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Question for securing bike to trailer

Posted: 11 Mar 2007 17:03
by slimtrader
Hey, does anyone know where a guy can get one of those front wheel clamp type devices that holds your bike on a trailer? it eliminates the need for straps and your front forks are not compressed. If you were with us last fall in Arkansas Sean from Chicago had one on his trailer.

Any Idea on cost? Web site to order from?

Thanks for any help.

Posted: 11 Mar 2007 17:32
by katbeanz
An ATK Bike Shoe? You can probably beat this price if you shop around. :wink:

http://www.mxsouth.com/atk/atk_bikeshoe_bike_shoe.htm

Posted: 11 Mar 2007 18:23
by safiri
Or take the picture to your local metal fabrication / welding shop and see what they will build one for. They will probably need your front wheel (or measurements of) ...

Posted: 11 Mar 2007 19:53
by MoRidin
Bike shoes are really fantastic. I will see if I can dig up the link...but a guy sells them on Ebay for $50 a pop...costs about $10 each to have them shipped.

I still tied the foot pegs down for good measure as it keeps the back end from hopping around. The design is excellent and you can load your bikes in literally seconds. They really work great in enclosed trailers as you don't have to hop over bikes and such to tie them down.

Posted: 12 Mar 2007 09:06
by slimtrader
Thanks guys, I'm putting together a small light-weight trailer to pull behind my car so I can travel to the further away rides without spending big $ on gas for my truck. My diesel VW gets 45mpg compared to my truck at around 15mpg.

Posted: 12 Mar 2007 19:11
by MoRidin
I think these pic links work...this is what I had...

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However, my trailer was a bit too short and the center of gravity was too far aft. So, I cut and rewelded the trailer and made some "MoStyle" bike chocks. I am back to tie downs now, but things work great and the trailer is properly loaded. Cost me $30 in steel ad a long afternoon of welding and grinding. Sorry, already sold the bikeshoes.

Here is what I have now...BTW this is a manufactured tiler you can get at Tractor Supply for about $500. It is well made and made in the USA.

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I had some extra 1" angle, so I made a simple ramp. Pretty cool too...
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Hope that helps.

BTW, with my Hyundai GT I get 32 mpg loaded with 2 bikes and gear! That is very, very cool!

Posted: 16 Mar 2007 08:36
by slimtrader
That looks like a really good trailer set up. I'm going to have to move my center of gravity forward too but my trailer doesn't have the rail in the way so I'm going to weld the bike shoe to the trailer tongue and if possible lower it a bit to bring the bike weight down lower to the trailer.

Thanks for the pics.

Mike

Posted: 16 Mar 2007 12:37
by safiri
A trick from bicycling ... not sure how this would work with the extra mass of a MC ... mount so that the front wheel is turned slightly. This keeps the handlebars from interfering with each other when two bikes are side by side.

This also makes the bikes a bit less stable when strapped down, so extra strapping may be required.

A thought if your trailer is narrow and you want to haul two bikes.

Posted: 16 Mar 2007 21:30
by MoRidin
safiri wrote:A trick from bicycling ... not sure how this would work with the extra mass of a MC ... mount so that the front wheel is turned slightly. This keeps the handlebars from interfering with each other when two bikes are side by side.

This also makes the bikes a bit less stable when strapped down, so extra strapping may be required.

A thought if your trailer is narrow and you want to haul two bikes.
Mike, I have tried this twice...once in a pickup and it worked great. Tried it once in a trailer and it was a nightmare. I guess there is just too much lateral movement in a trailer and they were all over the place.

I guess it depends on the trailer, but this was a pretty beefy rig. We tacked on some little bits of angle for the tires and when strapped down correctly at 90 degrees, they were rock solid...so that cocked wheel definitely made a difference.

Posted: 23 Mar 2007 21:49
by Tye
My dad has a pair of those on his trailer. They work really well. He has a flat bed, and positioned them sideways toward the front. No troubles at all.
Tye