# 1Up USA Tandem rack



## mhopton (Nov 27, 2005)

This past spring I purchased a 1Up rack to use with my single bikes and in the process of purchasing, I contacted Rob, Owner of 1Up, to find out if there was a way to modify the rack for use with a tandem on the rear of the car. 1Up already has a roof mounted tandem rack, but at 5'9", I don't see how we could possible get a tandem on the roof of our Expedition. Plus, we wanted to use the rack on our other vehicle, too.

As it turns out, 1Up sells a wider center plate (called a 15deg plate) designed to space the wheel trays further out. I ordered one and after receiving, turned one of my existing trays into a tandem specific rack. A nice feature is the multiple mounting holes to allow you to space the wheel trays apart at different distances based upon length of wheelbase. In the case of a 29'r Fandango, it requires the trays at the widest mounting location.

Installation was simple enough and with the tandem mounted, there is some movement fore/aft of the bike. I solved that with a long ratchet strap looped around the seat/top-tube junction and down to the hitch and then cinched it tight. This eliminated any and all movement. As for width, the wheels are about as wide as the mirrors, maybe slightly wider. I've noticed no issues with the width while going down the road.

Loading is quick and easy when compared to removing the front wheel and putting inside the Expedition. For our trip down to FL last week, it made sense to put the tandem inside the car to maintain gas mileage, etc. Overall, for local trips of 2-3 hours or less, it is a great option for quick and easy loading and transporting.

If you are interested in this option, you need the 1Up quick rack and a long 15deg plate. The extra long plate cost $65.

Attaching the long 15deg plate.









Time for a test fit.









On the road.


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## Scott In MD (Sep 28, 2008)

Helpful. +rep for you, bro.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

That looks like it would work for a long-wheelbase cargobike (like the Big Dummy) too. Is it on their webpage, or do you need to call to ask about it?


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## JAvendan (Jan 27, 2013)

Wow, that's crazy!!!

And, I'm glad it works for you. 

I have a single tray and I'm thinking about getting another tray. 

If I got tandem I would get the tandem tray and put it on my room... I have a '12 Outback 

Still kinda high but I have a step stool in the back!

The Outback is too narrow I would think. 

Joel


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## JAvendan (Jan 27, 2013)

Wow, that's crazy!!!

And, I'm glad it works for you. 

I have a single tray and I'm thinking about getting another tray. 

If I got tandem I would get the tandem tray and put it on my room... I have a '12 Outback 

Still kinda high but I have a step stool in the back!

The Outback is too narrow I would think. 

Oh, and thanks for the pic!

Joel


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## mhopton (Nov 27, 2005)

evandy said:


> That looks like it would work for a long-wheelbase cargobike (like the Big Dummy) too. Is it on their webpage, or do you need to call to ask about it?


I believe you need to call and request the long 15deg plate.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## gm1230126 (Nov 4, 2005)

Looks to be illegal in almost every state judging by the width past the fender wells. I know for sure I'd get stopped.


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## mhopton (Nov 27, 2005)

gm1230126 said:


> Looks to be illegal in almost every state judging by the width past the fender wells. I know for sure I'd get stopped.


In that case, I'd suggest that you use the roof rack version. On my expedition, it is only as wide as the mirrors. 








Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## Ciclistagonzo (Dec 10, 2001)

gm1230126 said:


> Looks to be illegal in almost every state judging by the width past the fender wells. I know for sure I'd get stopped.


That's a common misconception about legal width. At least here in California, the Code reads...

GENERAL RULE

35100. (a) The total outside width of any vehicle or its load shall not exceed 102 inches.
I know my ECDM 26" is right about 98" wide. So not sure where the 29'er Tandems end up at but probably squeak in the "legal" width.


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## gm1230126 (Nov 4, 2005)

Yeah by that camera angle it maybe only as wide as your mirror, wanna use my glasses. I promise you in most states all it's going to take is one squad car to follow you and you will be putting it on top before rolling again and you'll also have an early Christmas card in your wallet that will cost you a good portion of your Christmas shopping budget. I see it sticking at least four inches past yuor mirror and maybe six if you use a tape to check it. I've been pulled over with trunk mount ski racks with the ski bag only hanging out three inches past the side of the rear quarter panel. You've been warned. You might get by with one of those "wide load" banners across the front and cherries on top. Face it bud you get even close to the center line and you're hanging over in the other lane. What about cyclists you'll be passing on the road. They are going to love you brushing by.


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## eischman (Apr 5, 2005)

I would not feel comfortable with that width. I would think you could get a much better fit with the front wheel off and the fork mounted. I love these type of racks and it would beat the hell out of hoisting it to the top of my honda element after a long ride and few beers


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

gm1230126 said:


> You've been warned.


Ease up, chief. Don't let Ciclistagonzo's facts get in the way of your rant.


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## Subyroo651 (Jun 22, 2010)

This made me LOL, I would never dream of having that hanging off the back of any vehicle. I m sure the OP will get away with it but that sure seems like a poor idea from the start.


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## gm1230126 (Nov 4, 2005)

Time to start a pool on whether he gets pulled over. Who's holding the money. I say he get's caught within the first 50 miles with a bike on it. Not because I don't like it but because it's illegal and in these days of tight state and local budgets the authorities are just looking for something like this to ticket.


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## mhopton (Nov 27, 2005)

You guys are something else. Isn't the internets a wonderful place? 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## rbs (Sep 30, 2008)

I've run ours across the back of my Dakota since I got it. I'm way more concerned about a ticket for an obstructed plate than I am about load width. Harmonized regulations usually state 8'6" (2.6m) as the vehicle or _load_ limit. By your reasoning any single behind a Smart car would net a ticket.

Edit:

By sticking fenders into my Google search, I do see a number of state laws that specifically reference the fenders of the vehicle, after telling me what the load limit is.

Vehicle Widths
e.g. 35111. No passenger vehicle shall be operated on any highway with any load extending beyond the line of the fenders on its left side or more than six inches beyond the line of the fenders on its right side.

That rule gets broken _a lot_.


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

gm1230126 said:


> Time to start a pool on whether he gets pulled over. Who's holding the money. I say he get's caught within


Quit trolling the Tandem forum.


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## Trails4Two (May 12, 2008)

Our friend has been running one of these on her older Subie Forrester for over a year with no issues (legal ones, anyhow). It works great for her since she rides with her son.


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## WesleyEng.com (Jul 9, 2013)




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## mr_reality (Jun 25, 2013)

I am really interested in doing the same setup. I have a dodge 2500 so I know it won't go out past my mirrors. Now that you have had it for a while would you purchase it again?


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## mtnbikej (Sep 6, 2001)

We took a wheel tray from a Thule T2, cut it in half, then spliced in a 33" section of raw stock. Then welded it to a piece of 2" stock to mount it. It sits up tight against the bumper.

Our tandem measures out at 8'6" knob to knob. It does hang past the mirrors by about 1" on both sides.


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## DrMarkR (Apr 18, 2013)




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## mtnbikej (Sep 6, 2001)

It does look way worse in the pics than it does in person.


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## laksboy (Sep 4, 2007)

Super Sketch. I would never drive down the road with that much overhang. I cut too many corners. I roll with a Recon Rack and my ECDM hanging at a 45 degree angle. On their 6x rack, I can easily get 1 tandem and 2 single bikes.

Recon Rack Co


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## laksboy (Sep 4, 2007)

A picture from my files from a bad angle. The rack is at it's lowest height setting so only has 1 extra bike on it, but if I jack it up, there is room for at least 1 more bike without dragging the tandem.


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## mtbmxer (Jun 23, 2009)

View attachment TandemRack3.pdf
View attachment TandemRack4.pdf


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## Darth Lefty (Sep 29, 2014)

^^^ That's a good solution. I have a hanging rack and put the tandem on it, and turn the bars. The balance point keeps the rear in a bit more, and the front handlebar hanging off winds up no wider than and about the same height as the mirrors.


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## rbs (Sep 30, 2008)

*Why didn't I think of that?*



mtbmxer said:


> View attachment 1163840


I had considered something like this but I had been thinking of attaching the fork mount to the wheel tray and that would require an extension. Your solution solves that neatly.

Unfortunately, the MTB tandem has a 20mm through axle. I do not want to be undoing the 4 fixing bolts for the axle (there's a long story involving a torque wrench and a broken fork). For that reason I disassembled the 1Up add-on tray and bolted the wheel trays to a piece of 2.5" electrical mast. Using a tube makes it far less susceptible to twisting. I still used a tie-down strap to stabilize for a long trip.









I used 6 of these clamps - two are facing down and are used to clamp to the roof bars.
Four face up - 2 are used to bolt the trays to, and the other two are just to support the unbolted end of the tray.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

I can tell you this works much better..








than this.








My shoulders are super wide and still fit just fine..


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## TandemBear (Aug 18, 2013)

patineto said:


> I can tell you this works much better..
> View attachment 1238390
> 
> 
> ...


Looking good! I can't imagine there are many motos in the US, or world for that matter, than can transport a tandem.

Setting the bar pretty high!

Hope you're well.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

TandemBear said:


> Looking good! I can't imagine there are many motos in the US, or world for that matter, than can transport a tandem.
> 
> Setting the bar pretty high!
> 
> Hope you're well.


Tandem I think I'm the only dummy (and used to live in San Francisco and lane split like crazy

But after 25 years that I build my first bicycle rack many people have implement their on versions

As many pictures as I have found plus some of my other rack projects

https://patineto.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Bike-Rack-loads


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## TandemBear (Aug 18, 2013)

patineto said:


> Tandem I think I'm the only dummy (and used to live in San Francisco and lane split like crazy
> 
> But after 25 years that I build my first bicycle rack many people have implement their on versions
> 
> ...


See my PM. And I just found my PM from you in '14 and realize I DID know where you relocated to.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

TandemBear said:


> See my PM. And I just found my PM from you in '14 and realize I DID know where you relocated to.


First move to Salt Lake City fory wife's work and now I'm stranded in Minneapolis sadly getting divorse

The magic of the motorcycles is the "lane sharing" with out that in many cases they don't make that much sense

Well if you ever visit the Bay Area you can understand is like moving on melazas the motorcycle becomes a turkey knife that cuts the traffic right in half

Can you guys see the link...??

https://patineto.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Bike-Rack-loads


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## TandemBear (Aug 18, 2013)

patineto said:


> First move to Salt Lake City fory wife's work and now I'm stranded in Minneapolis sadly getting divorse
> 
> The magic of the motorcycles is the "lane sharing" with out that in many cases they don't make that much sense
> 
> ...


Oh boy, the Twin City(ies)? Sounds cold! Sorry to hear about the life upheaval, so good luck. I hope it means more time on two wheels!

Yes, enjoyed the link and pics. Thanks.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

TandemBear said:


> Oh boy, the Twin City(ies)? Sounds cold! Sorry to hear about the life upheaval, so good luck. I hope it means more time on two wheels!
> 
> Yes, enjoyed the link and pics. Thanks.


Sadly not

Live is kind of strange I have fallen a million times with out much harm

In 2015 I Slid on black ice and broke my back in pieces (was that or killing my one year old if I feel in top of her)

So not much of everything for now on with half my back fused

What can I say, appreciate every day you live as the last one

And thanks for the wonderful words


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## TandemBear (Aug 18, 2013)

patineto said:


> Sadly not
> 
> Live is kind of strange I have fallen a million times with out much harm
> 
> ...


You're very welcome. So sorry to hear about the crash and your back injuries. That's very unfortunate to hear. But so glad you were able to spare your little one in the fall.

Yes, we must indeed appreciate every day. I hope you have found alternative ways to do that. With your creative abilities, I'm sure there are many, many avenues for you to pursue that your repaired back can handle.

Please be well, my friend. And next time you're in town, please track me down!

Best to you!


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