TransitBiker

I was wondering about the wisdom & usefulness of putting padding of some kind (be it handlebar tape or other) on the front most bit of my rear rack. I use it to hoist the beast up stairs and maneuver it for locking up out & about.

Any ideas, opinions, thoughts?

I see someone had similar idea here up near the incorrectly placed reflector:



- Andy

-=(8)=-

why do you think the reflector is incorrectly placed?


Im going to say that an individual that sets their bike up that single-purpose concisely has a very valid reason for doing whatever they do
Maybe you should talk to him instead of us? Just a thought . . .

fietsbob

NB it's mount is part of the rack, its at the back, just the owner has not fitted the reflector on it after putting the rack on .
without moving the stock reflector .. some reflectors included with bikes dont have the screw mounts to transfer them to the rack holed.

if you read postings here, buying something and knowing best practices fitting it, is not always There.

TransitBiker

I'm not sure what you mean. The photo is purely for example, as the bit there is simply some paperboard left on from the packaging. The rider of that bike is not as experienced as i am, so asking them would not be useful.

- Andy

fietsbob

Split some rubber hose to make it a bigger diameter , then add tape over it. any, duct or reflective .

rumrunn6

it's your bike, do what you want! :-) personally I don't lift my bike with the rear rack. my attachment points are barely strong enough to hold the rack and what I carry.

tsl

I use a variation of the cyclocross carry.


(Not me, BTW.)

Commuters tend the be a bit heavier, especially with the panniers loaded, so the top tube resting on the sholder can become painful on the way to the third floor. I keep my right hand on the top tube where cyclocross riders use their shoulder.

This is also much easier on the lower back muscles--especially if you squat down, move the bike to the shoulder, then stand, lifting with the legs. You'd never take the time to do that in a cyclocross race, but as a middle-aged bike commuter, it works for me.

alan s 

Make use of an old tube and some friction tape. It's similar in size and look to electrical tape, but made from fabric with adhesive backing, and can be purchased at Home Depot.

megalowmatt

Go for it. A man with as much experience as you should be confident in his decisions.

megalowmatt

So is it paperboard or handlebar tape? Your two posts are conflicting.

metz1295

obviously, I don't know why that person did that, but it seems to me to be a bad idea to carry or hoist a bike by the rack unless it is specifically referred to as a handle by the manufacturer. even then, I would be skeptical. racks are designed to carry downward load. I imagine what appears to be a handle is intended to prevent a load from sliding forward into the bike while braking. imagine the horror if you were near the top of a flight of stairs and the rack broke away from your bike. no way for me. I'm using the frame for most if not all of my bike lifting needs.

curly666

It's not a handle, it's where the Topeak sliding rack bags and baskets attach to the rack.

https://www.topeak.com/products/TrunkBags%20MTX

metz1295

and that makes total sense. again, I would not lift or carry a bike by the rack.

alan s 

I do it all the time. What's going to happen?

metz1295

I just feel it's a weak point compared to the frame. racks are designed to carry load, not lift load.

Eric S.

I lived in a 2nd floor apartment for a long time and always grabbed the bike by the seat tube to haul it up & down the stairs.

TransitBiker

My rack has an open frame, not a flat top or sliding attachment type thing as one in photo, but it has same upward bit in front. To carry the bike by its frame is awkward, as i am a very tall guy & i'm not really up to holding 20 lbs in one hand by seat tube while front wheel stays on stairs. The place i do this has very steep stairs & very narrow close clearance landings. To turn the bike around i have to pop it up on its rear wheel.

My idea is to put some kinda grip-y thing there so its less slippy when wet & more padded. The whole lift vs weight thing is moot, as the mount points have no preference in direction of force. The rack i use is not aftermarket, it comes with the bike & is not some accessory you can buy somewhere. It is extremely solidly built & sturdy. Everyone talks here about equipping their bike to best address their needs, well i'm asking about the best way to do this so i'm not grabbing a smooth powder coated tube that is uncomfortable & could slip causing injury to me, persons nearb or damage to my bike or property of others.

The alternative is to lock the bike up some distance (800 feet) away, which is not a good idea due to the lockup location being on separate & unrelated property & completely out of sight line. This is a practical everyday issue, not some cockeyed scheme to make what isnt a handle into one. So, what should i use?

- Andy

fietsbob

TB can do as they wish ..

tsl's Carry example is a bit low in the front, another common technique to cure that ..

elbow around head tube pulls the bike rearward.. front wheel further off the ground.

shoulder in the center of the top tube..

and holding the left end of handlebar keeps the wheel from flopping around..

a bit more weight on the bike makes a padded top tube a good idea ..


yea a 2nd floor+ walkup when stairs are kind of narrow , not so applicable..

alan s 

Frankly, in your situation, moving to somewhere more bike friendly would be the best option.

xuwol7

I didn't realize I had been navigating my bike incorrectly on stairs for so many years by simply rolling it up and down the stairs just using the wheels while I push it and stabilize it....lol
My commuter with all the racks, luggage etc must weight over 50 lbs, but I like my Peugeot MTB to be heavy as it is more stable in inclement weather.

No way would I lift a bike by the rack, it is indeed made for a downward load.
I am also tall and have very steep and narrow stairs, If my bike is loaded with groceries etc making it even more heavy I brace my body against the wall or stair rails and take it slow.

If you have an outside balcony you could always rig up something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TANb2p-HwlE

Seems to work for this guy...lol

the sci guy 

WTF is going on here.

Just wrap some athletic tape on it and call it a day.

DONE.

path4

Happy thought! It would be useful in winter. You don't want to freeze your hand on the bike. You could also use a small piece of used tube. When I carry my bike upstairs, I usually hold around the bottom of the seat tube.

TransitBiker

Thank you. Good idea.


Yea, good point.

Maybe some athletic tape on tube to give grip, cushion and an added benefit, insulation.

I do not live at this location. Bikes are not permitted on balconies there per fire regulations (balconies are emergency egress points via fire truck ladder & access points for fighting fires).

People are taking my posts and running off on some assumption fueled tangent as of late. A very discouraging development as i enjoy participating here.

- Andy

ericy

I have a rack just like it that I bought last weekend. The tan stuff on the front is just paper that is taped around the metal rod -I assume to protect the paint. And I haven't gotten around to removing it from mine either.

gregjones

Something like this:



To carry bike like this: