Tyte Rack carrying the Kona Hei Hei test bike
I know that this rack has caused a bit of commotion here so I wanted to write a short update on how the rack is doing for me. I would like to think that I am objective since no money is changing hands. The full review will come after a couple more months of testing so there are just some quick thoughts after the first two weeks of testing.
The Tyte Rack is holding up nicely. I’ve used the rack for two different bikes on a variety of trips to our local trails. Some of the drives were as short as 15 minutes while others were as long as 45 minutes. Nothing really long yet but that will probably come in the next month or so.
Quick thoughts: Setup is getting easier and subsequently faster. From nothing on the roof of my car to totally setup and ready to drive away now takes less than 5 minutes. This is still a couple of minutes longer than installing a hitch mount to the rear of my other vehicle but it couldn’t be much if any longer than installing any other roof rack and putting the bike on. I’ve found that I do not have to remove the tapered seatpost so I do “cheatâ€? a little, but this is real world use and in my real world testing this is how I go about storing it.
You have to pay attention to the front straps and how they velcro to the handlebars. If you don’t velcro them tight enough your bike will slide/move around on the front bar an inch or less. I’m sure if I was driving recklessly and taking turns at super high speeds the bars would move a bit more. But under normal driving circumstances, I have found it to be secure even when under tightened. I mount the straps between the shifter and the drop on the bikes riser bar. I’ve found that this is a good spot to get it tight and to keep it from moving around. I did worry that my handlebars would get nicked by the Tyte rack bar but they haven’t. I’ve carefully checked for damage on both my bikes handlebars before each ride and haven’t found any damage.
Straps mounted inside of the shifters but before the rise in the handlebars
I haven’t noticed any issues with my fork or brakes after using the rack. In fact I keep all of my bikes hung upside down in my garage. When I finally decided to hang them upside down I was worried about hydro brake problems but after checking with various mechanics, all of them agreed that the brakes would not be an issue. I have since had my hydro installed on my bike and that bike has been hanging upside down for the past 4 months with no issues. I did not think about the fork but I have hung a variety of air and coil forks upside down in my garage without experiencing any problems either.
Currently my main issue with the Tyte rack is having to reinstall the seatpost. When reinstalling the seatpost I never get it back to the sweet spot the first time I put the post back in. I always have to ride around a little before I can find the sweet spot again. It’s a minor quibble but I haven’t taken any steps to address this issue yet. I’m thinking either tape on the seatpost or using one of my children’s markers to mark my the sweet spot. Or maybe I’ll try both. I’ll make sure to let you know how it goes.
Click here for Tyte rack’s website.
I keep track of my seatpost height using a reflector clamp (with or without the reflector, depending on the bike). Just stick it on the seatpost at your minimum height and then figure out a way to dial in your maximum height (e.g. three fingers fit between the post binder and the reflector clamp). Might be even easier if you have one of those fancy telescoping seatposts.
Great idea. Right before I read this, I took some frame paint and applied a dab to the seatpost. If it doesn’t stay, I’ll go for the reflector clamp.