Date:         Tue, 12 Jul 94 11:54:34 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         ahleatst@dataflux.bc.ca (Michael J. Rensing)
Subject:      Re: Bike Rack for a Bus

>Setzler writes:
>> 
>> I wouldn't recommend either the roof mounting sort or the front
>> mounting....why subject your bikes to  bugs, flying rocks, etc. when you
>> can attach it to the back?  
David Schwarze replies:
>
>Why subject your bikes to exhaust gasses and dirt when you can attach them
>to the front and have them gently massaged by clean, cool air?    :-)

Come and see the front of my van sometime.  I've given up trying to touch up
the dings, and just give it an extra waxing once in a while.  That clean,
cool air seems to be loaded with sand, grit, rocks, tar, and the occasional
bird.  The rear of the van is nicely polished and cleans up with a damp rag.

I have a rack which hangs on the tailgate, and holds two bikes well above
the taillights.  If I'm worried about theft, I run a cable through the bikes
and lock it to one of the tiedowns under the bumper.  It's the same
everywhere: if they really want the bike, they'll get it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael J. Rensing, Ph.D.                   michael@uvphys.phys.uvic.ca
Ahlea Systems Corp.                             ahleatst@dataflux.bc.ca