Bicycle covers
 

While down at the LBS I mentioned to the owner my intention of putting my bike on a rack behind my motorhome to take back and forth to Florida several times this upcoming winter. The owner suggested I cover the bike. I asked if he sold covers and he said no, which adds credibility to his advise. He said it will protect the bearigs etc. and a cover would hold up well at highway speeds behind such a large vehicle. I thought everything was sealed on my bikes and didn't need protection from the elements as the bikes are ridden in rain without any problems.

The bike will be on a trailer hitch rack behind the motorhome. It's 1100 miles to Florida. Opinions, should I cover the bike? If so what kind of cover should I use and where would I find one?

As a side note, I finally, after five flats this summer, upgraded to Conti Top Touring 2000's. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Check out these guys:

http://www.dirtbagsportsproducts.com/

Their covers are funky. No, I don't have one but somebody posted that company on a different forum so I bookmarked it, just in case I ever wanted to get one...

They also make fairings for roof rack systems that covers the front of a road or mtb one. I know Performance and Colorado Cyclist make ones that are around $30.

Jay

I've drug our bikes about 20,000 miles so far behind our MH (hitch rack) and I made my own cover. It's a sewed up canvas "box" without a bottom. After I get the bikes on the rack and bungied down (make sure you can still see your brake lights) I pull the canvas box down over the bikes. I sewed in a cinch cord around the bottom of the box and pull it tight. I painted stripes on the canvas box to match the stripes on my motorhome so it looks extremely clean and factory style. With my new road bike I'm a little hesitant about putting it up with the steel bikes on the rack.... gotta figure something else for it... maybe it can ride in the passenger seat :)
I've go pics on my other computer... I can post them if you'd like
Doug

Just be careful though. I've seen a guy who's bike cover (and bikes) caught on fire because of the heat from the exhaust.

That must be an interesting but sad sight! I've heard of bike tires melting from the exhaust but not catching on fire...

Jay

I didn't see the fire, the guy told me about it. He had one of the bikes and I could see the marks on the frame and wheels. He had a rather loose cover, nothing like the dirtbags above, and the heat would accumulate in it until it caught on fire.

Just the guy was quite a sight! A fairly old fat man with too much money with a high-end bike but he couldn't change a flat. He didn't even know he could take the wheels off without tools (QR). He was fun to talk with though.

Burnt bikes! That'll ruin your day! Luckily the exaust system on the motorhome is not a factor. One less worry. However, because the bike's top tube rests on the rack what kind of cover would work? It would have to have openings for the rack's bike support arms to fit through. That leaves two big openings in the cover. Looking on the web I've found plenty of covers for stationary bikes and for roof rack transported bikes, but none that will fit a bike on a hitch rack. Maybe a cover that fits over the bike and the rack? The homemade canvas idea is looking more attractive.

Yeah, a homemade rack cover would be good, especially if you don't need to worry about making a sail, like you would on a roof rack!

Just make sure that everything is cinched tight and there is no way for the air to get in to make a sail. I have seen what looked like a specialized bike cover before on the back of RVs that I see on the road, but I have never gotten close enough to see if it was homemade or bought. An RV store might even be able to point you to good ideas but it shouldn't be hard to setup, you can buy tie down straps from a hardware store cheap and make one.

Jay

camping world also makes one. Check out their website, campingworld.com
Doug