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Does carbon frame really crack on Thule hang rack


Purnjap

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Hi

 

I have a new Thule hang rack on my car (which means three bikes hang from it as opposed to standing on a platform) and am getting a carbon frame - does anyone here actually know someone who's carbon frame cracked because he had it on a hanging bike rack or is that just an old wive's tale? Because I dont particularly want to sell the fairly new thule just to get a different kind of more expensive one because the frame Might crack...

 

thnks

 
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Surely if the bike is secured on the hanger, and tied down so it cant swing around there should not be a problem. If the bike cant move, whats the difference between the rack and a wall hanger.

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Surely if the bike is secured on the hanger' date=' and tied down so it cant swing around there should not be a problem. If the bike cant move, whats the difference between the rack and a wall hanger. [/quote']

 

 

 

The wall is not travelling @ 120km/h...   smiley36.gif

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Surely if the bike is secured on the hanger' date=' and tied down so it cant swing around there should not be a problem. If the bike cant move, whats the difference between the rack and a wall hanger. [/quote']

The wall is not travelling @ 120km/h...   smiley36.gif

Neither the Hanger. LOL
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Hey Velouria

 

It was the salesman at Thule that said that when he sold it to me (at the time I had aluminium frame), but when I asked a chap at Cyclelab whether its true, he said he has never heard of that happening. Hence my confusion, was the salesman only trying to make a bigger sale or has the guy at cyclelab just not gotten around enough (they are so young these cyclelab lads)...
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Havent had that problem before, and used the Thule. However. It gives the max speed rating of 120km/h. Stick to that. I was running late to a ride, and did 100 and plenty, the whole carrier shifted on the ball bashing the fork of the bike into my bumper, not cool!

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I can't see a problem using these carriers for a carbon frame.  The clamps are positioned so close to the head tube and seat tube that there should be more than enough support.  I did some research on the net some time back and never found one incidence of damage caused by the carrier.  In fact I never found a direct reference to damage caused by the older single clamp top tube carriers either - but there was a lot of speculation and hearsay and I wouldn't use one for my bike.  Most of the frame damage I came across was caused by roof mounted carriers driven under obstacles and into covered carparks.

 

I think a point to note is that the carrier can move indepently of the car body so make sure that any means used to secure the bike attaches to the carrier and not the car.

 

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Hey Velouria

 

 

It was the salesman at Thule that said that when he sold it to me (at the time I had aluminium frame)' date=' but when I asked a chap at Cyclelab whether its true, he said he has never heard of that happening. Hence my confusion, was the salesman only trying to make a bigger sale or has the guy at cyclelab just not gotten around enough (they are so young these cyclelab lads)...
[/quote']

 

I can't believe that a sales man at cycle lab wouldn't have jumped at the opportunity to rip you of with the bigger (MUCH more expensive) carrier!

 

He must have been out of stock.

 

Cyclelab, let us take you for a ride!

knievel2010-03-05 01:23:26

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i personally wouldnt put any carbon frame on a hanging rack, after seeing what just a water bottle did to my mates frame (wore through it, and a water bottle is pretty much secured), i would be hesitant to have any kind of friction or constant pressure on one point of the frame. 

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i personally wouldnt put any carbon frame on a hanging rack' date=' after seeing what just a water bottle did to my mates frame (wore through it, and a water bottle is pretty much secured), i would be hesitant to have any kind of friction or constant pressure on one point of the frame.  [/quote'] Dammit...just when the other okes had me reassured, along comes you! LOL

What kinda waterbottle was it, one of those metal ones the recces used in Angola?

What if I put clothe around the frame where it could possible touch another bike or the carrier?
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In the older bike racks like the Geoffs and Bike Caddys where they clamp on the frame I can see it a problem but the new ones where there is a strap that goes around the tubing there should not be a problem. Just turn your handles and tie it to the rack arm and the frame should stop swinging. Also remember to remove the wheel that hangs over the exhaust otherwise you will loose a tyre.

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You can minimise the rubbing by securing the bike properly so that it doesn't swing on the rack. You should really do this anyway, regardless of the type of bike.

 

The one thing that might be more likely to damage a carbon frame than a metal one is the clamp itself. Just make sure you don't tighten it like a gorilla and you should be fine, though.

 

Edit: I see Mampara beat me to it.

 

Edman2010-03-05 01:55:28

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i wouldnt use a hanging rack...... not with a carbon frame.

you have the swinging and shifting of the bike on the hanger.

ok so you tie it down... but are you sure it wont move.

then you have g-forces......huh

think about it your bike rack is way behind the wheel of your car. then you go over a big bump in the road. your car lurches.. but what is happening to your bike as it bounced up ad down.

just my 2 cents worth...

 

 

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Plastic bike! hehee...and I am only buying the thing this wknd, stop scaring me! Smile Since not a single reply actually said "my bike cracked due to hang rack", I am going to go with Mampara/Edman's advice and just secure it properly. Although the G-force guy is scaring me...

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