Tandem Cycling - Homemade dropout protector.

Packing up our tandem, I realized our case (Bike Pro USA Tandem Race Case) does not have a protector to go between the rear dropouts. I don't think it ever had one, either that, or I lost it somehow.

The ones in our single bike cases won't fit because of the different drop out spacing.
And I have no time to order something.

My thought is to cut a piece of wood to 145mm, drill it for a QR skewer, then just clamp it in place with the QR.

I'll have to cut the wood into 2 or 3 sections to drill it, given the length of available drill bits. However, I'm thinking the resulting "blocks" can just thread on the skewer without the need to glue them back.

I may add a couple of washers, to snug it up, so the measuring, (and multiple cuts) don't have to be totally precise.

Sound workable?

Any other home remedies?

I've used small segments of schedule 40 PVC held in place with a QR skewer in the past and they've always stayed in place.. no holes to drill.

Good idea. I was thinking of what I had at home. However, I think the stop at Home Depot on the way home will take less total time.

Ended up going with 120 PVC. It was easy to cut tothe correct length and fits the dropouts nicely.

I debated whether it was robust enough, but a145 mm length of it is pretty stiff, and it would take a lot to bend or brake it in a compressive load down the length of the tube.

TG, thanks for the idea, saved me a lot of trouble.

Did something similiar last time I shipped the tandem. Just cut a piece of 1"x1" stock I had laying around to proper length, put a rubber washer on both sides of the dropouts, and screwed it down with 1" wood screws in the ends. Worked fine, quick and easy. Didn't stick out like using the skewer - nice and flush...

A piece of dowling with a couple notches will do the trick.