Million $$ Idea: Stairway Carry Handle

[icemaker2000]

I can't believe when I googled "bicycle accessory stairway carrying handle" all I got that was close was a post on this forum by "white_feather" in 2008. Com'on all you shop mechanics, don't you want a patent. Just give me something I can bolt to the bottle cage mount I don't use, to carry my bike down the stairway at my condo. I'll gladly pay $50 for something light weight and maybe foldable or detatchable. I'm trying to adapt an AutoTecknic Carbon Fiber E-Brake Handle to modified Bontrager bottle cage, but I just don't have the time or resources. This is an accessory whos' time is overdue. Thanks to anyone listening.

[eugenek]

Why can't you carry it holding by the seat tube?

[IthaDan]

Or just grab the downtube itself?

[JonathanGennick]

While a carry handle sounds like a plausible idea on the surface, it would end up being a fiddly-bit that someone in a hurry would just ignore in favor of grabbing the bike by the frame tubes.

[3alarmer]

[mmmdonuts]

Shoulder it. It's worked for decades.

[DannoXYZ]

Here's a tip: always aim the front wheel down the stairs
Here's another tip: always hold the bike underneath the tip of the saddle

For going down stairs
1. roll bike toward stairs
2. place hand under tip of saddle
3. lift up bike, notice how front wheel dangles downwards, closely matching angle of stairs
4. walk down stairs

For going up stairs
1. roll bike toward stairs
2. flip bike around to rear-wheel points towards stairs, front-wheel points away from stairs
3. place hand under tip of saddle
4. lift up bike, notice how front wheel dangles downwards, closely matching angle of stairs
5. walk up stairs

[gavtatu]

I'll gladly pay $50 for something...

if i had a spare 50 bucks, i would'nt be spending it on a carrying handle !!!

[cobba]

Handle: http://www.copenhagenize.com/2011/03...-cyclists.html

Shoulder Strap: http://gajitz.com/stepping-it-up-sho...es-up-stairs/?

Portage Strap : http://www.etsy.com/listing/57492833/bike-portage-strap

[Wolfwerx]

Looks like some first-year design student needs to go back to the drawing board...

[leob1]

Here's a tip: always aim the front wheel down the stairs
Here's another tip: always hold the bike underneath the tip of the saddle

For going down stairs
1. roll bike toward stairs
2. place hand under tip of saddle
3. lift up bike, notice how front wheel dangles downwards, closely matching angle of stairs
4. walk down stairs

For going up stairs
1. roll bike toward stairs
2. flip bike around to rear-wheel points towards stairs, front-wheel points away from stairs
3. place hand under tip of saddle
4. lift up bike, notice how front wheel dangles downwards, closely matching angle of stairs
5. walk up stairs

More tips;
carry the bike from the non-drive side.
Carry the bike so it is on the inside of turns.

[3alarmer]

There.........saved you fifty bucks......you're welcome.

[fietsbob]

Shoulder bike, reach around head tube, to grasp handlebar left side,
this raises the front wheel higher, so you can climb or run up stairs.
might leave the rear tire's marks on stairwell walls..

NB, Bottle cage bosses , particularly the Riv-nuts in carbon Tubes.
may not be durable in the use you desire.

[Bianchigirll]

Actually I believe at one time some bikes, maybe Dutch city bikes, had handles. Bianchi actually had brazeons on thier cross bikes in the late '80s early '90s for a nylon web strap.

[ThermionicScott]

To be fair to Google, that's not the greatest search phrase, either.

[Tuc]

I had a portage strap made of nylon and padded like a backpack, it worked pretty well if you pointed the front wheel down the stairs. Those leather ones posted above look interesting, they also offer a spot to lean the bike against things so it doesn't scratch the paint.

[Kimmo]

Holding my bike like this works just fine for me.
Portage.jpg
It's how the cyclocross guys do it, innit?

[Esteban32696]

Make a ramp out of 1" x 6" boards & roll it. . Not practical, though , if they must be fastened to wood steps, or if you are a renter

[dbg]

I love that leather portage strap. Also don't heft bike on left shoulder with front wheel forward, or right shoulder with rear wheel forward. You'll get chain muck and grease all over your nice shirt/jacket (been there, done that).

[Don in Austin]

I can't believe when I googled "bicycle accessory stairway carrying handle" all I got that was close was a post on this forum by "white_feather" in 2008. Com'on all you shop mechanics, don't you want a patent. Just give me something I can bolt to the bottle cage mount I don't use, to carry my bike down the stairway at my condo. I'll gladly pay $50 for something light weight and maybe foldable or detatchable. I'm trying to adapt an AutoTecknic Carbon Fiber E-Brake Handle to modified Bontrager bottle cage, but I just don't have the time or resources. This is an accessory whos' time is overdue. Thanks to anyone listening.

Solution in search of a problem.

If I acquired a bike with a carrying handle I would remove it. Much rather replace it with another bottle holder or with nothing.

Don in Austin

[icemaker2000]

Thank-you my cycling brethren for all your helpful tips and ideas. Maybe it's time for this old rider to find a first floor unit.

[fietsbob]

Newer Brompton saddles now include handle like grip under the nose.
to pick the bike up by when folded.

[fietsbob]

Places that have bikes as common transportation,
put a ramp in the stairs to roll the bike up as you climb the stairs.

or there is the bike escalator , as in Trondheim Norway..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryCWIjdVF0g
Add I do remember a bent tube welded on the frame at the bottom,
joining the down and seat tubes.. a handle of sorts..

and another design making a curved shape at the top
where seat and top tube joined.

they were different bikes.
and the additional pieces were in steel, part of the metalwork,
before the paint went on.

[DannoXYZ]

The main problem of inefficient technique is that you waste so much energy fighting the bike. My wife absolutely hated cycling when we met becaused she lived on 2nd story. The problem with going up stairs front-wheel first is you're fighting physics:

1. center-of-gravity of bike is mostly towards rear-end
2. front-wheel will flop back & forth if front-end is aimed upwards

You end up with ungainly situations like this:



Lifting a bike 3-4 ft into the air just so that you can aim the front-wheel down and control it is tiring! Especially after a long ride and you barely have enough strength to lift your own body weight up. Once I taught her how to lift the bike just 6" to go up stairs by aiming the back wheel first and lifting by the nose of the saddle, it was so easy that cycling was fun again. She could even bring her bike up stairwells that were only 2-feet wide without trouble.

[Kimmo]

I taught her how to lift the bike just 6" to go up stairs by aiming the back wheel first and lifting by the nose of the saddle

NFI what that means, but my method is absolutely hassle-free. The front wheel doesn't flop anywhere cause I'm holding it with the downtube. The bike is balanced; I can let go and stand around using both hands for whatever with the bike hanging from my shoulder. The downtube sits about level; I don't need to muck around tilting it unless I'm manoeuvering through tight spaces. When going upstairs, the front wheel clears the steps by about 6". You don't need to do it long before it's second nature.

YMMV with a bigger gap between downtube and front wheel, or a compact frame.