[chnycs]

$750 picked up in upstate NY.

Includes:

• front crossbar that is largely a permanent fixture on the car. This bolts to the hardtop mount points.
• 3 custom bike trays. For the right side of the vehicle it is wheel off. For the left side of the vehicle you can use wheel on or wheel off.
• 4 locking zip ties for locking the wheels to the bikes when using wheel off.
• various keys for

The setup is stupendously practical allowing for full trunk access and soft top operation with the bikes on. It also allows for just driving in to most garages without having to worry about extra height or width.

The forward edge of the bike trays mount on the crossbar mentioned above. The rear of the bike trays are held on with SeaSucker suction cups. In my years of experience with SeaSuckers I recommend getting some ppf for the areas where they will be on the car.

The right side bike tray has a cutout for the antenna.

Trays can be fully mounted to the car in under 30 seconds each. I never left them mounted - they went in when I drove bikes somewhere but I removed them when home.

I would be happy to assist with installation. I’d even give you some small amount of ppf you could use. It’s black.

 

[CDPond]

Not interested personally as I have an SUV for that sort of thing. But you might increase the interest if you post a few photos detailing what you did and the end result showing it with and without bikes, top up, town down, etc. Based on what you wrote, it sounds like you came up with a really decent rig, and if someone is looking for a bike rack for their Spider I'm sure it would be of interest.

 

[chnycs]

Not interested personally as I have an SUV for that sort of thing. But you might increase the interest if you post a few photos detailing what you did and the end result showing it with and without bikes, top up, town down, etc. Based on what you wrote, it sounds like you came up with a really decent rig, and if someone is looking for a bike rack for their Spider I'm sure it would be of interest.

Oh, hey, it's the best ever. Absolutely, positively. I'm kind of working on pictures but it's a bit complicated as I don't exactly have the car any longer. I probably have some pix here, I suppose... Like I said, I'm working on it But those who remember what it looks like will remember it as the best ever, I'm sure.

 

[chnycs]

This is with two wheel-off trays. All three trays are Swagman -> that are astonishingly over-engineered.

 

[BGcAnAdA]

Not for me personally but thats pretty cool and should really be a team car in the Tour De France !

 

[chnycs]

Not for me personally but thats pretty cool and should really be a team car in the Tour De France !

Well... It will only take 2 bikes if you want trunk and top access. With the top down and no trunk you could take 3 easily and perhaps 4. Pinarello is sure to be there but I don't believe that Blue has a team.

 

[BGcAnAdA]

Just be the car for the team leader. Two bikes is enough

 

[John_Tex]

I really like your idea & implementation! Not sure I would like leaving the crossbar on all the time (don't know why- it isn't obtrusive, and I did drive vehicles with full roof racks for decades...). Also, are you sure about using the ppf film with the seasucker suction cups? I thought of using my Seasucker rack on the carbon fiber roof of the Alfa 4C, which had full ppf, but was too worried about the film lifting or allowing the seal to break.

With over 4 years of service, now, my Seasucker Komodo has been flawless on the Abarth (there is a post on here about it, somewhere...). It is limited to 1 bike, or course, but it has been used for thousands of miles, many of them on higher speed TX highways with 75 or 80 mph speed limits. The rack goes into the trunk when not in use, and since I keep the vehicle well waxed, and wiped it down before each installation, I have not seen any scratches from the 4 suction cups. Maybe if I get another 4 years of service from this rack, the cost per year will finally reach something reasonable!

Again, great ingenuity & execution!
John

 

[chnycs]

I really like your idea & implementation! Not sure I would like leaving the crossbar on all the time (don't know why- it isn't obtrusive, and I did drive vehicles with full roof racks for decades...). Also, are you sure about using the ppf film with the seasucker suction cups? I thought of using my Seasucker rack on the carbon fiber roof of the Alfa 4C, which had full ppf, but was too worried about the film lifting or allowing the seal to break.

With over 4 years of service, now, my Seasucker Komodo has been flawless on the Abarth (there is a post on here about it, somewhere...). It is limited to 1 bike, or course, but it has been used for thousands of miles, many of them on higher speed TX highways with 75 or 80 mph speed limits. The rack goes into the trunk when not in use, and since I keep the vehicle well waxed, and wiped it down before each installation, I have not seen any scratches from the 4 suction cups. Maybe if I get another 4 years of service from this rack, the cost per year will finally reach something reasonable!

Again, great ingenuity & execution!
John

Thanks John! I tried to be really careful with the suction cups, trust me. I loved that car! I tried wax and ceramics and kept the suction cups as clean as clean gets and I had permanent but faint rings on the fenders...

The bar was kind of funny and it bothered me a tiny bit sometimes but it made for good conversation I mean... It's fairly unobtrusive but it does look like some kind of spoiler done wrong and I did have a few people ask about that! I can probably find car pix with just it on and not the racks. One could trim a few inches off the outboard ends, I suppose, but it really is a good length. And for those who are afraid of suction cups losing suction and dropping a $14k bike on the road it adds peace of mind!

The dual-bike feature was great for the family unit, as you see in the last picture. And that got WAY more attention than the funny bar! Go anywhere and people gawk and everyone wants to come over and see! That fits in perfectly with the car in general IME.

Edit: Now I just have a lame car with a lame hitch mount. I still have cute wheels

 

[mb2054]

As an engineer, I find everything about this extremely cool. Not for me personally, but I'd imagine it'll sell quickly.

 

[chnycs]

As an engineer, I find everything about this extremely cool. Not for me personally, but I'd imagine it'll sell quickly.

Thx! And, well, they're not knocking my door down to purchase, alas...

Now that I'm stuck with the Miata I was trying to figure out how to use this - I could have had a much larger target market with Miatas. But, no. Sure, I could do something but it's way more complicated - not something that can just be thrown on at a moment's notice (except for the bar - right @John_Tex ?).