A bicycle carrier, also commonly called a bicycle rack,[1][2][3] is a device attached to a vehicle to transport bicycles.
Automotive
Automobile-mounted bike carriers can be attached to the roof, rear trunk, or rear tow hitch, depending on the vehicle. Carriers have been developed especially for the rear of pickup trucks that attach either to the bed or its sides.
Manufacturers offer bicycle carriers for use on motorcycles.
Public transport
Buses
Most public transit buses in the United States and Canada are equipped with bicycle racks, though they are far less common on transit systems outside North America.[4][5] Bus-mounted bike carriers are usually attached to the front of the bus, and most are capable of collapsing when not in use.[6][7] Some buses have rear-mounted racks. Others, particularly on bus rapid transit systems, are equipped with interior bicycle racks.[8]
Trains
Many trains have interior bicycle racks. Some are horizontal, holding cycles in place on the floor, while others hold them vertically. Some trains have dedicated cars to hold bicycles in large volumes; in some cases, external flatcars.
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Vertical bike rack on an American light rail train
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Floor bike rack on a train in Finland
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Dedicated car for bicycles on an American commuter train
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Bicycle flatcar on the Stuttgart Rack Railway
Mounting
Bikes may be mounted in the carriers by clamping both wheels and providing some additional vertical support, by clamping the rear wheel and the front dropouts (necessitating the removal of the front wheel, which may be mounted separately on blades), or by clamping the top tube (usually in the case of rear hitch mounted carriers). There is a device available that connects from the stem to the seat post, to provide a top tube equivalent suitable for mounting in these carriers for step-through frame bicycles that do not have a top tube. Carriers that clamp on the front dropouts may also provide a built-in locking mechanism.
Special long carriers have been developed to support long-wheelbase recumbents and tandems.
Transit authorities and makers
Oceania
Australia
New Zealand
- Metro in Christchurch, New Zealand (all routes)[10]
- Dunedin[11]
- Feilding[12]
- Gisborne[13]
- Hamilton (5 services to other towns)[14]
- Hawkes Bay[15]
- Invercargill[16]
- Invercargill-Te Anau-Queenstown[17]
- New Plymouth[18]
- Nelson[19]
- Palmerston North[20]
- Rotorua[21]
- Taupō[22]
- Tauranga[23]
- Timaru[24]
- Waiheke Island[25]
- Wellington[26]
- Whangārei[27]
Notable manufacturers for public transit
- Fiamma[28]
- Sportworks[29][30][31]
See also
- Bicycles and public transport
- Flexfix (a bike carrier integrated into the car's design)
- Homologation
- Intermodal passenger transport
- Roof rack
- Railroad wagon
References
- ^ Brown, Sheldon. "Sheldon Brown Glossary: Rack". Sheldon Brown. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ "TreeHugger: GM Tries Integrated Bike Racks on Euro Models". Archived from the original on 4 January 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ "Yakima Rack Basics". Archived from the original on 21 December 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ "Europe". Bikes on Buses. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "The City of Madrid installs bike racks on buses, and it's easier (and cheaper) than you think!". ECF. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "TCAT Bikes on Buses: Rack&Ride". Archived from the original on 16 December 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ "Victoria Regional Transit System: Bike & Ride". Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ "CATA Bike Racks". Archived from the original on 30 November 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ "Bike & Ride". Transport Canberra. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
- ^ "Bikes on buses - Metro". Environment Canterbury. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "Dunedin bus network changes effective from 1 July 2015 | Otago Regional Council". www.orc.govt.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Bike racks, additional routes and services for Feilding | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Bus Tender (Contract EW12/11) Tender Evaluation Report" (PDF). Gisborne District Council.
- ^ Regional services / Bike racks BusIt
- ^ "Bikes join ride on local buses". Hawke's Bay Today. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- ^ "Buses - Invercargill City Council". Invercargill City Council. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions - Fiordland Walking Tracks". www.tracknet.net. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Bikes on buses » Taranaki Regional Council". www.trc.govt.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Bus service a winner". Nelson Mail. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- ^ "Bus Timetable PALMERSTON NORTH URBAN" (PDF). horizons. 31 July 2017.
- ^ "Tauranga to get bike racks for buses". NZ Herald. 25 August 2017. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ "Taupo Connector". Waikato Regional Council. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- ^ "NZ Bus looking for new drivers in Tauranga". NZ Herald. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "MyWay by Metro | Metro Timaru". timaru.metroinfo.co.nz. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Bikes & public transport". at.govt.nz. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Bike racks on buses - Metlink". www.metlink.org.nz. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- ^ "Bus your Bike - CityLink Whangarei". CityLink Whangarei. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- ^ "The City of Madrid installs bike racks on buses, and it's easier (and cheaper) than you think!". ECF. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ * "Transit Bike Racks | Sportworks". Sportworks. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ "About Sportworks | Sportworks". Sportworks. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Automotive Magazine - ClaspAuto.Com". ClaspAuto. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
External links
- Consumer Reports buying guide
- World map of buses with bike racks
- U.S. Patent No. 5,692,659
- Bring Your Bike Onboard OC Bus
- Bicycle racks on buses and trains. Metro Transit for the Twin Cities.
- Zahnradbahn (Rack Railway) Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany - 7th August, 2017, 22 August 2017, retrieved 8 August 2023