We’re in the process of buying a new bike rack and I’m curious if it’s safe to put a tri bike on one of those vertical racks. We used to have one that hung from the top tube but the bikes are too close together and risk scratches and the platform ones are very expensive and bulky. The top of the car options don’t work since that space is reserved for a storage box. So I figure maybe I’d ask about vertical rack options.
I need one that fits 4 bikes, and needs to take kids bikes. Most of the time, the rack would be to transport the family’s bikes, but I’d be using it also to transport my Speed Concept and my son’s road bike to races (and probably eventually his tri bike). I’d transport using stock aluminum wheels and then switch to my carbon rims.
I don’t see any reason why the SC would matter vertical, but all the videos of vertical racks show MTB or cruisers. I figured I’d ask in case the strains are different vs the other types of bike racks.
Anyone use one of these with their TT/Tri bikes? I’m looking at the Thule Revert 4 if that matters.
Thanks!
You would want some non flash wheels to use for transporting the bike then put your race wheels in the boot. Not exactly the same, but for a vertical home storage setup that was the issue/solution. Needed to tie the wheel in and the strap wasn’t long enough and even with longer strap I didn’t want to put force on the rim in that way.
I have a Velocirax 5x. I’ve only ever used it for my mountain bike plus the family bikes, and it’s been great for that. Went with the 5x over the standard 5 specifically because of the option of carrying dropbar bikes - they say you need the wider spacing. On a tri bike I’m not sure you’d encounter the same issue but then again the aerobars sticking out could be an issue if they overlapped the bars of the bike next to them.
As has been mentioned, I wouldn’t hang the bike with my carbon wheels. Those trays are designed to hold fat tires, and when I’ve hung my road bike the tires aren’t big enough to prevent the rims from resting right on the metal tray.
I went with this because I wanted to be able to haul around 5 bikes and the vertical racks seem like the way to do that. Only hauling 4 bikes opens up more options.