I was happy that my FB fit my north shore rack, and have left it on my truck as we get into the winter season. I'm now worried about wet salty roads when I need to transport. Thinking I might start using covered truck bed but I hate putting bikes in and out of that. Anyone have comment on impact of salty travel, easy ways to protect, or other tips?
Question for those who use bike rack to transport
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Off the back, racks, will destroy your bike. It rides in a cloud of salty spray, any time the roads are wet.
I use a roof rack, and stay back from other cars. Basic rule? If my windshield is clean, so is my bike.
Otherwise, inside the vehicle if it's a possibility, or in a capped or covered truck bed.
That's ~25 years of year round MTB, in the salty northeastern US, and zero salt related issues with my bikes.
Meanwhile, I routinely get utterly trashed bikes walking in my shop annually, that spent even just a year, being transported outside, on the backs of vehicles.
YMMV.
I use a roof rack, and stay back from other cars. Basic rule? If my windshield is clean, so is my bike.
Otherwise, inside the vehicle if it's a possibility, or in a capped or covered truck bed.
That's ~25 years of year round MTB, in the salty northeastern US, and zero salt related issues with my bikes.
Meanwhile, I routinely get utterly trashed bikes walking in my shop annually, that spent even just a year, being transported outside, on the backs of vehicles.
YMMV.
Well that seals the deal. I thought (delusionally) someone might say they have not had any issues if rinsed frequently. I have a bed rug in my f150 so crawling in and out it will be. Even more fun with two bikes.
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OP lives in Canada so may be different. Here we have year round get down since we don’t get several inches of snow each year. We do not use salt, we use sand also. So bikes get transported on the 1up exclusively.
During spring summer and fall they are on the back of the truck. I don't like it if it is raining heavy but it is rare...and its just so much easier to fire them on and off the vehicle.
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Beyond the bike, I would not leave a bike rack on the truck in the winter. Chlorides are really tough on metals such as aluminum. I would be worried about the corrosion fusing the rack into the 2" receiver.
yes, potential issue but my North Shore is powder coated steel. Tempting to leave it on for those dry days and quick outings...but may take it off anyway.
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I don't have any issues, and I rinse frequently + Frame Saver the interior of the frame yearly. If there's spray on the road while I'm driving, when I get home I'll spray down the bike with a squirt bottle of hot water, and then clean and lube the chain. I also store it indoors so it doesn't have salty snow sitting on it, it's clean and dry an hour after I get home.
I have also not had any problems with the rack getting stuck, and it stays on year round. 1 1/4" receiver.
I will agree with all of this also living in the northeast in upstate NY. I will not transport my mountain bike on the back during the winter months but fortunately it is put away for the season now that the snow has fallen. My fat bike on the other hand unfortunately gets destroyed despite my best efforts to clean it.
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The trailer inserts that go into the receiver on pickup trucks are powder coated as well. Once they rust, they are almost permanent. I have a cousin who manages a body shop. Many times a customer comes in and asks if they can remover the insert. They have to put the vehicle on the frame machine, apply 10,000 pounds of pull on the insert and heat the receiver with a torch.
I am in the salt zone and use a roof rack when its dry-ish. Roof rack is on year round. If it is slushy I'll put the bike in the car. When it gets real snowy, which is rare, and I am driving when it is coming down the bike will go back on the roof. I keep a flexible hose inside and will give the bike a rinse when I can as well, but that gets tough in the real cold.
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A cover is also an option. They are not cheap and are an additional hassle as well. Here's some: Best Bike Covers for Travel and Storage
When using anything in the hitch in the winter for an extended time, it's a good idea to spray the inside of the receiver with something like Fluid Film.
When using anything in the hitch in the winter for an extended time, it's a good idea to spray the inside of the receiver with something like Fluid Film.
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I've had a T2 on the back of my truck for over ten years now. I've replaced the hooks that go over the front tires a few times now but the rest of the rack gets frame saver and wiped down with WD-40 regularly. I put shower caps over the brakes when my fat bike is on there in the winter. Aside from that, I take care to clean and lube my bikes carefully.
I may take it apart and have it powder coated in the spring. My wife is after me to get a new one.
I may take it apart and have it powder coated in the spring. My wife is after me to get a new one.
Yes absolutely agree.
To consider how damaging salt spray is - consider that salt spray exposure is how corrosion resistance is tested.
The resistance to corrosion is typically specified in hours of exposure.
My takeaway - I can't undo hours of exposure with a wash at the end.
https://www.monarchmetal.com/blog/understanding-salt-spray-tests/
Have you not seen any North Shore racks that are used? They are all very heavily rusted.
yep, have to take care of them and touch up scratches etc
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Meh. I had 2x6 boards laying around. Made a chock system cut to fit tight between the tie downs. String with loops and cam locks tighten from the handle bars to the eye bolt and to the tie downs. Wood was free from fencing and cam locks or rope was $8 or so.
ive seen quite a few bike covers that can be used to keep the road slime off. back in the day we used the ones that blocked the front of the bike only from bugs and road spray...not sure those exist anymore.
Thanks for posting that. I hadn't realized those things even existed. A recent 2000 mile round trip with wet snow nearly the whole way couldn't have been much better than dragging my bike through the ocean for 2000 miles. Ebike too. Very abusive, not a good plan. I'm going to give the TeamObsidian a try. Looks like it'll be infinitely better than leaving the bike naked.
Those things do a fantastic job of covering your license plate, brake and signal lights when on a hitch mount rack. Not worth a ticket or having someone pile into your bike.
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