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popped new Anthem on the rack earlier - due to the plethora of hoses and outers crossing and entering frame, I need to position the Thule clamp a good 3 or 4 inches further up downtube than ideal for a near perpendicular clamping action. It's alloy, so it's not going to hurt the bike, but it does affect the pull down action of the top part of the Thule jaws. Does this make it less secure, likely to undo ? I always tend to lock the clamp for added security anyway.
Thanks
Oh well, just me overthinking stuff again 😆
Similar to my Trance, it's not the greatest fit with the swooping downtube but it does fit, and it's absolutely secure.
My strive sits at some ridiculous angle, the jaws are nowhere near facing each other due to the shock box forcing the arm up to like a 25 degree angle but but i've not lost it yet after 000's of miles. Wouldn't worry about it.
(P.S. toe strap around the jaws I don't rely on the lock alone. It can't come off then.)
Thanks, have ordered some cheap toe clip straps from Amazon to add to the jaws, cheers for suggestion.
I don't lock mine 😕 Except when I'm away from the car. I'm just not convinced that the lock adds strength. I also just run the clamp across the cables under the downtube. I don't think this causes a problem, certainly no kinked cables / problems after many hundreds of miles of my aggressive driving 😀
I'm intrigued by this comment though:
I'm sure the 0.4mm thick aluminium is not indestructable. Similarly, I think a carbon bike would be just fine on a 591, despite Thule's self-protecting advice.It's alloy, so it's not going to hurt the bike
Thanks, I meant its an alloy frame so not as 'fragile' to jaw clamp forces as some would say a carbon frame could be.
Edit - yes, often clamp over cables routed under downtube on some bikes, problem with Giant is that it has cables routed above low part of down tube about 2cm above it, so can't get clamp jaw between them and frame.
The old carbon being fragile myth still going strong I see.
I clamp my AnthemX with a 591 towards the bottom of the downtube, just above the weld for the lower shock bush casting. It just tucks neatly under the cable outers so you avoid clamping cables. Have driven thousands of miles like this with no issues.
Having said that, my daughters bikes (20" & 24" wheel) end up with some pretty strange angles between the arm and the downtube to get them to fit, and never had probs with them either.
I think security won't be as good if the arm is not at a right angle, as in theory you could release the wheel clamps, try and rotate the bike and the clamp will loosen its grip as it moves towards a 90deg angle.
I'm just not convinced that the lock adds strength.
It may not add strength, but I worry about a pothole or bump in the road jolting the release mechanism and opening the jaws. If it's locked it can't do that.
yes, that would be ideal on mine, and was where I tried to do it initially. The outers are a bit tight in to the downtube so not enough space to get the top clamp between them and the frame - I don't want to pull them through to make space as they could then be a bit loose and interfere with shock when riding.I clamp my AnthemX with a 591 towards the bottom of the downtube, just above the weld for the lower shock bush casting. It just tucks neatly under the cable outers so you avoid clamping cables.
With my Trance, I sort of pinch the cables inwards so they're within the 'V' of the 591 clamp. I've worn through the anodising already - down to bare metal. Nothing that a bit of protective tape wouldn't have prevented, but I'm sure the down-tube is thick enough at that point.
+1 to locking the clamp before driving. I often fit a large cable lock through the frame and roof bars too.
yes, they can rub away in no time - I use helitape on all the bikes where the clamp goes