Date:         Tue, 8 Jun 1999 00:19:55 -0400
Reply-To:     "Anthony L. Mourkas" <frankenstein@TELPLUS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Anthony L. Mourkas" <frankenstein@TELPLUS.NET>
Subject:      Re: Removable Bike Rack?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

>>We borrowed a Thule #978 Easy Rider and used it on the family's trip to
>>Cape Cod in April.  It fit very securly with six straps to the rear hatch
>>and we carried two bikes with no problem and no damage to bikes or van
>>whatsoever.  This rack is equipped to carry three bikes and I have thrown
>>four on one in a pinch during a bike tour last Summer.  I have also
>>carried a tandem bike on one for many hundreds of miles with no
>>difficulty.  A very well made rig.

>Just a question, since a tandem is slightly larger than a Vanagon, what
>you've done, remove both wheels? Put some reflective material on
>wheels?

Just threw it on the rack.  Bungie corded the wheels so they wouldn't
spin.  The wheels did stick out a bit beyond the sides of the van (in
this particular case a Chevy Astro -ugh!) but probably no farther then
the mirrors.  Wasn't a problem for us.  We didn't travel at night so the
thought of reflective material didn't occur to us, probably not a bad
idea though.

Tony

Anthony L. Mourkas
Hampden, Maine, USA
1984 Vanagon Westfalia
1987 Vanagon GL Syncro
1991 Jetta Eco Diesel
1991 Santana Arriva Tandem