MSR fork support... should I or not??

DaRooster

Member
Oct 8, 2005
49
0
Hey guys, just an off the wall question. Should I invest $20 in a MSR fork support for my bike and my son's bike? Here's my current situation/setup. I currently have a three-rail bike trailer (best $350 bucks I've ever spent) and I use ratcheting ty-downs with straps on the bars to secure them. They're not cranked down super tight, just tight enough not to waiver either way. Right now I'm only driving 6 miles down the road to my buds for riding so they're only tied down for around 30 min. max. Is that enough to damage the fork springs? We plan on traveling to tracks anywhere from a 30 min. drive up to 2 hours. Any input, giving advanced thanks to. I know I should probably zip it and spend the loot but asking if its worth the trouble??

Thanks,
Chad
 

dales298

Mostly Useless
~SPONSOR~
Nov 25, 2003
310
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I made my own out of a peice of 4x4 and I must say it took a lot of pressure off of the forks and made it easier to put the correct pressure on the tiedowns to keep the bike(s) rock steady.

Dale
 

KX02

Member
Jan 19, 2004
781
0
My friend made his own home made fork support. I line my bike up next to his and never use one. My bike will stayed tied down for up to a couple of hours. I have not had a problem in 4 years.
 

dezryder

Member
Feb 23, 2006
321
0
I have trucked my bikes, kids bikes, friends bikes, and left them tied down overnight at motels, etc. Never have I had a problem with fork spring fatigue. I'm talking about 25+ years doing it without any negative consequences. I don't change bikes every year or two either.
 

KDXWORM

Member
Mar 27, 2003
35
0
I invested in these for my bikes. I feel better about being able to really tighten the bikes down harder without compressing the forks I ruined my stock springs by going to tight on the straps. With new fork supports in place we took a 7 hour road trip got there fine. Stopped for some grub on the way back took a quick look at the bikes and found one of the supports missing :yikes: not only was the bike crazy loose but some poor unsuspecting person behind us may have had a large piece of plastic come flying at them. That was the first time I used them, the other one made it the whole way home.
 

RS1441

Member
Jun 18, 2006
54
0
i have never used a support and my old bikes never had problems although i only tied them down for about 15 mins since i dont take my bike far
 

FruDaddy

Member
Aug 21, 2005
2,854
0
I used to used one, but it fell out a lot, and I blew a seal while it was in placeI don't use it anymore. I just snug them down a bit and let the bikes suspension absorb the bumps. After all, that's what it's made for.
 

Vic

***** freak.
LIFETIME SPONSOR
May 5, 2000
4,008
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dezryder said:
I have trucked my bikes, kids bikes, friends bikes, and left them tied down overnight at motels, etc. Never have I had a problem with fork spring fatigue. I'm talking about 25+ years doing it without any negative consequences. I don't change bikes every year or two either.

Ditto.
 

Okiewan

Admin
Dec 31, 1969
29,555
2,237
Texas
Don't bother.
 

Lorin

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 25, 1999
948
0
if you decide to use something, an 10-12 inch piece of 4 inch pvc works great. That said, I rarely use mine anymore. Without starting multiple debates over everyone else's beliefs, issues, etc...., it seemed that my front bearings would need replacing more often (2 to 3 times per year). My theory is that if the bike has a fork brace, all energy from the movement of the trailer will be absorbed through the weakest link (bearings). At least without using the brace, the bike can actually move a litte using the suspesion. I did, however, invest in some tie downs that loop over the bars and connect to a carabiner. this allows me to keep the bikes from coming undone during transport. fwiw.
 
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