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Dakine Shuttle Pad

krustydude

Monkey
Mar 16, 2004
198
0
Richland, WA
I ride with two different groups that shuttle and they both have pads and they rock. I finally reached the point with my trail where we can shuttle so I picked one up a couple months back and it works great. I have a 2500 Chevy and it fits perfect. I was using a piece of carpet and the Dakine is so much nicer. It's all about image and the Pickup pad says I'm a downhiller! :D
 

bdamschen

Turbo Monkey
Nov 28, 2005
3,377
156
Spreckels, CA
Mine finally fell apart after 4 years but it got used almost every weekend and left on the truck the whole time. Expect it to slowly rub a section of paint of your down tube if it's not protected and throw something under the pad to stop frames from getting dented when you rally speed bumps.


All told though, UPS is dropping another one off today.
 

Jason4

Monkey
Aug 27, 2008
338
0
Bellingham
If you ride in wet conditions you can say good bye to the paint on your downtube as well. Be prepared for pedal scratches all over your frame and really watch out for air shock pistons.
 

JeffKill

Monkey
Jun 21, 2006
688
0
Charlotte, NC
If you ride in wet conditions you can say good bye to the paint on your downtube as well. Be prepared for pedal scratches all over your frame and really watch out for air shock pistons.
If a little common sense is used while loading, you can completely avoid scratches or any other damage to the bikes. But you are right about the paint on the downtube, it will get worn off. I myself am not overly concerned with it though.
 

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
Hey guys im interested to hear your thoughts about the Dakine Pickup Pad.
Basically Im thinking about buying one of these and Ive heard that is quite popular in Canada/US and just wanted to hear from anyone who has used one or had experience with them and whether they are worth buying?

Thanks
Worth every cent... Maybe even DOUBLE the MSRP. :thumb:

I've used on for at least 7 years (since 2004) and it is still going STRONG. Never had a bike even start to come out and that includes some off-road stuff going to-from camp sites etc. You might get a little paint wear on the bottom of your down-tube though, but not a big deal in my opinion. Worst case, throw a sticker there or some sort of frame protector.
 

dfinn

Turbo Monkey
Jul 24, 2003
2,129
0
SL, UT
If you ride in wet conditions you can say good bye to the paint on your downtube as well. Be prepared for pedal scratches all over your frame and really watch out for air shock pistons.
I usually stick a camelback, helmet or whatever gear I have in between my nice bike and the beater bikes of all the dudes I ride with. :)

It's really not that hard. I have considered getting one of these pads but I had a feeling it would scratch the paint on my tail gate. I don't believe I've ever actually gotten any scratches on my truck while using it to shuttle multiple bikes hanging over the tailgate with just an old blanket.
 

DirtMcGirk

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm
Feb 21, 2008
6,379
1
Oz
I've had one on the back of my Tacoma for 5 years now. Its pretty much lived on there. I've hauled up to 9 bikes hung on it. Not sure what you mean about tie down straps. Its fine without them. It will eat the paint off the down tube, and over time the paint on your truck under it will look a lot different.

I think mine is finally hitting the end of its life. I wish it were about 4" wider though, doesn't cover wall to wall like the old piece of carped I used to use.
 

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,698
1,053
behind you with a snap pop
Yeah, I gots nuttin' but love for the Da Kine pad. I have had mine forever, and it stays on my truck all the time. It is greyish now with a nice perma-stain of red clay mud on it.
For me, there is no real cons to it honestly.
I put a little clear vinyl on my downtubes to protect the frame.
I think my tailgate is fine, but I don't spend anytime looking at it. Since I am man with dangly sugar lumps, I can't bothered over my truck's tailgate appearance.:D
How much the bikes move around depends on your tailgate and bike size. My single crown bikes do not move at all, but a dh bike will move a little on my tacoma. The main thing to watch out for is if the end of a lock on grip is touching your top tube, but other than that its been fine for me.
Its probaly about the most useful thing I have purchased for my bikes in the last 10 years.
 

profro

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2002
5,617
314
Walden Ridge
all of the above WILL wreck the paint on your tailgate...in case you care about it
Hasn't on mine. I have had my Dakine pad on my F250 for about 5 years solid. I occasionally take it off hose it down and wash the truck. Paint is perfect, but maybe its Ford's paint that is holding up better than your brand of truck?
 

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
Hasn't on mine. I have had my Dakine pad on my F250 for about 5 years solid. I occasionally take it off hose it down and wash the truck. Paint is perfect, but maybe its Ford's paint that is holding up better than your brand of truck?
My Tundra is A-OK as well. Pad has been on since 2004 and I just removed it for the first time a few weeks ago. Everything was perfect. in fact, the paint was in better condition under the pad than anywhere else on my truck!!
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
I dunno. Seems that I've had rotten luck with my bike and those things. Combine quick loading with a rough shuttle road and an "aggressive" driver, your bike can really take a beating.
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
To me, this is true with any system, unless you're standing there holding your bike.
I suppose. But having each bike held in place is pretty key. Bar end caps and top tubes, pedals and downtubes, etc... are not friends. They should be kept separate.

The old "shinpad on downtube" trick works fine. But is a bit of a PITA, especially on muddy days, and shimming packs/helmets/whatever between the bikes works too.

Works, yes. Ideal? No.
 

mattmatt86

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2005
5,347
10
Bleedmore, Murderland
Those of you that say it will take some of the paint off the tailgate, are you leaving it on 100% of the time? If I get one I'm only planning on having it on the truck when I'm actually shuttling, maybe a max of 10ish hours a month....
 

92SE-R

piston slapper
Feb 5, 2004
272
13
San Diego, CA
I've been using the shuttlepad for a little bit now, and I feel like the sewn on straps address the rubbing on the downtube issue. I posted a review here a while back.
 

slowitdown

Monkey
Mar 30, 2009
553
0
I find hilarious that people who own pickup trucks are spazzing about scratches or dulled paint.

Why buy a truck if you don't intend to make it work for you, and instead want it to look showroom-new all the time? If you're trying to make it look new you'll never be wanting to make it work for you. If you don't want to make it work for you, why own a truck? The image of being a pickup truck owner? Seriously?
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
Why buy a truck if you don't intend to make it work for you, and instead want it to look showroom-new all the time? If you're trying to make it look new you'll never be wanting to make it work for you. If you don't want to make it work for you, why own a truck? The image of being a pickup truck owner? Seriously?
cause you can still make a truck work for you if you take the extra second to prevent scratching it. yes, some are inevitable but most are avoidable.
a beater truck is one thing, but who wants to make their vehicle look like sh!t?
 

mattmatt86

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2005
5,347
10
Bleedmore, Murderland
cause you can still make a truck work for you if you take the extra second to prevent scratching it. yes, some are inevitable but most are avoidable.
a beater truck is one thing, but who wants to make their vehicle look like sh!t?
:stupid: My truck cost 25k, I'm not gonna turn a blind eye to scratches just because it's a truck. A few extra seconds of patients or prep can save you thousands when you trade it in.
 
Jun 3, 2009
12
0
I just put a softride pad on my avalanche. In my opinion it's a much nicer pad than the dakine. The softride is thicker and has velcro straps to keep the bikes from moving around. You can pick one up for $79.95 at www.autoanything.com
 

samnation

Monkey
Jan 25, 2009
139
0
Somewhere in KANURDUR
-Scratches paint
-pad wears out most I know have a horse blanket or foamie underneath
-hole for handle rarely lines up
-goes VERY moldy

-cheap (as compared to a rack)
-works really well in some climates


Some notes
a strip of rubber across the top will stop paint wear on the DT
Mike kinrade does NOT run and he is on dakine (take that however you want it is just a footnote)

I have both sold and sold against the pads.
 

Sam B

Monkey
Nov 25, 2001
280
0
Cascadia
I used to have a homemade cross bar rack on my truck for 6 bikes. My buddy Ryan did the V1 and I added a gusset after the first cross piece broke.


However, now I use this...

http://www.shuttlenuts.com/

Which gives extra room behind the bikes for gear bags, etc. Don't listen to them about the canopy though... it doesn't really work with one. Made here in the PNW and it does a much better job separating the pedals, etc. The old 6 bike thing I had was really too much for 150mm spacing and a compact truck. You can use the Shuttlenuts rack with the tailgate up... but now I have a 5 ft bed and the tailgate down adds a bunch of room for gear bags, etc.

I still have a dakine pad, just for tossing a couple bikes in. But if we go shuttling the "Mac Rack" goes on...
 

Sam B

Monkey
Nov 25, 2001
280
0
Cascadia
Oh yeah... and around here you see multipe Dakine pads a day on trucks, and everyones downtubes have a bike shiny alloy spot from the shuttle rub. They definitely do damage to your bike, but it's better than straight on the tailgate and you can fit more in than with moto straps, etc.
 

cmoney

Monkey
Jan 20, 2008
154
0
3M makes clear adhesive tape that will protect your down tube.
I spent ten bucks on some 2x4's and built a little rack that the back tires sit in so the bikes don't bounce all over each other while using my Dakine pad.Works great.
 

johnnypop

Chimp
Aug 24, 2006
86
0
San Jose/Santa Barbara
I used the Dakine for a while and it worked OK, but I had a lot of the same issues already posted. Rallying HWY17, HWY154, and associated shuttle roads caused for some sketchy near-bike-losses and several scrapes and dings. I hated having to watch my rearview mirror all the time to make sure the bikes are all there cause I'm paranoid.

I'm still 100% sold on the Thule T-2 4-bike... It's way more expensive, but bikes are locked in tight and it's quick to load. Even though it has that sticker on it that says don't go off roading, it does pretty well when airborne and sideways on dirt roads.
 

Rider15

Chimp
Dec 13, 2008
59
3
Thanks guys, Im thinking I will get one and just chuck some carpet that i have lying around under the pad to protect the paint, tray has a liner on it so no worries there.
 

slowitdown

Monkey
Mar 30, 2009
553
0
cause you can still make a truck work for you if you take the extra second to prevent scratching it. yes, some are inevitable but most are avoidable.
a beater truck is one thing, but who wants to make their vehicle look like sh!t?
Yeah heaven forbid the Braindead Betties at the Beach Blanket Bingo Bust might refuse to do the Shoog-A-Loo with you because your truck isn't showroom new.

You city people are hilarious, the way what's Genuine and Meaningful is a bunch of external stuff that has nothing to do with you personally.