Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 11:11:57 -0700
Reply-To: Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Racks for Tandem Bikes?
In-Reply-To: <4648A33C.9080003@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
The Saris Bones rack that I have now mounts very
securely by six straps to the hatch and the arms that
support the bike by the top tube are individually
adjustable for angle, so you can have the right arm
supporting the back of the front top tube down low and
the left arm support the front of the rear top tube
higher up.
Those arms supporting the bike are narrowly spaced and
so you might want additional straps/bungees holding
the ends of the bike to the van.
Stephen
--- "Mike \"Rocket J Squirrel\" Elliott"
<camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks, Stephen. If you do sort out this mechanical
> invention, please
> try to remember to drop me a note as I would be
> interested in paying to
> have you build one -- if that interests you.
>
> I see that this small frame tandem is about 68
> inches
> dropout-to-dropout. I see that this Vanagon is also
> about 68 inches
> wide. With the wheels off, the bike is really not
> wider than the van. A
> rear hitch-mount bike rack that holds the bike
> horizontally, and rotates
> to compensate for sloping top tubes might just do
> the job. For
> stability, I think I'd want a rack that holds the
> bike at two points,
> i.e., isn't just designed to grab a normal bike by
> its top tube in one spot.
>
>
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical
> Banana")
> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan
> Capistrano
> KG6RCR
>
> On 5/14/2007 10:16 AM Stephen Grisanti wrote:
>
> > The cross bars I have dealt with (Thule and
> Yakima),
> > even if pushed all the way back in the gutter,
> > position the bar too close to the roof. Even if
> it
> > clears the poptop when down it may not clear when
> the
> > poptop is up, so when you look at the van from the
> > side with poptop up (and down) and hatch open you
> can
> > see the spot there in midair where the bar has to
> be
> > located.
> >
> > I planned to investigate some general utility bars
> > (Quick & Easy, or the brands you find on
> electricians'
> > or plumbers' vans) to see if they can be modified.
>
> > Welding will likely be required unless I find
> exactly
> > what I want. Essentially, most of these hold the
> bar
> > directly above the base and in this application
> the
> > bar has to be above and offset to the rear. The
> base
> > or foot has to clamp to the gutter and the bar
> must be
> > about 6" above the gutter and 4-6" back from
> there.
> >
> > Stephen
> >
> > --- Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Stephen,
> >>
> >> How were you planning to modify your crossbar
> mount?
> >> If it doesn't
> >> involve welding, I could give it a try. If it
> does,
> >> I'd be happy to pay
> >> you, or someone else, to modify one. But tandems
> are
> >> pretty heavy. If
> >> the tandem is hung from a fork-mount, the mount
> and
> >> the crossbar and
> >> mounting and gutter would need to be pretty darn
> >> sturdy, it seems.
> >>
> >> I agree with your post about bike being a total
> pain
> >> to deal with when
> >> you're not on them. I love riding, don't ride as
> >> much as I should, but
> >> with a tandem, Mrs Squirrel and I can have some
> fun
> >> jaunts.
> >>
> >> The bike is a no-big-deal Raleigh "Companion." I
> >> spotted it at a garage
> >> sale. Only been ridden a few times, but here's
> the
> >> thing: it's a small
> >> frame, and both Mrs Squirrel and I are short.
> When I
> >> gave it a test
> >> ride, it fit me perfectly, so that's rare enough
> to
> >> make it worth
> >> buying. The brakes are just crummy cantilevers,
> so I
> >> know we won't be
> >> doing long downhills.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> >> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> >> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical
> >> Banana")
> >> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San
> Juan
> >> Capistrano
> >> KG6RCR
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Stephen Grisanti typed:
> >>> You could do what I plan to do on my van; a
> single
> >>> gutter-mount crossbar at the rear of the roof
> >> modified
> >>> so it clears the raised poptop and the raised
> >> hatch.
> >>> You then use a single fork-mount bike holder and
> >> let
> >>> the bike hang vertically on the back of the van
> >> with a
> >>> bungee holding the rear of the bike to bumper or
> >> tow
> >>> hook.
> >>>
> >>> Stephen
> >>>
> >>> --- Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
> >> wrote:
> >>>> Hi Greg,
> >>>>
> >>>> Nah, I've never owned or considered getting a
> >>>> tandem, so the issue of
> >>>> hauling one has never come up. It's just
> possible
> >>>> that I may have asked
> >>>> about towing a small car with a Vanagon, or
> maybe
> >>>> towing the Vanagon
> >>>> behind a larger vehicle, towing a motor scooter
> >>>> behind the van, so
> >>>> trailers may have been discussed at that time.
> >> It's
> >>>> possible. But tandem
> >>>> bikes are an altogether different matter -- I
> >> know I
> >>>> haven't beaten this
> >>>> horse to death.
> >>>>
> >>>> The Draftmaster that Stephen pointed out looks
> >> like
> >>>> a fine rack. But at
> >>>> $800, it's four times the cost of this used
> >> tandem
> >>>> bike I just got. Gary
> >>>> Lee's stuff isn't cheap, either. Can't help but
> >>>> wonder if this was a
> >>>> plain silly purchase.
> >>>>
> >>>> --
> >>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> >>>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> >>>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical
> >>>> Banana")
> >>>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San
> >> Juan
> >>>> Capistrano
> >>>> KG6RCR
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Greg Potts typed:
> >>>>> Hi Mike,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Haven't we been through this already??You need
> a
> >>>> trailer.
> >>>>> Happy Trails,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Greg Potts
> >>>>> 1973/74/77/79 Westfakia "Bob The Tomato
> >>>>> www.pottsfamily.ca
> >>>>> www.busesofthecorn.com
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On 12-May-07, at 2:22 PM, Michael Elliott
> wrote:
>
=== message truncated ===
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