How To Safely Transport Your Mountain Bikes on a Long Distance Road Trip

In mountain biking in North America, highways dominate. Until gasoline prices reach astronomical heights, driving will certainly be cheaper than flying. After you calculate the cost of gas and airfare, correct those numbers by comparing the cost of stealing or rowing your bikes, or renting one at your destination to take with you. Consider the cost of renting a car if you can’t get there directly from your apartment. And then multiply that by the number of people on your trip and/or who can get into your vehicle. Finally, think of all the tools you can take with you: camping gear, extra repair gear, beer, bike rack…

Yes, driving is cheaper.

The question is, how do you keep your mountain bikes safe on the long journey across the country? Whether you ride east to west or north to south, you want your bike to arrive safe and ready. Here are my 9 quick tips, based on the countless days I’ve spent the continent riding bikes in the back of my vehicle and making mistakes so you don’t have to.

1. Put the bicycles in the vehicle if possible.

If you can carry all the bikes in the vehicle, ignore almost everything else on this list. I’ve had a Toyota T100 pickup for years and have developed a bike transport system that allows me to easily transport two bikes in the back, saving most of the bed for gear. It was the best long-term train system I’ve ever used.

If you can complete this trick, you don’t have to worry about the numbers 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 below.

Professional advice: stop carrying pedestrians like the nondescript bus – they can be perfect for bringing bikes into the house if you sit down or two. I’ve seen motorcyclists not only pull an alien motorcycle into a van but still have enough room for a single bed.

2. A good quality bicycle carrier is worth its weight in gold.

If you’re travelling for more than an hour or two, investing in a good quality bike rack can make all the other points on this list easier.

Advantage advice: I recommend a flat roof grille as pictured above.

3. Make sure the bikes don’t hit anything.

Ahh, the bike ring is already starting to pay off!

When your bike hits something, whether it slips a little off another bike, whether it leans against a metal bar in a truck bed, or whatever, the vibrations associated with a freeway ride must be thousands of miles. over the metal or carbon fibre. sidewalk. (breathing) in contact. This can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage. A high-quality bike rack keeps the bike on your vehicle by simply touching the rubber tires. Although the wearer’s hand touches the fork lightly, the point of contact on the arm is usually a soft rubber that breaks before the bike rides.

Professional advice: Use bubble wrap, rags or other protection for the unavoidable contact points to prevent wear and tear on the bikes.

4. No bicycles on the roof.

While it is possible to purchase a high-quality roof grille, I do not recommend using it on a long trip. First, it will have a big impact on your gas mileage, especially if you’re cooking through the Great Plains at over 80 mph. Second, keeping the bikes behind the vehicle protects them from gunshots and other unsightly things that collect on the roof.

Professional advice: do not cycle on the roof under a low canopy.

5. Lock the bicycle and be especially careful when parking it at night.

Premium bike racks have some sort of locking system, usually drawer-shaped trap cables. I recommend that you put your bike on the roof rack while travelling so you don’t have to worry about bumping into the gas station to use the facilities.

If you are staying for the night, however, you need to be very careful. If possible, leave the bikes in the motel room or other accommodation overnight. While this protects them from potential bike thieves, it also protects them from the elements that can strike at night.

Tip 1: Book a motel room with an exterior door. Then you can usually drive your vehicle to the motel room door so you can easily unload the bikes and park them in your room.

Advantage Tip 2: Sorry, you are not allowed to park bicycles in your motel room. Fortunately, your bikes together cost more than the vehicle you use to transport them, so do everything you can to make sure they don’t move into the bad city of the highway you stopped. After all, if you take good care of your bikes, keep them clean, and follow Pro 1’s advice, everyone will be smarter.

6. Keep an eye on the weather and plan your trips for windows without rain and snow.

After a road vibration, time is the biggest factor that can damage your bike during transport. I have bicycles covered in thick salt and road salt, which has caused significant rust and decay. Today I always try to plan my long-distance trips for timeless days … on the road indefinitely, it can be very difficult to avoid bad weather.

Sometimes, when a major weather system passes by, it becomes clear on the radar and you can change the route or time. If you can travel when it’s not raining or snowing, your ATV will thank you!

Tip: I recommend Weather Underground for high-quality forecasts and a radar map on your smartphone.

7. Try to protect your bike as much as possible when it snows or rains.

When snow or rain is unavoidable, I try to protect my bike as much as possible. In general, I often use it for delicate parts such as steering wheel controls, gears, etc. Cover up.

Unfortunately, this usually doesn’t help much. The wind inevitably shatters your suitcases, especially if you are out for several hours a day.

Smart Tip: The plans for this job don’t work at all and break too.

So you should …

8. Wash and grease your bike when you get to your destination.

A wet bike is sometimes unavoidable, so it’s best to wash and lubricate it as soon as it arrives at its destination. Washing removes salt or dirt from the road and prevents further corrosion. So lubricate all the parts you would normally have … and be careful, your bike is back to normal!

Leaving the bike rack covered in dirt for days is a recipe for corrosion.

Tip: I recommend Squirt chain lubricants for long-term protection.

9. Upon arrival, check suspension drop and tire pressure.

Changes in altitude and air temperature can affect suspension and tire pressure. I’ve asked a lot of questions on this topic, but the truth is that all you need to do is monitor where your journey ends at your destination and bring it back to your normal levels. Up, down, etc., make sure your settings are the same and if you need to press or remove if not.

Tip: Take note of the ideal pressure on the front and rear tires, forks and humidifiers before setting off. A high-quality electronic tire gauge provides accurate tire measurements.

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