Idea to protect bike top tube and paint from trunk bike racks.
#1
Schwinn Discovery
Thread Starter
Idea to protect bike top tube and paint from trunk bike racks.
Wrap a plastic freezer bag around the top tube before placing bicycle on car trunk carrier. The plastic protective bags should be at each point where the carrier straps secure the bicycle by the top tube. Make sure the protective bag is threaded between any exposed top brake cable and the top of the bike's frame. This should protect bike frame from scratches and chaffing at the points where the bicycle is secured by the carrier. When you tighten the bike carrier straps, you don't want the bare brake cable to press into the top tube's paint thus scratching it. If you have a more elegant solution for this purpose, please let me know.
#2
Senior Member
Pool noodle or pipe insulation...
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#4
#5
They make these translucent looking 'cable liners' which are like cable housing, but slimmer. That would be the best way to prevent the cable from rubbing against the top tube.
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#6
Clark W. Griswold
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Don't worry about it, I don't on any bikes of mine and wouldn't except maybe on my Phil Wood Apple VeloXS bike but that is a rare bike and has more value to me than even my more expensive bikes. Someone asked me would I sell it and I said "yes for 1 million dollars" and they looked at me and I said "I don't want to sell it won't be able to get another one and even if it is my least ridden bike I still wouldn't get rid of it" I wish I could get the same bike in the right geometry for me but Phil Wood only made a handful of these bikes and Apple has a new logo and while I can paint whatever I want on whatever frame I want it won't be the same and won't have the provenance and I don't like fakes. That was a long rant, sorry.
Anywho don't worry about it if you are damaging your bikes paint you need to be more careful or get racks that don't cause damage. Or just don't worry especially on a bike like that but any bike really unless it is some rare paint job or something super delicate but that you could touch up with black nail polish easily if you had to.
Anywho don't worry about it if you are damaging your bikes paint you need to be more careful or get racks that don't cause damage. Or just don't worry especially on a bike like that but any bike really unless it is some rare paint job or something super delicate but that you could touch up with black nail polish easily if you had to.
#7
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#8
Senior Member
Wrap a plastic freezer bag around the top tube before placing bicycle on car trunk carrier. The plastic protective bags should be at each point where the carrier straps secure the bicycle by the top tube. Make sure the protective bag is threaded between any exposed top brake cable and the top of the bike's frame. This should protect bike frame from scratches and chaffing at the points where the bicycle is secured by the carrier. When you tighten the bike carrier straps, you don't want the bare brake cable to press into the top tube's paint thus scratching it. If you have a more elegant solution for this purpose, please let me know.
#9
52psi
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Solution in search of a problem.
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
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#10
Sunshine
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Just wrap a small towel around the tube and push it between the brake cable and frame to eliminate cable rub.
...or am I misunderstanding the issue? I may not understand the issue since I dont see why there are rubber bands and a bungee in one of the pics.
...or am I misunderstanding the issue? I may not understand the issue since I dont see why there are rubber bands and a bungee in one of the pics.
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#11
Senior Member
I bought some black vinyl wrap to hide some "issues" on one of my cars and wound up using the extra material in a variety of ways. Wrapping the top tube would fit right in with those uses.
It comes in many different colors so you might be able to get a good match for most any color.
It comes in many different colors so you might be able to get a good match for most any color.
#13
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I recommend EPDM closed cell foam pipe insulation
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbin...298-c-8589.htm
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbin...298-c-8589.htm
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#14
Same here !!
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#17
Senior Member
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#18
Junior Member
I installed the 3M clear tape all over my mountain bike. Built it in 2013 and the frame still looks like it's only a couple years old.
#19
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I used a hanging rack on my old CRV for 13 years. Several summers I spent on the road driving across the US with my bikes basically living on the racks, traveling tens of thousands of miles over that time.
Never used anything to protect the frames. I did always secure the bikes so as not to let them swing or shift in the cradles.
Steel, Al, CF frames.
No noticeable scratching or scuffing.
Never used anything to protect the frames. I did always secure the bikes so as not to let them swing or shift in the cradles.
Steel, Al, CF frames.
No noticeable scratching or scuffing.
#20
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I'm not sure what trunk rack you're using, but the racks I've had all protected the bike with rubber padding. My sister's, OTOH, is basically metal rods. An upgrade to the rack might be a better option (that isn't subject to forgetting to "pad" the bike, or the plastic wearing off).
#21
I put brake cable liner on all exposed cable runs on all of my bikes. Easypeasy, cheap, lasts forever far as I know.
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#23
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I used to do the same thing, but with a bandana instead of plastic bags. Now I have a bigger car and just put the bike on the back seat.
#25
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I use an old Rhode Gear trunk rack. Various reasons that is the solution that works best for me. The rack has rubber mount points and rubber straps. I have a strip of soft fabric tied to each of the two mount points that wraps around the top tube, under the rubber strap. Thick fleece or flannel would work. I have some soft felt that came on a bike we unpacked and built at the LBS.
Also, I only use this rack for local trips. For long road trips I put the bike in the car. I don’t like the idea of the bike being sandblasted for hours on the interstate.
Also, I only use this rack for local trips. For long road trips I put the bike in the car. I don’t like the idea of the bike being sandblasted for hours on the interstate.