I built the DIY ramps here. Now it is time to use them. First up is about the smallest car you can fit a trike on top of – A Toyota Yaris. Ok, you might be able to do one on top of a Smart Car, but that is a challenge I will leave to a reader.
0:01 The straps help lay out the channels at the correct width. Most trikes will fit without changing the spacing.
Most trikes will fit without changing the spacing. The padding on the top outside stabiliser on each side is to account for bonnet/hood curvature.
0:28 Look – the bungee is holding the trike in place
Hook a plastic-coated bungee under the bonnet or round a wiper. Stretch the other end around the seat or rack once the trike is on the car. Make it tight enough that the trike will not roll backwards. Once you have your hands free, wrap and strap the ramps.
1:01 Another bungee cord is required to strap the ramps to the trike
Few cars have space for ramps at 6 feet to 2 metres long. The answer is to tie them to the trike. Loading the ramps in a travel position is easier before rolling the trike onto the roof.
1:24 The trike cross-bars and a bungee cord support the ramp
The stabilisers will stop them from sliding in one direction, and the tension given by a bungee cord resists movement either way.
1:38 Don’t do what I do – lift the ramp rear as high as possible
Doing so will clear the pedals to move when unloading the trike while allowing tension to hold the ramps firmly for travel.
2:19 The most challenging part now is edging around the rear vision mirror
Take advantage of them if your car has folding mirrors. If you have difficulties, add a pully system as documented in the SUV example (to be published).
2:39 I am using the handbrake to hold the trike in place. There are other options – such as a stick through the rear wheel
If all else fails, open a rear window and tie a short rope through the frame and around a wheel. It is not pretty but far better than having a trike roll off.
2:51 The rear wheel is in the centre of the roof. It is an excellent idea to spread the load
Most car roofs are lightweight metal that deforms when pushed. We will strap the trike down so it won’t move when driving. It is an excellent idea to spread the load for the wheel closest to the centre. I use a small piece of ply with contact-backed foam on each side.
3:17 I am using a 3-metre tie-down strap. A 5-metre strap would be more universally useful
Many vehicles don’t have roof rails. For them, we run the strap through the door openings. It is essential to understand where we feed the tie-down. It must pull towards the centre so the trike will not roll backwards and forwards. I have tried to describe the process below, but the words (at least my words) are not clear enough. So, I have produced a video. Use that, comments or pictures – whatever works for you.
3:38 Feed the strap over the central core in front of the cross-bars
Guide the strap behind the trike’s front wheels and in front of the cross-bars that support the wheels. Take it over the spine, still in front of the cross-bars and bring it out behind the other trike wheel. “In front of” and “behind” are relative to the trike, not the car.
4:13 Then over the ramp channels and through the forks to the back wheel
By guiding the strap over the channels, they will be pulled down and held firmly. Leave a length of strap hanging so that there is enough to go inside the door frame. We need to feed the strap through the rear forks before returning it to the starting side. Tightening will stop the trike from rolling backwards down the car’s bonnet.
5:05 The self-retracting ratchet straps are short but easier to use
Self-retracting ratchet tie-downs are cool. They are lightly sprung to return to the shortest length once the two ends are attached. I get mine from Bunnings here.
5:16 Hook two ends of the tie-down to one end of the ratchet strap
I tie loops on both sides of the strap and hook them over one ratchet tie-down hook. Leave the other hook hanging inside the doorway of the car.
5:48 Hook the other end of the ratchet strap to the tide down before it disappears over the ramp channels. Tighten with the ratchet.
Go around to the other doorway and reach in for the hanging hook. Pull it towards you and hook it around the strap where it runs near the ramp between the front and rear of the trike. When you tighten the ratchet, it will attempt to pull the trike in on itself – and prevent it from moving forwards or backwards.
6:10 All done and ready to roll
I recommend straps so that we can close the rear doors over them. For short trips, I leave the seatback up. For travelling the highways and byways, I fold the seatback down to minimise drag and catch fewer insects.
Ratchet strap inside city car
Trike on the roof of a city car
After our time in a powered vehicle, we (hopefully) arrive at our destination.
0:01 We arrived at our destination – similar to our point of departure.
Good-oh, let’s get out trike down. The first trick – make sure that there is space in front of the car for unloading.
0:07 In hindsight, I could have left the support and rolled over it
I have taken the load-spreader out from under the rear wheel. It would have been easier and more logical to leave it on the roof. The next step is to loosen the ratchet and remove the strap holding the trike to the roof.
0:20 Handbrake off, and off we go. I have left the strap on the trike for an easier reload later
Rolling the trike backwards causes the pedals to spin. Roll the trike down to the bonnet and hold it in place with a bungee cord.
1:10 Notice that the strap holds the channels higher, so the ramps miss the pedals when going backwards when unloading.
Now you will find out whether the ramp will snag. If so, remove the ramp before starting to move.
1:52 It is just as well that aluminium is light as well as strong
Being 2 metres long, lifting from the trike to put it against the bonnet feels heavy.
2:46 Unloading the trike from here is dead easy. I store the ramp channels under the car while I go for a ride.
Stow the ramp under the car once the trike is on the ground. Happy riding.
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