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IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution?
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This may seem trivial, but am I the only one who has a bike where it is too tall for the rack and you have to either back the bike out of the rack which is not ideal for number of reasons, or pull it pretty hard and shimmy it out from under if you pull it straight out like you should be? I can never get my bike out quickly and usually have to pull the BTS water bottle out, yank it under the crossbar shaking the whole thing, then put the bottle back before I head out. If I had a back of seat hook type thing that would solve it, but my FIZIK has the rack hook under the front of the seat so on IM races I am always SOL. A lot of racers have a "less tall" bike probably don't have this problem, but does anyone else have an easy solution? Interestingly my local races don't seem to present this issue and their racks tend to simply be taller so I can clear under it pretty cleanly etc. Maybe I am overlooking something super obvious???
Last edited by: maninthearena: Sep 17, 18 14:10
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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Can you just use your BTS cage as a hook over the top of the bar?

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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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I'm always able to "hook" by BTS cage over the top of the rack.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [RowToTri] [ In reply to ]
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RowToTri wrote:
Can you just use your BTS cage as a hook over the top of the bar?

This is what I do even when the bar is high enough to hook it be the front of the saddle (not often). I find it faster and easier (though less secure I guess).

FWIW, rack height is not just a tall person problem. I was helping my wife set up her transition and got to experience first hand how awkward it is for short people if the racks are too TALL. Her frame is a 47cm and her rear wheel was hoisted a ways off the ground. Really awkward to unrack/rack your bike like that. My guess is the more or less "standard" height is good enough for most. It just happens that my wife and I are outliers on either side of the height bell curve.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [RowToTri] [ In reply to ]
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I have a XLAB delta sonic so there is no place to hook on the backside, the rack just slides on the Sonic bar. I think this forces me to hook on the front of the saddle and then I face the problem I describe.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [CyclingClyde] [ In reply to ]
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CyclingClyde wrote:
RowToTri wrote:
Can you just use your BTS cage as a hook over the top of the bar?

This is what I do even when the bar is high enough to hook it be the front of the saddle (not often). I find it faster and easier (though less secure I guess).

FWIW, rack height is not just a tall person problem. I was helping my wife set up her transition and got to experience first hand how awkward it is for short people if the racks are too TALL. Her frame is a 47cm and her rear wheel was hoisted a ways off the ground. Really awkward to unrack/rack your bike like that. My guess is the more or less "standard" height is good enough for most. It just happens that my wife and I are outliers on either side of the height bell curve.

I’m confused why it would be awkward in her case. My issue is as my saddle is higher I have to tilt it to the side to get the saddle under the bar.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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maninthearena wrote:
I have a XLAB delta sonic so there is no place to hook on the backside, the rack just slides on the Sonic bar. I think this forces me to hook on the front of the saddle and then I face the problem I describe.

I think if you put a little thought into it you can improvise something with that set up where you can hook the bar with the back of your seat. Something like sandwiching a piece of metal between the bottle cage and the mount that hangs down a little to catch the bar. it doesn't need to be very long, just long enough to stop your bike from sliding off.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [mickison] [ In reply to ]
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Exactly. Seems like she would have the exact opposite issue and be well clear underneath since I have to pull and mash it under. Total PITA.
Last edited by: maninthearena: Sep 17, 18 14:37
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [tfleeger] [ In reply to ]
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Improvisation? You are giving me far too much credit. :)
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [mickison] [ In reply to ]
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Her problem is not clearing the saddle under the bar. It's that she's 5-foot-nothing and trying to lift the back end of the bike quite high while reaching back between 2 other bikes to hang her bike. When you only need to lift the wheel a few inches like myself and other taller people, it is easier, especially with longer arms. It never seemed like an issue to me, until I helped her set up her transition area.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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Use your bottle cage to hold the bike, once you have the bike off the rack put your bottle in the cage.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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Your saddle's too high.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [shoff14] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks but that doesn't solve it....the bar that is the delta sonic does not allow for that. And the bottom of my cage slides right off the rack I think because of the angle of its mount. That little lip thing that holds the bottle and stops the bottle from going all the way through is at an angle where it just slides off the rack.

This is why it is so annoying.


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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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MattyK wrote:
Your saddle's too high.


Touche. Although you may be right.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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maninthearena wrote:
That little lip thing that holds the bottle and stops the bottle from going all the way through is at an angle where it just slides off the rack.
Bend it down? (follow up, I see it's carbon not aluminium. Maybe glue a wedge to the bottom of that tab?

Or how about a rubber band or shoelace to tie your bike to the rack?
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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I usually ask if I can lean mine somewhere to a fence or so. Works about 75% of the time. My saddle is shoulder height for some other racers.
Otherwise I've experimented like crazy, and the best thing so far seems to be velcro. Buy a roll of it and you can easily tie your bike to the rack so it doesn't fall. Double the end so you have a grip, pull once and you have your bike loose.

NO
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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Maybe glue a wedge to the bottom of that tab?[/quote]


I think I will try this. Thanks.

If there is room, leaning up against a fence may be a good back up and also give me my own little T area and away from the beach towel unfolding dudes that take up an acre. I don't get that.
VELCO to the rack is an interesting idea. Maybe VELCRO on the bottom of the tab and then a dab on the rack is all I need. Thanks team-I've got some ideas to try.
Last edited by: maninthearena: Sep 17, 18 17:51
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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You don't hang by the seat nose?

Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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I was assuming your using the Gorilla cage too. With out the bottle in, there should be enough room to slide the bar of the rack between the bottom of the cage and the back of the cage. If your using something besides the Gorilla cage, then it may not work.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [TheStroBro] [ In reply to ]
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TheStroBro wrote:
You don't hang by the seat nose?

high saddles won't go under the rack (unless you angle the bike massively which is not normally possible with tight spacing between bikes and painful at best).

i rack the handlebars, not quite as quick to get off but reliably works on different racks and safer - i've had my bike knocked off when hanging from the back of the saddle
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [pk1] [ In reply to ]
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I'd need to see pictures because this makes no sense. Around here everyone racks by the nose of their saddle.

Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [TheStroBro] [ In reply to ]
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I'm in the same boat. I just wheelie the bike out. Suck, but... Eh.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [pk1] [ In reply to ]
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I too have the same issue but just rack it from the handle bars. It also has the added benefit of making the bike a bit more stable on the rack.

I can't say that its made my transitions any slower by having the bike this way and actually means that my helmet/glasses/race belt etc. are a little more secure when balanced on my handlebars or hooked over my saddle.
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [TheStroBro] [ In reply to ]
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You just rest the base bar on the rack, your brake leavers stop it from sliding off


(Not my bike, just found the pic online)
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Re: IM Bike Rack annoyance-solution? [maninthearena] [ In reply to ]
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My favorite was a transition in a grass field. It had rained the night before, but wasnt sloppy. I was one of the first bikes to be racked. Checked everything a few times and went spend time with the family. Get to T1 and realize that now that all the bikes are racked, the weight pushed the racks down into the soft ground. The bike no longer fits under the bar when it easily did earlier, Haha. I normally dont touch another bike, but this was mid race, so I wasnt going find a Marshall. Had to slide a bike to tilt mine far enough to get under. Slid bike back after. I now double check that when I make that last check in transition.
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