I left each velcro strip really long (2 feet). These also provide more stability when attaching the light bar directly to a bicycle.ĭouble sided velcro straps hold the light bar to a bicycle, and foam window tape provides some cushion and helps prevent rattling. I used T joints to create 2 vertical bars that allow a hanging style bike rack’s stabilizer cradle to hold onto it so it doesn’t rotate. I wanted the lights to sit as wide as possible. I drilled holes and notches for internal cable routing and velcro attachment with nuts and bolts. The arms measure 12 1/4" outside to outside and the lights are 7 1/2" long, so I left those pieces just slightly longer than that and used the remaining lengths for the vertical supports. I cut the pipes to size so that they could clear the arms of a hanging style rack, using the FullTilt as a template. Instead of white PVC pipe, I ended up using ABS pipe because it comes in black, which I think looks better, and it can be glued together with a single compound ABS cement without an additional primer. What I came up with is something that can fit in the outer cradle of a hanging style bike rack OR be attached directly to a bicycle with velcro straps. Price breakdown below (as of Spring 2022): Everything else was purchased from my local big orange tool store, and it looks like they have the light kit too. They can be found from that big online retailer or at Curt’s website directly. These have an adhesive backing that allows them to simply be stuck to whatever you need them to stick to. The lights themselves are the real star of this show: Curt 53201. I spent $89.90 on materials in total, which admittedly is more than I wanted to, but I also incorporated features that not everyone would necessarily need. I don’t intend for this to be a step-by-step how-to, but rather to show off some features and things to think about if you want to make your own. I wanted to make my own for as little as possible, while building in some versatility to use on various rack types. These can provide some pretty seamless integration, but I’ve found them to be pretty expensive for some simple lights and metal brackets. There are a few light options on the market, with Yakima even releasing a couple models as accessories for specific racks (for the Exo and the StageTwo). Once you have a couple or a few bikes back there, you’re going to end up as the person on the road just switching lanes without a visible blinker, and nobody likes that person! My current Odyssey has pretty wide taillights that are decently visible, but I had a T2 with fat tire trays that totally obscured one side of the taillights on my Outback when it was folded up. But have you thought about what this does to turn signal and brake light visibility? Some bike, rack, and vehicle combinations can be worse than others. Subscribe to ReRack Round-Up for Sales and Outdoor TipsĬarrying bikes on the back of your car can be much more convenient than lifting them onto the roof.
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