I was wondering does it hurt our bikes to drive at 65 miles per hour using a roof rack? Do you put some kind of wrapping around the bikes if you do use a roof rack? Is a trailer hitch mount better if the bike has to be out in the open because it is more protected from the wind and debris? Do more triathletes put their bikes in the car/van/SUV/truck or is it ok to put a bike up on top the car attached to a roof rack. Does the wind hurt anything, what about bugs, what about rain? Would love to know of any experiences you have had good or bad either way.
I put mine on a roof rack and have had know problem what so ever. They make a bike bra that I bought and put on when going on the highway.
I like the roof rack because some texting jerk will not ram me from behind and screw up my bike or I will not back into anthing with bike on the rear.
It is said there are two kinds of people. people who get rear ended with hitch mount rack and those that are going to get rear ended.
Or the roof rack corollary: those who have driven into the garage and those who will.
Or the roof rack corollary: those who have driven into the garage and those who will.
Did it. I got a call on my cell phone as I was pulling in the drive way and drove straight into the garage. Now I drive a Element . Bikes are best on the inside of the car … for me
Or the roof rack corollary: those who have driven into the garage and those who will.
;o)
.
Who wouldn’t be hurt by being made to travel on a roof rack? Bikes need love and shelter.
On the other hand, making room inside the car for the bike by putting your wife and children on the roof is perfectly acceptable if you wrap them up well.
Search the forum.
There are way way more pictures of people slamming their bikes on their roof rack than there are of them getting rear ended.
I know and would like to thank them all for the many little parts I have purchased off them ;o)
.
ive done it too
fortunately no major damage (ran into a bit of carport
.
Why not put a sport hitch on your car? That what I do. They make specific hitches for every car and are pretty easy to install.
Our bikes have always ridden on roof racks - we drive small cars. 15 plus years through all kinds of weather and conditions, and never a problem. Sure the bikes get dirty sometimes, but a simple hose down will clean them up.
Roof racks are fine. I’ve driven many, many miles at 70 mph even in the rain. No adverse effects.
Over 25 years or so, I’ve driven in to a garage twice.
I still have my roof rack but I also have a tray style hitch rack. It’s more convenient not to have to remove the front wheel to mount it. I can carry 2 there and if I’m taking more than 2 bikes I have the roof.
It’s always best to put the bike inside if you can. I have a small SUV with a good Yakima roof rack, but I can’t remember the last time I used it. Take the front wheel off, and put it in the back. Don’t have to worry about hitting something, rain, theft, …
That said, there is nothing wrong about using the roof rack. I’ve used it and never had any damage, and it is very sturdy. But I’m always nervous that I’ll forget and go through the drive thru or something
I’ve never been a fan of roof racks- or any external rack.
I see what I would characterize as some pretty unusual use of external racks: Hitch mount rack systems dangling off the back of empty pick up truck beds; Empty SUV’s with a single bike teetering back and forth in the fork mount of a roof rack (“What do you mean my fork dropout is bent? I never crashed this bike!?”).
People will put duffel bags of clothes in their SUV then mount their bikes on the roof: Economic lesson- there are about $200-400 max worth of clothes in the duffel bag, the bikes are usually $2000+ each. I’d suggest putting the luggage on the roof and the bikes in the vehicle.
Oh, what did you say? That pro teams all use roof racks so they can’t be that bad? Hmmm. Maybe:
Pro cycling teams transport their bikes from event to event inside large enclosed trucks. The spare bikes go on the roof racks during the event. The bikes are washed almost every day and maintained meticulously. When the race is over, the bikes come down, get washed and serviced, and go in the truck for the night.
Recreational athletes and hobbyists (us) don’t do that. They put it on the roof, drive through the rain for hours, do zero maintenance on the bike, do an event, do zero maintenance on their bike, put it back on the rack, drive home, do no maintenance and then ride the bike again. And again.
External racks are hard on bikes. Transporting them inside protects them from the weather, rock chips, damage from the rack, damage to the vehicle, etc.
If you have to use one- use it, but use it wisely. Keep your drivetrain covered and make sure you use the rack correctly. If you can carry your bike inside the vehicle and your luggage in a carrier on the roof, do that instead.
Only if you’ve named it. If you’ve named it, you probably talk to it. Ask it. Let is know what it says.
Monique would be PISSED if I did not wash her after a hard ride
.
Monique is a bike, right?
After breaking my frame/bike by driving into the garage, I made a custom hitch mount rack out of the roof rack.
The only other thing I’ve heard of problems on a roof rack is not putting the bike on properly and getting the fork bent/ bike falling off while driving.
I almost always put mine on the roof. As others have said, the bikes to get dirty, but nothing different than a long ride. Just clean it.
As to the people who have recommended hitch mounts, you need to be really careful of anything that clamps to the frame. You would not believe how easy it is to crush a carbon frame with a clamp. A tray hitch mount is a much larger contraption, but you won’t have to clamp your frame.