Trike carrier?

[playaSilk]

I bought myself a Worksman Port-O-Trike (the folding type) a few burns ago, and it has proven to be some of the best money I've ever spent on gear. I've always had a U-Haul to transport my trike in, until this year. So I googled around, and I found this:
http://shop.terratrike.com/product-p/tt600207.htm

The reviews on the internet have been pretty decent so far, but does anyone here have any input on this? Maybe you've used it? Seen it? Or maybe you'd just provide me your armchair-theoretical-physicist comments? Thanks in advance!

[chuckularone]

I would add a tie down straight off the front to the front bumper (or tow-eye) and straight off the back to a hard point on the back of the car, like you see when people are hauling kayaks. Those straps that go through the door frame are likely to slip if you don't have some hard anchor points.

[Captain Goddammit]

The thing looks fine IF you're not concerned about your car's paint.
Those foam blocks WILL scratch it up, especially coming home. So will the straps if you don't have a roof rack to tie onto.
Have you thought about a small trailer? (But not one with those tiny little wheels on it!)

[Ratty]

Seriously?! Is the price really $100.00 for some foam and tie-down straps?

[playaSilk]

Thanks everyone for the input!

I was going to use that same design/idea and implement it myself using ropes. Now I've got more data points to consider
- tie it onto my roof rack
- tie it to anchor points on the front/rear of the car
- paint scratch... not an issue for a car that's already 14 years old

But how does such a design prevent the trike from shifting/sliding side to side? Friction between the pads and the car roof?

[BoyScoutGirl]

Seriously?! Is the price really $100.00 for some foam and tie-down straps?

I wager you could make something twice as classy out of long-deceased stuffed animals!

[Captain Goddammit]

I'd think your tie down straps should take care of the side to side movement.

[BoyScoutGirl]

You can always take it for shorter test drives on a nearby highway. It's always good to pull over and check the tie-downs after a few miles, anyway.

[FIGJAM]

I would get a pool noodle, cut it in 3 pieces to taco onto the tires where they would contact the roof, and then anchore with ratchet straps.

Outline the contact points with chalk and take it for a test drive.

Then check the chalk outlines to see if anything shifted.

[playaSilk]

Love the chalk outline test!!
But not sure about using long deceased animals

[BoyScoutGirl]

Playasilk, that was a reference to the fact that our dear Ratty can make the most amazing articles of clothing (and bike seats and hats and...) out of old stuffed animals - the toys, not taxidermy.

I'm convinced she's actually a wizard.

[trilobyte]

Never used it. Our port-o-trikes fold right up and fit very easily into our cargo van. They actually fit very easily into the van without being folded, but of course when we're headed to the playa the ship is loaded, as they say. I considered just strapping them down (our van's got a custom steel roof rack that could accommodate) but my gf freaks out about us having loads that tall on the freeway, so I promised her I wouldn't do it anymore.

[playaSilk]

I've got a coupe. As it is, after packing for the burn, I give myself a high five and congratulate myself on my tetris skills.
Trike's definitely not gonna fit in there. I'm not THAT good at tetris

[mudpuppy000]

Since it's foldable, can you put it on a standard bike rack on the tail gate? You'll get a lot of drag having it on the roof.

[oscillator]

>>>>I would get a pool noodle, cut it in 3 pieces to taco onto the tires

Now THERE is using your noodle.....

[trilobyte]

No, mudpuppy, a foldable trike doesn't take the shape of a 2-wheel bike. The front folds in on itself, and basically gets compact enough to be able to fit within the space of a 3'x3'x3' cube (if you lower the seat).

A coupe does make getting it into the vehicle impossible - hehe

Oscillator's got a good point. The main thing that rack is doing is giving the wheels something to act as a buffer so they don't muck up the vehicle. From there it's just securely tying it down. If you've got solid skills in that department, you could do it yourself and save a bundle.

[mudpuppy000]

No, mudpuppy, a foldable trike doesn't take the shape of a 2-wheel bike. The front folds in on itself, and basically gets compact enough to be able to fit within the space of a 3'x3'x3' cube (if you lower the seat).

A coupe does make getting it into the vehicle impossible - hehe

Oscillator's got a good point. The main thing that rack is doing is giving the wheels something to act as a buffer so they don't muck up the vehicle. From there it's just securely tying it down. If you've got solid skills in that department, you could do it yourself and save a bundle.

From this pic it looks like you might be able to hang it from the rear axle on a standard bike rack. Might be some road clearance issues if it's a low car though.



For the roof, I wonder if you could just put the tires directly on the paint without much paint damage.

[rmc50]

I recommend that you investigate aftermarket roof racks, such as the ones made by Thule.

http://www.thule.com/en-us/us/products/ ... /roof-racks

If your vehicle has an existing rack then Thule might have a system that will replace the stock rack with one of theirs. Now you will have something sturdy that you can mount to. The advantage of a rack system is that you will be able to use it for more than just hauling a trike.

Rod