Carbon Frame Mountain Bike - rack or inside?

[Julesverne2000]

Soon to acquire a carbon framed mountain bike.

Up to now, have been using the bike rack for aluminium frames but general advice seams to be avoid using clamps on the frame if possible. I’ve seen the frame protectors and read about using cloth as an option.

Couple of questions:

How straight forward is it to get a bike in the back of the van with the bed shelf still in place? Interested in different configurations. Inside would be the preference but won’t always be possible.

Are people comfortable with clamping the bike, as long as only lightly tightened?

Any advice welcome. Thanks!

 

[Camperfamily]

Just clamp the seat post

 

[jeff]

Just clamp the seat post

Exactly what I do.

 

[dspuk]

Soon to acquire a carbon framed mountain bike.

Up to now, have been using the bike rack for aluminium frames but general advice seams to be avoid using clamps on the frame if possible. I’ve seen the frame protectors and read about using cloth as an option.

Couple of questions:

How straight forward is it to get a bike in the back of the van with the bed shelf still in place? Interested in different configurations. Inside would be the preference but won’t always be possible.

Are people comfortable with clamping the bike, as long as only lightly tightened?

Any advice welcome. Thanks!

I read the same advice when I took mine to France and York for Triathlons. I don’t have the rear clothes rack so bought a bike bag that takes the frame and wheels seperate. Worked great and slotted on top of the folded bed mattress in the boot. Just.

 

[jakubklapka]

It's ok to clamp it (if the seatpost is not an option) unless you overtighten it. The big question is, how much is that Modern Thule racks have mechanism in the tightening bolt, that will not let you overtighten (they slip at some safe torque). The protector is no-brainer, it's quite cheap (compared to carbon frame price) and it's made with rigid parts in the horizontal axis, which distributes the load over big area (as opposed to small two points in the case of clamp). That's also the reason, why cloth is useless in this matter.

I have an rack with old mechanism, so I use the protector and tighten it only to the point, where it's stable enough, but not more.

But yes, whenever I can, I get it inside. Problem with my 29'' MTB is, that there is now way, how to get it in with flexboard in place (and bench almost all the way forward). That is good for quick one day turn-arounds, but not very comfy for multi-day trip, even in single person.

 

[sidepod]

Overthinking it. I have three carbon MTB, you really don’t need to tighten the rack clamp much at all. Once the wheels are clamped in it’s going nowhere. If a carbon frame can put up with a downhill course then a small clamping load is nothing.

 

[jakubklapka]

The thing with a carbon is, that it's very strong in some directions but not that much in others. I wonder, how much you are clamping the frame during downhill

But yeah, the protector costs nothing but I would not change the rack because of it...

 

[Wish]

I read the same advice when I took mine to France and York for Triathlons. I don’t have the rear clothes rack so bought a bike bag that takes the frame and wheels seperate. Worked great and slotted on top of the folded bed mattress in the boot. Just.

What distance triathlon… hoping to dip my toe back into triathlon (last time early 90’s). Hoping the knee (after 2x arthroscopies) will hold out…

 

[dspuk]

What distance triathlon… hoping to dip my toe back into triathlon (last time early 90’s). Hoping the knee (after 2x arthroscopies) will hold out…

Sprint and Sprint +. Prefer Sprint tbh. A lot more fun.

 

[Alexlex85]

Clamp it to the dropper post.

 

[sidepod]

Been all around Europe with my carbon DH rig several times . Just close the jaws and give it a turn. Done.

 

[Julesverne2000]

Thank you all for the helpful replies and discussion, apologies for not replying sooner.

Once I posted, I thought of the seat post but I’ve often found that tricky with the old bike. Geometry of the new bike might allow it. Protector and not being over zealous with the torque is also sensible.

The option of taking off the front wheel and having on the rear shelf with the bench seat forward is appealing, mainly from a security perspective. Just not sure how easy that is with a slack 29er. Sure will be fine if taking off the rear wheel too but that is more of a faff, especially on quick hits locally.

 

[Julesverne2000]

Been all around Europe with my carbon DH rig several times . Just close the jaws and give it a turn. Done.


View attachment 147199

Nice!

 

[Julesverne2000]

Clamp it to the dropper post

View attachment 147178

Does that only work on the 3rd rail?

 

[Alexlex85]

I guess it depends on the bike size/frame. Works for me on 3rd rail and I got two other bikes. First rail for a hardtail size S which clamp with shorter arm by the seat post.
3rd rail for my large EMTB and 4th which I clamp my large full suspension bike with the non fixed arm by the horizontal parts of the frames to the EMTB.
No issues.

 

[Camperfamily]

If you can’t reach the seatpost, or don’t want to clamp that (e.g. a dropper post), the seat tube also works well - like @sidepod has done above.

I’ve got a couple of carbon framed bikes in our family. One I clamp the seat post on the first rail, the other I camp the seat post on the second rail.