Opedaler

As stated, transporting our bents is going to be important to us. So much so that I might consider a SWB just for the trasportability(I think they would fit in our current sportworks tray carrier). But without a doubt, I presently feel LWB's are for us at this time (I may change my mind after more riding).

So in talking to others who have carriers, the carrier of choice seems to be the Draftmaster pivoting hitch mount LWB bent carrier. Expensive at nearly 800 bucks but converient if you have a small SUV.

In talking to the company no dealers in my area, so it's a matter of giving them the specs and having them build one to meet my needs. In other words, not much of a return policy. The nearest owner that I can locate is about a six hour round trip drive away but I'll certainly make the drive if I get to that point.

I was just wondering if it will be worth the effort and if anyone here has one and how they like it.

Dchiefransom

I don't have one, but would get one in a minute if I had the money. A roof rack is still too much on my Wrangler. I've seen them before being used on the back of pickups and vans, for tandems. They are defintely a great way to transport your bike.

Opedaler

Thanks Dchief.......kinda what I've heard around here. I don't exactly have money laying around but if I'm gonna invest I need to do it to the degree that the investment will get used. Where we live will require some transportation if the bikes get used much.

aikigreg

A friend has one and while it's heavy and interesting (to say the least) to get your bike on the rack, it's pretty sweet, and rock solid.

Honestly though, depending on WHICH LWB bent you get, the sportworks rack that's designed for any style bike will work if you flip the wheel wells around and use an extra piece of velcro. At 149 bucks or something it's a steal!

There's also the 1upusa rack which they will make to your specs and it's around 400.

mchell

We have used a draftmaster for our Rans Screamer tandem for the past 3 years. We use it at least three times every week and have hauled the bike without incident as far away as Prince Edward Island, a 4 day journey by car. (Subaru Forester) The rack easily converts to carry my wife's MTB and I put my Catrike in the back of the car when we go off to ride singles. I am surprised at the price you quoted. I bought mine at MBS Tandems in Mississauga, Ontario for $636 CDN which includes the long beam necessary for the tandem. (Same price is listed today on their website.) I also use a convertible hitch when we use the Draftmaster on the Roadtrek, which requires a 2" receiver. An excellent product; one gets what one pays for.

Opedaler

We currently have the tray carrier (recently sold to thule) and it cost about 350 dollars but after reading this I think I may be able to make some mods and have it work. Thanks

Opedaler

Hmmmmm........I might have missed something. When I went to the site I was looking for the double specialty rack that fit two LWB bikes. The site said that they were remodeling and to call....which I did. When I told them what I was looking for they priced it at $780 US (excluding shipping). I can't find a dealer near hear but did find one a state away that had a used one for 400 bucks.

Glad to hear that they work well for you and must confess that they do look they might be our answer if the conversion to our sports rack doesn't work.

bbwolfy

Does anyone have a picture ? I'm curious to see what one looks like.

Doug5150

I haven't owned a draftmaster, but overall it seems to me that the best solution is to get a separate trailer.

If you wanted to build something inexpensive and are willing to DIY, you could get a small (used) boat trailer pretty cheap and attach bike carriers to it however you need to. If you want to buy something nice, then there's small trailers like the SportsRig, though I don't know what its price would total to carry two bikes. It is $1300 US and has rooftop-style mount bars for rooftop-rack systems; no bike-holding equipment is included.
------
There are places that sell short squat utility trailers but I donot like these beause so many are too short (for their width)--the tongues are not long enough. At highway speeds they tend to shimmy. Also many of these really cheap ones don't have any real suspension at all. ....A boat trailer automatically has a long tongue and so boat trailers don't have this shimmy problem--and at the very least a boat trailer will have decent leaf springs. And there's loads of used boat trailers cheap, all over.
~

mchell

A word of caution about trailers. We went this route for a while, but the suspension in our little trailer (it was a small tent-trailer model designed to be towed behind a motorcycle!) was too stiff and the tandem, a Trek T200, and later the more expensive Rans Screamer, were bounced all over the place every time we hit the smallest bump. Not good for the bikes, I'm sure. As well, when we crossed anywhere on a ferry, like St. John, New Brunswick to Digby, Nova Scotia, or over to Newfoundland, we got "stung" for two vehicles because of our length. That has never happened with the Draftmaster, and the car's suspension gives the bike a nice, gentle ride. I would not go back to a trailer for our bikes.

teamcompi

I have a draft master, they are great, keep an eye on ebay I got mine for less than 300.00 if I remember right. I have seen them go as low as 200.00, after having it, I would buy it for the full price.

Opedaler

Thanks for the "heads up". To be honest if I could get one for <300 bucks it would make my FIRST bent purchase decision easier. I think a LWB would be easier to get the feel for bent riding. It might also get my wife more intersested in bents (as it is, if I go bent, I go alone). She's been upright since college and that was.......better not go there as I might get myself in trouble but she's pretty happy with the way things are. As for me, I've already decided that I will need at least two (maybe three) bents in the stable. One bike just cannot do everything and it never has for me......mountain+road and then comfort+hybrid and now maybe LWB+SWB+three wheels?