Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2000 17:08:38 -0800
Reply-To: Martin Laycock <m.laycock@UKGATEWAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Martin Laycock <m.laycock@UKGATEWAY.NET>
Subject: Re: fiamma bike rack
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
----- Original Message -----
From: Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2000 8:50 AM
Subject: Re: fiamma bike rack
> Martin,
> Would you be so kind as to answer these questions about the Fiamma racks?
No problem
> 1. Three bikes? I thought I saw only two troughs for tires on the T2?
Yes... three bikes if you buy an extra rail and bolt it on to the rack. It
is only an extra15 UK pounds or so and is fitted easily using the pre
drilled holes.
A longer top tube clamp ('Bike-Block' they call it) is also available to
keep three bikes separated. If you are tight with your cash the 'Bike-Block'
can be replaced by rubber tie down straps to tie the bikes to each other and
to the rack.
> 2. Do they rattle?
No rattles. I have heard the odd creak from it when fully loaded but nothing
seems to be falling appart.
> 3. Will that arm that holds the top tube of the bike work for a radically
> slanted top tube or does it only work with a horizontal top tube?
I would say horizontal tubes only, the clamps don't twist round . I carry
his and hers bikes and I put the gents bike with the horizontal top tube in
the second position so that the clamp will work. If you need to carry two
ladies bike frames then the rubber tie down straps would do fine. While
touring around I have seen early versions of this rack and they don't use
clamps at all, just lots of elastic.
> 4. Which of these (T2 and T4) works with a 90 Westy? It looks from the
> photos like the T4 rests on the bumper. Does the T2 grip the bottom edge
of the hatch door like the old Paulchens did?
A '90 westy will need a T2 rack. It clamps to the rear hatch top and bottom
with plastic coated steel brackets. The top ones are curved to the shape of
the top of the door. The bottom ones are square shaped and go underneath the
door.
The T4 rack does sit on the bumper and is for later Transporters. It can
carry four bikes so this is possibly the reason for the extra supports.
> 5. Will the rear wiper work with the rake on?
Yes, there is plenty of clearance between the rack and the window.
> 6. Can the rear hatch be raised with the rack on? with a bike in the rack?
The Fiamma fitting instructions say 'ATTENTION open your door only when the
bike carrier has been completely stretched and is not loaded; this is to
prevent damages to the vehicle paint.'
I would say that I do open the door with bikes on it sometimes but it is a
VERY heavy lift and I don't go higher than about 45deg. The bike wheels are
strapped to the rack with special straps so nothing will fall off if you try
this.
With no bikes on the rack the door opens easily. Mine does close over again
sometimes but I think this is due to weak lifting struts.
Hope this helps. I have some van photos I could scan with the rack on if
anyone is interested.
Martin
82 Transporter
Scotland
