Roof rack for recumbent tandem

[ferndenpat]

We are planning to buy a Hase Pino STEPS recumbent tandem, which conveniently breaks into two parts. However, we are wondering whether anyone else has such a tandem, and if so, how they transport it by car? We need to find a company making a suitable roof rack or failing that, a rack that fixes to the rear of the car. Any ideas, anyone? Hase Pino themselves have been unable to help.

[Elizabethsdad]

Pendle tandem carrier

[Geoff.D]

Talk to JD Tandems. They stocked a rack that had incorporated a lifting mechanism. Although that one is no longer built, it appears that they have their own model.
https://www.tandems.co.uk/m10b0s21p55/BTS-Tandem-Lift

[Richard Fairhurst]

We have a Circe Morpheus, which is similar to the Hase Pino. We bought a custom tandem roof-rack off eBay (the seller had run a tandem hire business), effectively a long metal bar with fixings to the car roof rack, plus an upright welded on, to which we strap the down-tube.

It's rock-solid and robust, whereas some of the £100-ish tandem racks advertised looked too flimsy for the Morpheus. I can't see our rack on eBay any more so I presume the seller has sold them all, but to be honest it wouldn't be too challenging for your friendly neighbourhood welder to rig up.

[Geoff.D]

We have a Circe Morpheus, which is similar to the Hase Pino. We bought a custom tandem roof-rack off eBay (the seller had run a tandem hire business), effectively a long metal bar with fixings to the car roof rack, plus an upright welded on, to which we strap the down-tube.

It's rock-solid and robust, whereas some of the £100-ish tandem racks advertised looked too flimsy for the Morpheus. I can't see our rack on eBay any more so I presume the seller has sold them all, but to be honest it wouldn't be too challenging for your friendly neighbourhood welder to rig up.

I should have said that we, too, have a Morpheus. We bought it at JD Tandems which is where we were shown the rack with the lifting mechanism. It interested us because, being in our 60's, we found the weight of the Morpheus too much to lift up onto the roof. But, the price put us off. However I run a small van and it straps down in that, in the vertical position (with the seat lowered and pedals removed).

The van is on its last legs and I'm working on my own design for an easy mount roof rack. It will be much like the one Richard describes above, but not initially fixed to the roof bars. I'll have rollers on the rear bars; incline the front of the rack onto the rollers; roll the bike up onto the rack and strap in down; lift the the rear end; slide the rack onto the bars; locate and fix the rack onto the bars. (I will also consider using ratchet tensioned straps from bike to roof-bar ends as an extra security. They're cheap and easy to use.)

It will be more of a faff, but avoids having to lift the full weight to head height and away from my body. And....of course.....it will save 300 drinking vouchers!

[ferndenpat]

Thank you for that information - we will look into Pendle tandems, and see if they can do a roof rack for a recumbent.

[ferndenpat]

Many thanks, Geoff D and Richard. We are now looking at Circe Morpheus, and will probably go up to Cambridge to try one out in the next couple of weeks. We would rather buy in Britain than from Germany, although I am not sure whether Circe Morpheus are made in Britain? And we will also contact JD Tandems to talk about roof racks. Most grateful to all who replied!!

[fausto copy]

On behalf of my late friend's family, I will shortly be selling a tandem roof rack.
It's what was called a Honley rack, which fastens onto two standard roof bars.
The rack drops down to the side of the vehicle for the tandem to be attached to it and then it is lifted and tilted so that the tandem lies flat across the roof of the vehicle. As a rough guide, I think these used to retail just for just under £200. We'd be looking more in the region of £80 plus delivery.
If this would be suitable, please let me know if you are interested before I advertise it on this forum and also the Tandem Club website.

Regards,
fausto copy.

[Geoff.D]

Here it is. Interesting.

http://cloggy.brinkster.net

[ferndenpat]

Thank you, Geoff. And thank you, Fausto copy, for giving us first refusal on your Honley roof rack. But having looked at the video from Honley Cycles that Geoff kindly gave us the link to, we don't think it's quite what we want. We already have a tandem roof rack (hydraulically lifted) for our current (normal) tandem, but now that we are thinking of buying a recumbent tandem, we want to be sure that the rack is suitable for that exact bike, and without any need to have to lift the tandem onto the rack. My husband is so used to the ease of the hydraulic lifting! And we are in our mid-70s. So please go ahead and advertise your carrier - and good luck.

[ferndenpat]

P.S. That first smiley face got in by accident! The second one was intentional!

[fausto copy]

OK fine, thanks for the replies and good luck with your search for both a recumbent tandem and a rack to suit.
fausto.

[thirdcrank]

This is from a recent thread on a similar subject

Did THULE make a roof rack a few years ago that had a system that you could attach to your bike at ground level and would then help you get it up on to the roof ?
Still looking for an answer!!!!!!!!

viewtopic.php?p=1103419#p1103419

[Geoff.D]

P.S. That first smiley face got in by accident! The second one was intentional!

Damned smiley faces !! They creep in everywhere when you're not looking. Do they think we're optimists, or something?

I read this recently -
A pessimist and an optimist were walking down the street. The pessimist said "Things can't get any worse". The optimist replied "Oh yes they can".

It reminds me of a great one liner from Bob Monkhouse -
"When I was young I told my family I wanted to be a comedian, and they just laughed. Well....they're not laughing now"

[thirdcrank]

And as any Kipper will tell you, the old jokes are the best.