Idea to protect bike top tube and paint from trunk bike racks.
11-02-23, 10:35 AM
#1
Schwinn Discovery
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Lawton, Oklahoma
Posts: 159
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 212 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
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.
Likes For wheelreason:
Likes For Pratt:
11-02-23, 03:49 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,249
Mentioned: 211 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18422 Post(s)
Liked 15,570 Times
in
7,335 Posts
11-02-23, 03:52 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,395
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1562 Post(s)
Liked 1,734 Times
in
974 Posts
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.
Likes For icemilkcoffee:
11-02-23, 10:27 PM
#6
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,527
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4357 Post(s)
Liked 3,995 Times
in
2,666 Posts
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.
11-02-23, 11:29 PM
#7
Senior Member
Likes For Canker:
11-03-23, 09:28 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 982
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 506 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 639 Times
in
357 Posts
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.
11-03-23, 12:13 PM
#9
52psi
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 4,015
Bikes: Schwinn Volare ('78); Raleigh Competition GS ('79)
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 790 Post(s)
Liked 802 Times
in
391 Posts
Solution in search of a problem.
__________________
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
Likes For Fahrenheit531:
11-03-23, 01:30 PM
#10
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,614
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10965 Post(s)
Liked 7,492 Times
in
4,189 Posts
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.
Likes For mstateglfr:
11-03-23, 01:45 PM
#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.
11-03-23, 02:33 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,887
Mentioned: 38 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6972 Post(s)
Liked 10,968 Times
in
4,692 Posts
11-03-23, 03:01 PM
#13
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,516
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2747 Post(s)
Liked 3,401 Times
in
2,058 Posts
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
Likes For dedhed:
11-03-23, 07:36 PM
#14
Newbie
Same here !!
Likes For Billlyy:
11-04-23, 09:44 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,619
Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1069 Post(s)
Liked 788 Times
in
505 Posts
Likes For Mtracer:
11-12-23, 05:59 PM
#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.
11-12-23, 08:37 PM
#19
Advanced Slacker
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,210
Bikes: Soma Fog Cutter, Surly Wednesday, Canfielld Tilt
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2762 Post(s)
Liked 2,537 Times
in
1,433 Posts
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.
11-13-23, 08:12 AM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,904
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2604 Post(s)
Liked 1,933 Times
in
1,213 Posts
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).
Likes For prj71:
11-15-23, 01:46 PM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Norman, OK
Posts: 837
Bikes: Casati Laser, Colnago Tecnos, Ciöcc Exige, Black Mountain Cycles Road
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 129 Post(s)
Liked 177 Times
in
78 Posts
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.
11-15-23, 02:04 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 2,301
Bikes: yes, i have one
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1138 Post(s)
Liked 1,182 Times
in
687 Posts
Better solution right here.
11-16-23, 07:11 AM
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Near Pottstown, PA: 30 miles NW of Philadelphia
Posts: 2,186
Bikes: 2 Trek Mtn, Cannondale R600 road, 6 vintage road bikes
Mentioned: 83 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 472 Post(s)
Liked 1,028 Times
in
404 Posts
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.
