Hey all,

Thinking of bringing the Colnago on a 2 week vacation to the Outer Banks in late Sept/early Oct.

I would rather not use a bike rack and was wondering how any of you transport your bike, if you take one on vacation.

We have an SUV, and it does have crossbars on the roof. Being a two week trip, the insides of the vehicle will probably not accomodate a bike.

Thanks for any input,

Kurt

Sure is a lot of salt and sand on the Outer Banks.

That was my first thought also.

But if you're ok with the grit, I'll just say that I when I travel with my bike, I always put it in the back of my van. I pull the front wheel and have a front fork bracket I've rigged up to allow the bike to stand and I pack around it. I've got a rear rack, but I've always had this (probably unfounded) fear of it flying off into traffic, along with one of my two-wheeled treasures. As for roof racks, I've know three other cyclists who pulled into a garage, forgetting about the bikes on top. 'Nuff said about that!

Carry it inside, pack around it. Store it inside, not under the place where you're staying. Wash it twice after you get back.

If you don't think the salt air is prevalent, drive up into Kitty Hawk, into the year-round residential areas (in the hills), and look at their AC units.
Rust.

.I used to live in Kill Devil Hills. An ill-fated attempt to escape the rat race for sandier pastures. I'll just say things didn't quite work out the way I thought. My '72 Blazer did not fare well in the salt environment.

I'll be down in Buxton, and was hoping this vacation I would actually start my "get back into shape" plan by riding each morning down to the ferry terminal in Hatteras or maybe up to the Oregon Inlet bridge. At least on a couple days.

This is all probably wishful thinking. Most likely you'll find me with a fishing rod in one hand, beer in the other, and eating most of my meals at the Diamond Shoals Restaurant. But I'm hopeful the practical side of me will come out and I can finally get some exercise after going too long without it.

I do have a sacrificial Pinarello I suppose I could take instead of the Colnago...

What do you all think of the hardshell cases out there? Too much money for what they are?

Thanks,

Kurt

Travel without a bike. Once you get there go to the nearest Wal-mart and buy one. Give it to a child as you are leaving to go back home. Send me the Pinarello and I will send you the $150 for a Wal-Mart bike.

edited snarky reply.

there's 2 ways to carry a bike with a car, on or in. Gotta pick one or ride the bike and have someone else drive.

Why don't you want to use a bike rack? I can't see a lot of reasons behind that, besides another shameless chance to plug this picture into a thread.

You could rent a small U-Haul trailer........

I pack mine inside, but I have a Chevy Tahoe. I also have a hitch mounted rack, and have no reservations about using it for transport.

Ahhh, once upon a time...

I once had a 427 1966 convertible. Wish I still had it. White with a red interior. Traded a 1968 428 CJ Mustang GT and some cash for it.

You make a good point. I just have thoughts of something coming loose and seeing a bad sprint accident less the rider.

get a Thule roof rack.

Easy to use, Safe as long as you keep it under 100mph and the hefty price tag might make you a little more willing to trust it than a $35 Wal-Mart rack.

They aren't cheap though. The feet alone cost around $200, load bars $40, and each bike carrier is like $150.

you could buy a lot of beer at The Weeping Radish (way up north in Corolla Light) for that money.

About 10 years ago we rented a house in Duck that unbeknownst to us came with a Tandem and a couple of beach cruisers for the enjoyment of the guests My brothers and I were all over the area of the OBX north of the bridge on that thing that summer....we were staying in the beach subdivision of "Tuckahoe" whose sign was regularly defaced by deftly changing the "T" to an "F"