CatmanV2
Member
- Messages
- 48,869
Bike Rack/Towbar
- Thread starter Lozzingers
- Start date
Nighthawk
Junior Member
- Messages
- 84
Alright, So I'm back in one piece after a full weekend Mountain Biking in Wales with my new SeeSucker Talon Bike mounting solution.
Firstly, in answer to some previous questions on this thread, No, I didn't want to stick it to the windscreen because the wipers will hit the suction pads if you do. That only works on cars with long, sloping windscreens with room to spare and the GTS wipers reach right to the top of the screen. I put the two front pads at the very edge of the front of the roof because the surface is most stable there. Further back, and the roof is like a biscuit tin lid. That's fine for the rear single suction cup though, because all that is doing is providing support for the rear wheel of the bike to stop it bouncing around, so the suction cup placement I used worked just fine.
Also, I just test fitted this in my car park. The total height of this is near 2.4m and my car park "Max Headroom" is 2.1m so I need to exit my car park, park the car, then get the bike and fit it to the roof before setting off. The same in reverse coming home, but that's just a niggle of where I live.
Once I set off, I admit, I was a bit nervous. it seems like black magic that this thing stays put but it really does stick. I gradually increased the speed as I progressed toward the motorway, all the while waiting for it to fall off backwards but it never did! Once on the motorway, I kept increasing the speed and listening for rattles/knocks/bumps etc but it was rock solid. there is a little whistling at higher speeds because of the bike but other than that, nothing. I progressed to a (neither confirmed nor denied) 85mph and still no disaster. You can't see it though, because its on the roof, so you have to trust it. You could try mounting it between the roof and the Boot lid so you could see the bike but it probably makes no difference.
Once I got north of Birmingham from London, I had almost forgotten I was carrying the bike. Once in Wales I hit the Welsh roads with the twists and turns, all no problem at all. The weather was good on the way up but on the Sunday, it rained heavily all day in Wales, but that had no effect on the operation of the suction pads or anything else. it was however, a super-efficient way of washing the bike...
By way of testing it in the danger zone (and because i know you're all gonna ask), I did hit a (neither confirmed nor denied) 105mph and it still didn't fall off. I was driving like i stole it on the A5 accelerating and decelerating between roundabouts at break-neck speeds and had no issues at all. Twists, turns, bumps, speed-humps, turns of speed, nothing affects it. Its truly one of the best products I've ever bought.
The pads come off easily with a tweak of a rubber "switch" on each one and the whole thing packs into a tiny box. A quick wipe with a cloth and there's no evidence it was ever there. There are however, some things to note in the usage :-
1) it comes with a 15mm thru-axle fitment bracket. That's great for me, because my mountain bike has a 15mm front thru-axle (Ie, one of the ones where you unscrew the quick-release and the whole axle comes out of the wheel.) You use that quick release bolt to fasten the forks to the bracket on the SeeSucker but you need to make it as tight as possible, to prevent any knocking sounds. I did notice some light knocking and stopped to check it but even with the knocking, the bike isn't going anywhere. But tighten that bolt whatever happens. Putting the bike on the roof takes care, and you need to be careful as you lower the bike into position so you can shove the bolt through.
2) You WILL get funny looks. Other Mountain Bikers will look on in dis-belief when you show up to whatever biking location you are going to. People stopped and took photos.
3) The SeeSucker system can be nicked off the roof of your car in a matter of seconds, by any thief that knows how to deactivate the suction in the cups. Or they can release the rear velcro strap and unscrew your thru-axle quick release and make off with your bike, minus the front wheel. To counter that threat, SeeSucker sell an "Anchor" bolt and cable and I think that would be a prudent investment so you can safely leave the bike strapped to the car at Motorway services, car parks, Tesco's wherever... It's my next purchase.....
4) You have to remove the front wheel and I run a 29er so its a big wheel, that won't fit in the boot. That means, its going in the back seat. That means you need to wrap it up or you'll ruin the leather so another prudent purchase, will be a single wheel bag to transport the wheel without mess or fuss.
If you go biking like this, take towels and stuff to cover the seats and a change of dry clothes to come home in, or else if it rains, or is muddy, you'll ruin your leather. However, with a little forward planning, I really believe this SeeSucker system allows you access to your hobby whilst running a luxury motor, in a truly "go-anywhere" fashion, without any adverse impact to the car. I'd happily recommend the SeeSucker stuff to anyone.
This is me at Coed-Y-Brenin on Saturday
James
Firstly, in answer to some previous questions on this thread, No, I didn't want to stick it to the windscreen because the wipers will hit the suction pads if you do. That only works on cars with long, sloping windscreens with room to spare and the GTS wipers reach right to the top of the screen. I put the two front pads at the very edge of the front of the roof because the surface is most stable there. Further back, and the roof is like a biscuit tin lid. That's fine for the rear single suction cup though, because all that is doing is providing support for the rear wheel of the bike to stop it bouncing around, so the suction cup placement I used worked just fine.
Also, I just test fitted this in my car park. The total height of this is near 2.4m and my car park "Max Headroom" is 2.1m so I need to exit my car park, park the car, then get the bike and fit it to the roof before setting off. The same in reverse coming home, but that's just a niggle of where I live.
Once I set off, I admit, I was a bit nervous. it seems like black magic that this thing stays put but it really does stick. I gradually increased the speed as I progressed toward the motorway, all the while waiting for it to fall off backwards but it never did! Once on the motorway, I kept increasing the speed and listening for rattles/knocks/bumps etc but it was rock solid. there is a little whistling at higher speeds because of the bike but other than that, nothing. I progressed to a (neither confirmed nor denied) 85mph and still no disaster. You can't see it though, because its on the roof, so you have to trust it. You could try mounting it between the roof and the Boot lid so you could see the bike but it probably makes no difference.
Once I got north of Birmingham from London, I had almost forgotten I was carrying the bike. Once in Wales I hit the Welsh roads with the twists and turns, all no problem at all. The weather was good on the way up but on the Sunday, it rained heavily all day in Wales, but that had no effect on the operation of the suction pads or anything else. it was however, a super-efficient way of washing the bike...
By way of testing it in the danger zone (and because i know you're all gonna ask), I did hit a (neither confirmed nor denied) 105mph and it still didn't fall off. I was driving like i stole it on the A5 accelerating and decelerating between roundabouts at break-neck speeds and had no issues at all. Twists, turns, bumps, speed-humps, turns of speed, nothing affects it. Its truly one of the best products I've ever bought.
The pads come off easily with a tweak of a rubber "switch" on each one and the whole thing packs into a tiny box. A quick wipe with a cloth and there's no evidence it was ever there. There are however, some things to note in the usage :-
1) it comes with a 15mm thru-axle fitment bracket. That's great for me, because my mountain bike has a 15mm front thru-axle (Ie, one of the ones where you unscrew the quick-release and the whole axle comes out of the wheel.) You use that quick release bolt to fasten the forks to the bracket on the SeeSucker but you need to make it as tight as possible, to prevent any knocking sounds. I did notice some light knocking and stopped to check it but even with the knocking, the bike isn't going anywhere. But tighten that bolt whatever happens. Putting the bike on the roof takes care, and you need to be careful as you lower the bike into position so you can shove the bolt through.
2) You WILL get funny looks. Other Mountain Bikers will look on in dis-belief when you show up to whatever biking location you are going to. People stopped and took photos.
3) The SeeSucker system can be nicked off the roof of your car in a matter of seconds, by any thief that knows how to deactivate the suction in the cups. Or they can release the rear velcro strap and unscrew your thru-axle quick release and make off with your bike, minus the front wheel. To counter that threat, SeeSucker sell an "Anchor" bolt and cable and I think that would be a prudent investment so you can safely leave the bike strapped to the car at Motorway services, car parks, Tesco's wherever... It's my next purchase.....
4) You have to remove the front wheel and I run a 29er so its a big wheel, that won't fit in the boot. That means, its going in the back seat. That means you need to wrap it up or you'll ruin the leather so another prudent purchase, will be a single wheel bag to transport the wheel without mess or fuss.
If you go biking like this, take towels and stuff to cover the seats and a change of dry clothes to come home in, or else if it rains, or is muddy, you'll ruin your leather. However, with a little forward planning, I really believe this SeeSucker system allows you access to your hobby whilst running a luxury motor, in a truly "go-anywhere" fashion, without any adverse impact to the car. I'd happily recommend the SeeSucker stuff to anyone.
This is me at Coed-Y-Brenin on Saturday
James
Lozzingers
Member
- Messages
- 192
Just brilliant, allowing two passions to blend in harmony