Hi guys. Quick one on the BPW Uplift. I’m a little precious about protecting my bike, particularly the paint. Any tips on key areas to tape up prior to the uplift, or do the trailers clamp in such a way to avoid any paint rub?

Cheers

Leave the bike at home?

From my experience paintwork won’t get damaged. Wheels go in wheel slots and then a strap around each grip. Bikes don’t touch each other.

As he said above. You load yourself so just take care.

Grips can get a wee bit mussed

Ahh…makes me think fondly of the Dragon Downhill days where your bike was stacked in the back of a quarry truck…
Protecting your paint indeed…

#don’tknowthey’reborn

😀

The bikes don’t touch each other. It’s pretty well sorted.

Remember to wait for the blue or red bus if you want the blue or red trails – don’t get on a black one by mistake.

^^^ very good 😉

The trick is just to make sure you learn how to properly strap your bike on, don’t be afraid to ask the driver to show you how on the first run (they’ll take the piss, but that’s better than getting to the top to find your bike missing…. )

They tend to want to strap over the grips to help stop the straps slipping (as grips are, er, grippy!) which can chop the grips up a bit if you run really soft grips or it’s wet (and hence everything is covered in slat grit).

Unfortunately the uplift track is not tarmac’d and so the bikes do get a bit of a shaking so try to get your bike on towards the front of the trailer, not directly above the trailer wheels for the smoothest ride (also, don’t sit over the van rear axle if you don’t like getting a wobbly ride too…..)

Thanks guys, planning on waiting for the green bus! They’re every third bus right???

Watch your cables when taking the bike off the trailer. Someone pulled their bike of ripping out my gear cable which was a nice surprise.

Forks can get dinked if the guy next to you don’t give a shit.

Make sure your cranks are tight. Mine wasn’t for some reason and fell off half way up the uplift, fortunately the driver of the next bus up spotted it and reunited me with it 🙂

In a more helpful vein: Hang around the trailer until the spaces either side of your bike have been loaded and strapped down. Saw a few cases where people had managed to loop the straps around the brake levers of adjacent bikes.

…also, remember to undo *both* straps before trying to unload your bike. Sounds obvious, but…

Brilliant place; can’t wait to go back 🙂

I have seen a couple of maxle qr’s get knocked open when adjacent bikes were carelessly unloaded – always worth a quick check before you head down a run

iain1775
Make sure your cranks are tight

to be fair, i don’t think that’s just an uplift specific recomendation!! 😆

Be careful with the mini bus seats. They are usually very dirty and your shorts can get muddy. I take a towel and put that down first.

^^ *really hopes that is sarcasm 😉

Ahh…makes me think fondly of the Dragon Downhill days where your bike was stacked in the back of a quarry truck…
Protecting your paint indeed…

I remember a similar tractor and trailer uplift at Combe Sydenham. My mate took his bike out of the trailer and something had punched a hole in the side of his boxxer lowers.

Be careful with the mini bus seats. They are usually very dirty and your shorts can get muddy. I take a towel and put that down first.

If the seats are particularly grubby just ask the driver to give it was wipe down for you. They’re always happy to help.

If you’re hungry/thirsty just ask the driver to show you his “tuck shop”. They have a little stash of choc bars/coke cans etc in the glove box that they sell. This is a service only really meant for locals/regulars so you might have to give a little wink to let him know you know. Stress that you have money & are willing to pay, they hate freeloaders!!

They need a few signs up on the queue up bit demonstrating how to put on the straps. Round the grips not the handlebars close to the stem!

Last time I was there someone put one strap around the stem and one around a pedal 😯