getting a bike rack installed

I've had a roof rack on my previous 3 cars and it worked great on all of them.

There was no marring from the feet of the towers, but I do have some marring from the bottom of my fairing which touches the paint.

The fairing has a rubber/foam strip to minimize it though.



Addison_Oaks_Car.jpg
 
Don't forget to factor an additional $2,800 into your roof rack budget. You'll need it the first time you knock your bike off the rack and onto your car by driving into your garage.



Personally, I'd rather take the wheels off and live with scratches intide.



Years ago, a friend put a roof rack on his VW and used it to transport both of our Gios Torino full Campagnolo equipped bikes. I TOLD him he didn't secure the bikes well enough, but noooo, he didn't listen.



As he hit the brakes coming down an off ramp of the Pasadena Freeway, both bikes pivoted on their forks, smashing into the windschield and hood. My bike wasn't damaged but his car needed a new windschiels and hood.



Cram the stupid bike inside the car.
 
I have a hitch mount on my Mustang. Its a convertible so my options were limited. I use one of the Thule flatbed racks. Its awesome.



Personally I would never use a roof rack.. too many horror stories of people driving their cars into the garage with the bikes on top, but thats just me.
 
Frugle said:
so like I said over at the other place..



so okay, I bought the thule, and just now got around to taking pictures.



the way it works I feel very safe... the two peices that touch the car are either rubber, or rubber coated. So I really don't think it will cause anything other than light marring.



the fairing came with some 3M clear bra stuff to put under it to be sure not to scratch your car..





so overall I'm happy and would recomend anyone the Thule roof rack system.
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A fellow Fuji owner, I see. Here's my Fuji



fuji0.jpg




This is my main ride tho.



P3140020.JPG
 
STG said:
Don't forget to factor an additional $2,800 into your roof rack budget. You'll need it the first time you knock your bike off the rack and onto your car by driving into your garage.



Personally, I'd rather take the wheels off and live with scratches intide.



Years ago, a friend put a roof rack on his VW and used it to transport both of our Gios Torino full Campagnolo equipped bikes. I TOLD him he didn't secure the bikes well enough, but noooo, he didn't listen.



As he hit the brakes coming down an off ramp of the Pasadena Freeway, both bikes pivoted on their forks, smashing into the windschield and hood. My bike wasn't damaged but his car needed a new windschiels and hood.



Cram the stupid bike inside the car.
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hmm... that philosophy doesn't make since... I shouldn't ride my bike on the road because I might get hit..



like I said above... put the garage door opener in the trunk so you have to get out to get it (this is fool proof if you live by yourself) But I have my family so they might leave the garage door open... so I always put a string on my steering wheel to remind me the bike is up there...



I always do a retard check when I put my bike up there... I shake the bike, the back wheel strap, and the rack itself to be sure..





it is a 61cm bike, it barely fit with the fron wheel off....
 
So just go to a hitch mount.. they make hitches for everything. There are so many more advantages.



A) The bikes are easier to load (Especially if you have a mountain bike)

B) You can remove the rack when you arent using it.

C) You can drive in the garage without demolishing your bike.
 
sorry, I was a little snappy earlier..



anyways,



a) actually I 100% dissagree, we have a hitch mount on our expedition, and it is actually much harder and more annoying to mount the bikes on.. plus, I can see where the tie downs are damaging the paint on my bike.



B) yeah, but I really don't care.. I use the rack enough to be annoyed by having to remove it



C) yeah but better not close the garage door.... plus you could back into stuff, get rear-ended etc.



D) MUCH MUCH greater chance of theft (my #1 reason)



E) Has been known to cause serious damage to bikes... with a large bike, (like mine) and a back fireing muffler (like mine) I know of at least 3 people I have talked to who melted their wheels from not making sure the bike cleared the muffler.



F) they give your car a saggy butt.



G) My bike is completely secure on my roof, it doesn't move, or weiver at all... .when I put it on the hitch rack, it is bouncing around, the handle bar is spinning.. it just doesn't look secure.



H) they're ugly.
 
JayC, your bike is slightly different on the previous page. Is the previous photo after it went through some upgrades?



BTW, nice bikes everybody. Are you using them this week for Bike to Work week? I commuted today by bike, about 15 miles each way.

Almost got hit by a big yellow schoolbus!
 
JayC said:
A fellow Fuji owner, I see. Here's my Fuji



fuji0.jpg




This is my main ride tho.



P3140020.JPG
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great looking bikes!





What model is the fuji?



I love the way the blue bike looks!



JayC said:
If you use a ghetto rack, I agree. The Thule rack has none of those problems tho and locks.
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okay I see now, you have a single back, bottom mounted hitch... you are right, that one probably won't have the problems I talked about..



but we spent 300 dollars a a nice Thule multi-bike rack... .which is probably near one of the nices you can get...but still has problems.





So you seem to have a high ride hight, is there a reason why you haven't flipped your stem, and bought a new handelbar to make your rides stance a little more agressive? Doing this is actually more comfortable to me...just curious.



so, what are those new wheels? they look good, but I can't read the name.





also , what is the new saddle? it looks like a selle italia.... how are you liking it? I need to replace my stock fuji.
 
The_Terminator said:
JayC, your bike is slightly different on the previous page. Is the previous photo after it went through some upgrades?
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That photo is current. I actually just went outside and snapped it before I left for a ride.



I replaced the Toupe saddle with a Fly Carbon and the previous photo had Neuvation M28 Aero 2 wheels, which have been replaced by Fulcrum 1s.
 
Frugle said:
great looking bikes!





What model is the fuji?
Click to expand...



The Fuji is a 2006 Team Issue that I bought as a frame/fork only and built up with SRAM Rival. In that photo it has Neuvation M28 Aero2 wheels on it but Ive since replaced them with handbuilt Mike Garcia Niobium 30 rims laced to Speedcific hubs. They weigh in at 1520 grams with rim strips.



The wheels on the Blue are Fulcrum 1s, which is essentially Campy selling wheels under another name. They're great wheels.. very stuff laterally.



The saddles on both bikes are Terry Fly Carbons. Not the lightest saddle made but very comfortable. I have a Specialized Toupe on the Blue in the previous photo. I hated it.



The Blue has a neutral stem so flipping it wouldnt do me any good. The Fuji hasnt been off the wall in almost a month. That photo was taken right after it was built. I do need to lower the bars on the Blue but will have to get the fork cut to compensate.



If you do a roof rack, avoid the Yakima.
 
JayC said:
The Fuji is a 2006 Team Issue that I bought as a frame/fork only and built up with SRAM Rival. In that photo it has Neuvation M28 Aero2 wheels on it but Ive since replaced them with handbuilt Mike Garcia Niobium 30 rims laced to Speedcific hubs. They weigh in at 1520 grams with rim strips.



The wheels on the Blue are Fulcrum 1s, which is essentially Campy selling wheels under another name. They're great wheels.. very stuff laterally.



The saddles on both bikes are Terry Fly Carbons. Not the lightest saddle made but very comfortable. I have a Specialized Toupe on the Blue in the previous photo. I hated it.



The Blue has a neutral stem so flipping it wouldnt do me any good. The Fuji hasnt been off the wall in almost a month. That photo was taken right after it was built. I do need to lower the bars on the Blue but will have to get the fork cut to compensate.



If you do a roof rack, avoid the Yakima.
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wow! you have an incredible bike setup!



I don't remeber the team being red.... I thought the 2006s were that ugly black and white thing..



the blue really looks incredible.. nice bike, and nice choice of equipment.



I was actually just about to decide to by the toupe, is there a reason specifically why you didn't like it? or did it just not fit right?





actually, I already bought and installed the roof rack, the picture a couple pages back with the Fuji is mine...and my car... it's a Thule and I really like it.





makes since about the stem... I felt much better after lowing my stance on the fuji.



I'm just a newbie rider... I wish I knew someone like you to learn stuff from... I don't know a single rider in my area... everything i've learned so far (very little) has been from online bike forums.



Frugle said:
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I think the Leopard frames are made at the same factory. I know the RC4 is the same as one of the Leopard frames.. Im not so sure about the RC6.



Frugle, if youre not signed up at BikeForums.Net, you should do it. The road bike section over there is a great source of information. Also, you can find some group rides in Alpharetta.. I know Ive seen people posting in the Southeast section that live there.



Reason I didnt like the Toupe is because Im not a small guy. Im about 220#s and the Toupe puts all your weight right on your sit bones. If you're a small dude, thats cool but when you got a lot of weight there, you get REALLY sore after about 45 minutes.



A lot of people say that saddle breaks in.. Maybe I didnt give it a chance but I didnt take the winter off so Ive been doing metrics most of the year and didnt want to suffer through a bad saddle while I pray it breaks in. Ive been on Flys almost since the beginning and they've always worked. I just switched both bikes to the new Carbon Fly.. I had the black Fly Ti on both bikes before.



Nevermind.. I posted in your Blue thread over there. FYI, if youre interested in a SCREAMING deal on a Fuji Team RC frame, I got an inside line I can hook you up with. Its the exact same frame as the Team Issue, just painted differently.
 
yeap, that was me asking about the Blue.... I am upset with how the Fuji Roubaix has turned out....



I am extremely interested in a deal on a Team... where can I get more info?



ha, I've seen you post a lot over there.. but I never connected the name...



its odd how certain people share the same interest in things...
 
there are advantages and dissadvantges having a roof rack.



If you have more then two bikes loaded then it can increase vehicle's center of gravity significantly - and its likelihood of rolling over as well.
 
The best rack I've ever had is 1UP USA, The absolute best easy to load best design. It fits my road bike, BMX, and my downhill bike no problem even with 2.8 tires.
 
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