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Biking is one of life’s great simple pleasures, isn’t it? Hop on and you’re away cycling along trails or whizzing along the roads.
Unfortunately, life isn’t quite as simple when you’re taking your bike somewhere and are trying to hitch it to a car bike rack when it doesn’t quite conform to ‘normal’ bike standards.
If you’re trying to fit a ladies bike to a rear-mounted car rack then you might well be having some challenges. But don’t worry, I’ve got the answer for you and it doesn’t mean changing your car, your rack, or your bike. Shall we take a look?
Have a look at the sketch below which shows a rather expertly drawn bike. Hopefully, this looks something like your bike?
You’ll notice that the top tube (highlighted in green) slopes down at a steep angle from the handlebars towards the back wheel. On ‘normal’ bikes this is horizontal (where the red line appears) and is the part that hooks on to car bike carriers. I say ‘normal’ because there are actually many styles of bike that have this sloping top tube, and therefore the same issue as you’re having now. Examples include full suspension mountain bikes and low-step through bikes.
So, what we need is something that will take the place of this horizontal top tube and that’s where crossbar adaptors come into their own.
How to mount ladies bike on bike rack
Okay, I’ll assume that you’ve got a rear car bike carrier with two bars that stick out away from the car and that bikes are designed to hook onto and hang down from. In order to fit a women’s bike to a rack like this, you need one piece of kit and a couple of optional extras. These are:
Female bike adapter bar
Bike wheel stabilizer strap (optional)
Bike lock for on rack (optional)
Let’s take a look at these in some more detail now.
This is a crossbar adaptor and is the red line from the sketch above. Small and lightweight, this is easy to fit to your bike: Once you’ve fitted it on to the handlebar stem and hooked it on to the seat post, you can then attach your bike to a bike rack like one of those ‘normal’ bikes with a horizontal top tube.
When you’re done, just reverse the process by taking it off your bike, ready for the return car trip. Take a look at this YouTube video to see how easy they are to use:
Crossbar adaptors like these are easy to store and I find that what works best for me is to lash the adaptor onto the bike rack with a couple of the Velcro ties below. That way I know where it is for the next time I’m taking the bike away on the back of the car.
I find that whenever I’m lifting bikes up to fit them onto car racks I’m forever being hit in the face by either the front wheel or the handlebars as they swing wildly to and fro.
Using a stabilizing strap like this one from Sigsit does away with that problem altogether. You simply tie the front wheel directly to the bike frame with the Velcro straps and it keeps the wheel in alignment with the frame so that you can safely lift your bike without running the risk of a black eye.
I never worry more about leaving my bike than when I’ve got it hitched to the back of the car. Do you know what I mean?
There’s something about it being hoisted up, just about at the eye-level of any opportunistic thief. Make sure you stop them in their tracks by securing your bike to the rack with a solid bike lock. This one from Titanker is ideal because there’s a combination lock (so no key to lose down the side of the car seat) and it fits directly to your bike frame when it’s not being used.
Bike riding is one of life’s best and simplest pleasures. Jump on and cycle away along winding bike trails or flying along deserted roads.
Sadly, life often isn’t nearly as simple. For example when you’re trying to take your bicycle someplace and can’t fathom how to hitch it to a car rack when doesn’t have the same style of frame as other bikes.
If you’re trying to fit a female or low-step bike to a rear car carrier then you may well be having a few problems. Don’t worry, there’s an easy answer for you and it certainly won’t mean changing your car, your bike carrier, or your cycle.
I hope that this gives you the answer you need and means that you can fit your bike to your car rack without any headaches.
