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having to clean off road film from the bikes, especially after long journeys in rain is a bit tiresome, so looking for some cheap covers to keep the worst of the muck off. I’m generally transporting 3 enduro bikes, so quite big. What are people using, I’m guessing the constant flapping on the wind will kill most covers quite quickly?
I cover my brakes with those Muc Off covers.
Same here, tow bar rack behind a Transporter.
If it's raining/wet the bike will be either filthy because you've just ridden it or will get filthy because you're going to ride it.
Wash it when you're home.
Muc off covers when on the back of the car, keeps the important brake bits working right
Wash it when you’re home.
I'm not scared of a dirty bike but road grime on brakes is a real problem. Long motorway journeys in the rain before a ride can wreck your braking ability and necessitate a thorough clean up which is pretty hard in a trail centre car park.
+1 on the muc off disc covers - purchased last year on scotroutes' recommendation.. 🙂
I’ve seen on some bike racks explicit instructions NOT to cover the bikes during transport. The extra frontal area drag bits additional strain on the fixings etc.
Muc off disc covers and in the wet I also chuck on grip covers.
Poss relevant
Probably not cheap but fyi have a look at motorhome rack bike covers. My taylormade was pretty decent quality but I think they only do for 2 bikes.
I used to clamp down the cover with tiedown straps, so there wasn’t that much slack, taylormade was still ok after 4 years (but a bit protected on a motorhome)
Edited.
Re post below about underneath, taylormade was large enough to go round underneath and the tie downs helped keep it in place
The Famia rep at the NEC one year refused to sell us covers saying they would get destroyed too easily. Our solution is to wash them when we get home
How do you deal with the mank getting sucked up from underneath and coating the bikes?
Bottle of water to rinse the brakes if you are riding and then just a wash when you get back.
disc brake covers may provide the solution. My issue is as per Sharkattack said, pi55 poor brakes as they are covered in road film. My sons would rather I buy a van, which aint going to happen!
Maybe I just don't use the brakes? I've driven hundreds (thousands) of miles with my bikes on the back of a thule 3 bike rack and never had any problems / never covered them.
I can't even put it down to the superior utility of driving an SUV nowadays, because we used to stick 'em behind a Golf.
Maybe I just don’t use the brakes? I’ve driven hundreds (thousands) of miles with my bikes on the back of a thule 3 bike rack and never had any problems / never covered them.
I was the same, until I wasn’t. Unusually anything just burns off quickly but one trip must’ve had diesel or something on the road, as that wasn’t for going anywhere. Rotor covers seemed like cheap insurance to make sure that didn’t happen again.
Carry them on the roof.
Buy an industrial roll of cling film and wrap them up like a pallet. Terrible for the environment and costly in the long term.
Failing that those Muc Off brake covers seem like a sensible idea (or get a van and put them inside).
Carry them on the roof
You still get road spray all over them on the roof. <!--more-->
+1 for the Muc Off rotor covers. They didn't look very secure though with the gap around the fork leg, chainstay, and seatstay. Half came off in the wind on my roof rack once. So I made a hole in both halves and put a reusable cable tie through.
I carry disc brake cleaner in the back of the car. Always clean off the discs when I arrive BEFORE touching the brake leavers.