Bus bike racks
 

I've been toying with the idea of riding a couple miles to the bus stop and taking the bus downtown within a mile of work. My question is about the bus bike racks. Are those racks hard on a bicycle? I'd like to hear from anyone who has had experience with them. Thanks.

I've used the bus bike racks (Sportworks brand) several times. Never had any problems with the racks (very easy to use) and no damage to bikes.

Go have a look in the commuting forum mate. There's been a bit of discussion there from time to time (do a search). Depending on your set up and the type of bus rack, you can have problems or things damaged, but if you've got the right set up, it needn't be a problem.

As for which set up it is, I don't know because I didn't pay much attention - they tried to introduce them here but the bus drivers refused to drive the buses so we never got them.

Richard

Thanks, Europa. This does belong on another site. I'm just used to going here.

As RonH. said, they are made by Sportworks, are very well made, easy to use, and do not damage your bike. The only warning is that they can (note: usually don't) damage fenders, since the retaining hook is designed to come down on a tire without fenders.

No fenders, no worries. If you want to use fenders (mudguards to Stepfam and probably Europa), then get the thick plastic or chrome steel type and stay away from aluminum (aluminium to Stepfam and probably Europa) and wooden fenders. Though . . . I have to say, the wooden ones are absolutely beautiful!

http://www.notempire.com/images/uplo...tled-1-823.jpg

Rick / OCRR

The Central Arkansas Transit has the SportWorks racks on all their buses. I've used them to carry both my Specialized Hard Rock with fenders and my Bacchetta Giro 20 with fenders. Both have always arrived unscathed. In fact being able to fit on the bus rack was one of my criteria when purchasing the Bacchetta.

I have heard reports that carbon-fiber bikes don't always do so well, particularly the forks get destroyed by the bike waving back and forth while the wheel is kept immobile by the hook.

While my bikes have been unscathed, my biggest problem has been with drivers. The each have their own ideas about what should happen. I usually put the hook on the front tire, just in front of the fender (Freddy Fenders). I've had drivers instruct me to put the hook over the fender and under the fender. There is no arguing with them. But most don't care.

I've only had a couple of problems. 1) The windshield wiper of the bus caught the handlebars of my Specialized Hard Rock and tore the bike off the rack. The driver stopped and I got out in the rain to put my bike back in place. 2) The driver did not like having the seatback of my recumbent in front of her. She called the supervisors and one came out and took pictures of the offending bike, and they had me put the Bacchetta into the front rack where it faced the opposite direction and did not bother the driver.

The racks work well. The worst thing that happened to me is that my computer fell off. Now I take everything off my bike before I put it on the rack. (computer, lights, water bottle)

My experiences with bus bike racks in San Diego County (I believe they are Sportworks, as well), have been uniformly positive. Just make sure you press the front wheel hook firmly against the top of the tire -- if it is mounted too loosely or leaning too far forward, it can fall off, with potentially dire consequences. I don't do carbon, so I cannot comment on potential damage to carbon forks or frames.

If your buses use Sportworx racks and you don't use fenders, go ahead and enjoy them. I spotted this type of rack in Ottowa, Canada on a business trip 10 years ago. This type of rack was unheard of in Atlanta at the time. I was impressed enough to get the brand name and bought one immediately upon my return. I have carried 2-3 bikes all over 3 states on it and love it. My rack has seen colnago, kuota, aegis carbon, litespeed titanium, cannondale aluminum, etc. It is the most bike friendly rack I have ever used.

If your forks can't take the weight of the bicycle moving around on them, what do you think they would do underneath your weight. I find that taking the wheel off and on every time you move your bike puts unneccessary stress on the sides of the bearings and allows for so many problems remounting the wheel.

Recently Thule as bought the rights to make a similar rack. This is in my opinion, the very safest and best way to transport a bike. All my friends whose vehicles have a hitch capacity have gone to them.