EMTB in the hold of my campervan

[TheSnowShark]

Hello,

I have a campervan, and to transport my Turbo Levo, I was wondering if I could compress the fork like in this photo I found online web ?

To do this properly, it would have to be able to fit under my bed without the front wheel.

Would it be a good idea to follow this procedure, or would it be better to deflate the fork, which would require me to re-inflate it each time?

Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[Dax]

Deflate the fork.

 

[RustyMTB]

Let the air out of it every time. Compressing it with a strap puts the whole system under pressure & stresses the bars & headset bearings too.

 

[Bear-uk]

Definitely deflate the forks.
It's no big deal pumping them back up again.

 

[TheSnowShark]

Yes, you're right, I have a small pump that works, but I find it fairly difficult to reset it to the exact same value every time.

In any case, thank you very much.

 

[geoffwhite]

PLANNING MY RETIREMENT, - defo need a camper that I can put eMTB in back of,
this is helpful

 

[Mcharza]

You only let almost all the air out and then tie the bike well. I've done this in my Campervan for five Alpine trip years.
Then the other bike fits next to the bed on the other wall.

I've only put the bikes out on the rack, when I get around in different bike parks.

 

[Tepi]

Tyhjennä haarukka.

Minä irroita tanko, sopiiko?

 

[TheSnowShark]

@Tepi I'm French but I speak English on this forum. Could you please do the same, as Finnish is incomprehensible for me ?

Thank you.

 

[cantaloupe]

Definitely pump it up. My partner's lyrik fits under without needing to deflate, my 38 is way off and our boxxers have no chance. Much better to spend 2 mins pumping than sleeping with my nose touching the ceiling!

 

[Just gan]

Mine goes on front seats with wheels off at night if im sleeping in van. Looks absolutely terrible but doable. It also leans against the van unsecured if I'm in a safe area . On rear rack I have reversed it in to whin bushes .

 

[geoffwhite]

looks like the bikes pull out on "wooden trays", - is that a bit of home DIY or can you buy that set up ?

 

[cantaloupe]

It is DIY. Plywood and heavy duty drawer runners. Pretty easy and inexpensive to do with the right tools.

 

[TheSnowShark]

I'm thinking of doing the same..

We can also find ready-made fork lockout brackets from our friends at AE:

MUQZI Fork Mount Bike Rack Car Roof Rack Thru Axle Holder For SUV Truck Bed And Rack Storage Quick Release Roof Bike Mount - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

fr.aliexpress.com

 

[cantaloupe]

I did buy something similar, but it only fit QR axles. I now just make them with various diameters of plumbing pipe!

 

[TheSnowShark]

I bought a quick release axle 15x110 for my Fox 38, I hope that is correct for this use ?

HEPPE Bicycle Thru Axle Front Fork Shaft Skewer 15x100 15x110 MTB Road Bike Quick Release M15xP1.5 Thread Pitch Bike Parts - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

fr.aliexpress.com

 

[cantaloupe]

Yup, should be fine. What I meant is the axle mount I bought was a single diameter, so I had to make my own when I changed bikes (and for downhill axles)

 

[Suns_PSD]

Yes, you're right, I have a small pump that works, but I find it fairly difficult to reset it to the exact same value every time.

In any case, thank you very much.

They now sell those electronic air pumps that are USB chargeable have a little digital scale and you can just adjust it to air up to whatever pressure you program it to.

 

[TheSnowShark]

They now sell those electronic air pumps that are USB chargeable have a little digital scale and you can just adjust it to air up to whatever pressure you program it to.

Does it exist to reinflate high pressure forks and shock absorbers ? .. I've never seen it until now..

 

[Just gan]

Some good ideas here .I started thinking about removing my r and r bed in camper to make it more bike friendly. I've been on about selling it for 5 years now. More aware of fuel costs since retirement. 3 litre petrol ️ get about 260 miles per tank.

 

[RustyMTB]

Does it exist to reinflate high pressure forks and shock absorbers ?

I wouldn't use one personally. A dedicated shock pump is a better tool & can be had for a few euros.

 

[TheSnowShark]

I already have one like that

 

[DToX]

Let the air out of it every time. Compressing it with a strap puts the whole system under pressure & stresses the bars & headset bearings too.

Do you think this is a huge concern? The reason I ask is because its common way to strap down a motorcycle or dirt bike by using ratchet straps to compress the forks a few inches of travel.

 

[RustyMTB]

Not really. I don't know much about motorbike forks but MTB air spring forks are designed to be inflated & deflated. Forks with modern oil filled bladders like charger dampers & Grip2 dampers are pretty easy to compress by hand if you open up the compression settings. The system works in tandem just like on a car - the spring provides the suspension & the damper attenuates the spring's natural behaviour so the car doesn't pogo down the road.

Most of the time if you let the air out of a fork, it will pretty much collapse into its full travel anyway. The main difference is if you leave it inflated then compress it, the spring resists because well, it's a spring & that's what it's designed to do, so doing that with a strap for hours or days for example leaves the seals & o-rings inside the fork under constant stress on the air spring side.