Bike bra
11-19-07, 01:16 PM
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Bike bra
Taking a long car ride this winter, will have to have my nice road bike on the roof rack in the rain and snow so as to fit the kids and their stuff warm and dry inside the car 
. Anybody use a "bike bra" cover on the roof rack? I'm looking at several from Colorado Cyclist, Nashbar and Performance. Are they useful? Do they stay on? Can anybody recommend one?
. Anybody use a "bike bra" cover on the roof rack? I'm looking at several from Colorado Cyclist, Nashbar and Performance. Are they useful? Do they stay on? Can anybody recommend one?
Last edited by yellowcanoe1; 11-19-07 at 01:22 PM.
11-19-07, 01:27 PM
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I've got one I use for my mountain bike, and I really like it. It's the Xport from Performance Bike. It attaches very securely and easily and stays on just fine. And most importantly, it protects the bike from rocks and bugs (I hate having to scrape bug guts off my bike---a real pain).
The one thing I don't like about the Xport bras is that they're bike-type-specific, meaning you need the road version for road bikes and the mtb version for mountain bikes. That means, depending on which bikes I bring, I'd need up to four bras (assuming I'm carrying two bikes). Other bras (the ones from Colorado Cyclist, for example) are universal. I've never tried these, though, and can't say if they fit as well as the Xport ones do.
The one thing I don't like about the Xport bras is that they're bike-type-specific, meaning you need the road version for road bikes and the mtb version for mountain bikes. That means, depending on which bikes I bring, I'd need up to four bras (assuming I'm carrying two bikes). Other bras (the ones from Colorado Cyclist, for example) are universal. I've never tried these, though, and can't say if they fit as well as the Xport ones do.
11-19-07, 02:37 PM
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I'd be nervous about putting an expensive bike on my roof. Do your kids have warm sleeping bags and are they old enough to hold on tight to a roof rack?
11-19-07, 04:14 PM
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Maybe if I put the kids inside a couple of those Thule roof rack boxes that would work!
11-19-07, 04:19 PM
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Taking a long car ride this winter, will have to have my nice road bike on the roof rack in the rain and snow so as to fit the kids and their stuff warm and dry inside the car . Anybody use a "bike bra" cover on the roof rack? I'm looking at several from Colorado Cyclist, Nashbar and Performance. Are they useful? Do they stay on? Can anybody recommend one?
. Anybody use a "bike bra" cover on the roof rack? I'm looking at several from Colorado Cyclist, Nashbar and Performance. Are they useful? Do they stay on? Can anybody recommend one?2) they wash off.
3) to the extent there's a legit concern, its the drivetrain, which I don't see a bra doing anything for.
4) think of the increased gas consumption and effect on global warming.
11-19-07, 04:29 PM
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11-19-07, 04:49 PM
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Doing a search would prevent me from repeating myself. Read THIS THREAD.
11-19-07, 04:50 PM
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I used one last summer. It was great to not have a zillion bugs to get off the bike.
11-19-07, 04:51 PM
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You'd rather put it on the back?
11-19-07, 05:06 PM
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Bike bras smudge paint
Rocks chip paint
Take your pick
Rocks chip paint
Take your pick
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11-19-07, 05:27 PM
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11-19-07, 06:31 PM
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You obviously haven't used a bra before... for bikes, cars, or boobs.
Either that or let me come over and rub your bike with a coarse fabric for a few hours and see how shiny your paint is.
Either that or let me come over and rub your bike with a coarse fabric for a few hours and see how shiny your paint is.
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11-19-07, 07:29 PM
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I went on a road trip from Illinois to Colorado and back with my MTB on the roof rack.
The bugs that thing collected was horrendous! And rocks easily do and will chip your paint as they do your car.
I wish I had a bike bra at that time.
Of course, this is mute if there are multiple bikes on the rack, and yours is the one facing ***** backwards.
The bugs that thing collected was horrendous! And rocks easily do and will chip your paint as they do your car.
I wish I had a bike bra at that time.
Of course, this is mute if there are multiple bikes on the rack, and yours is the one facing ***** backwards.
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11-19-07, 07:43 PM
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Wrong. See the second post of this thread.
I was half kidding with the paint remark. Sorry if it rubbed you the wrong way (pun intended).
For what it's worth, I've had no ill effects to the finish on my bike due to a bra. Although the only painted surface the bra comes into contact with is the fork, and there's minimal movement at the attachment points since the bra is pretty secure. But this is only my own experience.
For what it's worth, I've had no ill effects to the finish on my bike due to a bra. Although the only painted surface the bra comes into contact with is the fork, and there's minimal movement at the attachment points since the bra is pretty secure. But this is only my own experience.
Last edited by Peek the Geek; 11-19-07 at 07:47 PM. Reason: poor grammar
11-19-07, 10:11 PM
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Hi,
I used the Performance bike bra for a few years with absolutely no ill effects (and I am very picky about how I transport my bikes). One thing that I did notice about using the bra was that it hurt my gas mileage noticeably compared to without.
I did wrap a cotton sock around the fork crown where one of the straps would have touched the frame.
BTW, I understand urbanknight's comment about car bras and possible paint damage. It's a lesser of two evils thing. However, I did not experience that with my bike bras.
To the OP, PM me if you are interested in buying two used Performance bras as I now use a hitch mounted rack.
I used the Performance bike bra for a few years with absolutely no ill effects (and I am very picky about how I transport my bikes). One thing that I did notice about using the bra was that it hurt my gas mileage noticeably compared to without.
I did wrap a cotton sock around the fork crown where one of the straps would have touched the frame.
BTW, I understand urbanknight's comment about car bras and possible paint damage. It's a lesser of two evils thing. However, I did not experience that with my bike bras.
To the OP, PM me if you are interested in buying two used Performance bras as I now use a hitch mounted rack.
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11-19-07, 11:08 PM
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You're right, though, it only touches the fork. It dulled the finish on my Trek OCLV. I still preferred it to the hundreds of bugs that would have needed to be cleaned off.
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11-20-07, 04:00 PM
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I put my Orbea Orca on the roof of my car once a week as I drive to start of one of the rides I do. I've been doing it for 6 months and even once through heavy winds. The bike seems OK but I will get a bike bra soon for longer drives.
