Roof racked bike covers ???

[Sevadari]

For those with, or knowledgeable about, roof racks...

Anyone know of a fairly cheap solution for a bike cover that protects the front end of your bike (bars, fork, shifters, etc.) when its mounted on a fork-mounted roof rack? I.e. something that keeps your bike bug-free, protects it from rocks, etc.

The ones I've found through a quick internet search are pretty expensive for someone on a student budget, about $50-90 bucks a pop. Anyone know of any that are cheaper than that? Anyone have any other suggestions (I can hardly wait for all the smart aleck comments I'm gonna get!)?

I'm going to be going on a cross-country family vacation to UT, CO, and CA and would like to avoid having to debug my wife and I's bikes every time we go from one point to another.

Thanks for any info or advice!

[Paul Swenson]

Performance has them for $30.00. They use the plural in their discription so I'm not sure if that's for one or two. It seems like a pretty good deal.http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=4682&subcategory_ID=4414#

[Wolfchimp]

http://www.bikemania.biz/Sci_Con_Lycra_Bike_Defender_p/scicon_11ne_bikedefender_bra.htm

Check this one out.

[BKocka]

http://www.cbike.com/scicon.htm

25 bucks!

[ibismojo2001]

Under a $1.....XL Control Top panty hose. Works like a charm. That is if you have a fork mount rack. I've used it many times traveling.

Slide the panty legs up the fork legs and then stretch over the bars. You probably will not be able stretch them all the way over the seat but it is cheap and it works!

Good luck and have fun.

Later,
G:crazy:

[tedsti]

We definitely need a picture of this!!

Under a $1.....XL Control Top panty hose. Works like a charm. That is if you have a fork mount rack. I've used it many times traveling.

Slide the panty legs up the fork legs and then stretch over the bars. You probably will not be able stretch them all the way over the seat but it is cheap and it works!

Good luck and have fun.

Later,
G:crazy:

[bikeoutback]

I've got an upright bike rack and have been contemplating the same thing since I'll be heading into northern WI for camping trip and leaving the cities around 7pm for 4 hour drive means many bugs to hit. I'm not sure how expensive it is cause my dad has it laying around his garage but I'm thinking I'm gonna try some Industrial Saran wrap around the bike. Unfortunatly I don't know the cost or where to get it, but I may be trying it tomorrow if I bring the bike. Also I figured I could wrap the hole bike but it would leave the bottom and top open for air flow so as to not create a parachute on the top of my car.... I need every mpg I can sqeeze out with my driving habits ;)

[Aberrix]

Here is a low cost solution: Painters Tape

http://epics.ecn.purdue.edu/hfh/sub_websites/tutorials/Painting/media/paintersTapeBig.jpg

Just cover the front most parts, the forks and the head tube, etc. It doesnt leave a residue, is fast, cheap and easy. I've used the countless times to protect the front end of my car during long road trips, protects against bug, rocks and other stuff.

[ibismojo2001]

I have to try the painters tape but I'm telling you the panty hose work. I've used it for years going up to Chequamegon.

Try it you'll like it and get the looks.

:crazy:

[flombe]

Go fishnet for style points!


http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/flirtylingerie_1903_7147415 (javascript:CaricaFoto('Dual Spandex Fishnet','http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/flirtylingerie_1898_253733819'))

[Paul Swenson]

I have to try the painters tape but I'm telling you the panty hose work. I've used it for years going up to Chequamegon.

Try it you'll like it and get the looks.

:crazy:
I'll have to try the panty hose idea.

I used up all my wife's panty hose to make salt bombs that I used to blow up ice dams this past winter. I also used them to tie my tomatoes to their cages.

Could panty hose be the new duct tape or zip tie?

[flombe]

I'll have to try the panty hose idea.

I used up all my wife's panty hose to make salt bombs that I used to blow up ice dams this past winter. I also used them to tie my tomatoes to their cages.

Could panty hose be the new duct tape or zip tie?

Tell me more about salt bombs for ice dams.

[Paul Swenson]

Tell me more about salt bombs for ice dams.

First I have to give credit where credit is due. I learned it from The Amazing Husband Handyman.

http://www.amazinghubby.com/

You simply cut up the panty hose, fill them with sidewalk salt, tie them up the open end and toss onto the ice dam.

I saw something at Home Depot that worked on the same principle called something like the Ice Snake. They were charging $10.00 for it which seems like a lot of $$$ for some plastic and salt.

[Mario]

they also work as hop bags while making homebrew, lets the hop flavor through without the residue. For manny "hoppy beers" such as I.P.A's, you throw the hop bag (i.e. pantihose) into the fermentor and let it sit a month before pulling it out. :shocked:

[Sevadari]

Under a $1.....XL Control Top panty hose. Works like a charm. That is if you have a fork mount rack. I've used it many times traveling.

Good luck and have fun.

Later,
G:crazy:
I knew I could count on my fellow MORCers to come up with something that's not just functional and practical, but also about as entertaining as you could expect !!! :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Ya leave the boards for a couple hours, come back, and find out that all hell has broken loose while yer gone!!!

Not sure how I missed the more "conventional" covers that others pointed out, but many thanks for the heads up on those links...I think for the short run I'll give the 'ole hose a try and see what happens. Then, if I'm feeling a little too sheepish or mainstream or they just don't work, I might have to break down and invest in some of those other models.

(Me thinks that a bike company making a bike cover called the "Bike Defender" might be taking things a bit too seriously...then again, maybe those are made specifically for Minnesota skeeters:D!)

Ted, I'll try to post up some pictures of the hose in action...not sure what would be funnier...pictures of my ghetto bike covers or pictures of the reactions I get from other drivers on the road! :crazy:

PS If you're choosing between painters tape and industrial seran wrap, I'd go with the former... a lot more aerodynamic and MUCH easier to put on and take off than seran wrap. That's why I think the panty hose idea is so brilliant, easy to put on, easy to work with (i.e., stretchy) and very aerodynamic.

PPS I just picked up a couple pairs of hose (with inflation, they're now $2.99 a pair), there must be a run on them from all those other bikers going on road trips this weekend cuz they seemed to be just about out...yeah, it must have been funny seeing a 6', 210 lb. guy climbing on a shopping cart trying to reach way in the back of the shelf for "just the right size, color, and type" of panty hose!!!

[Sevadari]

For manny "hoppy beers" such as I.P.A's, you throw the hop bag (i.e. pantihose) into the fermentor and let it sit a month before pulling it out. :shocked:

Hey sucka, :fool: how can any beer brewed with panty hose EVER be called a "manny" beer?! ;)

[Fast1]

Go fishnet for style points!


http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/flirtylingerie_1903_7147415 (http://javascript<b></b>:CaricaFoto('Dual Spandex Fishnet','http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/flirtylingerie_1898_253733819'))


Thigh highs look sexy... at least when they were wrapped around my bike!:D

[Sevadari]

Alright, here 'tis folks...the latest, greatest, newest and most high tech bike cover one could ask for made out of .... well, women's nylons of course!

Since I was going to be doing a number of long distance trips over the next month I was wondering how to protect my bike without shelling out a bunch of cash. Thanks to Gary U. for the suggestion, apologies to Eric F. since their not as sexy as fishnets!

http://www.morcmtb.org/photopost/data/527/medium/Fancy_Bike_Cover.jpg

Here's what they look like after a trip to Leb from the northwest metro. Seemed to hold up real well, no problem at all...except that with my wide bars I can't yet find any that are big enough to cover the full length of the bars. But they covered the forks, one whole side and and up to the shifters on the other side without any problem.

I just arrived in Utah (which is where I'll basically be for the next month) and they worked like a charm!!! I'll post pictures of the "after" shot with bug guts and all tomorrow after I have a chance to download the pictures.

[Sevadari]

So the bugs didn't fare too well. As promised, here's a photo of my improvised, budget bike cover/bug catcher (tried to resize, but shrinking it by dragging the corners won't work!!!).

This photo is taken somewhere in Wyoming or so, after about one or two days of driving from Minnesota. They worked like a champ! I've since used them a number of times and they are still good to go for many trips to come!!!

http://www.morcmtb.org/photopost/data/512/Moab-July_2006_003.jpg

And for the curious among us...black, it's the only color to go with. Why, you ask? It's the only color that you can reasonably pass off without having to explain why you have "nylons" hanging on the front of your bike!!!

[Paul Swenson]

And for the curious among us...black, it's the only color to go with. Why, you ask? It's the only color that you can reasonably pass off without having to explain why you have "nylons" hanging on the front of your bike!!!

That looks like it works really well. I may have to drag my wife over to goodwill to pick some up.

Those nylons demonstrate that your bike is comfortable enough with its masculinity that it can wear women's hose and not feel threaten.

[TullyMN]

I think your bike secretly likes wearing the hose...its just a big leap for it to do it in public...and on top of your car!

So why do people use roof racks vs trailer hitch racks? I've always used trailer hitch racks as it is easy to throw the bikes on/off and i don't have to mess with the front wheel. Does the roof rack have other benefits (besides getting to dress my bike up in outfits)?

[BikerKitty]

Shahram, that's awesome! I would have done that but I was too embarrassed to buy queen-size nylons at the store. I know, I shouldn't be so concerned what other people think, and I suppose they could just look at me and know I don't wear queen-size. Oh, well.

I wrapped my seat, fork, and handlebars in a couple layers of saran wrap and strapping-taped that stuff on for the trip to CO. It worked like a charm, too! Only drawback to that was that people kept saying "wow, you haven't even taken the wrapping off your bike yet, it's that new!". Ugh.

In answer to the roof rack, hitch rack question -- I think I'd have gotten a hitch rack if my car had a hitch, but it doesn't. But I do like the fact that my bike is on the roof and locked up there by the fork, so it seems like it'd be pretty hard to steal. I'm sure people still can and do, though, and I'm sure there are options for locking a bike to a hitch rack. I like the fact that my bike is completely out of the way though, up there, not interfering with any trunk or back-end access.

On a side note -- according to the locals, it hadn't rained here in Crested Butte in 2.5 months before I got here, but it's now been raining non-stop since yesterday afternoon. I rode one morning and it looks like that might be it for me. :cryin::cryin: I drove 1300 miles here to bike! I'm sad. :embarass: And I even found someone to take me on the lower part of the 401 today. Urgh. This sucks.

[stoneage]

I turn my bike around for long trips. Those dead crusty insects roll right off that rear tire.:D

[Nickel]

On a side note -- according to the locals, it hadn't rained here in Crested Butte in 2.5 months before I got here, but it's now been raining non-stop since yesterday afternoon. I rode one morning and it looks like that might be it for me. :cryin::cryin: I drove 1300 miles here to bike! I'm sad. :embarass: And I even found someone to take me on the lower part of the 401 today. Urgh. This sucks.

That stinks that your trip isn't working out as planned :P I hope things work out before you leave?

I was also wondering where you bought your handlebar bag?