[skatetokil]

And you know what that means boys and girls.

SHUTTLE RUNS at the SHED and OTHER PLACES.

Will review the Sette Sierra when I get it set up. We'll see how it copes with 4 dh bikes. No sportworks/thule but it was dirt cheap:

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/16209-255_SETS47-0-Search--/Sette-Sierra-4-Bike-Hitch-Mount-Rack.htm

Who's down to get warmed up on the blue trail next week?

 

[denjen]

And you know what that means boys and girls.

SHUTTLE RUNS at the SHED and OTHER PLACES.

Will review the Sette Sierra when I get it set up. We'll see how it copes with 4 dh bikes. No sportworks/thule but it was dirt cheap:

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/16209-255_SETS47-0-Search--/Sette-Sierra-4-Bike-Hitch-Mount-Rack.htm

Who's down to get warmed up on the blue trail next week?

yes, please let me know what you think of it. was looking at one of those my self.

 

[dan wask]

wooww I could pick one of those up and then I could fit a buttload of bikes on my truck...

 

[skatetokil]

where would the people go?

 

[BigMike]

Dude, for the sake of all involved, please do NOT put four DH bikes on that rack!

I've used them, sold them, etc, and they are not meant for DH bikes. I'm not trying to burst your bubble here, just trying to be realistic and save you some $$ from your bikes falling off. When you get it, look at the max stated weight limit. Also, the little knobs that hold the wheel holders on, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THEM TIGHT! If they loosen up, they can fall off, and it's a pain to get a new one.

Have fun with it though!

 

[skatetokil]

Sierra 4 is capable of carrying four bikes weighing up to 55lbs. each.

Would seem to include DH bikes. I'll make sure to put it together properly and ****.

 

[BigMike]

Would seem to include DH bikes. I'll make sure to put it together properly and ****.

Must be a different model then...... That makes me feel better!

 

[skatetokil]

Yeah, like i said, its not a sportworks, but I may sell my truck and get something that can only take a roof rack soon, so I didn't want to dump a pile of money into this thing.

 

[Sir_Crackien]

nope big mike its not a different model. skate to kill what are you putting this on?? i hope it have a class 4 hitch or better because this is going to put a lot of strain on the hitch.

also big mike i have the one you speak of (the 2 bike one though) and it not all that bad. 1 dh bike and 1 xc bike and it does just fine

 

[skatetokil]

I have a burly hitch on my rodeo. I had a 4 bike platform rack that got stolen by some LA gangbangers last year but the car never complained when loaded up. if it don't work as advertised the company is gonna eat it.

 

[drt_jumper]

nope big mike its not a different model. skate to kill what are you putting this on?? i hope it have a class 4 hitch or better because this is going to put a lot of strain on the hitch.

also big mike i have the one you speak of (the 2 bike one though) and it not all that bad. 1 dh bike and 1 xc bike and it does just fine

Actually it only needs to be a class 3 hitch. Class 4 hitches are usually found on big diesel trucks, they are for towing up to 20some thousand pounds. Either way hopefully the rack will work otherwise the money he saved will be spend buying new parts after the bikes go flying off.

 

[Sir_Crackien]

the problem with a class III hitch is that they have a fairly low tongue weight capacity that a rack like that can exceed also they are only rated for 5000 pounds of towing capacity. the class IV is rated for like 8000 pound towing and like 500-800 pound tongue load. then about that there is the classV which is up to 12500 pounds of towing (i don't know the tongue weight on those) and for 12501+ you need to go to a goose neck or 5th wheel setup and that is the only get the really high loads of 20000 pounds, unless you got the setup like on the dump truck but those are not requiremend to use on pick-ups beyond just using the type of trailer for lighter items.

also just to let you know the nissan frountier (the smaller mid sized truck) needs a class IV to be able to tow its max capability of 6500 lbs

also one note that not all hitches are made equal and there is some play in the above numbers but those are the normal numbers that you find on the stated classes of hitches

 

[drt_jumper]

Actually right off of uhauls website, a Class 3 hitch has a tongue weight of 500#'s a class four is 1,000 to 1,200# tongue weight capacity. So that said he will be fine with a Class 3. Although either way if he has four downhill bikes that weigh in excess of 100#s each then there are more serious problems other than hitch type. I also have a class 3 hitch on my 4wheel drive ranger that has had no problems having dh and other bikes on the rack. As well as pulling trailers with it.

 

[Transfer]

yikes, good luck with that thing. Two heavy rigs on my sportworks seems like a hefty load. Hope it works well for ya.

 

[Sir_Crackien]

drt_jumper btw those tongue weights are for if you are using a weight distribution system in-which you can not use unless you have a trailer. also the tongue weight is measured about 5-6" from the opening of the receiver hitch. with a bike rack the weight could be as far out as 2+ feet.

also i have seen a classIII receiver hitch ruined by a person putting 4 full weight dh bikes on the thing (42-45 lbs per bike).

also i wouldn't be getting on my case about this i have had to spec hitches at a place i use to work and it is a very tricky thing to get people the right one for their application. some people think that it is just plain and simple. ITS NOT! there are many factors that need to be accounted for. also most of the time a trailer ends up putting less tongue weight strain on a hitch than a bike rack will because of the physics in play.

 

[BigMike]

Hey Dan, you forgot to add "BITCH!" To the end of that post!

 

[drt_jumper]

drt_jumper btw those tongue weights are for if you are using a weight distribution system in-which you can not use unless you have a trailer. also the tongue weight is measured about 5-6" from the opening of the receiver hitch. with a bike rack the weight could be as far out as 2+ feet.

also i have seen a classIII receiver hitch ruined by a person putting 4 full weight dh bikes on the thing (42-45 lbs per bike).

also i wouldn't be getting on my case about this i have had to spec hitches at a place i use to work and it is a very tricky thing to get people the right one for their application. some people think that it is just plain and simple. ITS NOT! there are many factors that need to be accounted for. also most of the time a trailer ends up putting less tongue weight strain on a hitch than a bike rack will because of the physics in play.

Damn man...I wasnt getting on your case, I was just relaying what was written on uhauls website as well as speaking from experience. No reason to get all worked up about it. Damn

 

[Sir_Crackien]

drt_jumper ah ok. i might have over reacted a little bit. i'm just saying from job experance and from seeing more than one classIII hitch screwed by a 4 bike rack and having all dh bikes on it. the whole hitch was twisted like 20 degrees and there was some frame rail damage as well. it was due to the guy going over a speed bump a little quick (not really fast though) and that extra strain just did it in.

 

[drt_jumper]

drt_jumper ah ok. i might have over reacted a little bit. i'm just saying from job experance and from seeing more than one classIII hitch screwed by a 4 bike rack and having all dh bikes on it. the whole hitch was twisted like 20 degrees and there was some frame rail damage as well. it was due to the guy going over a speed bump a little quick (not really fast though) and that extra strain just did it in.

Its all good.....and damn twisting a hitch from some bikes like that...Sounds like the car was a POS. I have beaten the hell out of the hitch on my ranger....(using it as a skid plate 4 wheeling, and other dumb crap and havent had a problem. Now that I write that it will probably fall off tomorrow.... If you are still in NOVA let me know if you want to ride, I might even let you ride a superpimp Matador:biggrin:

 

[Sir_Crackien]

it was a curt hitch if i remember right, they are pretty quality. as for the car i couldn't actually tell you what it was. i was more amazed at the hitch itself.

yeah i still live in NOVA but i have been stuck down in norfolk for the pass 2 years going to school, but in 3 weeks i'm done with this hell hole of a city, and yeah i'm down for riding but i will be on my sluggo which i'm pretty much in love with as of right now.

 

[skatetokil]

I'm pretty sure its going to work you guys. . . although after this thread the first long trip fully loaded I'm rigging a bungee to the roofrack so if the whole thing decides to jettison on the highway at 80mph the bikes will stay with the car.

On a side note, anybody ever dumped bikes on the highway? I've seen one of those roof gear bags come off and it wasn't pretty. I also once drove to bootleg from LA in an 85 Olds sedan with 3 dh bikes on a trunk rack and another slapped sideways on the roof. Didn't lose any, but came close every time we hit one of those huge ditches that used to be every 100 yards on I-15 N.

 

[skatetokil]

Alright, when I first got the rack (especially after reading the comments here) I was a little skeptical. Well, I loaded up for a long trip over memorial day and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. While it is clearly not the best piece of machinery, it seemed to hold the bikes on well without scratching them or my car or making any annoying noise. I barely noticed it, which is what I want from my bike rack.

The quality of the knobs and wheel trays is pretty low. They are pretty easy to bend, and as was mentioned you have to make sure they are very tight so that you don't vibrate them loose. However, the actual frame of the rack is quite burly, with redundant bolts and cotter pins holding the thing together. While it doesn't fold out of the way while on the car, the arms of the rack do fold together for storage. From garage to fully loaded was no more than 10 min, and once you have the wheel trays set for your bikes it's even faster. Not pick up truck fast, but it would still let you get in plenty of runs at the shuttle spot without becoming a total nuisance. My previous rack which got stolen off my truck in LA was a rectangular platform with an upright in the center that the bikes tied to. It also held 4 bikes and cost about the same, but the Sette seems a little more secure. I'm worried it wont be as durable, but only time will tell. These are the only 2 racks I've seen that will allow you to hitch carry 4 dh bikes. Considering that you have a minimum of 3 for a shuttle, I'm surprised that there aren't more and better offerings, but for what it's worth this worked ok for me.