Commuting - Bus there - bike back. Can the bus holder damage my wheels?

Hi.

I started about a month ago to commute BACK from work. Its 7 miles, all uphill, the entire way. I started to bus down because although its not really faster, and IS downhill, I am not sure I am ready for it yet. As it is, its about a mile from the the bus stop.

Anyway, my question: can the front rack on the bus, that holds my bike damage my wheels? (Its simply two troughs that the wheels go into, and then it has this springed arm that you pull up and fit over the front wheel. I image googled bus+bike+rack and got a bunch, so it ubiquitis).
SO far the wheels seem fine, but I am worried that the stop and go motion can bend the rims.

I don't know for certain, but I'd imagine you're fine with those. I have put various nice bikes on those bus mounts, and they seem pretty harmless -- they're not clamping vise-like around your wheel or anything, which could turn the bike into a kind of lever. They don't seem any worse than the roof-top mounts people use on cars. Bikes are pretty sturdy critters, in general.

I doubt it. I've used them many times before, and have had no problems.

I doubt it. I've used them many times before, and have had no problems.

+1

Never an issue with me. Your main concern would be your bus rear ending a car with your bikes on it. ;)

I've used them at least twice per week for nearly three months, and haven't seen any wheel damage.

As far as the bus rear-ending a car goes, that nearly happened one morning when a taxi pulled out of a convenience store right in front of the bus. If I had pulled a stunt like that when I was learning to drive, it's not likely I'd have a license even now. The driver was on top of his game and averted disaster. The taxi and people inside would have been badly hurt, the bus would have been damaged and some of the people on-board hurt, my bike would have been ruined and we would have had to sit and wait for the cops.

Your main concern would be your bus rear ending a car with your bikes on it. ;)
Would the transit company be liable for your bike?

In carrying my bike on buses of several different bus systems, I've only had one problem. The windshield wiper of one bus caught my handlebar and pushed my bike halfway off the rack. I've never had a problem with the wheels.

The one time I used the bus rack, it seemed pretty safe on the bike. I got a flat and left my pump with the other bike at home so I rode the bus home. Luckily someone else was loadinghis bike on the rack at the same stop as me so I didnt have to look like a goof ball trying to figure out how it worked.

Kind of off topic, but I didnt see the need for a new thread.......

Do these bike rack on the busses work with a full fendered MTB?
Will they work with 20" folder?

If the racks are like the racks I have used, the fenders will not be a problem on the bottom. I usually had to work the arm that raises over the front wheel in between the front fender and the tire. The fender moved enough to allow it with no trouble and it held just fine.

As far as the folder, hard to say for sure.

A buddy of mine puts his halfway (http://www.giantbicycles.com/en-US/bikes/lifestyle/1275/29364/) on the bus racks out here every day. No problem at all. Fenders? Tough call. I'd try to get the retaining arm between the fender and the wheel, personally. I think it would have a tendency to bend metal fenders, or deform/possibly break plastic ones.

thanks for the info UA and axon, that has allways beenmy backup plan if something went wrong, flat that I couldnt fix, broke chain, rain, whatever. Good to know!

I've seen bus racks accommodate 20" wheeled BMX bikes no problem. Why would there be a problem with a folder?

Do these bike rack on the busses work with a full fendered MTB?

I've always placed the bar on the tire just in front of the fender, which on my commuter is 6-8" in front of the fork - don't know the "full-fendered MTB" dimensions. Probably did this a hundred times and never even saw that the bar had moved when I got off the bus.

Regarding the OP, I put my bike on the bus several times a week for years and never had any tire/wheel damage.

Cheers

Would the transit company be liable for your bike?

No they are not. At least not in Chicago. the bus-and-bike brochure specifically says so
Duppie

I've been using the bus racks here in the DC area daily for six months with no problems. There is no problem with full fenders.

Paul

No they are not. At least not in Chicago. the bus-and-bike brochure specifically says so
Duppie

I wouldn't think that the transit driver would hit anyone unless the other driver did something really dumb, thereby putting themselves at fault. If that happened, the other driver's insurance would be on the hook, I think.

Some states have a law that if the collision is a rear-ender, then the driver who rear-ended the other car is at fault no matter what really happened. Not sure how that would treat a situation where a transit driver rear-ended another car and crushed a bike on the rack.

Some states have a law that if the collision is a rear-ender, then the driver who rear-ended the other car is at fault no matter what really happened.
Well I remember a while back when my dad rear-ended another car...it was weird since we weren't moving! The fellow in front of us had manual transmission and slid back a bit too far, so he kind of front-ended us. Not our fault!

Do these bike rack on the busses work with a full fendered MTB?
Will they work with 20" folder?

My standard commuter is a 26" MTB with fenders and street tires. No problems except for the windshield wiper catching the handlebar. My other bike is a recumbent with a 20" front wheel. The bus accepted that too, without problem while it was rolling.