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Yakima makes a roof rack for the Smart Fortwo 2008. Around $400. for the whole kit with the basic bicycle rail. (www.rackattack.com)
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Yakima makes a roof rack (www.rackattack.com) for the Smart Fortwo 2008!
Not a cheap solution (around $400 for the rack and the bicycle rail).
.....oops, I thought that my first reply was not saved!.....
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WAIT ! Don't make your car ugly,
I have been waiting to get my smart so I can take pictures my solutions to these problems about bike racks, arm rests, towing, seat straps, children and such. BUT I CAN"T TAKE IT ANY MORE....
My Mechanical Engineering mind has to tell you that the easiest thing for the bike rack is to install a 1 1/4" hitch mount an then you can add bike racks, cargo carries, tables, unbrella's and trailers.
I did find a site for hitches but they want $500.00 bucks. I bought the hitch tube for $16.00 at a car parts store and waiting for my car so I can mount it and show you guys how easy a solution this is.... ________WAIT _______ two weeks I get my car, I'll post photo's of how I do this.
Matt
Zski
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Matt,
Any cost effective and internationally available, legal and insurable solution will be appreciated.
I discovered this week that Yakima will not ship outside USA and Canada. And their dealers cannot either. Moosejaw told me this first... followed by Yakima saying the same the day after. No explanation why. Can only speculate that it is some legal / liability issue. I have two thirds of a Yakima solution (stuck for Q-Towers and Q-Clips).
Yakima do have a roof rack solution for the 451
Thule have displaced Yakima in Australia. Thule do not seem to have any smart 451 solutions.... are there no smarts in Sweden?!
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I like the idea of bolting a rack to the rear of the smart. Are the rack holes in the back the same size as the tow hook hole in the front? I would go check, but the wife just drove off in mine....I really need to get her her own!!
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Should be the same... the towing eyebolt fits either?
My bike rack saga continues. Yakima won't ship outside US / Canada.
An Aussie rack manufacturer called Rola responded immediately to my enquiry if they had a solution. They suggested I drop by with my smart for their R&D guys to look at it.. umm... my car is yet to be built.. and they are way down south in Melbourne, so I gave them the M-B Melbourne importers address. And sent them the smart brochure, pointing to the smart rear rack solution. Favourable response back.
In the UK smart accessories cattledog, the rear bike rack comes to over 350 pounds (say >$700). Ouch. It wasn't listed in the Aussie accessories price list when I placed my order for the car two months ago. But it is in the Aussie brochure as "pending".
Today I went to the local M-B dealer to eye up the demo coupe. Oops.. the moonroof goes from door to door. Blows the Yakima roof rack towers. The Pulse with moon roof is the base model here.
So... it is back to the rear bolting solution as being the most viable... and just to agonise me, I keep seeing a little red 450 buzzing around here with that odd triangular bike rack that was made for it.
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One of the first things I checked was if my bike fit in the car. With both whells off and the passanger seat down it fits in fine. I put it in it's bike bag so as not to have the chain mark up tha tan seats.
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I love the zipp rims and bike. I am a carbon nut too but on dirt...
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Zipp2001,
Interesting bike... triathlon / time trials? Le Tour de France starts a month away... wondering if they have opened up to allow more advanced time bikes. Or added more safety restrictions. Maybe this year Australia will be another notch up on the podium.
I have a road, a XC and a leisure bike (three bikes). I want to put them somewhere without stripping the rear wheel and the mess that entails. That's why I bought the Yakima Steelheads in the US to carry two bikes without fuss. A simple over the rear spare wheel frame carried a third. If you need to drive long distances with luggage, the strip and put it in the car is not really nice to do. It's ok for just you and a short trip... but bung in the helmet, shoes, towel and other necessary stuff and the smart fills up quickly? And if it rains... gets messy.
But then the idea of putting a bike worth a few thou on the vulnerable rear end of my car is a bit of a worry too.
I'm a bit peeved that there does not seem to be an alternative to the rare and expensive smart OEM rear rack for a pulse coupe. The cabrio has no option other than the rear rack.
Sato,
You're in Florida... that pic of the lake looks very much like a spot in VA near Newport News... where I discovered my XC hardtail was not a good choice for tree root jumping with cleat pedals on a track I've never seeen before... Great scenery. (I walked a lot that day.) Dirt bikes do get dirty.
Does a hard shell travel bike case fit in the back of the smart... it may be an alternative to the racks?
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Ian, The pic was taken at mistletoe state park in Georgia. went there in an RV with the wife and kids, loved every minute of it.. especially on my bike in the rain and my wife on hers by my side.... we were laughing like little kids all the way.
I dont think any hard case can fit in the back of the smarts but if you give me some measurements I can measure my smarty and let you know..
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Hi SATO,
A typical hardcase measures:
External: L115cm x W30cm x H72cm (76cm with wheels)
Internal: L112cm x W27cm xH70cm
(Say 46" wide by 28" high by 12" deep)
This is off the web site: http://www.cyclelink.com.au/category1214_1.htm
At $500 it's not cheap... but still less than the smart rear rack. I'm getting a pulse with moon roof, so roof racks are not viable.
I lived in Alabama. If you ever get a bit further north of Georgia into Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains for a vacation, go to Cades Cove park and cycle the 11 miles before 10 am (no cars till then.) Great scenery, bears and deer on a misty morning... take a camera.
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I use a soft nylon bike bag, my name is the actual bike name it is a zipp2001. Zipp made the bikes in the early 90's. This bike is not legal to use in most events. I've always been used to people looking at me with my bike, now the Smart car just made it even worse.
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