisgns space the QR beack away from the fork to clear air valves and calipers. Although if you have a 20mm thru axle its a big problem.
Perhaps the best bet would be one of those crank are grabbers - although if you had a chi-chi new XTR or carbon crank you probably wouldn't want something grabbing them.
An entire Yakima rack for my focus, I had one on my truck so, I know the quility is good, but it's the only rack that would fit my car and my needs.
I also ordered 2 Corba bike racks to fit my bikes, since all of them have 20mm front axels and non standard frame shapes.
I also ordered 2 Corba bike racks to fit my bikes, since all of them have 20mm front axels and non standard frame shapes.
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I like the King Cobra for my trials bike and fixed gear. It will fit the square bars on a Thule
anyone got any suggestions on how to make my own rack for a 2inch reciever hitch. as a welder, im gona just make one out of steel and paint it. its basicly gona be a straight piece coming out with 2 pieces of C channel for wheels to sit in. my question is how to make it so when i just have my bike, it doesn't fall over/out/on the hood of the car tailgating me. any suggestions would be appriciated.
Weldor, man, you are the weldor. The buzz box, or gas rig, is the welder (According to my old instructor) 
A fork mount is very difficult to use with a 20mm thruaxle. You will need an adaptor. It also involves taking the wheel off, which some qr20 systems take forever.
An upright rack that clamps onto the downtube can be quite flimsy, expecially with oversized tubing. My bike fell off my teacher's rack 2 days ago... because the clamp wasn't big enough. The straps that lock the wheels sometimes aren't enough, they were struggling with my 2.4 on double track.
A yakima rack like that posted, where it securely clamps onto the wheel, wopuld be the best roof mount, expecially because tires haven't, and won't, changed much in size. 1.95 - 3 inches ins't that big of a difference.
An upright rack that clamps onto the downtube can be quite flimsy, expecially with oversized tubing. My bike fell off my teacher's rack 2 days ago... because the clamp wasn't big enough. The straps that lock the wheels sometimes aren't enough, they were struggling with my 2.4 on double track.
A yakima rack like that posted, where it securely clamps onto the wheel, wopuld be the best roof mount, expecially because tires haven't, and won't, changed much in size. 1.95 - 3 inches ins't that big of a difference.
That thing is the best rack for any bike. Good choice.
Dude, the King Cobra rocks...its soooo easy to load, and you dont have to dissasembl the bike (a must for those of us with 20mm thru's!)...I have one on my Frrester, with two Vipers...I wish I'd waited and got three Cobra's, The Vipers are so-so.....good call on the Cobra!
I haven't really looked at the king cobra that closely, I was wondering if anyone has used it to hold a road bike?
I stand corrected. Road bikes will do better in cheaper racks.
Sportworks also makes a tray similar to the cobra series. IMO they are easier to use and load however they don't have the integrated locking the King Cobra does. On my King Cobra, I've found running the hoop in the 700c position is a little more secure for larger DH tires and makes switching to smaller tires less of a pain as well. I just drop it back to 26" for regular size tires.
Sportworks site----> http://www.sportworks.com/stcat.asp
They also make racks for transit buses. Nice and sturdy.
I'm torn between another K. Cobra and one of their rooftop trays.
Sportworks site----> http://www.sportworks.com/stcat.asp
They also make racks for transit buses. Nice and sturdy.
I'm torn between another K. Cobra and one of their rooftop trays.