Recommended Bike Frame Adapter To Secure Womens Bike In Platform Style Bike Carrier

Question:

Hi, we purchased the Swagman hitch-mounted bike carrier and have been very pleased with it, riding all over Germany. Unfortunately, 2 weeks ago, when I was venturing out alone with my bike womens style slanted frame I had an incident with my bike shifting a little forward, thus not being clamped securely down due to the slant of the frame. Luckily, I had secured it with a normal bike lock wrapped around the frame of the bike and the Swagman carrier - otherwise, I probably would have lost the bike instead of it coming half-way off and dragging it until I could safely stop the car. Scary stuff!! Obviously, Im going to need a bike adapter to insure that this doesnt happen again. Ive been watching a few videos of adapters the Swagman Easy On/Off....exact name escapes me at the moment and the Yakima version. Im just not seeing how these 2 adapters are going to form a rigid bar that the Swagman carrier clamp is going to come down and secure. They appear to be more geared toward carriers where the bikes hang from. As you know, this particular Swagman is designed for the wheels of the bikes to sit securely in those thingamabobbies at the bottom and a clamp is ratcheted down to hold the bikes in place. What kind of adapter bar will work for my bike with this sort of carrier? Id like to purchase the correct one first time around. Thanks!

asked by: Lisa H

Expert Reply:

I am glad to hear the bike survived and you are okay.

The Swagman Easy-Out Women's and Alternative Frame Bike Adapter, part # 64005 attached between the seat post and the handlebar stem and is normally used for hanging bike carriers. It can be used for the platform-style bike carrier as well and will work well for you.

You can install the 64005, place the bike in the platform wheel cradles and then use the hook on the mast to hold the bike in place. If the hook is pushed down against the 64005 it will use the downward pressure to keep the bike in place and prevent it from shifting as you said happened. The hook on the bike carrier will have a level attach point instead of the angle that women's bike frames tend to have.

expert reply by: Jeffrey L