I recently bought my first carbon road bike, and the bicycle parking at my office uses those racks where you push only the front wheel into a pair of metal slots to hold the bike upright.
Are these front-wheel parking racks safe to use with road bikes?
Is there any risk of bending/deforming the wheel?
Use to ride a cheap hardy gravel bike and didn’t care much using these racks. I’m a complete beginner to road bikes, so not sure if I’m just worrying too much .
by zeeewhywhy
22 Comments
I have carbon wheels and sometimes just don’t ride that bike to university. I have a second Decathlon bike for that.
Aluminum wheels feel much less precious.
The rack isn’t going to damage anything.
However, I wouldn’t park an expensive carbon road bike in one of these:
1) You cannot easily lock your bike to anything solid. If you pass a lock through the front wheel someone just needs to undo the front axle to steal the rest of your bike.
2) Your bike is going to get damaged by other people parking their bikes. These racks are very space-efficient, and the bikes sit very close to each other. I think major damage is perhaps not that likely but it’s at a minimum going to get all scratched up.
I have used this type of rack a few times and have found no reason why you can’t put the rear wheel in the rack. And doing that provides more clearance for the handlebars.
There appears to be bike racks across the street. I’d use those
I just back the bike into those and and lock to the frame and rear wheel like normal.
Would be more worried of getting your nice carbon bike stolen. Either use a beater or have the bike IN your office.
These are typically referred to as wheelbenders. If any force is exerted on the bike, such as simply bumping into it, it turns into a big lever trying to bend/snap your wheel. [https://bikeswelcome.wordpress.com/2016/12/04/wheel-benders-whats-all-the-fuss/](https://bikeswelcome.wordpress.com/2016/12/04/wheel-benders-whats-all-the-fuss/)
As others mentioned, make sure you securely lock your frame to the rack too, which these don’t make easy.
Keep using the old bike for your commute. Ride for fun on the carbon bike.
In Germany cyclist who love their bike call those racks “Felgenkiller”, which means “rim killer”. Would never use one. The people who design and sell these racks, and those people who buy and install them, must hate bicycles.
I hate those things; they feel so unsafe (theft-wise not paint-wise). I always end up locking my bike to a pole instead, but then I feel bad about that too, because I’m not using the proper spot for my bike.
Scrap material unless you can lock through your chainstays
Yes, I call those wheel-benders. They are garbage. Do not use.
No
They could scratch the rim if you have a very narrow tire with an even transition but the likelihood is low. The issue with these racks is more so there is no way to securely lock them to anything
the wheels will be fine unless someone leans on the bike while it’s in the stand.
the bigger issue is that you can’t really lock your bike up well to those stands… personally, i would save the carbon bike for the road and use the cheap gravel bike for the office
I wouldn’t lock a bicycle with carbon frame [$$$$] to any of these racks:
1. None of them are secured to the ground
2. Easy to bend a wheel
3. Exposed to overcrowding
4. Exposed to impacts from cars, carts, etc.
5. Difficult to secure both wheels plus the frame
You’d be better off using a pole or hand rail that is secured / solid.
Either way, it is a good idea to take off the front wheel and secure it, the frame and the back wheel all together. Wrap a rag or an old sock around your lock and use it to protect the fork ends on the ground
One wheel only… you can put your rear wheel into each of those.
These racks are fondly known as “wheelbreakers”.
you CAN back it in… *back that ass up!*
^(but still, i’d have a band to lock the front brake, like i use on the train “rack” aka lean against the wall) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That rack would be fine at short stops at cafes in safe neighborhoods, not for >7 hour shifts. Bringing my bike inside, boss.
I don’t use those.
No so worried about the rim (unless it’s about it getting scuffed), but:
– the bike can easily be bumped over if it’s mounted by the front wheel – such as when someone else uses the rack.
– the bike can’t easily be locked very well, and even then, only if the rear wheel is in.
– It CAN damage the rear derailleur, which I will not risk.
Landscape Architect here: we call these “wheel benders” and they’re awful. It’s difficult to lock up correctly and bikes can easily be knocked over. This might be fine for a few minutes in front of a coffee shop, but I would not leave my bike in one of these – a random sign post is better.
Also for the “back it in” crowd – did you bring a second lock to secure your front wheel?
I don’t own a nice bike. I have a Target special circa 2005. But I wouldn’t commute/leave a nice bike laying around unattended whether it was properly secured or not. An angle grinder makes incredibly quick work of any security measures. Keep the nice bike for your fun rides. Use a beater for commuting.