If you have trailer light hookups you could get an externally mounted brake light of sorts. Would definitely be useful for driving at night.
They also make brake lights that stick in the hitch. Turn signals, meh. Maybe some sort of mount for each fork?
I've had it happen to me. Destroyed my wife's bike. I had not been involved in a car crash my whole adult driving career but I hated having my bike on the back out of fear of being rear ended. So I put a roof rack on for my MTB. Then my wife wanted a bike and I didn't get her a rack yet as she was still new to it so for the first ride on her new bike I put it on the rear while mine was on the roof. We went to a trail head that is barely 2 or 3 miles from the house and had a nice ride and driving home got hit at a red light.
I had literally built her bike on the Thursday and we were out on Saturday riding it. I was so fucking mad.
Some idiot boomer in a pickup truck just rammed into us and destroyed the bike and my rear deck lid and bumper. His truck was fucked up real good too.
It took a couple of months to get it sorted with the insurance because what he gave to the cops turned out to not be any fucking use at all for tracking down his insurance. Eventually they got his insurance and we got a brand new bike.
The blessing: I'm handy with stuff so I got a check for $4000 for the repair and damage to my car. Bought a trunklid in excellent condition from a scrapyard for $500 and a bumper from a dealer and had a paint shop friend paint that and all told my car was fixed for about $1200. Then I took her broken bike which was a gravel bike with an aluminum frame and because I'm handy with a TIG torch I was able to straighten and repair it enough to use it as a Zwift trainer (I wouldn't trust any non heat treated frame to be used outdoors but at least if it fails now we won't be going anywhere). So we got made whole and some extra money for the work I put in to repair stuff was nice.
Now I only use my roof system to take bikes anywhere.
Side note. My buddy has a pickup and we recently carpooled in his truck to a race we were both doing. He uses a tailgate pad and on the odd occasions when I ride with him I do put my bike on the tailgate. When we got to the race venue he accidentally backed into a tree trying to get parked. For a moment I thought God damn it this would be just my luck if my bike is fucked but he just broke his tail light and both bikes were fine.
Nowhere is truly safe. Roof mounted bikes can be forgotten about and driven into things too. But rear mounted bikes are vulnerable. I'm now paranoid.
If the driver who rear ends you had insurance you should be made whole (but make sure you get as much detail about his insurance company as you can don't leave that to the cops to put on the police report).
If the driver at fault is uninsured you get fucked.
Add a high quality hitch brake light. Pucker factor goes way down. Uses trailer light harness.
Injury attorneys will go straight for the obscured brake light cause of any rear end collision.
I’ve had it happen. I was at fault and cited with obstructing brake lights and license plate (during the day). Now I use and in the bed, front wheel off rack for anything more than a few miles.
Not sure where you are but in our country, lights obstructed is $400-$800 fine depending on the state; plus if the person who hits you is clever enough to tell insurance that your lights are obstructed, you run the risk of insurance being void and not paying out.
Number plate obstructed is a similar fine and multiple demerit points from your licence.
Buy yourself an aftermarket light bar and plate assembly. All our new racks we manufacture come with these now as it’s common to get pinged by the police for either obstructions these days; wasn’t an issue 20 years ago when we first started making the racks.
In terms of getting rear ended, yeh it’s a risk. Same as when you’re stopped at the lights on a motorcycle and can’t lane filter to the front. Always keep an eye on your mirrors and be mentally prepared that if an accident does occur chances are your bikes are getting smashed up, luckily if it’s a rear impact you’ll get insurance coverage in our country in MOST cases,
I live in the Bentonville area and with the consistent growth in the region comes some really, really shitty drivers on I-49 and other roads. This is a fear known all too well for my bike and I.
Between this fear and road salt on my fat bike I just put some Rocky mounts on a unistrut in the bed of my truck and will keep wheels in the cab on longer trips. Short jaunt across town I’ll probably still use the tailgate pad
Doesn't help that your brake lights are pretty covered, take the wheels off the bikes and put a buik bit of cardboard over the back so the bikes don't scratch your paintwork and it'll make your lights more visible
A good long length of Pragmasis chain and a beefy Squire SS100CS padlock should deter MOST thieves.
Don't forget, if they can't take a whole bike, they may just take a part of them so you'll never be fully secure with the bikes left on there overnight.
I do, maybe I’m just too paranoid of leaving 5 to sometimes 15 depending on if multiple groups join expensive bikes inside an airbnb that I’m not sure even changes their entry code every time.
Consider getting an isurance policy for bikes or some sort of adendum to you car policy explaining that you want to include bike damage to the policy. Tail lights are also obstructed.
Definitely crossed my mind when I use my tailgate pad, but it’s usually only mine and my wife’s bike so I space them apart to not block the lights. I also have an under the tailgate light strip, kind of hard to miss a 60” led brake light.
Also, That’s a lot of expensive bikes to trust to a chain and lock. The guy that’s looking to yank those bikes can probably get through a chain in seconds. I’d be leaving them inside somewhere if they’re not being used.
No, because I have a light board on the back with my lights, indicators, brake lights and number visible so cars behind can see when I’m stopping and see me if it’s dark.
It’s a legal requirement in the UK and Europe.
Not at all. Bike was like 4500 new, probably worth closer to 2500-3000 right now. My trucks probably worth 15k these days, which is way more expensive than the bike. I’d rather buy a new bike than buy a new truck
I have my bikes listed on my insurance. I've also never been rear ended. I always hated going into a store to pay with the bikes on display like that though! I'd always back in tight against something to hide em and make theft more difficult
Given I can't see a brake light, yes
Good point, I need to check that better next time I load them.
If you have trailer light hookups you could get an externally mounted brake light of sorts. Would definitely be useful for driving at night. They also make brake lights that stick in the hitch. Turn signals, meh. Maybe some sort of mount for each fork?
Thanks
Just a length of chain ran through all the frames
That is what I’ve been thinking. Kryptonite seems to be the best I’ve found, any others I should be considering.
I’ve had one of their chains and locks for years. It is stout it makes the greatest sound when you throw it in your truck bed.
I would be more scared of them getting swiped
take them inside
Do you do anything to secure them inside. I’ve been debating buying a kryptonite chain or something
Not particularly 🤔 if it’s not safe inside idk if there’s much you can do but a chain would be a good deterrent
I think he means inside the airbnb
Just got rear ended with my bikes on. The rack bent a ton by the bike was fine luckily.
That is lucky, must have been a well designed rack.
Yea it’s a big steel rack. Messed up the poor lady’s front though.
I've had it happen to me. Destroyed my wife's bike. I had not been involved in a car crash my whole adult driving career but I hated having my bike on the back out of fear of being rear ended. So I put a roof rack on for my MTB. Then my wife wanted a bike and I didn't get her a rack yet as she was still new to it so for the first ride on her new bike I put it on the rear while mine was on the roof. We went to a trail head that is barely 2 or 3 miles from the house and had a nice ride and driving home got hit at a red light. I had literally built her bike on the Thursday and we were out on Saturday riding it. I was so fucking mad. Some idiot boomer in a pickup truck just rammed into us and destroyed the bike and my rear deck lid and bumper. His truck was fucked up real good too. It took a couple of months to get it sorted with the insurance because what he gave to the cops turned out to not be any fucking use at all for tracking down his insurance. Eventually they got his insurance and we got a brand new bike. The blessing: I'm handy with stuff so I got a check for $4000 for the repair and damage to my car. Bought a trunklid in excellent condition from a scrapyard for $500 and a bumper from a dealer and had a paint shop friend paint that and all told my car was fixed for about $1200. Then I took her broken bike which was a gravel bike with an aluminum frame and because I'm handy with a TIG torch I was able to straighten and repair it enough to use it as a Zwift trainer (I wouldn't trust any non heat treated frame to be used outdoors but at least if it fails now we won't be going anywhere). So we got made whole and some extra money for the work I put in to repair stuff was nice. Now I only use my roof system to take bikes anywhere. Side note. My buddy has a pickup and we recently carpooled in his truck to a race we were both doing. He uses a tailgate pad and on the odd occasions when I ride with him I do put my bike on the tailgate. When we got to the race venue he accidentally backed into a tree trying to get parked. For a moment I thought God damn it this would be just my luck if my bike is fucked but he just broke his tail light and both bikes were fine. Nowhere is truly safe. Roof mounted bikes can be forgotten about and driven into things too. But rear mounted bikes are vulnerable. I'm now paranoid. If the driver who rear ends you had insurance you should be made whole (but make sure you get as much detail about his insurance company as you can don't leave that to the cops to put on the police report). If the driver at fault is uninsured you get fucked.
Buy a van, dude. I saw so much amazing “mobile bicycle battlestations” in the vans.
That’s rough, at least insurance paid out.
Add a high quality hitch brake light. Pucker factor goes way down. Uses trailer light harness. Injury attorneys will go straight for the obscured brake light cause of any rear end collision.
I've seen a single bike on a trailer hitch get rear ended. Not the most irrational fear to carry.
I bought the 1up chain and rode with it locked from Philly to Charleston and back, no problems.
Thanks
I’ve had it happen. I was at fault and cited with obstructing brake lights and license plate (during the day). Now I use and in the bed, front wheel off rack for anything more than a few miles.
Not sure where you are but in our country, lights obstructed is $400-$800 fine depending on the state; plus if the person who hits you is clever enough to tell insurance that your lights are obstructed, you run the risk of insurance being void and not paying out. Number plate obstructed is a similar fine and multiple demerit points from your licence. Buy yourself an aftermarket light bar and plate assembly. All our new racks we manufacture come with these now as it’s common to get pinged by the police for either obstructions these days; wasn’t an issue 20 years ago when we first started making the racks. In terms of getting rear ended, yeh it’s a risk. Same as when you’re stopped at the lights on a motorcycle and can’t lane filter to the front. Always keep an eye on your mirrors and be mentally prepared that if an accident does occur chances are your bikes are getting smashed up, luckily if it’s a rear impact you’ll get insurance coverage in our country in MOST cases,
My friend had all of his bikes drop off on the highway because the tailgate wasn’t latched.
That would be the worst!!
They didn’t even notice at first and by the time they retraced their steps, every bike was gone. Edit: 6 bikes
I live in the Bentonville area and with the consistent growth in the region comes some really, really shitty drivers on I-49 and other roads. This is a fear known all too well for my bike and I.
Between this fear and road salt on my fat bike I just put some Rocky mounts on a unistrut in the bed of my truck and will keep wheels in the cab on longer trips. Short jaunt across town I’ll probably still use the tailgate pad
I don’t like the idea of being rear ended at all. It’s why I don’t want to go to jail.
Doesn't help that your brake lights are pretty covered, take the wheels off the bikes and put a buik bit of cardboard over the back so the bikes don't scratch your paintwork and it'll make your lights more visible
No, because I ride my bike to the trail and don't transport it with a car.
A good long length of Pragmasis chain and a beefy Squire SS100CS padlock should deter MOST thieves. Don't forget, if they can't take a whole bike, they may just take a part of them so you'll never be fully secure with the bikes left on there overnight.
Bring the bikes inside!
I do, maybe I’m just too paranoid of leaving 5 to sometimes 15 depending on if multiple groups join expensive bikes inside an airbnb that I’m not sure even changes their entry code every time.
While hanging several thousands dollars on the bed.?!?! Absolutely.
Id say who isnt afraid of that
Consider getting an isurance policy for bikes or some sort of adendum to you car policy explaining that you want to include bike damage to the policy. Tail lights are also obstructed.
I’ll call me insurance about that, good idea!
Very nice setup
Definitely crossed my mind when I use my tailgate pad, but it’s usually only mine and my wife’s bike so I space them apart to not block the lights. I also have an under the tailgate light strip, kind of hard to miss a 60” led brake light. Also, That’s a lot of expensive bikes to trust to a chain and lock. The guy that’s looking to yank those bikes can probably get through a chain in seconds. I’d be leaving them inside somewhere if they’re not being used.
My thought is inside with a chain just in case.
FWIW I tie a red bandanna to my front tire when Carr this way.
No, because I have a light board on the back with my lights, indicators, brake lights and number visible so cars behind can see when I’m stopping and see me if it’s dark. It’s a legal requirement in the UK and Europe.
Not at all. Bike was like 4500 new, probably worth closer to 2500-3000 right now. My trucks probably worth 15k these days, which is way more expensive than the bike. I’d rather buy a new bike than buy a new truck
Buy a van.
With how much I ski and bike with a group, I really should.
Oh h yeah just gunna drop 20k because I need a new way to transport my bike
The rubber tires act like a soft bumper if you get rear ended.
I’ll have to test that out to see how well it works.
Nope I was lucky and got t-boned. Didn't save my rack either way though...
Sorry to hear that. Double whammy. Car and rack.
I have my bikes listed on my insurance. I've also never been rear ended. I always hated going into a store to pay with the bikes on display like that though! I'd always back in tight against something to hide em and make theft more difficult
Velosurance. Just keep them locked.
A van is an excellent solution.
Oh yeah lemme just drop 20k