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Thread: Bike transport in winter
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12-22-2019, 06:59 PM #1
Bike transport in winter
Am I dumb to consider transporting a bike on a hitch rack for a 300 km drive in winter? Roads are currently pretty wet and dirty.
I'm mostly wondering if the road grime etc is more than just a slight pain in the ass to clean off or if I'll do a disproportionate amount of wear and tear.
Going to the inlaws for xmas and if I have the fat bike with me I can spend less time in the company of said inlaws.
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12-22-2019, 07:16 PM #2
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12-22-2019, 07:25 PM #3
Good to know... thanks.
There's a car wash near where I'm going I could do the low pressure soak and rinse at.
No issues with drivetrain?
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12-22-2019, 07:26 PM #4
Maybe wrap it up with plastic sheeting and tape for the drive? As long as you don't mind how it looks
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12-22-2019, 07:26 PM #5Registered User
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Muc Off makes disc covers for transport that work really well. They cover the rotor and caliper.
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12-22-2019, 07:29 PM #6
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12-22-2019, 07:40 PM #7
Those look great... I wished I asked this question earlier as I leave tomorrow and can't get those in time.
Might buy some anyway for next time.
I think plastic wrap is the ticket for this trip.
Thanks to everyone for the feedback.
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12-23-2019, 06:05 AM #8
I bought a pair of smallish tarps at Walmart or someplace when faced with a similar decision and it's worked out fine. I think the tires stuck out slightly the last time, so maybe 6 ft/2m square? Grommetted holes around the edges, sewn up with paracord.
On our tray rack I just put the tarp down before the bikes, with about 80% of the tarp ahead of the wheel mounts so the front facing side and top are covered but there is enough left behind the tire/rack to secure it once tied. Complete coverage of 2 bikes takes both tarps (shingled) on our rack, but one is almost as good so I haven't used both yet. Might be worth setting it up to drain at the bottom, but I always feel like stopping upwardly mobile grime and spray is the priority.
Bonus to a full wrap: it looks like it's not worth stealing.
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12-23-2019, 06:34 AM #9
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12-23-2019, 02:22 PM #10
I'd be worried about blocking the tail lights with a tarp covering the entire bike.
I used plastic bags and tuck tape to cover the brakes. Very dirty drive... the truck and bike both needed a wash when I arrived. Used low pressure soak and low pressure rinse and the bike is sparkling clean. Put some fresh chain oil in and ready to ride.
I think I'm going to buy those Muc Off covers to save time for next time.
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12-23-2019, 03:47 PM #11Registered User
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I've plastic wrapped a bike for the long drive, get a roll of that stuff they use to hold together boxes on pallets
Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
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12-23-2019, 08:27 PM #12
I use motorcycle chain lube on my winter commuter. Inside (steel frame), outside, any part that moves. It's messy to clean but has no rust. I would hit your bike with some of this thick, nasty bizness before the trip.
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12-23-2019, 08:43 PM #13
Overthinking, just wrap in a blue tarp and go.
Don't do this
took forever to get them cleaned up
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12-24-2019, 07:19 AM #14Registered User
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If your bikes are behind an RV and really wind sheltered this works great https://www.swagman.net/product/swag...ntal-bike-bag/ I don't know that I'd use it on a suv or pickup because the wind will hammer it. There's also the blocking the license plate thing that some states here in the northeast have a problem with because it means the toll cameras can't get you.
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12-24-2019, 02:19 PM #15
I'm really glad I brought the bike.
What better way to spend a cold dreary day than on some trails instead of with my inlaws or my crying son!
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12-26-2019, 02:27 PM #16
Good decision to bring the bike. It’s not art to look at, it’s a tool to hammer with.
I’ve driven my bikes through fuck all weather and they’re fine. Not gonna be worse than a rainy weekend at an East Coast bike park.
Sent from my iPhone using TGR ForumsHowever many are in a shit ton.
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12-26-2019, 05:00 PM #17
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08-22-2021, 05:59 PM #18
Didn't know where to put this, and this thread was at least slightly related.
I have a pickup with a soft topper and I transport my bikes with a tailgate pad (no rear flap). Works fine for short jaunts but it's a pain for trips where other crap is in the bed, or for chaining it up when parked for beers. We're going to switch to a full on topper to for a number of reasons, which means goodbye tailgate pad. The logical bike dude solution is a hitch rack, but the truck is also our toddler transporter and mrs bw doesn't want to deal with a hitch rack on a daily basis, and I don't want to install it on the truck every time I ride. Not a lot of other great options for bike racks on trucks with toppers so I got creative.
Stealing inspiration from the Thule Insta-gater and #vanlife I got a Rockymounts track and axle mount rigged up with some old snowboard ratchets and shelf brackets. Didn't want to bolt the track to the bed for flexibility reasons.
It takes about a minute to load / unload my bike, which might get better with practice. I wanted to give it a shot before the hard shell comes in to assess pain-in-the-ass level. I know camper shells aren't thief-proof but it would be out of sight and locked behind the tailgate/window. Test drives are solid so far but we'll see. Just wanted to share in case someone else had a similar problem.
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08-22-2021, 06:03 PM #19
I run a similar setup under my topper for when I'm towing the camper or want the bike out of sight. 2x6 slides into the bed slot (f150) with two Kuat dirtbags. I had them bolted down in my old beater but this gives me a lot more flexibility. Two bikes fills up most of the 6.5 bed though.
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08-22-2021, 06:16 PM #20
Nice, and yeah probably a bit cheaper. At some point I'll see if two bikes fit on this setup, but it's not a priority.
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08-23-2021, 10:12 AM #21Registered User
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Mine is a similar concept - just more ghetto. Kicking them at an angle keeps the bars out of the way of each other and makes more room for the doggo. I toss a bleed kit spacer thingy in the brake pads for those times I accidentally squeeze the binders on loading.
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08-23-2021, 10:17 AM #22Not a skibum
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Discontinued but I picked up one of these on eBay and threw on a fork mount adapter.
https://www.amaincycling.com/yakima-...azssqq5eqzwdwz
With that said I end up using my tailgate pad most of the time or if quick solo trips just lay it in truck bed. I don’t have a topper though so make pad easy.
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkLast edited by VTskibum; 08-23-2021 at 03:14 PM.
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08-23-2021, 01:11 PM #23Registered User
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08-23-2021, 08:01 PM #24
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08-24-2021, 12:00 PM #25Not a skibum
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Ha as soon as I saw yours was my immediate thought. Has been useful when I need it
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