Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze July 09, 2009, 04:22:27 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103784After researching Lazy Daze for a couple of years, I am happy to say that my wife and I will be the proud owners of a new blue MB 27 (new paint design) in a little more than a week. We love to bicycle and we have some high end bikes we would like to keep safe and protected so that we can use them for transportation when we arrive at our destinations. With this in mind, we decided to buy a Gearspace 34 Telescoping Cargo Carrier for the back. I presume it will not block the rear window of the Lazy Daze and we hope to have it as a permanent passenger on the back end of our new MB. Take a look at at the brochure at the link below to see how it works. I might be able to post a picture of it after it is installed. It appears to be perfect for those that don't plan to tow a vehicle and want a little more storage space. Does anybody else use this type of thing?http://www.letsgoaero.com/upload/GS34_Brochure.pdf
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #1 – July 09, 2009, 07:33:36 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103786I don't use one, but it certainly looks like you will have no problem with rear window blockage. Not that the rear window of a motorhome is extremely useful anyway. I pretty much count on my side mirrors for all rearward views. The only good thing about the rear window, is when I tow my Bronco behind the LD, I can still see it's back there.
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #2 – July 09, 2009, 07:41:25 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103788Congratulations on your new LD. We had high end bicycles for a while. Should you ever decide to tow a vehicle I recommend a Honda Element. We carried 3 high end bicycles to Mexico inside our Element while towing it with our LD. One of our high end bicycles cost over $3,000 Only one of the bicycles had the front wheel removed.best, paul"Thriving not surviving" - Paul Schaye (at 2008 NYC Marathon)
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #3 – July 09, 2009, 07:47:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103789"pipercherokee180f" wrote: We love to bicycle and we have some high end bikes we would like to keep safe and protected so that we can use them for transportation when we arrive at our destinations. With this in mind, we decided to buy a Gearspace 34 Telescoping Cargo Carrier for the back. I presume it will not block the rear window of the Lazy Daze and we hope to have it as a permanent passenger on the back end of our new MB. --- Just offering some observations; I would have three concerns about installing this product on the rear of a Lazy Daze:1. The installation will add at least *44"* of additional length to the rear of your LD; the box is 33" deep/wide and needs 11" of clearance from the hitch pin point. I don't know how far up from the hitch point this box would be mounted on the Lazy Daze (or just how much clearance there is from the road surface to the hitch point), but the 27' Lazy Daze has a fairly long rear "overhang", i.e., the distance between the rear axle and the end of the coach box. V-shaped "skid plates" (for want of a better term) are attached to the frame to prevent the box from hitting the road surface when one is navigating a driveway or the like, so you might guess that "contact" with the road surface is not an uncommon occurrence with an *unladen* 27'. I would think that the additional length (and weight) could cause the box and possibly also its mounting, to be vulnerable to damage in certain situations.2. The box itself weighs 120 pounds; how much do your bikes and "bike stuff" weigh? Packed to maximum, the box and its contents would add 300 pounds to the rear of your rig. And, from the diagram on the page, this weight does not appear to be "close in", but rather hanging out (11" or so) away from the end of the rig. I would expect there to be some issues with "wind dynamics" that might cause handling problems.3. I read the "twin hitch" information, but it still appears that however the hitch assembly is put together, it still attaches at the standard *single hitch receiver*; is this correct? If so, a box of that size and weight *will* "torque", and the box and its load will be unbalanced.Hopefully, some of the practical "engineers and mechanics" on this board will offer their opinions and comments. If it were my rig, I wouldn't install this box; YMMV.Joan
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #4 – July 09, 2009, 08:02:37 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103790Hi Jim,Curious what kind of high end bikes you own? This box looks like it would accommodate a folding bike but not really a full size bike unless I've missed something. We carry our bikes on a rear hitch bike rack that has worked well for us. We cycle a lot and the bikes are our main means of transportation once we arrive at a campground. Many of our trips focus around cycling events. We've carried our Bike Fridays inside our 22' rig but also on the back rack. Our full size road bikes have also survived quite well on the rear rack. We cover them with a tarp once we arrive at our destination.Enjoy that new rig! Blue is my favorite LD color!Marti in Seattle (leading a bike ride for 39 cyclists this weekend in the Anacortes, WA area) . We love to bicycle and we have some high end bikes we would like to keep safe and protected so that we can use them for transportation when we arrive at our destinations. With this in mind, we decided to buy a Gearspace 34 Telescoping Cargo Carrier for the back. I presume it will not block the rear window of the Lazy Daze and we hope to have it as a permanent passenger on the back end of our new MB.[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #5 – July 09, 2009, 08:51:04 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103793I share Joan's concerns about heavy hitch-mounted carriers. The extreme rear of the vehicle is the absolute worst place to put extra weight, because it has the maximum detrimental effect on handling. Torquing the hitch receiver is a concern as well. This may not be the answer you're looking for, but Paul Smith's idea--towing a car with the bikes in it--has a great deal of merit. I started my fulltiming career with a folding bike on a ladder-mounted carrier, but quickly found that it wasn't practical to ride into town for groceries or similar errands, because in general, the parks with the good scenery are 10-20 miles or more from the nearest town... and the parks that are close to towns are places I don't want to stay in. I sold the bike, and eventually bought a Honda Fit, which is a much more practical and versatile runaround vehicle. Although not quite as large inside as the Element, it has a unique flip-up rear seat that gives you enough space to carry a bike upright... or you can lay down the seat and use the Fit as a station wagon. For more on this, see "Having a Fit" on my Skylarking website:http://www.andybaird.com/travels/skylarking/2009/fit.htm>...and in particular, the dimensioned interior photos:http://www.andybaird.com/travels/skylarking/2009/photos/Fit-backseat-dimensions.jpg>http://www.andybaird.com/travels/skylarking/2009/photos/Fit-rear-dimensions.jpg> As I said, it may not be the answer you were looking for--and I realize that towing a car is a lot more expensive than adding a storage box to your hitch--but it has a lot going for it, and is worth considering seriously.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #6 – July 09, 2009, 09:57:04 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103795Hello Jim; I went through the cargo carrier issue a few years ago. My wife uses an electric mobility scooter that I carry on a cargo carrier. After running the idea by a neighbor who is a mechanical engineer and Steve at LD, here is the conclusion. Caveat: Anyone who relies on this information does so at their own risk. I have no written data or statements to support the following. With that said. The receiver hitch has a maximum of 350# tongue weight based on a 8" long ball mount. The 8" is a critical number. The center of the load on my cargo carrier is about 24" behind the hitch. Based on that distance, the recommendation was to not exceed 2/3 of the 350# tongue weight. That's 234#. To be on the safe side, I set my max. weight at 1/2 of the 350# or 175#. My total weight, including the carrier & scooter, is right at 150#. The carrier you're looking at weighs 120#. If the center of the load is in the 24" range, it would be judicious to weigh stuff as you load the carrier to avoid exceeding whatever *you* decide is a safe weight to carry. Better yet, to weigh the intended load before you buy the carrier to be sure it will safely satisfy your requirements. The LD Owners Manual, Page 102 has additional relevant information on this topic. The text I refer to includes one "Warning" and one "Important" both in bold print. Another option, is to tow a small trailer. You see motorcycles carried like that all the time. Some of the new one wheel trailers look interesting. I avoided the trailer issue by buying a light weight mobility scooter. Congratulations on your new MB. We're having the time of our life in our '08 MB.Hope to see you someplace, sometime.Ed
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #7 – July 09, 2009, 11:58:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103796IMO, a better solution is to install a hitch mounted rack. It weights less, keeps the weight closer to the LD and isn't as likely to get damaged. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157602104740537/Lock the bikes to the rack with a couple of these. http://tinyurl.com/lsnodkProtect them with a zippered waterproof cover. http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/hitch-mounted-bike-carrier-cover/27733 Out of sight, out of mind. And make sure your insurance is paid! I carried a custom bike, hidden under a cover, for years and never had any indication of anyone messing with it. We have carried our two sea kayaks and gear also for years without any problems. As long as nothing expensive is showing, most of the time, no one even notices. I do lock everything down just to keep the honest folks honest.Larry
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #8 – July 10, 2009, 01:19:31 am Yahoo Message Number: 103798Ed, It looks like based on your numbers we can stay under 175 pounds with our two bikes. Since I have already ordered it, I will give it a try.
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #9 – July 12, 2009, 12:36:23 am Yahoo Message Number: 103852Not sure I share Joan and Andy's concern about the additional weight back aft. Unless you start pouring sand into that thing, the bikes aren't going to add that much weight. I use a Thule hitch mount rack on my LD. It's a tray type and doesn't touch the bike frames, just the wheels. I have a Trek Madone 6.9 which weighs 16 lbs and 3 more for tools, spare tube, pedals, lights, and empty bottles. I carry heavier mountain bikes as well (Trek Fuel EX 9.8 at about 28 lbs). So even with two full suspension mountain bikes, you're only talking There may be other issues besides weight that could eclipse the obvious security advantage of the Gearspace. Still, I wouldn't consider the Gearspace. You are going to have to remove the front wheels on most any full size bike, True, easy enough, but then you'll have to store the wheels. To fit the bikes in there side by side will require lots of padding to avoid road rash and abrasion, both between the bikes themselves and from the inside of the carrier. Because of the way bike parts tend to stick out and want to "interlock" with one another, you may have to put both bikes in at the same time and remove them that way also - - a real hassle and probably not doable unless two people are there to do it. There's no way I'd subject nice bikes to that. I'd advise testing getting your bikes in that thing before you commit to it. The Thule, or another tray type rack should be far kinder to your bike's finish. The bikes will have plenty of clearance from each other and from the LD as well. Being a tray type, there's no concern with the frames being marred from carrier hooks. You can cover the bikes to keep them clean and lock them to the rack and hitch for light duty security. When parking in an area where there is risk of theft, it's a relatively simple thing to remove the bikes and put them in the motorhome. I put an old sheet on each couch so it covers the floor too. A bike then leans up against each couch with the tires meeting in the middle of the floor. The bikes are stable enough in this position for traveling. You might also consider an infrared motion detector and interior alarm (wireless, about $15 from Harbor Freight) http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93068 as additional security when the bikes stay on the rack and you're inside snoozing or in a nearby restaurant. When takng just one road bike, it can go on the overhead bunk even with mattress toppers folded up there - - gotta take off the front wheel with the toppers though. On ground clearance, the bottom of my Thule is 7 inches higher than the bottom of the receiver hitch. A stock Thule may or may not go up this high. When I was ordering mine, I goofed and got the 2-bike extension (which carries two bikes but is intended to attach to their 2-bike carrier to carries 4 bikes). My mistake, so I chose to modify the "extension" into a bike carrier so was able to cut and weld to give the carrier the "rise" I needed for pavement clearance going up our steep driveway. Not sure the Gearspace has adequate rise for clearance on the MB - - however, one can buy an adapter that goes into the stock receiver and gives you a female receiver higher up. Andy, No Fit will keep you fit like a bike will (g). 20 miles to town = a nice ride and good excersize.all the best,bumper Yonder Minden, NV (surrounding area is one of the premier bike riding places in the USA - - if you like mountains :c)[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #10 – July 12, 2009, 06:44:07 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103857"No Fit will keep you fit like a bike will (g). 20 miles to town" No argument there. :-) On the other hand, nothing will kill you deader than being hit by a pickup truck while riding a bike on a one-and-a-half-lane county road with no shoulder. (For real sport, try it in the rain while carrying two bags of groceries.) There are a lot of those roads in the places where I camp.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #11 – July 12, 2009, 08:55:42 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103862Quote From: Andy Baird"No Fit will keep you fit like a bike will (g). 20 miles to town" No argument there. :-) On the other hand, nothing will kill you deader than being hit by a pickup truck while riding a bike on a one-and-a-half-lane county road with no shoulder. (For real sport, try it in the rain while carrying two bags of groceries.) There are a lot of those roads in the places where I camp.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/Andy, No arguement there! Being run over from behind is highly overrated and I don't recommend it at all. I use a helmet mounted mirror, and as cars approach I keep an eye on them. In NV, cars are supposed to give bicycles 3 foot clearance. If they look like they are not moving over a bit, I'll gently move over out into the lane. This, if they are paying attention at all, gets them to move over some. If they don't, and this has never happened, I'm then ready to head for the edge and/ or onto the shoulder should that be necessary. Most areas I ride have light traffic, some moderate, so doing the above is not burdensome. It doesn't guarantee I won't get hit, of course, but being aware increases one's safety. I also use a blinky light on the rear and bright flashing LED light on the front (I'm a coward).bumper
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #12 – July 12, 2009, 10:36:33 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103863QuoteMost areas I ride have light traffic, some moderate, so doing the above is not burdensome. It doesn't guarantee I won't get hit, of course, but being aware increases one's safety. I also use a blinky light on the rear and bright flashing LED light on the front (I'm a coward).bumper Yikes!!!! Bumper in bike shorts? Lemme go slam my head on a table to jar THAT image from my brain! :>)Slammy5150/Paul[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #13 – July 13, 2009, 12:36:38 am Yahoo Message Number: 103864Quote From: Paul S Fountain To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, July 12, 2009 7:36 PM Subject: [LD] Re: Gearspace 34 for new LazydazeYikes!!!! Bumper in bike shorts? Lemme go slam my head on a table to jar THAT image from my brain! :>)Slammy5150/PaulNow hold on just a sec. I'm rather cute in bike shorts - - I think. Of course the publics acceptance of lycra decreases exponentially with the distance from one's bike. Last March, first time making it to the top of Kingsbury . . . I was dissapointed, there were no "podium girls" there to kiss me on the cheeks.http://tinyurl.com/loce28bumper Yonder Minden, NV
Re: Gearspace 34 for new Lazydaze Reply #14 – July 13, 2009, 04:13:50 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103873Hmm, which cheeks, bumper??Ted HYikes!!!! Bumper in bike shorts? Lemme go slam my head on a table to jar THAT image from my brain! :>)Slammy5150/Paul Now hold on just a sec. I'm rather cute in bike shorts - - I think. Of course the publics acceptance of lycra decreases exponentially with the distance from one's bike. Last March, first time making it to the top of Kingsbury . . . I was dissapointed, there were no "podium girls" there to kiss me on the cheeks.http://tinyurl.com/loce28>http://tinyurl.com/loce28bumper[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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