Bus Bike Racks - How hard are they on bikes?
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Bus Bike Racks - How hard are they on bikes?
I'll be commuting again soon after a few years of working from home. I'll be taking the bus / rail out and then doing 25 or 30 miles back.
Would it be incredibly stupid of me to take my "nice" bike? How well do bus bike racks do with 23mm tires and carbon fiber frames?
I was looking forward to being able to take whatever bike I was in the mood for, but the more I look at these bus bike racks the more nervous I get. I've never seen one out here (ATL) with anything but a mountain bike loaded up.
Should I just build up a commuter bike and use that?
Thanks!
Would it be incredibly stupid of me to take my "nice" bike? How well do bus bike racks do with 23mm tires and carbon fiber frames?
I was looking forward to being able to take whatever bike I was in the mood for, but the more I look at these bus bike racks the more nervous I get. I've never seen one out here (ATL) with anything but a mountain bike loaded up.
Should I just build up a commuter bike and use that?
Thanks!
#2
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I've never used a bike of that caliber on the bus racks. My heavy hybrid with 700X32 wheels holds up fine. I, too, would be concerned about narrower tires, but then with a lighter bike, it might balance out. One problem I have had: The bike rack has a groove to hold the tires that's going to be much wider than your actual tires, and there's a hook that goes up and over the front tire to hold the bike in an upright position. On at least two occasions, that hook has slipped off the front tire, leaving my bike held in place only by gravity and the pressure put on the bike tires as the bike leaned forward on the rack. On one occasion it was a particularly badly mounted rack and a long bus trip, and I was really surprised to find when I arrived at my destination that my wheels were still straight enough to ride on. So that can be a concern. I've considered taking an extra bungee cord to add some extra support, but incidents where that would be necessary are few and far between, so I never actually bothered.
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I would consider building a commuter bike.
My experience is the same as above.
I travel 15 miles by bus daily. I've had no problems, but I use a $400 hybrid with 700c28 tires on very strong 32 spoke Mavic rims. Any tire thinner than this would allow a lot of play between the rack & rims. This extra clearance will allow the bike to violently tilt forward & back with every stop & start of the bus. Lighter rims could easily lose alignment IMO.
I also had the support arm on the rack drop away from the bike once. This meant that the bike was only held in place by gravity. Fortunately the driver saw the problem and stopped before the bike went flying. Most drivers would have not seen the problem and the bike would have gone on the road and under the wheels.
Michael
My experience is the same as above.
I travel 15 miles by bus daily. I've had no problems, but I use a $400 hybrid with 700c28 tires on very strong 32 spoke Mavic rims. Any tire thinner than this would allow a lot of play between the rack & rims. This extra clearance will allow the bike to violently tilt forward & back with every stop & start of the bus. Lighter rims could easily lose alignment IMO.
I also had the support arm on the rack drop away from the bike once. This meant that the bike was only held in place by gravity. Fortunately the driver saw the problem and stopped before the bike went flying. Most drivers would have not seen the problem and the bike would have gone on the road and under the wheels.
Michael
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When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
Last edited by Barrettscv; 08-08-08 at 06:43 AM.
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Thanks guys, very useful info. I've got an older Trek 1000 that I'll build up for commuting. Probably easier then removing all the lights and such for group rides anyway.
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I'll just add one note... if you DO decide to take your good bike on the bus, LOCK IT TO THE RACK.
Nothing like someone putting a beater up next to yours, then getting off at the next stop and grabbing the nice Carbon Fiber bike instead....
I lock my bike on the rack if I'm going to be on the bus for a long time, or if it looks like I won't be able to stay right at the front of the bus to keep an eye on it.
Nothing like someone putting a beater up next to yours, then getting off at the next stop and grabbing the nice Carbon Fiber bike instead....
I lock my bike on the rack if I'm going to be on the bus for a long time, or if it looks like I won't be able to stay right at the front of the bus to keep an eye on it.
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I'll just add one note... if you DO decide to take your good bike on the bus, LOCK IT TO THE RACK.
Nothing like someone putting a beater up next to yours, then getting off at the next stop and grabbing the nice Carbon Fiber bike instead....
I lock my bike on the rack if I'm going to be on the bus for a long time, or if it looks like I won't be able to stay right at the front of the bus to keep an eye on it.
Nothing like someone putting a beater up next to yours, then getting off at the next stop and grabbing the nice Carbon Fiber bike instead....
I lock my bike on the rack if I'm going to be on the bus for a long time, or if it looks like I won't be able to stay right at the front of the bus to keep an eye on it.
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The bikes tend to get banged around a bit. IMHO Say if you put your ride on the front slot since another bike is occupying the one closest to the window. Then they leave and another cyclist puts theirs in the back. People are clumsy and many do not care about others property. Not to mention that commuting is notoriously hard on bikes. Leave the good ride at home or at the very least rarely commute on it.
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Not only do they let me, most of they time they're very understanding of why I do that. And it only adds a couple seconds to the time it takes to lock/unlock. If there are any other passengers boarding or debarking from the bus then it doesn't add ANY time to the stop. (I'll be done loading/locking or unloading/unlocking before all the passengers are finished)
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I have used the Sportworks bike racks that most buses have on them. My buddy has the hitch rack for 4 bikes. I think they are the bomb. He has transported 4 bikes hundreds of miles at a time and has never had an problems. Granted, he is always transporting mountain bikes with >2.0 tires on them, so I don't know if skinny tires would make a difference. The next rack I buy will likely be a Sportworks.
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Here in Chicago it's against "the rules" to lock your bike to the rack. I wouldn't doubt that the driver would holler at you b/c they sure will for anything else. I free-lock before putting it on just so somebody can't ride away with it. I figure that if a thief has to carry the bike, I can get off the bus and catch him. Still, it makes me nervous and I spend the whole ride just staring at the seat of my bike thru the windshield. So I don't do it unless I get a flat on the way to work or something.
On a related note, a friend of mine had her bike fly off the bus while doing 50 on Lake Shore Drive, so there's another red mark.
On a related note, a friend of mine had her bike fly off the bus while doing 50 on Lake Shore Drive, so there's another red mark.
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I've been taking the bus for about a year.
first bike was a hybrid trek 750. The problem with that bike was the hook in the bar that holds the bike in place would rub on my break assembly in the front. Though it was only superficial, over a year it took a chunk from the metal.
Then this summer I got a R-5 Cannondale Caad9. No problems. I don't really worry about someone grabbing it, either, because you get to know the people at the stops. Make sure you are nice to the drivers, give them the respect and friendliness they deserve, and no one will get near your bike. Yesterday I forgot my wallet and the guy just waived me through. Also, the biker tends to reflect the bike, so a ratty guy grabbing an expensive bike is pretty obvious. I know almost all of the drivers on my route, and they are super cool with me.
Two other problems associated with the poor design of the rack itself- the welds are poorly done, so the arm that holds your bike in place has a tendency to break from the welds, so the bike might flap around. I am just waiting for an arm to break and sue the city for a new bike. I am attending a meeting about letting our bikes in the bike of the bus here in LA, and I will be bringing that up. But if one of the arms moves, one of the bikes might flop around and rip something, like my new bikes handlebar tape- ripped the handlebar's tape right off the corner .
Don't know about carbon, though
first bike was a hybrid trek 750. The problem with that bike was the hook in the bar that holds the bike in place would rub on my break assembly in the front. Though it was only superficial, over a year it took a chunk from the metal.
Then this summer I got a R-5 Cannondale Caad9. No problems. I don't really worry about someone grabbing it, either, because you get to know the people at the stops. Make sure you are nice to the drivers, give them the respect and friendliness they deserve, and no one will get near your bike. Yesterday I forgot my wallet and the guy just waived me through. Also, the biker tends to reflect the bike, so a ratty guy grabbing an expensive bike is pretty obvious. I know almost all of the drivers on my route, and they are super cool with me.
Two other problems associated with the poor design of the rack itself- the welds are poorly done, so the arm that holds your bike in place has a tendency to break from the welds, so the bike might flap around. I am just waiting for an arm to break and sue the city for a new bike. I am attending a meeting about letting our bikes in the bike of the bus here in LA, and I will be bringing that up. But if one of the arms moves, one of the bikes might flop around and rip something, like my new bikes handlebar tape- ripped the handlebar's tape right off the corner .
Don't know about carbon, though
#12
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Here in Chicago it's against "the rules" to lock your bike to the rack. I wouldn't doubt that the driver would holler at you b/c they sure will for anything else. I free-lock before putting it on just so somebody can't ride away with it. I figure that if a thief has to carry the bike, I can get off the bus and catch him. Still, it makes me nervous and I spend the whole ride just staring at the seat of my bike thru the windshield. So I don't do it unless I get a flat on the way to work or something.
On a related note, a friend of mine had her bike fly off the bus while doing 50 on Lake Shore Drive, so there's another red mark.
On a related note, a friend of mine had her bike fly off the bus while doing 50 on Lake Shore Drive, so there's another red mark.
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I have used the Sportworks bike racks that most buses have on them. My buddy has the hitch rack for 4 bikes. I think they are the bomb. He has transported 4 bikes hundreds of miles at a time and has never had an problems. Granted, he is always transporting mountain bikes with >2.0 tires on them, so I don't know if skinny tires would make a difference. The next rack I buy will likely be a Sportworks.
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Here in Seattle - most of the racks are older and the arm springs are worn so the bike does some rocking. If the arm is too weak and the bike rocks radically after I put it on the rack and give it a wiggle, I move the bike to a different position.
I use 700x25 tires - have two sets of wheels so when the wheels out of true or breaks a spoke - I swap out the wheel & get the local shop to fix. Spend a fair amount keeping them true and having them rebuilt if I forget the wiggle test & bike rocks hard and then breaks a spoke on the comute home.
I use 700x25 tires - have two sets of wheels so when the wheels out of true or breaks a spoke - I swap out the wheel & get the local shop to fix. Spend a fair amount keeping them true and having them rebuilt if I forget the wiggle test & bike rocks hard and then breaks a spoke on the comute home.
#15
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My problem is that my commuters have fenders and the bus racks here have wheel hooks that would crush the fenders.
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I regularly used several bikes with fenders on the bus. You put the hook under the fender. I mounted my front fender a tad higher. Plus, my old SKS fenders bent fairly well.
Fenders + bus rack <> a problem IMHO
Fenders + bus rack <> a problem IMHO
#17
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Actually I can see fenders being a problem at times. My front fender comes just over the top of the tire. I put the hook just in front of the fender, but, when the hook is loose, that position makes the hook more likely to fall off. Doesn't usually happen, but when it does, it's a problem.
OTOH, I have lil' 20" bike with full, chrome fenders and a front and rear rack. That goes on the bus rack just fine because the hook goes through the front rack and rests on top of the front fender. That hook isn't going anywhere. But then I have at least one friend who expressed surprise that they even let my put my small-wheeled bike on the rack. Maybe some places have a rule against that? But no one has said anything to me about it, although I can see that if my wheels were a little smaller, or I didn't have that front rack, the hook might be completely unsprung when over the wheel and prone to falling off, but it seems like then there might be other places I could put the hook.
OTOH, I have lil' 20" bike with full, chrome fenders and a front and rear rack. That goes on the bus rack just fine because the hook goes through the front rack and rests on top of the front fender. That hook isn't going anywhere. But then I have at least one friend who expressed surprise that they even let my put my small-wheeled bike on the rack. Maybe some places have a rule against that? But no one has said anything to me about it, although I can see that if my wheels were a little smaller, or I didn't have that front rack, the hook might be completely unsprung when over the wheel and prone to falling off, but it seems like then there might be other places I could put the hook.
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FWIW most of the instructions on bus bike racks specifically state to put it under the fender otherwise the hook may slide off. I suppose if you have no room then you are up a creek without a paddle. However, one of my bikes had maybe a half inch of room between the fender and the tire. I was able to bend it and fit the hook between them easily.
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you could always ask the bus driver to bring the bike on the bus. sometimes there are already two bikes on the front end, and i have to drag my bike inside the bus. i feel bad when there are alot of people standing or trying to get off, but its alot harder to steal it or mess it up when you got your hands on the bike.
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I drive for Metro and have had quite a few discussions with riders who insist that the arm will crush their fenders. Please, trust me when I say that the worst problems are caused by not putting the arm as close to the frame as possible.
I had a bike come loose in the middle of 520 because the arm was attached low on the wheel to avoid putting it on the fender. I managed to slow down without losing the bike, but it's a scene I do not wish to repeat.
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I've strapped my FCR-3 onto many a bus and have suffered some minor damage in the process. The holding bar can work its way up till its contacting your front brakes. Mine has an obvious "rub point" from these bars digging in. I've also got some "pitting" in the paint from rocks being tossed up by other vehicles.
I sure would not put a "prized" bike up there if damage is an issue//
I sure would not put a "prized" bike up there if damage is an issue//
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since i began using the racks in may i've had 0 issues. i ride a surly crosscheck with 700x25 tires.
due to the way they're designed, only the widest of tires are going to cause problems. the mfg. of our bus bike racks discourages the use of fenders, however.
due to the way they're designed, only the widest of tires are going to cause problems. the mfg. of our bus bike racks discourages the use of fenders, however.
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I've strapped my FCR-3 onto many a bus and have suffered some minor damage in the process. The holding bar can work its way up till its contacting your front brakes. Mine has an obvious "rub point" from these bars digging in. I've also got some "pitting" in the paint from rocks being tossed up by other vehicles.