Mountain Biking - Hitch rack to handle 05 Dakar?

I just built up a Jamis Dakar 05 using my Iron Horse HT components and I see the Dakar frame will not fit comfortably on my existing Softride hitch rack -- the shock would get knocked around

anyone know of a hitch rack built for full sus bikes like the 05 Dakar, or failing that, any advice on which rack to use.

I have to transport four bikes on the back of a 2002 Ford Explorer which has the 1.25" receiver.

thanks

Sorry I am not familiar with that bike but would this help?

http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=280&plID=0&partID=9566

Sorry I am not familiar with that bike but would this help?

http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=280&plID=0&partID=9566

thank you, I thought about this option, it would allow me to create a "second" top tube effect, assuming I could fit it properly. these adapters are usually meant for bikes with extremely sloped top tubes, but it might work. pic of my frame below:

http://jensonusa.com/store/imgWrapper.aspx?img=/BI/BI405B00.jpg&type=3

thank you, I thought about this option, it would allow me to create a "second" top tube effect, assuming I could fit it properly. these adapters are usually meant for bikes with extremely sloped top tubes, but it might work. pic of my frame below:

http://jensonusa.com/store/imgWrapper.aspx?img=/BI/BI405B00.jpg&type=3


Yes, this is what you need...it will work...my wife uses this for her bike so that the shock doesn't rest on the arm

Yes, this is what you need...it will work...my wife uses this for her bike so that the shock doesn't rest on the arm

thx Jim, can you recommend any brand? Thule, Yakima make what look like higher-end ones, performance bike has a lower-budget model but looks like rubberized loops on that one.

cheers

both Thule and Saris are very good, and about the same price...my daughter uses a cheaper one for her SJ FSR, but you have to take the ends off to install

With what bikes cost nowadays, spending a few $ more to secure your bike is worth it

happy trails

Sometimes you just have to get more creative in how you hang it on the carrier. That might mean one arm will pass through the space between the swing link and the seat tube and then cradle the downtube instead of behind the headtube on the other end. Yeah, it'll hang crooked and a wheel may protrude out to one side more than the other; but you should be able to find some arrangement that works.

My AS-X was a bear to get hung on some racks (similar shock/swinglink/upper shock mount positioning) . . . and the Gran Mal is even more challenging, but I haven't gotten stymied yet.

http://www.rackwarehouse.com/t917.html

Sometimes you just have to get more creative in how you hang it on the carrier. That might mean one arm will pass through the space between the swing link and the seat tube and then cradle the downtube instead of behind the headtube on the other end. Yeah, it'll hang crooked and a wheel may protrude out to one side more than the other; but you should be able to find some arrangement that works.

My AS-X was a bear to get hung on some racks (similar shock/swinglink/upper shock mount positioning) . . . and the Gran Mal is even more challenging, but I haven't gotten stymied yet.

I hear you. there is some experimenting yet to do, but the design of the rack isn't making it easy -- here is my rack, note the yellow piece with reflector mounted on arm end

http://softride.com/images/product/large/74-N0003.jpg

Wow, those are closely-spaced. What is the center-to-center on those?

The one idea I might suggest - - but it will sit pretty high on the rack - - is to try passing one arm through between the seat tube and the tire (so the seatstays rest on the cradle as best they can) and then the downtube rests on the forward cradle (especially if the cradle rotates slightly to line up).

Otherwise, for suggestions on hitch racks with more forgiving arm-spacing, I have a Thule Hitching Post which has worked for me. But I really like Stealth racks the best. I like the versatile design of the rubber cradles and strap the best of anything I've used.