# Check your rack straps!



## jizzim (Dec 1, 2006)

Guys, PLEASE check your rubber retaining straps often if you use a rear rack be it hatch or hitch for wear and tear especially if those straps are the primary way for retention.
Long story short the shop that put together my bike was on his way to deliver it to me this morning. The straps broke and my bike hit the freeway at moving speeds. Needless to say a lot of parts were trashed. I'm super pissed and won't be with a bike for a few weeks. :madman: The shop is righting the wrong and will get it back to 100% new shape with new parts. 
I'm not divulging which shop or anything until it's back in my hands and everything is squared away. He was really apologetic about the entire incident. 
This should serve as a reminder to all. 

I died a little on the inside today.


----------



## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

jizzim said:


> Guys, PLEASE check your rubber retaining straps often if you use a rear rack be it hatch or hitch for wear and tear especially if those straps are the primary way for retention.
> Long story short the shop that put together my bike was on his way to deliver it to me this morning. The straps broke and my bike hit the freeway at moving speeds. Needless to say a lot of parts were trashed. I'm super pissed and won't be with a bike for a few weeks. :madman: The shop is righting the wrong and will get it back to 100% new shape with new parts.
> I'm not divulging which shop or anything until it's back in my hands and everything is squared away. He was really apologetic about the entire incident.
> This should serve as a reminder to all.
> ...


Me being paranoid about how my bike goes on a rack, I always used a 'safety strap' of some kind... basically, a loose strap around the bike and the rack in addition to catch the bike if anything fails. Even a cable lock works well for this, as long as there isn't too much slack around it all.


----------



## jizzim (Dec 1, 2006)

Yup and I was surprised he didn't have a back up strap of some sort. I recently went with a hatch rack but specifically chose the Thule Raceway Platform for that reason. It gives the wheels something to rest on along with straps and also there is a clamp that attaches to the top tube or seat post.


----------



## Nods Dad (Jan 28, 2013)

Your LBS Delivers? Wow...Sucks that this happened but it sounds like they go above and beyond in customer service. I think with that kind of service they'll deffinately do the right thing. Keep us posted


----------



## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

I always always always have an extra strap holding my bike to the rack. My friends call me paranoid, I call it piece of mind.

I either use a cheap lashing strap like this that I cut short:









or I use plastic covered wires like this:









Either works super.

I have a Honda CR-V with a tire on the back, and I usually put my bikes on the roof, but for my fatbike and my cargo bike, they go on a Thule spare tire rack- which I absolutely do not trust, lol. They say they have a 70 lb weight limit but the hardware just makes me nervous. So when I use it, I string a 15 foot NRS strap up and around the rear crossbar, and then down and around the bike's top tube, and I tension it slightly to take some weight off the tire rack.


----------



## fondoo (Sep 5, 2012)

i lost my 2013 cannondale trail sl2 because the rubber straps popped off on the highway. i turned around to pick my bike up and the bike was gone.


----------



## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

That's the other thing- with those straps if you are not paying attention and make them too tight, they can pop open. A lot of rack designs that go over the wheel or grab the frame can also come loose as the bike "settles" after you are driving for a bit. With that said I still use these racks, I just know they have their potential issues.


----------



## nemebean (Feb 20, 2012)

All the extra straps in the world won't help if you make my mistake: I put my bike on the rack (just sitting there, no straps) and got a phone call. Took the call then drove off with the bike just sitting unsecured on the rack. Somehow, and I will never understand this, it survived the highway trip to my family's house and didn't fall off until I hit a stop sign in town. It fell off and hit my hitch (I was camping) which bent my big ring and dinged up a few other things. If it had happened on the highway I'd have been shopping for a new bike. As it was I straightened the big ring and everything was fine. Phew.


----------



## jizzim (Dec 1, 2006)

I know this isn't related to the rack issue but I did hear back from the LBS owner. I'm sure he can get dealer pricing but based on retail pricing alone, it's going to cost about $1000 give or take to get the bike back to brand new condition. OUCH. Costly mistake..


----------



## Zomby Woof (MCM700) (May 23, 2004)

Well, I'm using an old Rhode Gear Super Cycle Shuttle (18 yrs old) to haul my 14 y.o Cannondale. I never had a problem. My bike is always secured. Here's some pictures of how its secured to my car:
This shot you can see how it's strapped to the carrier including the anti-sway strap. I bought new straps a few years ago as the originals were cracking with age:


You can also see the additional strap that goes through the bike frame, front wheel and around the carrier:

It's securely strapped to the car. The front wheel is right up against the bumper, so I squeezed a piece of foam in there to protect the bumper. And I always check to see how solid it feels before I drive away.


----------



## VTSession (Aug 18, 2005)

pimpbot said:


> Me being paranoid about how my bike goes on a rack, I always used a 'safety strap' of some kind... basically, a loose strap around the bike and the rack in addition to catch the bike if anything fails. Even a cable lock works well for this, as long as there isn't too much slack around it all.


I do the same thing when my bike(s) are on my roof rack. I've always got a cable lock so if they rack fails, it'll still be dangling by my roof rack mostly unscathed. It'll scratch the **** out of my car's paint, but the bike will be ok


----------

