Wanted Wanted: hitch-mounted bike rack

[sixstringsteve]

I'm looking for a hitch-mounted bike rack. Due to the design of my frame, I need one that clamps the wheels down, rather than grabs the top tube. Let me know if you've got anything you'd be willing to sell.

 

[SAMI]

Build one!

 

[sixstringsteve]

After looking at the prices, I might just do that!

 

[Kevin B.]

Steve, I have that pair of Thule racks that I was going to build a hitch mount I could attach them to. I'm not going to get to that any time soon, so if you decide to build one they'd give you a nice head start.

 

[sixstringsteve]

are you interested in selling them?

 

[skiboarder]

I have a cargo tray that I bought from Harbor Frieght. I put my fork clamps on one end and then tie the rear with a bungee cord. I have carried three bike this way. I alternated the direction they face. The bungee only goes across the tray. Really simple, really cheap. If you have fork clamps from a bike rack. they will work fine. Iy you need pictures I can take some and post them.

 

[Cascadia]

That's a great idea! You could also use the tray for extra gear so you don't have to throw it all inside, although you've got a truck Steve.

 

[Kevin B.]

are you interested in selling them?

$50?

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[sixstringsteve]

Cool, I'm very interested. Are they the gutter type? If you get a chance, text me some pics.

 

[sixstringsteve]

The qr mounts are a great idea. Ideally, id love a rack that doesn't require me to remove the front wheel.

 

[jamesgeologist]

I saw a cool rack on a prius..... I think it was Outlawracks.com looked like they could hold quite a few bikes.

 

[jamesgeologist]

forget it, the site is still under construction....

 

[STAG]

Im no expert in this field, and forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, but removing the front wheel is just to keep the bike from tipping over.. with a rack that you didn't have to to remove the front wheel, you'd have to come up with some other way to keep the bike from tipping.. don't shoot the messenger

 

[DOSS]

The qr mounts are a great idea. Ideally, id love a rack that doesn't require me to remove the front wheel.

you know if you file off the lawyer tabs taking the front wheel off is a much faster deal ... Honestly I have always been worried about using a rack that holds my bike upright by the wheels on a car, I worry about the side stresses taking my wheel out of true...

 

[sixstringsteve]

With disc brakes and the newer axles, its a little more of a pain to get the.front wheel off. You cant just flip a qr like the good old days. With any new axle thats 15mm or 20mm, you have to unthread the axle, pull it out, remove the wheel, then thread the axle back in to the fork to attach the bike to the rack. Plus some bikes have regular qrs, some have 15mm axles, and some have 20mm axles. Id rather just design it to clamp the tire instead of having to remove it.

Doss, i do share your concern about tweaking the wheels.
My wheels see more side stress each ride than they will evrr see on the rack.

 

[DOSS]

With disc brakes and the newer axles, its a little more of a pain to get the.front wheel off. You cant just flip a qr like the good old days. With any new axle thats 15mm or 20mm, you have to unthread the axle, pull it out, remove the wheel, then thread the axle back in to the fork to attach the bike to the rack. Plus some bikes have regular qrs, some have 15mm axles, and some have 20mm axles. Id rather just design it to clamp the tire instead of having to remove it.

Doss, i do share your concern about tweaking the wheels.
My wheels see more side stress each ride than they will evrr see on the rack.

Disagree on the inability to just flip the QR.. just need 10 minutes and a file to remove the lawyer tabs.. and unless you are running a lefty you should be able to run a standard trap and be fine

 

[sixstringsteve]

I know what you're saying, and you're right if you're talking about older bikes that use a 9mm QR.

It sounds like you're not familiar with the new forks that use 15mm and 20mm axle; they're totally different. The fork doesn't have notches at the bottom of it. To remove the wheel you need to remove the entire axle. I've got 6 years working at bike shops in the past. I know exactly what you mean regarding the old forks, but the new forks look like this:

no lawyer tabs, and the axle actually threads into the fork itself. It's still quicker than a bolt-on axle, but it's not nearly as quick as the old 9mm QRs. It should be called a "toolless" removal, not a quick release.

 

[skippy]

I have been thinking about building something for the hitch on the JK I need it to hold about 4 bikes

 

[DOSS]

OK, I have to say that is lame... I deal mostly with roadies anymore so I don't have the front shock crap to deal with

That said why not a http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_540912_-1___202593 .. should handle strange frame configurations as it doesn't grab a top tube only pushes the bike down via the top and not too much $$

 

[sixstringsteve]

The 15 & 20mm axles are SUPER stiff and stout. I'll never go back to 9mm QRs, even though the new axles make it a bit of a pain to remove the front wheel.


That link to that rack is a great price! That would be a good solution too. It holds the frame instead of the front wheel.