Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I have installed this with no issues.Smooth bearings and well worth the price.
But you will need a tool for this install to get it tight enough to be safe.
Showing posts with label bicycle light. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bicycle light. Show all posts
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Reviews of Diamondback BMX Freewheel 3/32" 17T
I really like this item and even though I do not have a back wheel with threads for a freewheel I like it just the same. This seller is great and recommended. Thank you.
Smooth bearings and well worth the price.
But you will need a tool for this install to get it tight enough to be safe.
Smooth bearings and well worth the price.
But you will need a tool for this install to get it tight enough to be safe.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Reviews of Topeak Two Up TuneUp Bike Stand
I live in Japan. We have multiple earthquakes each day. I live on the 10th floor of an apartment building. In about a year this stand has never fallen. I trust it enough to keep my 4,000 dollar 5.5 Madone on the top hook. My MTB is kept on the lower hook. The only complaint I would have and the only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I can't rotate the pedals on the bottom hook when doing maintenance because my Gary Fisher 29er is too large for the crank shafts to spin freely. Other than that I couldn't be happier with the space savings and the fact that I can keep my bikes indoors and up off the floor.
**update** I still live in Japan on the 10th floor of my building. Japan was just hit by an 8.9 earthquake. The area I am in was only around a 5.0. However after I got back from a night in the shelter I came home to find my Topeak rack still standing with my Madone in the top cradle. Awesome product!
It is very sturdy and stable even with two bikes loaded.
It actually saves space. (I live in a small apartment.)
Your dirty bikes don't have to touch the floor.
Cons:
You are guaranteed quality with Topeak, and along with that quality a pretty high price tag to go along with it.
For some really stupid reason, this bike stand only comes with one "Topeak Handlebar Stablizer". This is what keeps a bike's front wheel from moving left or right while on the stand. I'd rather pay a little more upfront to have TWO Topeak Handlebar Stablizer for Bike Stands, as opposed to realizing that I need another one, and having to order it separately. So if you have two bikes to load on this stand do yourself a favor and order another one before you get annoyed.
Its clearly made out of quality parts, and some careful thought has been given to its design features.
For example, each leg on the tripod base has support links that run to the center member, making the stand more stable.
The center of the stand is not made out of just one round member. Actually a second member with a slightly smaller diameter, 'telescopes' or protrudes from the first (which is a good design in my opinion). And furthermore right where the member telescopes, they've thoughtfully provided clamps that can be tightened to ensure that the two members act as one solid beam.
All of the clamps are quick release, so the whole thing can be folded up and transported without too much trouble. It's also fairly light at maybe 15 pounds ~ lighter than your bikes probably. This is really the *PERFECT* solution to someone living in a rental apartment who may be moving every few years or so.
The bottom bike clamp is offset a little bit forward relative to the top clamp so that the bikes are not directly on top of each other.
The bike clamps themselves can rotate to accommodate different frame geometries.
And another really good feature, the handlebar holder keeps your front end in one position, preventing the front wheel from scuffing up your walls which is nice. Overall the stand does its job pretty well.
However I do have a few criticisms:
1) As many other reviewers noted, they only provide 1 handlebar holder. Huge oversight, but easily remedied by ordering an additional handlebar holder which Amazon sells. Not a big deal.
2) The stand is sturdy -as in its not going to topple over unless someone basically tackles it -but I have noticed that even slight vibrations will start shaking the entire stand a little. At the base, the stand doesn't shake too much, but at the top it will shake a little more. For example, if you are adjusting the position of your saddle on the bottom bike, you'll notice the top bike shake a fair amount.
I believe this has to do mostly with the telescoping design, and the fact that the bikes are not really clamped in, but rather are sitting in U shaped channels.
To dampen the vibrations a bit more they could have put 4 legs instead of 3. Seems nitpicky, but I think it would have made a difference.
3) Finally, I could have forgiven the other 2 criticisms, but the main reason I didn't give this 5 stars is that what holds the bike clamps against the base member are basically set screws. As in a screw tightens against the outer diameter of the base member, and the clamp is held in place by friction alone. This is a problem because if you press down on the bike too much while you're doing work, (maybe you are tightening something and you don't realize) you can cause the screw (and thus the bike clamp) to slip on the base member.
A really simple thing they could have done to have a MUCH sturdier frame, and make this MUCH more suitable for tune-ups would have been to drill holes up the center member and have the bike clamps actually screw or lock into the holes. This would have also helped a bit with the vibration problem as well and I don't think it would have added much in terms of cost. If they had done this and used an actual clamps to hold even just the bottom bike in place instead of U channels (and used 4 legs as I'd mentioned above), I'd have given this stand 5 stars, and easily shelled out another $50 bucks for this already expensive stand.
As such this is really more of a lightweight transportable bike stand, suitable for basic maintenance as opposed to a real tune-up stand. Without proper clamps holding your bike in place, I really wouldn't recommend this for any serious overhauls where you may have to apply a lot of force to take off or put on a part.
In the end, if all you are looking for is something to hold your bikes and have the luxury of a garage, you can probably go with something a little bit cheaper and heavier like the "Sportrack universal 2 bike stacker".
If you value a stand that is light, transportable, takes up not too much space perhaps, and can hold your front end in place (presumably for some light maintenance), then you won't be sorry shelling out the extra cash for this one.
I am still leaving 3 stars because for lighter bikes this would be great. Even if this was purely for storage in a garage or something, this could be acceptable for heavier bikes left alone, it seems reasonably solid. But because this would be stored in my living space where people will occasionally bump into it, and where I'll be using it daily, I simply can't risk a random collapse, and the cheap plastic connector parts here just don't exude confidence.
**update** I still live in Japan on the 10th floor of my building. Japan was just hit by an 8.9 earthquake. The area I am in was only around a 5.0. However after I got back from a night in the shelter I came home to find my Topeak rack still standing with my Madone in the top cradle. Awesome product!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Pros:It is very sturdy and stable even with two bikes loaded.
It actually saves space. (I live in a small apartment.)
Your dirty bikes don't have to touch the floor.
Cons:
You are guaranteed quality with Topeak, and along with that quality a pretty high price tag to go along with it.
For some really stupid reason, this bike stand only comes with one "Topeak Handlebar Stablizer". This is what keeps a bike's front wheel from moving left or right while on the stand. I'd rather pay a little more upfront to have TWO Topeak Handlebar Stablizer for Bike Stands, as opposed to realizing that I need another one, and having to order it separately. So if you have two bikes to load on this stand do yourself a favor and order another one before you get annoyed.
Best Deals for Topeak Two Up TuneUp Bike Stand
Product is well contructed and sturdy. I was able to put two bikes on it, one of which was a tandam and it didn't waver at all.Honest reviews on Topeak Two Up TuneUp Bike Stand
This is a good bike stand.Its clearly made out of quality parts, and some careful thought has been given to its design features.
For example, each leg on the tripod base has support links that run to the center member, making the stand more stable.
The center of the stand is not made out of just one round member. Actually a second member with a slightly smaller diameter, 'telescopes' or protrudes from the first (which is a good design in my opinion). And furthermore right where the member telescopes, they've thoughtfully provided clamps that can be tightened to ensure that the two members act as one solid beam.
All of the clamps are quick release, so the whole thing can be folded up and transported without too much trouble. It's also fairly light at maybe 15 pounds ~ lighter than your bikes probably. This is really the *PERFECT* solution to someone living in a rental apartment who may be moving every few years or so.
The bottom bike clamp is offset a little bit forward relative to the top clamp so that the bikes are not directly on top of each other.
The bike clamps themselves can rotate to accommodate different frame geometries.
And another really good feature, the handlebar holder keeps your front end in one position, preventing the front wheel from scuffing up your walls which is nice. Overall the stand does its job pretty well.
However I do have a few criticisms:
1) As many other reviewers noted, they only provide 1 handlebar holder. Huge oversight, but easily remedied by ordering an additional handlebar holder which Amazon sells. Not a big deal.
2) The stand is sturdy -as in its not going to topple over unless someone basically tackles it -but I have noticed that even slight vibrations will start shaking the entire stand a little. At the base, the stand doesn't shake too much, but at the top it will shake a little more. For example, if you are adjusting the position of your saddle on the bottom bike, you'll notice the top bike shake a fair amount.
I believe this has to do mostly with the telescoping design, and the fact that the bikes are not really clamped in, but rather are sitting in U shaped channels.
To dampen the vibrations a bit more they could have put 4 legs instead of 3. Seems nitpicky, but I think it would have made a difference.
3) Finally, I could have forgiven the other 2 criticisms, but the main reason I didn't give this 5 stars is that what holds the bike clamps against the base member are basically set screws. As in a screw tightens against the outer diameter of the base member, and the clamp is held in place by friction alone. This is a problem because if you press down on the bike too much while you're doing work, (maybe you are tightening something and you don't realize) you can cause the screw (and thus the bike clamp) to slip on the base member.
A really simple thing they could have done to have a MUCH sturdier frame, and make this MUCH more suitable for tune-ups would have been to drill holes up the center member and have the bike clamps actually screw or lock into the holes. This would have also helped a bit with the vibration problem as well and I don't think it would have added much in terms of cost. If they had done this and used an actual clamps to hold even just the bottom bike in place instead of U channels (and used 4 legs as I'd mentioned above), I'd have given this stand 5 stars, and easily shelled out another $50 bucks for this already expensive stand.
As such this is really more of a lightweight transportable bike stand, suitable for basic maintenance as opposed to a real tune-up stand. Without proper clamps holding your bike in place, I really wouldn't recommend this for any serious overhauls where you may have to apply a lot of force to take off or put on a part.
In the end, if all you are looking for is something to hold your bikes and have the luxury of a garage, you can probably go with something a little bit cheaper and heavier like the "Sportrack universal 2 bike stacker".
If you value a stand that is light, transportable, takes up not too much space perhaps, and can hold your front end in place (presumably for some light maintenance), then you won't be sorry shelling out the extra cash for this one.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Topeak Two Up TuneUp Bike Stand
I regret to report that I'm returning this today after roughly 9 hours of use because its just not stable enough to handle two steel road bikes. The clamps that attach the hook mechanisms to the vertical pole are made of a hard plastic that slides or even "pops" out of place, making for a very tenuous situation. Both bikes are under though barely the 40/lb per bike recommended max weight.I am still leaving 3 stars because for lighter bikes this would be great. Even if this was purely for storage in a garage or something, this could be acceptable for heavier bikes left alone, it seems reasonably solid. But because this would be stored in my living space where people will occasionally bump into it, and where I'll be using it daily, I simply can't risk a random collapse, and the cheap plastic connector parts here just don't exude confidence.
Review of Saris Unique Mount Triple Track Fork Mount Bike Racks for Truck
I often carry my bikes in a pickup truck, and I did not want to bolt some fork mounts to the bed rails because I take my topper on and off often.
I purchased this bike mount thinking it would be stable in the back of a truck. I found that I have to put the heaviest bike in the middle so it doesn't tip over when I go around corners. Since the base is so light, your bikes will want to tip over unless you bolt the mount to the vehicle (I use it in multiple vehicles, so this is not an option).
I realized after using this mount several times that I could have bolted the fork mounts onto some plywood and ended up with similar results for a fraction of the price.
Make sure you purchase the mounts, as this item just includes the track. When you purchase the mounts, they do not come with the bolts to attach them to the track, and the track only comes with 3 sets of bolts. You will need to make a trip to the hardware store.
Overall, this product works, but is not worth the money.
Things I liked about the TT:
The rubber strips on the bottom do a good job of holding the TT in place on the carpeted floor of the Elantra.
The tracks allow you to pretty easily adjust the fork and wheel mounts on the fly so you can put the bikes closer together or farther apart. This allowed me to load more cargo next to the bikes for a long trip, but to space the bikes further apart for easier bike loading when I didn't need the space for other cargo.
The bikes are rock-solid stable in the back. I went on a trip with one bike in the back before I got the TT and it rattled around the whole time in a cringe-worthy manner. With the TT nothing rattles and nothing moves. I'm very fond of my bikes and I felt like I was treating them right with the TT.
Tip: Tighten everything well before you leave the driveway. That includes the mounts to the TT and the wheels and forks to the mounts. Your load will quickly become unstable if you don't do this right.
This is a very solid piece of equipment and exactly what I was looking for. I highly recommend it if you have a similar need.
I purchased this bike mount thinking it would be stable in the back of a truck. I found that I have to put the heaviest bike in the middle so it doesn't tip over when I go around corners. Since the base is so light, your bikes will want to tip over unless you bolt the mount to the vehicle (I use it in multiple vehicles, so this is not an option).
I realized after using this mount several times that I could have bolted the fork mounts onto some plywood and ended up with similar results for a fraction of the price.
Make sure you purchase the mounts, as this item just includes the track. When you purchase the mounts, they do not come with the bolts to attach them to the track, and the track only comes with 3 sets of bolts. You will need to make a trip to the hardware store.
Overall, this product works, but is not worth the money.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I bought this for my Hyundai Elantra GT. With the seats down, and the Triple Track in the front of the cargo area, it'll hold two road bikes with just enough space to close the hatchback (hint: you have to take off the saddles to make this work).Things I liked about the TT:
The rubber strips on the bottom do a good job of holding the TT in place on the carpeted floor of the Elantra.
The tracks allow you to pretty easily adjust the fork and wheel mounts on the fly so you can put the bikes closer together or farther apart. This allowed me to load more cargo next to the bikes for a long trip, but to space the bikes further apart for easier bike loading when I didn't need the space for other cargo.
The bikes are rock-solid stable in the back. I went on a trip with one bike in the back before I got the TT and it rattled around the whole time in a cringe-worthy manner. With the TT nothing rattles and nothing moves. I'm very fond of my bikes and I felt like I was treating them right with the TT.
Tip: Tighten everything well before you leave the driveway. That includes the mounts to the TT and the wheels and forks to the mounts. Your load will quickly become unstable if you don't do this right.
This is a very solid piece of equipment and exactly what I was looking for. I highly recommend it if you have a similar need.
Best Deals for Saris Unique Mount Triple Track Fork Mount Bike Racks for Truck
Excellent quality, easy to use and maintain. Sturdy and stable to transport high end bikes inside van, SUV or on truck bed.Honest reviews on Saris Unique Mount Triple Track Fork Mount Bike Racks for Truck
was able to place this in my Vibe and can carry two mountain bikes inside vertically...
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