Fitting a Thule Veloslide? (1 Viewer)

[DangerMousy]

Having just put a deposit down on a Carthago C-Line we're looking forward to having a proper garage to store our bikes in and have decided we want a Thule Velodslide (I know there are cheaper options, but this one gives us the convenience we want, and doesn't add any height to the bikes so they'll clear the garage door).

We looked at one already fitted at the weekend and it was bolted through the floor with small spreader plates (and sealant of course) on the underside - looks pretty easy so I don't really fancy paying a dealer several hundred to do it for us. But whilst I've fitted various small things to our current and past MHs, I've never made a hole through from the inside to the outside before...so I'm a bit nervous Has anyone else fitted one themselves and care to share their experience or any tips?

 

[cyberyacht]

Mine came with the bike racks already bolted through with some big 'penny' washers. Looks a simple enough job. Just watch as you drill through not to hit anything important like a brake hose.

 

[Ridgeway]

We have the Fiamma equivalent in a Carthago Compactline. Like you said it’s just drilled and bolted to the floor with 4 plates, not sure mine is even glued down.

It’s very nice being able to just slide 2 bikes in and out, super convenient and allows you to secure them properly as the access is good when they are in the out position.

I wouldn’t be worried about installing one at all but i would take some time to figure out the optimum location.

 

[Folkranger]

i installed mine earlier this year. great piece of kit. We couldn't make it work with the grab arms as our folders were the wrong height so just used cam buckle straps. so much easier.

I had plenty of height so installed a low shelf fixed to the front and back cargo rails and fitted the Thule fixing bars to the shelf. No drilling of floors.

 

[Westbarn1]

I didn't want to drill holes in my garage floor, but used Sikaflex 292i to secure the fixing brackets of my Fiamma cycle carrier to the floor.

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[Folkranger]

Like this

 

[DangerMousy]

Just watch as you drill through not to hit anything important like a brake hose.

Good tip! Thanks

I wouldn’t be worried about installing one at all but i would take some time to figure out the optimum location.

Yep, it'll be a case of checking a few times to make sure we drill in the right place.

I didn't want to drill holes in my garage floor, but used Sikaflex 292i to secure the fixing brackets of my Fiamma cycle carrier to the floor.

Interesting. I've used sikaflex before to attach awning rails so I know its strong stuff, but I wonder how easy it would be to remove so we could take the bike rack with us if/when we ever change the MH?

 

[Westbarn1]

Something like this, maybe, I used a thick layer of silkaflex so I imagine it would do the job
Amazon product ASIN B0819D2C96

 

[kelv]

I fitted mine last year Carthago c tourer very easy job
Only issue had to re-drill one of the bolt holes to miss the water tank underneath
Measure 10 times drill holes once.

 

[Folkranger]

Alternatively you could sikaflex 2 strips of wood (say 2m x 150mm x 20mm) running from one side of the garage to the other, then you can screw the Thule fixing bars to the wood strips using wood screws.

No drilling!

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[Mike n Vikki]

Like this

View attachment 680054

Just about to fit one to our new to us B 584 DL. Would be great to get some more details from you. Are you in HOG too?

 

[Folkranger]

Not in FBHOG if that's what you mean. Can give you any details you want, just ask.

 

[ceejayt]

Just to say, I have one and it is excellent piece of kit. Best bit is being able to side it out of the way left to right to make space for other stuff once the bikes are in OR to remove the slide all together when not needed

 

[Ridgeway]

Just to say, I have one and it is excellent piece of kit. Best bit is being able to side it out of the way left to right to make space for other stuff once the bikes are in OR to remove the slide all together when not needed

How easy is it slide front-back once the bikes are on ? If I’ve understood what you mention you’re saying you can slide it out, load bikes, slide it all back in and then slide the whole assembly on its rails closer or further away from the back wall, correct ? That could be a handy feature for sure.

 

[ceejayt]

How easy is it slide front-back once the bikes are on ? If I’ve understood what you mention you’re saying you can slide it out, load bikes, slide it all back in and then slide the whole assembly on its rails closer or further away from the back wall, correct ? That could be a handy feature for sure.

Exactly

Once the bikes are in there are some easy to loosen knobs - you can then push the bikes to one side - it is designed exactly so you can do that

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[Ridgeway]

Exactly

Once the bikes are in there are some easy to loosen knobs - you can then push the bikes to one side - it is designed exactly so you can do that

That’s very cool never realised that at the Thule VS, thanks for that tip.

 

[Folkranger]

It is advertised (loosely) as sliding sideways but I have found in practice that while it slides in and out of both side with bikes on really easily, it is not for me a practical proposition to slide sideways.

The thumbscrew knobs are concealed within the feet, making access very difficult (or impossible if like me you have any difficulty gripping).

You have to have access to both sides of all six feet, which is impossible in a narrow garage where there is no room to climb in once the veloslide is in place.

The sideways push is possible once all thumbscrews are loose but it's more a case of shuffling one end and then the other.

All the above is academic if you have a narrow garage as there is no width to slide it sideways more than a few inches.

I worked out the best position for the veloslide to slide in and out and fixed it down at that point.

Even in a fixed position it is a great piece of kit. Expensive but worth every penny.

I could not get theclamping arms to fit our bikes so took them off and use cambuckle straps. So much easier.

 

[ceejayt]

I am fortunate enough to have a wide garage. I climb in and just push it sideways. The knobs are only ever hand tightened so quick to do

 

[Mike n Vikki]

Not in FBHOG if that's what you mean. Can give you any details you want, just ask.

Thanks. Is that useable space under the false floor? What is the floor made of? And are the bikes folders? We have full size ebikes and I think we will need to turn the bars through 90 degrees and maybe front wheels out to get them low enough. Interesting to see you have a rear door too. We have a spare wheel on the back wall, so not much room! Sorry for lots of questions!

 

[Folkranger]

Thanks. Is that useable space under the false floor? What is the floor made of? And are the bikes folders? We have full size ebikes and I think we will need to turn the bars through 90 degrees and maybe front wheels out to get them low enough. Interesting to see you have a rear door too. We have a spare wheel on the back wall, so not much room! Sorry for lots of questions!

Hi mike. We traded our full size ebikes in for folding ebikes just before we got this van.
The previous owner already had a floor fitted, but too high as it was level with the bottom of the rear door. No difference, I lowered the floor to the level of a floor that I fitted in my previous van. This gives maximum height in the garage while leaving a space beneath for all those long items that we all carry.

The floor just need to be good plywood, say12mm marine ply. I did this in 4 pieces, makes things easier.
A sheet of cheaper ply is fitted front and back to support the plywood floor.
The supporting ply is screwed to fixings which slide into the slotted aluminium cargo rails.
Lengths of softwood, say 2x1" are screwed at the top of the upright plywood.#
The floor is screwed down to the softwood strips using wood screws.

No drilling of the floow is necessary.

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[Mike n Vikki]

Hi mike. We traded our full size ebikes in for folding ebikes just before we got this van.
The previous owner already had a floor fitted, but too high as it was level with the bottom of the rear door. No difference, I lowered the floor to the level of a floor that I fitted in my previous van. This gives maximum height in the garage while leaving a space beneath for all those long items that we all carry.

The floor just need to be good plywood, say12mm marine ply. I did this in 4 pieces, makes things easier.
A sheet of cheaper ply is fitted front and back to support the plywood floor.
The supporting ply is screwed to fixings which slide into the slotted aluminium cargo rails.
Lengths of softwood, say 2x1" are screwed at the top of the upright plywood.#
The floor is screwed down to the softwood strips using wood screws.

No drilling of the floow is necessary.

Thank you. Do come and say hi if you're down in sunny Devon sometime!

 

[Folkranger]

Thank you. Do come and say hi if you're down in sunny Devon sometime!

Will do, though it's been a long time since we were. The only time we could go that far in the UK is summer holiday time and we go abroad where you can travel around without having to book everywhere in advance. Don't get me started.