Two Fridays on a car's trunk rack

[Frank Krygowski]

OK, I know they fold, but I've got to carry two NWTs on a car's trunk rack.

The total load is two adults, two kids in car seats, two kids bikes, two adult NWTs, plus a backpack or two. The folded Fridays will not fit in the hatchback's cargo space, but the the kids' bikes will. I've got a trunk rack for the car.

One attempt at hanging the NWTs from the rack's arms was scary. It worked for a short 3 mile test, but the NWTs were very high, they wanted to topple, and one rack arm was within millimeters of the front derailleur. (As a bonus, one of the rack's lower straps somehow came unhooked.)

I'm thinking I need something like these "frame adapters"

https://www.bikenashbar.com/cycling/accessories/racks/nashbar-deluxe-frame-adapter-bn-fra-base

but I'd like the crowd's wisdom on how well it's likely to work. Any tips?

- Frank Krygowski

[John Thurston]

On 5/6/2018 9:43 AM, 'Frank Krygowski' via Bike Friday Yak! wrote:
> OK, I know they fold, but I've got to carry two NWTs on a car's trunk rack.

> - snip -

> I'm thinking I need something like these "frame adapters"
> https://www.bikenashbar.com/cycling/accessories/racks/nashbar-deluxe-frame-adapter-bn-fra-base

If you gotta use a two-arm trunk-rack, then a product like this is going
to be your best bet. Be careful it doesn't put a wheel in the exhaust
stream (BOOM! Is that the voice of experience I hear?).

Friday-specific note: A product like this is going to produce tension
between the seatpost and steering mast. Which means, it is going to try
to fold your seat mast forward. I suspect the clamp is strong enough to
keep the back end of the bike in place, but I'm a "belt and suspender"
guy and recommend a "safety chain". I'd run a strap or cord between the
seat and the rear axle on each bike. If the frame's quick release did
vibrate loose, at least the rear triangle wouldn't then swing down and
be ripped off when it hit the pavement.



(Unsolicited three-word closing: Yakima roof rack)

--
John Thurston
Juneau, Alaska

[Paul Webb]

Hi Frank,

When I have used a hatch-mounted rear rack, I have put the Pocket Rocket on it with the bike folded.  This reduces the amount of movement that it produces in the rack.  I probably used a toe-strap to keep the bike folded.  Looking at photos of the trip, it looks like I put the front wheel inside the car, which would have given more freedom to turn the handlebars in order to get the best position.  This worked for a two-week trip around New Zealand.

Paul.

[Eric Schneider]

NWTs don't work well on a rear rack.

-sometimes I have loaded NWTs upside down;

-I am curious about how upright racks, that hold bikes via the wheels/tires, rather than the frame, work with the small tire bikes--something like this:

NV 2.0

NV 2.0 NV 2.0

Eric Schneider

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[Pat Reaves]

I use a bike rack similar to this one https://hollywoodracks.com/collections/bike-rack-hitch/products/sport-rider-2-bike-hitch-rack?variant=15862462726 with two NWTs.  The only trick is making sure the derailer is outside the wheel platforms.  Otherwise it works fine.  I have seen some hitch racks with smaller platforms that would be better suited for the NWTs.

[Geof Gee]

When using a rack, we mount the Bike Fridays upside down.

-G

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