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Hi
Just wondering if anyone could give some tips/suggestions on how best to secure your bike to a thule tow-bar mounted rack. The straps supplied are not great and seem hard to get tight enough and while I have successfully taken a bike on a 10-mile trip I was pretty nervous as it seemed to be moving and bouncing around a lot. Are there some ratchet-type straps that might be better?
Thanks
Dan
Search for cam buckle straps. That's what I've always used without any issues. 3 or 4 of those and things would have to go catastrophically wrong for them to all fail at once.
Is this a hang-the-bikes-on-it kind of thule, or a stand-them-on-it thule. If it's a stand them on then they come with ratchet straps for the wheels, and screw-tightened jaws to hold the frame. Minor sway, but bikes rock solid
I think they're safe enough. Make sure it's tight on all 3 points before you set off. Just because you can see the bikes bouncing around a bit in the rear view mirror doesn't mean it's about to fall off. After a quick stop for a vomiting child in scotland, I set off again and noticed a mile or two up the road that I'd not clicked it back in place properly and 4 bikes were bouncing, tilted back on the cables. Well outside what the clamps and straps are supposed to be dealing with, but bikes all still there.
The holding up, the weight bearing and carrying are all done by the wheel gutters. The straps are just to keep the wheels bouncing out and the clamp arm is to keep the bike upright.
cheers, all very useful. @susepic - I don't think I have jaws to grip - I have an older 9403 RideOn - seems I just have the two wheel straps but I might be missing something. I'll investigate further on that
Yeah - you just need to strap around the vertical separator and the frame.
Slightly different to the thule that I have. Looks like you need straps for the vertical separator as Scotroutes says. I'd want to strap each frame individually to that vertical post before going anywhere. And maybe get some new straps to make sure that they are cinching up nice and tight for wheels and frame. You might want to put microfibre cloth between strap and frame to avoid rubbing. You can follow that link to Pendle straps, and there are thule spares here too: https://www.roofracks.co.uk/9403-rideon/c/132
I used to have the 9403 and used these...
https://www.roofbox.co.uk/straps/fasty_straps_range.php
...much cheaper than the stupidly expensive Thule straps.
IME, putting an elastic band/bit of old inner tube round the brake lever & grip to hold the brake on & stopping the wheel rotating made a huge difference on that style of rack.
We swapped it for a Pendle wheel support rack when we started taking multiple bikes across Europe for holidays. It's massive to store, but totally solid with minimal faff.
Fasty straps are great.
The reflective ones are good for nighttime driving as you can see them in the rear view mirror
Search for cam buckle straps.
Trouble is they do 'move' and can slowly open up just enough that the bikes moves too much.
Also look for voile straps.
I also sling a lock around the frame top and rack, more of a precaution in case something does come undone and also provides a slight protection against somebody easily stealing the bike, so when paying for fuel etc.