Bike Rack

[Deleted member 770]

Should have noted that I didn't even fold the seats down to get the bike fit in the trunk - just had to remove the cargo cover.

Man you guys must have small-frame bikes! I took both wheels off of my 62 cm road bike and stuck it up to the back hatch opening and just about started laughing. With no wheels, the frame+seat+bars are something like 45"x36" - just no way to fit it without scraping the heck out of the plastic interior pieces. Sigh.

Has anyone tried an Allen Sports MT1 rack on a LEAF? I'm wondering if its possible to locate it in such a way that there's not too much downward pressure on the LEAF's spoiler with the straps pulled tight. Thus far the only hatch-mount that I've seen that's configurable to minimize that pressure is the Hollywood Expedition that Mitch (1051) posted earlier.

Anyone seen anything else that's as good/better?

 

[darelldd]

Thanks Bill.

I've also designed my own 1-1/4" hitch-mount bike rack that's more aero and much lighter than anything on the market (not yet available for public consumption as I attempt to patent something on it!). I can't wait to see what you come up with re. the hitch for the Leaf. Are you going after the 2" crowd, or the more practical-for-small-cars 1-1/4"?

Have you not seen what I'm offering yet elsewhere on this thread? I'm making them for either 2" or 1-1/4" (or interchange them).

Bill

I've just re-read the thread and saw the PDF that I missed the first time! First it sounds like you made a 2" and planned to also offer 1-1/4". Then you made 1-1/4" inch and planned to also offer a 2".

Just to be clear, what I'm doing is making the bicycle-holding part of the program - NOT any sort of actual hitch like you are making. What you've done there is GREAT! I wonder if anybody will be able to figure out something for the Volt with that giant reverse light dangling right in the way.

 

[DaveEV]

Should have noted that I didn't even fold the seats down to get the bike fit in the trunk - just had to remove the cargo cover.

Man you guys must have small-frame bikes! I took both wheels off of my 62 cm road bike and stuck it up to the back hatch opening and just about started laughing. With no wheels, the frame+seat+bars are something like 45"x36" - just no way to fit it without scraping the heck out of the plastic interior pieces. Sigh.

57 cm frame - had room to spare, but a 62 cm bike is a bit of a monster.

 

[Deleted member 770]

Could someone with access to the service manual check for an exploded view of how the spoiler attaches to the rear hatch? As you may know, the spoiler has a plastic lip that sticks down into the area between the front of the spoiler and the back of the roof, making it very difficult to attach hooks for things like bike racks.

Basically, I'm looking to find out:

a) How hard it is to remove the spoiler
b) Whether it would make sense to use a Dremel to cut a couple of "slots" into the front lip of the spoiler to help with inserting the top strap hooks of a trunk-mount rack

If you could see your way to posting the exploded view, I (and probably others) would be grateful...

 

[Deleted member 770]

I decided to take a chance and ordered the Allen Sports MT-1 rack from my local WalMart, figuring that I could return it pretty easily if it didn't work out. But it actually works quite well...the only caveat being that if you have the ability, you really should take a vise and a pair of visegrips and unbend the upper clips a bit. They clear my roof without it by about 1/100", but I'll feel more comfortable when I've done the bending.

In a nutshell, here's the good & bad:

The good:

• It's quite inexpensive for a one-bike rack. Google can find it for under $50.00.
• It works, except for aforemented extremely close fit of the upper clips...you have to slide them in from the outside of the slot and slowly work your way to the middle. The LEAF hatch actually has a couple of "undulations" in the lower lip...try to put the clips into two of the undulations that gives the most room.
• The rack is REALLY small when folded up...they even give you a bag to store it in. It's a bit smaller than the LEAF's 120V EVSE bag.
• It's sturdy. I took the rig down a street with about 7 speedbumps, taking them at 10+ MPH, and neither rack nor bike shifted.
• The rack is quite lightweight, helping to keep the total mass down (and thus the tendency to shift).
• Because I chose to attach the bottom strap to the bottom of the hatch, I can open the hatch with the rack attached. In fact, I may just leave it on most of the time.

The bad:

• Even mounted as high as I did, the straps still put a bit of downward pressure on the spoiler, but I think it's small enough to not endanger the spoiler. It's certainly a lot less than a Bell 2-bike unit I'd attempted to mount earlier. It might be possible to mount it even higher, with the bottom bar above the Nissan logo, but this way works for me.
• Because it's mounted so high on the LEAF's hatch, the bike is leaning at about a 30° angle when mounted. The rack has rubber pieces where the bike would most likely rub, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem (although my large 62cm road bike barely made contact with the rubber...smaller bikes should be fine). Just make sure you tie your front well so it doesn't turn into your paint job. :roll:
• The two-bike unit (the MT-2) would probably work, but I wouldn't recommend it due to the extra weight of a second bike and the extra stress it would put on the spoiler. Also, the MT-1's weight limit is 35 lbs., so some heavy beach cruisers and full-suspension mountain bikes might be too heavy. My 62cm Motobecane is about 20 lbs (25 lbs. with the rack), so it works well.

The pics:

Allen Sports MT-1 rack on 2011 LEAF with bike attached

Side view showing angle of bike when attached

Closeup of rack attach to back of LEAF

Rack with hatch open

Closeup of upper hooks showing close tolerance - despite the appearance, it's not actually hitting the roof, and no paint was scraped.

Update: The upper hooks were actually easier to bend than I thought...I took an adjustable wrench and clamped it to the bent "tab" of each hook, then opened the angle up by hand without too much effort. The fit is much better now.

 

[SeattleBlueLeaf]

ahagge,

what's your distance from pedal to rear hatch? Do you think a standard pedal might end up rubbing?

I have my Yakima rack and it works fine for now but I do like an option that gets the bike out of the wind.

 

[UkrainianKozak]

Any news on this front?
When can we order?

The design has plenty of load carrying capability. I'll confirm the amount, but 200 lbs at least (including rack). I also performed a bounce test with a cargo platform

Edit 2: I also stood on the end of a 4' beam and the rack didn't flex too much.

Ok, whats the paypal address? haha.

I'm trying to work this out, and decide if I need to outsource the fab for liability reasons... I would love to make copies in my garage to earn some beer money, but wouldn't want to risk the house in the process! One thought I had was to sell partially assembled (tack welded) kits. Folks could weld it themselves or find a shop or buddy to do it... My main goal is to get one to as many people as possible!

 

[Deleted member 770]

ahagge,

what's your distance from pedal to rear hatch? Do you think a standard pedal might end up rubbing?

I have my Yakima rack and it works fine for now but I do like an option that gets the bike out of the wind.

In the position in which I took the pictures, I'd estimate it was 2"-3" away from where it might hit the car (and by the way, these are standard platform pedals - good old "rat traps" - if you put on some of the tiny clipless road pedals, you'd almost certainly not have to worry). I think that I could also have rotated the pedal all the way down and had it under the bumper with sufficient clearance. There ARE some positions of the pedal that would rub/hit (like if it were all the way up), so you'd need to be careful when loading/unloading. I suppose if it's a concern, you might consider putting an old sock over it before you load your bike up. But I felt comfortable enough to take it on a nearby street with about 7 speed bumps on it. It was really quite stable.

I have yet to go anywhere with this rig, so I don't know how much range is affected, but I wouldn't think it would be too much.

 

[Electric4Me]

Any news on this front?
When can we order?

So, palmermd picked the first hitch copy (besides my own) a couple of weeks ago, but hasn't had a chance to install it yet. I'm waiting for him to give me some feedback before I finish the first batch. I'm also out on vacation 3 out of 4 weeks this month.

I've also received some good suggestions for improvement from dialogue with others here and am working on them.

Bill

 

[defiancecp]

Hey, if you decide to do the tack welded kit thing, I'd be up for that. I'm guessing most wouldn't, though

 

[palmermd]

Any news on this front?
When can we order?

So, palmermd picked the first hitch copy (besides my own) a couple of weeks ago, but hasn't had a chance to install it yet. I'm waiting for him to give me some feedback before I finish the first batch. I'm also out on vacation 3 out of 4 weeks this month.

I've also received some good suggestions for improvement from dialogue with others here and am working on them.

Bill

I just did the initial installation today. The receiver portion is installed. I just need to send it out for painting or powder coating and then I'll re-install it and then I'll have to cut the hole in the diffuser to complete the installation.

All in all it is a fairly easy installation. There is one hole that is very difficult to access with a drill, and one that is marginally difficult (of the total of 4 holes that are required to be drilled. If you have or can borrow or rent a right angle drill it would significantly ease the installation. Once it was in place I could remove and re-install the receiver and that function works quite well and is easy to operate. I connected my bike rack and installed my girlfriends bike on it (its heavy...for better test, and it was easier/closer to me at the time). Anyhow the receiver is plenty strong to hold the bike and I think we will get plenty of use and enjoyment out of it.

I'll post up a more detailed report when I get completed.

I'd like to thank Bill for offering this unit to me. We'll have to meet up again and go for a bike ride.

 

[Electric4Me]

If you have or can borrow or rent a right angle drill it would significantly ease the installation.

Since Michael saw the instructions I had updated them to include a link to a right angle adapter I bought from Harbor Freight for $20, and I've since seen a similar one at Lowes for the same price.

 

[Electric4Me]

Michael, regarding painting, I painted mine on the lawn over cardboard with a rustoleum type gray primer and black top coat. I washed it well before doing so.

My bike rack was painted the same way 16 years ago and has held up well. Of course, powder coating is even better.

 

[LeafPowerIsIxE]

Anyone have an installation experience with the Yakima Quick Back 2-Bike Trunk Mount Rack? According to Yakima, this one fits the Leaf. I am still not sold on the straps and spoiler - how's everyone doing with the hatch mounts?

 

[svBackstreets]

Anyone have an installation experience with the Yakima Quick Back 2-Bike Trunk Mount Rack? According to Yakima, this one fits the Leaf. I am still not sold on the straps and spoiler - how's everyone doing with the hatch mounts?

Yes I have a QuickBack 3. Recommended by Yakima. I've used it once. I mounted it as high as it will go. That puts the bottom just above the license plate light enclosure. It seems to fit well and holds two bikes securely. The rack did however leave slight "dents" from the bottom contact. The unit did not seem to put excessive weight on the spoiler.

I need to do a YouTube video.

I prefer to put my bike inside with the front wheel removed if I'm alone. I will try loading my wife's bike inside with mine tomorrow.

 

[Christopher]

Anyone have an installation experience with the Yakima Quick Back 2-Bike Trunk Mount Rack? According to Yakima, this one fits the Leaf. I am still not sold on the straps and spoiler - how's everyone doing with the hatch mounts?

Yes I have a QuickBack 3. Recommended by Yakima. I've used it once. I mounted it as high as it will go. That puts the bottom just above the license plate light enclosure. It seems to fit well and holds two bikes securely. The rack did however leave slight "dents" from the bottom contact. The unit did not seem to put excessive weight on the spoiler.

I prefer to put my bike inside with the front wheel removed if I'm alone. I will try loading my wife's bike inside with mine tomorrow.

I tried the QuickBack. I was not comfortable with how the straps must come across and put pressure on the spoiler so I returned it. I went back to loading my bike in the vehicle, seats down, across a blanket. I've got an x-large mtn bike (I'm 6'4') and it slips in much easier than it did in my Audi A3 (also a hatchback) -- front wheel off of course. And I've already had multiple occassions to carry a friends bike on top as usual -- no problems (second blanket between the bikes).

Probably would've been nice if the rack worked better, but those "dents" don't sound good to me. Besides the bikes are safer inside the vehicle -- that's my extra rationalization. ;-) Speaking of which, it's Saturday morning... time to go ride!

 

[LeafPowerIsIxE]

Michael, regarding painting, I painted mine on the lawn over cardboard with a rustoleum type gray primer and black top coat. I washed it well before doing so.

My bike rack was painted the same way 16 years ago and has held up well. Of course, powder coating is even better.

Is there an update on ordering this hitch kit?

I think it is the only way to roll related to bike transport. I have used hitch racks for years and appreciate the security from both protection to the vehicle and comfort in knowing my bike won't become "mayhem" on the I-15.

------------------------------------------------------

BTW -- I am 5-months into ownership and still get stoked everytime I drive the car. What a great job Nissan did technology wise for this pilot vehicle. I am optimistic this is the future of transportation. We get to 300mi range and it will go mainstream.

 

[Deleted member 770]

...how's everyone doing with the hatch mounts?

I just took my LEAF to First Nissan in Simi Valley to get the TCU update done, and I put my bike on the back with my Allen MT-1...worked fine. After a 1-1/2 hour ride, I came back and picked up the car, then went another 25 miles with the bike on the back...no problems. I've also used it to make a number of return trips from rides (~ 12 miles or so each time). No issues. I've kept the rack on the car for the past couple of weeks. The only issue is that the bottom strap blocks the backup camera quite effectively....

 

[LeafPowerIsIxE]

Anyone have an installation experience with the Yakima Quick Back 2-Bike Trunk Mount Rack? According to Yakima, this one fits the Leaf. I am still not sold on the straps and spoiler - how's everyone doing with the hatch mounts?

Yes I have a QuickBack 3. Recommended by Yakima. I've used it once. I mounted it as high as it will go. That puts the bottom just above the license plate light enclosure. It seems to fit well and holds two bikes securely. The rack did however leave slight "dents" from the bottom contact. The unit did not seem to put excessive weight on the spoiler.

I prefer to put my bike inside with the front wheel removed if I'm alone. I will try loading my wife's bike inside with mine tomorrow.

I tried the QuickBack. I was not comfortable with how the straps must come across and put pressure on the spoiler so I returned it. I went back to loading my bike in the vehicle, seats down, across a blanket. I've got an x-large mtn bike (I'm 6'4') and it slips in much easier than it did in my Audi A3 (also a hatchback) -- front wheel off of course. And I've already had multiple occassions to carry a friends bike on top as usual -- no problems (second blanket between the bikes).

Probably would've been nice if the rack worked better, but those "dents" don't sound good to me. Besides the bikes are safer inside the vehicle -- that's my extra rationalization. ;-) Speaking of which, it's Saturday morning... time to go ride!

I just strapped the Yakima Quick Back-2 to the rear of VIIN xxx0590. The bottom support sits squarely on the rear bumper providing adequate vertical stability. The straps across the spoiler create some stress bubbles for me, but there doesn't seem to be excessive pull due to the bottom support.

I called Yakima today and they reconfirmed the rack is certified for the 2011 Leaf. They recommend using the glass hatch straps in place of the hooks for the top rear connectors.

I will test drive it tonight - unloaded - during my 24.75 mile crawl home from Sorrento Valley -- if all goes well, I will apply a bike to the unit and carve out my morning ride through Del Mar and Torrey Pines. Trying my best to contain any potential mayhem.

Report to come. Hopefully not from jail....


All right - this rack seems to get it done. The straps stretch across the rear spoiler but with the (included) Yakima glass/hatch attachment you can separate them across the surface. The bike is stable and does not add any vertical pressure due to the bottom brace securely in contact with the bumper. The rack has an additional adjustment to keep the top brace tight against the hatch glass. The brace padding is more than adequate to protect the vehicle; the straps "rubberized" and cleanly tucked away -- I am satisfied this is a workable and safe solution for a 1-bike carry.

I bought the rack thru Amazon (shipped from Backcountry.com) for $152 free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PUZX5Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[bwilliams]

Has anyone installed a roof rack? It looks like Thule doesn't have an option for the leaf, Yakima does?? We have a Thule rack on our Prius and would use that but there doesn't seem to be a fit kit for the leaf. I'm looking into the rack mount too. My husband and I made a mess of our Prius after a few years of putting 2 bikes inside the car. I'm feeling very protective of that gorgeous white interior and want to keep the bikes outside the car. I do not want to use a strap-style trunk mount after reading the posts here.