Fenders and vehicle racks

[Rich]

I just got my refurb e-JOE Anggun, and I'm really happy with it so far. I'll post a summary of my initial experiences and impressions shortly.

Now I need a rack for my RV so I can take it places. That's been harder than I thought it would be; the combination of weight (54 pounds with battery) and frame style (step-through) ruled out some of the often-used solutions, even some expensive ones.

I've found one I really like the looks of. It's made by 1UPUSA and people I've talked to really like its solidity and ease of mount/dismount.

Problem: the hold-down mechanism on the rack clamps down on the tires from above. (You may need to look at the picture below to understand). The fenders on the Anggun are, let's say, delicate. Although they make a fender roller attachment, it looks like enough tension to hold the bike in place on the rack would destroyer deform the fender.



So here's my question: do I really need the fenders? If I were using this as a commuting bike in good clothes in all weathers, sure. But this is recreation for me, either at home (not much rain in Tucson anyway) or on the road (If it's rainy I'm more likely to stay in the RV with a beer than go for a ride.) I'm thinking that if I just remove the fenders, the problem goes away and I don't really lose anything,

I know the fenders are a big deal for some folks. But I rode a mountain bike for years with no fenders.

Am I missing something here?

 

[opimax]

I have a Saris Pro I think , I have fenders on my Stromer, the arm holds it on the front tire but past the fender. i just checked their web site and it is no longer for sale .The new model that holds 60lbs doesn't look like it will work. maybe this one will.

 

[Rich]

In my case the entire problem is with the rear wheel. I look at the Thule model that you put it yet. I gotta say the cost is pretty high. Thanks for the input! What I do depends a lot on how important I think fenders are.

R

 

[Rich]

Not sure why my response was so garbled. I did look at that Thule model, but it's WAY more expensive than the one from 1upusa. Fenders are the issue.

 

[Chandlee EBS]

http://www.thule.com/en-us/us/produ...d-bike-carriers/thule-easyfold-9032-_-1684676

That's a great rack. Spoke to someone today that just picked one up a REI for $399. Not sure if that deal is at all the REI's.

We like Hollywood Sports Rack SEs. They're $269 and fine for a single ebike. The Anggun isn't too heavy either. If you're going to use it with another heavy ebike, then you might want to upgrade to their Ebike rack, which is a tank.

http://hollywoodracks.com/hitchRacks.html

 

[opimax]

I would make sure my load I put on the rack is less than it is rated for, and I would weigh the bike as it is , w/fenders , lights , batteries sic, not manufacture rated. I remove my lights, battery lights , bike battery, seat post as I am close the 60lb limit of my rack. It bounces too much as it is , any is too much even if it is normal far as I am concerned when watching in my rear view mirror at 75 mph!

Mark

 

[Admin]

I would make sure my load I put on the rack is less than it is rated for, and I would weigh the bike as it is , w/fenders , lights , batteries sic, not manufacture rated. I remove my lights, battery lights , bike battery, seat post as I am close the 60lb limit of my rack. It bounces too much as it is , any is too much even if it is normal far as I am concerned when watching in my rear view mirror at 75 mph!

Mark

Good thoughts mark, even with the battery removed the motor and rack/fender systems weigh a lot. It's best to mount a bike as close to the back of your car as possible to avoid increasing the bounce but always be careful to keep the tires away from the exhaust pipe or you could melt them (or just weaken them and have a bad day riding when it pops unexpectedly). I always try to carry my bikes inside my car... I've used roof racks before but the weight of ebikes combined with the possibility of smashing into a low hanging tree or garage is worrisome.

Wish I had more helpful advice Rich. You might be able to use a crossbar adapter with the Anggun and then use a standard hanging style rack (which are available for hitches as well so it will be more sturdy).

 

[Rich]

Checking in on rack-related issues. In a nutshell, I decided that the fenders, which would be a much-needed feature on a commuter/urban bike, weren't mission-critical for me. At home, using the bike is optional, and we don't get much rain here in the desert. On the road, it's a convenience. If it's raining I'm unlikely to go out for a recreational ride in any event. Yes, puddles after it's rained.... we'll see. So I took the fenders off the bike. They could be replaced, although getting at the attachment points isn't all that easy.

So without fenders, the choice of a rack was simpler. I settled on a rack made by 1UPUSA.com at (Link Removed - No Longer Exists). I talked to people on an RV forum who have them, and they confirm that the thing is rugged and simple. The racks are made in the USA by a small outfit in Wisconsin. They've been very responsive to email queries, and have a 60-day return policy; they pay the shipping if you return it! They have two models, a standard model and a heavy-duty model for bikes up to 75 pounds. The heavy-duty model comes only for 2-inch receivers, which is fine with me: the adapters from 1 1/4 to 2-inch struck me as a potential weak link. The rack is scheduled for delivery after I return from a trip to San Francisco next week, and I'll let you all know how it goes when it all gets put together.

One thing about hitch-mounted racks in general: on my RV, as on many, the spare tire rides centered on the back of the beast. This means that a hitch extender is necessary to bring the attachment point out to where a bike could be mounted. These are readily available. and fortunately one was included with used the RV I bought.

And about Court's point on traveling with the bike inside. I get that, and it's one of the reasons I was initially drawn to the folding bikes. But I really preferred the size and feel of a "regular" bike. It turns out that I can get the e-Joe Anggun in the door to the RV. Not easily or gracefully, but it can be done. Then, of course, it takes up a lot of space, would have to be secured for travel, etc. But if I needed to, I could get it inside out of there weather or for storage if I were to leave the RV and bike unattended for a lengthy side trip.

We'll see. I'm reasonably confident in the choices I've made so far, and there's always that 60-day return period if I need it.

Thanks to you all for helpful advice and information!

Rich