# Any bike issues caused by prolonged tailgate shuttling?



## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Every weekend, my big bike spends at least 70 miles hung over the tailgate of my truck. Have you ever experienced or heard of problems caused by this? My bike is my baby, and I would really like to avoid any issues.

I appreciate your thoughts/advice.


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## Nut! (Nov 2, 2007)

No.


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

I've heard of dented down tubes on very bumpy roads but have yet to see one in person. Just add an extra blanket/towel underneath the pickup pad and you'll be fine. That's how I use mine, no problems.


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## turnerbikes (Apr 12, 2004)

*bungee*

put a bungee cord from the front wheel to the bumper so it does not get bounced up high and then slammed on the tail gate. Using a good pad probably helps but why chance it if shuttling dirt roads.

DT


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## latedropbob (Aug 6, 2007)

Wear on the downtube from sliding back and forth on tailgate. Use 3m tape, body panel tape or helicopter leading edge tape to save your frame...


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## ustemuf (Oct 12, 2009)

Nut! said:


> No.


You are wrong.

If I don't put a towel under my Demo when I'm shuttling with my truck, sooner or later it's going to wear through the metal.

It already wore through the plastic 3M clear protection film, and through all the paint.

The foam is completely worn out where the bike is shuttled at.

I've heard of Trek down tubes being dented by shuttles, but haven't heard of other frames doing it.

You are smart by being pro-active about protecting the frame.. you should most definitely put some extra padding between the bike and tailgate (even with a Dakine pad), and also use a bungee to keep the bike down and in place.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

I've been using a really thick moving blanket and am noticing just a little paint wear. I'll hopefully have the Dakine pad by the end of the summer. 

My concern was with something happening with the headset. Most of our bikes are bulletproof but I just want to make sure I'm not ruining anything. My "local" trails are 35 miles away.


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## Berkley (May 21, 2007)

Bungee it down. I believe there was a thread a while back about a cracked frame, resulting from down tube damage.


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## mtbnozpikr (Sep 1, 2008)

In my experience on my Yeti I had issues with the paint wearing off not due to the tailgate necessarily but the cable/brake line routing underneath the down tube. Also my friend (bought my Yeti) just got a kinked hydraulic line from it.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Hmm... Giant loves their bottom of the downtube cabling. I may need to do some rerouting. Kinked hydraulic lines doesn't sound fun.


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## mtbnozpikr (Sep 1, 2008)

PeytonP said:


> Hmm... Giant loves their bottom of the downtube cabling. I may need to do some rerouting. Kinked hydraulic lines doesn't sound fun.


I had a kinked line for other reasons (idiot who loaded the bikes didn't care and kinked mine on another bike's bars or something) but my friend who I sold the Yeti to was not happy to put it lightly. In my opinion it's not worth it so I load the bikes in the back of my truck standing up and use tie downs to keep them stable (2 per bike).


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## Bollucks (Jan 11, 2008)

Never had any issues with my m9. That said i use a soft blanket directly on the tailgate covered by a big piece of shag carpet. Shuttled it well over 500 miles to sea otter with no issues. I do also run frame defender on my downtube with is basically the same material as a surfboard traction pad. A full kits like 25 bucks and works amazing to protect against rocky trails


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## gretch (Aug 27, 2010)

I zip tied a piece of hard plastic from an old stanchion guard to my downtube where it would make contact with the tailgate... completely protects the frame no matter the conditions.


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## Gman086 (Jul 4, 2004)

PeytonP said:


> Hmm... Giant loves their bottom of the downtube cabling. I may need to do some rerouting. Kinked hydraulic lines doesn't sound fun.


That's what turned me off of getting a Faith. Hope they get their heads out of their asses one of these dayz!

Have FUN!

G MAN


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## pedal2 (Oct 22, 2011)

Did it for a while, no major issues, but do it right:

-Use a tie-down strap to minimize bouncing and sliding
-Use a thick pad like the softride. If in doubt, add a blanket - more padding can never hurt. Here's a new one coming out soon that looks pretty plush: ShuttleNuts | Bike Rack Systems
-Protect your downtube from rubbing (the pad and tie-down should ward off dents fine) - 3m tape, electrical tape, etc - just keep in mind the laws of physics apply - it needs to be softer than your paint, or it will rub (no hard plastic). No issues here with bottom routing, just keep it secure with a zip tie if your frame doesn't have the little clamps.
-Only rubber should touch your bumper - make sure your spokes, discs, and fork knobs aren't riding on your bumper. I nearly tore the lowers off my fork one time because it was riding on the knob on the bottom.

Even with these precautions the pad will likely rub the tailgate after a while. I'm sure you could do something about that, but if you're going to be doing this a lot better to break down and buy a proper rack. If you scan CL you can pick up a nice rack like a Thule T2 used for cheap.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

I have had bikes fall off going up real steep dirt roads with huge ruts while driving 50mph and heavy use of tequila and beer at RBR


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## General Havoc (Mar 28, 2007)

Of course you realize that there is a 42% chance that 16% of the 95%ers will have a 13% chance of issues related to the prolonged extension of the fork and front wheel with gravity providing a 32 lbs per square inch pressure in the nemo-thorax region of the psyudo hacknied bung-fish buschings and that can in turn cause a sever case of the wheel-slung bushing depression that will at some point in time cause issues with the lower half of the upper bushing housing and muphlur bearings that will be constantly rotated by the constant downward pressure on the upward hanging bottom of the sphinter clincher stack.

I mean, you understand the importance of all that, right?


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## Iggz (Nov 22, 2006)

If you can try to get a thick shipping mat. 

Never ever had a problem and the mat is so thick that the bikes get stuck in place on the Dakine pad


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## azdog (Nov 16, 2004)

Bikes usually get assaulted in the back of my truck from moving around on bumpy shuttle roads.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

General Havoc said:


> Of course you realize that there is a 42% chance that 16% of the 95%ers will have a 13% chance of issues related to the prolonged extension of the fork and front wheel with gravity providing a 32 lbs per square inch pressure in the nemo-thorax region of the psyudo hacknied bung-fish buschings and that can in turn cause a sever case of the wheel-slung bushing depression that will at some point in time cause issues with the lower half of the upper bushing housing and muphlur bearings that will be constantly rotated by the constant downward pressure on the upward hanging bottom of the sphinter clincher stack.
> 
> I mean, you understand the importance of all that, right?


You win, sir. I don't know what you win, but you win.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Thanks for all of the good advice. I'm always hesitant to go for a hitch mounted rack because I don't like the idea of my bike hanging out for anyone to tag during a rear-ending or stupid driving. I just feel like the bike is more secure from people and road grime in the bed or at least over the tailgate.

I mentioned before that I've been looking at the Dakine pad, though the thick shipping blankets I've been using have held the bike in place well.

Have any of you used a bike shuttling-specific pad that you like more than another? I looked at Dakine just because that's what I usually see, but I'm obviously open to suggestions.


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## irishpitbull (Sep 29, 2011)

Drove to pisgah and back with my bikes (1500 miles) over the tallgate. No problems.


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

PeytonP said:


> Thanks for all of the good advice. I'm always hesitant to go for a hitch mounted rack because I don't like the idea of my bike hanging out for anyone to tag during a rear-ending or stupid driving. I just feel like the bike is more secure from people and road grime in the bed or at least over the tailgate.
> 
> I mentioned before that I've been looking at the Dakine pad, though the thick shipping blankets I've been using have held the bike in place well.
> 
> Have any of you used a bike shuttling-specific pad that you like more than another? I looked at Dakine just because that's what I usually see, but I'm obviously open to suggestions.


Just go with the dakine, if you're paranoid, throw an extra shipping blanket under it. IF your bike gets ****ed up from tailgate shuttling, you bought a really sh*tty bike and just be glad you found out this way that you need to replace it instead of a more physically painful way.


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## COLIN M (Mar 26, 2009)

Bollucks said:


> Never had any issues with my m9. That said i use a soft blanket directly on the tailgate covered by a big piece of shag carpet. Shuttled it well over 500 miles to sea otter with no issues. I do also run frame defender on my downtube with is basically the same material as a surfboard traction pad. A full kits like 25 bucks and works amazing to protect against rocky trails


 Dakine surfboard traxation pads for surfboards are way more durable the the Frame Defender kits. I have seen 3 FD kits wear thru the material from shuttling and my Dakine pads are not even slightly worn. Also have seen several bikes downtubes dented from shuttling on the tailgate with a pad. My Canfield Lucky has one from it.


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## lee p (Nov 12, 2005)

my intense slopestyle got dented shuttling, one big dent and about 3 little one's lots of rubbing together of bikes too which caused lots more damage all over, come to think of it my bike got far more damaged shuttling than it ever did riding it


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