Date:         Thu, 14 May 1998 10:33:30 -0400
Reply-To:     thetrans <thetrans@INAME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         thetrans <thetrans@INAME.COM>
Subject:      Re: bike racks.. Any home made solutions?
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
In-Reply-To:  <000201bd7f20$7821bd40$d20f96d0@server>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This is a cool thread. I need to carry windsurfing equipment, a canoe, and
bikes (not all at once, though you never know!!). I was thinking of
building a three or four support system, bolted to the sides of the pop
top, and using wood crossmembers (for cost control and ease of replacement).

Any other home brew systems out there? I have a Thule system for my Jeep,
but the bars aren't really strong enough for the canoe (big aluminum
jobbie) and I would want more than 2 bars anyway.. plus the cost of the
extender footers for the rain gutter plus bars.. hell I could get a new
curtain kit for that money and still have enough left over for other random
Syncro parts!! I know this will start a DIY Part 2 from GMBulley, but just
curious....

Bill


At 10:10 AM 5/14/98 +0000, Charles Michuax wrote:
>Tony,
>
>I use a similar setup as you saw at the bike event.  I use Thule tales to
>mount over the pop top in the front with extra long poles.  I then use the
>Thule Ultimate upright carrier mounted to the extreme sides.  I can carry
>two bikes and still pop the top with no problem or 4 bikes if need be.  I
>know it looks a little funny but it works great.
>
>Charles
>'91 Westy
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:Vanagon@vanagon.com]On Behalf Of
>Anthony L. Mourkas
>Sent: Thursday, May 14, 1998 1:38 PM
>To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: bike rack
>
>
>My bike racks are attached to Thule load bars and gutter mount uprights
>which are in turn attached to Thule's "artificial rain gutters" bolted to
>the sides of the Westfalia pop-top.  Thus the whole roof top bike rack
>assembly raises and lowers with the pop-top, with or without bikes
>attached.  I have carried up to three bikes in this manner for years now
>without any problems.  I do carry a small stepstool to help get the bikes
>up there and it is necessary to have a helper (or be named "Hercules") to
>put up the top with bikes attached.
>
>I saw another interesting installation recently in the parking area of a
>bicycling event that I would try if I hadn't already done the above.  The
>owner of a Westfalia Vanagon had installed two Thule load bars over the
>luggage well at the front of the van using two "tower" (tall) rain gutter
>mounts attached to the rain gutters above the driver and front passenger
>doors.  To these load bars were attached two thule fork mount bicycle
>carriers facing backwards, that is with the rear wheel of the bicycles
>facing forward, and sticking out over the windshield a bit.  The whole
>assembly was mounted so that when the pop-top was raised it would just
>clear the rack and bikes.  The owner of this van had mounted the two fork
>mount bicycle carriers as far outboard as possible leaving most of the
>luggage well accessible and usable for carrying whatever.  He claimed
>that he could get the bikes up on top simply by opening the front door
>and stepping on the footwell and top of the wheel wells.
>
>It sure looked a little odd, but the owner claimed no problems with this
>setup.  I would appreciate hearing of experiences with anything similar.
>
>Tony
>
>Anthony L. Mourkas
>Hampden, Maine, USA
>1981 Vanagon Westfalia
>

"Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you
look at it right"

Hunter/Garcia