Bike Rack for Recumbent Bike
I've been combing through advice on bike racks for the smart. I have a challenge. Naturally my interest in offbeat vehicles extends to my bike, too. I have a BikeE recumbent bike and a custom Bike E rack. The rack was made by the same company that makes racks that go on the front of buses (Sportworks). On my last vehicle - a Ford Ranger - I had a 2" receiver hitch installed for my rack. I love the rack because it's so easy to get the bike in and out. I've seen some remarks about 1-1/4" receiver hitches but no 2". I'm not a handy person so I'd want something installed. If I have to get a different type of rack I will but again the challenge is the unusual type of bike. I'm attaching a small picture of the bike I grabbed from the website. You can see it has a long wheelbase. I was hoping the official smart bike rack would work but it's hard to tell without actually trying it. I would have to borrow a big vehicle to drive my bike down there just to test the smart rack! Any thoughts? Any smart/recumbent people out there? Biking season is nearly upon us here in Minnesota and I need a solution!
Tags: Bike, BikeE, Rack, Recumbent
Views: 50
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bob & Jan on -
You have a very unique bike. Hope you can find a rack that works with your Smart.
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Permalink Reply by SATO on -
get a Thule for the top of your car and get the long rail that fits recumbants.... simple and clean install
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Permalink Reply by Rich Merrill on -
Pick one of the several 1 1/4 hitches and buy an adapter for the 2 inch from etrailer.com. I have their hitch also.
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Permalink Reply by Julie Ann on -
Thanks for the suggestions! I appreciate the roof rack idea but I'm afraid I'm not strong enough to handle lifting my bike up on the roof without it getting away from me and damaging my car. And my back. I'm delighted to hear there are adapters to change the hitch size to 2". I see that there are even adapters that raise the hitch height up a bit which may be just the thing to get the rack up high enough for bumpy roads. I got a deal on the rack at the time but it was still pretty expensive and I'd like to be able to keep using it.
I'll let you all know how it works out! Thanks again.
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Permalink Reply by Ron Bittenbender on -
Have not put the Recumbent on the Smart and probably won't. BUT I also have a recumbent a TerraTrike
Just love it waiting for the weather to get nice so I can go riding again. Have a great day.
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Permalink Reply by Julie Ann on
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Good news! I visited a local truck accessory place with a print-out of the information on a hitch for the smart car. (Thanks, Rich, for the etrailer.com suggestion.) The folks at the truck accessory shop could not have been more cheerful and fun. Two of the fellows had to come out and sit in my smart and look her over carefully. Then they called dibs on who got to drive her into the garage! The hitch will hopefully come in within a week. They sell Thule racks that are very similar to my Sportworks rack and expressed great confidence that we'll get it to work. I feel so relieved. I can't wait to toss my BikeE on the back of my smartie and get to some big regional parks for quality rides. I will post a pic of the bike on my car. I think it's going to look pretty striking! Heh, heh.
I'll have to look up TerraTrikes. The BikeE corporation is no longer in business but I adore my BikeEs. I have two! Does this make me a collector? Or do you need three for that...
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Permalink Reply by Julie Ann on
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I got the hitch installed and immediately went home, put the rack on and took my bike to a regional park for a ride. I was just taking my bike off the rack when a couple rushed up to ask me about my car and then about my bike!
I have the 1-1/4" hitch, an adaptor to bring it up to 2" and my Sportworks rack. It moves the bike well away from the car so I can easily open the back hatch. Nice. The whole kit and kaboodle looks rather low to the ground so I'm driving with caution over bumpy terrain. But so far so good. It was a perfect day for riding. Thanks for everyone's suggestions!
I'm attaching a picture of everything in place. The bike did not extend as far past the car as I expected. Oh, and the guys at the truck accessory center had a great time installing the hitch. They said it was such a fun change and a fair challenge. Took them about an hour and a half. - Attachments:
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smartAndRack.JPG, 1 MB
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Permalink Reply by smartette on -
your bike rack looks really cool and they did a great job. mr. incredible is making a custom bike rack for momma (mr. incredible's smart car).
he will be using the tow hook holes and has designed the bike rack to hold either his cannondale tandem road bike or his specialized triathlon bike. the bike rack he will be using is 'rocky mounts tandem r4'.
mr. incredible said he wants the bike rack complete by mid-may. hopefully he will be going to the wolverine 200 on belle isle in detroit, mi.
your little car,
smartette :o)
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