Forum menu
... sure do bounce well when they fall off on the motorway at 70ish mph. A tip for the guy that was driving the blue punto that lost his bikes and rack on the m74 this afternoon - retighten the straps after you've put the bikes on.
Good opportunity for you to get a new bike though.
We retrieved a bike from the M65 last year, in similar circumstances. Our good deed for the day cost us an iPhone that was on charge in OH's lap when she leapt out of the car.
I have one and I paranoid about that happening. I'll stop and check that it's still tight half way through a long journey.
Since the OP's observations suggest that some folk might benefit from a bit of advice...here's my two penne'orth
When tightening straps, tighten them in the following order:
Straps which will keep the load secure when accelerating
Straps which will keep the load secure when braking
Straps which will keep the load secure when cornering
Secondly, when you have loaded your vehicle, drive it away keeping the load under observation as best you can, then stop after approximately five miles and re-check your straps.
Thereafter whenever you stop and take a break, take that opportunity to re-check your straps.
Hope that's helpfu!
My bike was almost lost off the back of mine. That was more to do with unleashing a few to many horse power all in one big lump. All the plastic rubber bits that hold the bike slid off the rack bar one.
I always used to tie knots in the straps after tightening so if they slipped it would only be an inch.
Also used the same order as given above.
Andy use a strap to secure the bike to the rack - never rely on the rubber things.
Mate of mine dragged his new bike down the A1,, Massive fail, i just dint trust them..
I was quite happy with my version of a strap-on rack (fnarr fnarr) and always secured the bikes using a similar method to that described above with sequences and checks etc..
until one afternoon when one of the straps just broke off in my hand as I was tightening it..
I lost all confidence in them after that.. never used one since
Have always been too scared to use one.
Memories of driving to a family holiday in Cornwall and two bikes disengaging from my dad's Passat and bouncing down the A303 😯
He's an exceptionally polite man, but that one incident accounted for approximately 80% of the swear words I've ever heard him use!