Transporting a bike in truck bed

[asp_125]

I think the blown seals story comes from seals that were already on their way out. Compressing a fork only pushes against the spring pressure, the fluid travels between the shock chambers through the internal valving. Other than instantaneous pressure spikes (no more than what a bike normally encounters travelling that same road) the pressures equalize normally due to the fork's high and low speed valving. I am not a shock expert and I didn't stay at the Holiday Inn last night.

[UglyDogRacing]

I say strap your bike down any way you want too. I'll keep doing it my way and be happy with it.

[brennahm]

Probably those people whose seals were blown already. Likely didn't notice until they got to their destination and looked at the bike eye level and noticed the fluid under their front tire.

This is a big reason why there's an urban legend about shops damaging peoples' bikes (which I totally agree DOES happen on occasion), people don't notice things until they see them from a new perspective (their bike is eye level in the back of a truck) or they think maybe someone fucked with their ride (those damn dealerships).

I used to point things out all the time before people unloaded their junk at the shop because you learn to pick out what people are going to blame you for.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

I took a cheap metal chock I bought at Harbor freight, made a nice sturdy/braced wooden platform for it, and use that. I use a canyon-dancer (works "ok", but I'd like to design something better) and NEVER use ratchet straps. Too easy to stress shit/bend shit with them. If you're tying down a load on an 18-wheeler, or a racecar to a trailer, fine. Bikes, well, I'll never do it. the chock makes the bike Way more stable, especially as mine locks the wheel in so I can walk away and it won;t fall, plus, it doesn't put that bend in the front of your truck bed, AND means you don't need to strap it down as tight. I got it the 550miles or so to ID and back at 80+ and it didn't move at all in the corners or wind. One of the things I did was get some sturdy folding "D"-rings and bolt them to the 3/4" marine-grade plywood of the platform I made. This way, you can attach tiedowns to that if the (U-Haul) trailer doesn't have any solid tie-down points inside, and it may shift around a little, but the bike isn't going anywhere.

[Devaclis]

Just got these delivered today. $10 a pair. Had them on another DRZ and LOVED them.

[Bueller]

There has to be a pressure build up during compression. The air chamber above the oil is a spring in itself, adjusting oil levels is how you change the "air spring".

I worry less about fork seals from being tied down for long periods (never have blown one this way) than I do creating a "memory" in my springs.

[Kim-n-Dean]

There has to be a pressure build up during compression. The air chamber above the oil is a spring in itself, adjusting oil levels is how you change the "air spring".

I worry less about fork seals from being tied down for long periods (never have blown one this way) than I do creating a "memory" in my springs.

The air spring is your friend. Although, I've never felt a difference when I hit the bleeder from low altitude to high altitude. I've heard a lot of air escape or get sucked in, but I've never felt any difference.

Spring memory? Are you starting another myth? Just kidding!

[Ricky]

There has to be a pressure build up during compression

Exactly, and that pressure buildup is greater when dropping from 3 feet in the air, than pulling down with a strap. I'm not sure a human could emulate all that weight dropping from several feet, with the pull of a strap.

[Bueller]

Yes the pressure will increase proportional to the distance traveled, up to end of travel. If your fork seal failed or you got some dirt in it that would make it leak, it will do so more readily under pressure, so when people tie down a bike with a failing seal it will leak and lead to the assumption tying the bike down caused the seal to "blow".

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Yes the pressure will increase proportional to the distance traveled, up to end of travel. If your fork seal failed or you got some dirt in it that would make it leak, it will do so more readily under pressure, so when people tie down a bike with a failing seal it will leak and lead to the assumption tying the bike down caused the seal to "blow".

Agreed, I also agree about having a spring "set" if you really crank it down. That's why I use a chock, so I can ease up on the tiedowns.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Just got these delivered today. $10 a pair. Had them on another DRZ and LOVED them.

Interesting, but I'd urge caution in using them as I know the bolts in my triple clamp would have to be changed out for longer ones because of the extra grip length required, and I'd use a minimum of grade 5 bolts if so.