Bungee cords and rear-racks: A cautionary tale.

[Tinker1980]

Hello, my name is Mark, and I've been addicted to my MB for three weeks. I have a story to tell, about safety.

After work today, I installed my new innertube, and decided to ride my motorized bike to the local QT to fill my one gallon gas can. After spending a hard earned $3.23 for some 87 octane push-water, and mixing in the correct amount of 2 stroke oil, I strapped the full can to the rear rack on my MB, lashed a bungee cord over the can, and pedaled off into the night. (about 5 am) I rode under the I-244 overpass and my little helper was having a Happy Time starting to pull a hill, rattled over some railroad tracks and I felt something... odd... just in time to hear the gas can hit the ground and hear the motor stop. I leaned over the handlebars, to keep the weight off the skidding rear wheel since I was going an easy 18 MPH. After coming to a halt rubber side down and with no new skin abrasions, and stopped to investigate. The bungee cord had come loose when the gas can jumped up as the wheels rode across the RR crossing, came down faster than the bungee cord could take up slack, causing the cord to wrap up between the left-side sprocket and the spokes! After some time rolling the bike backwards I had the bungee cord out, and motored on home.

What I've learned:

Bungee Cord bad for heavy load. A gallon of gas is about 6 pounds, call it 7 with the plastic can. I needed a more secure attachment, and next time I fill up, I will have one.

The roads in Tulsa are bad. I mean really bad. You've seen the roads in the background when they show in the news, in Iraq, where we've been bombing the **** out of them for years? The roads around my house are worse than that. By far. Well, after some front end work twice in 6 months on a truck that was otherwise OK for 20 years, I guess I didn't just learn that.

I don't need to go 30+ MPH. I don't think the results would have been the same had this happened at a much higher speed.

-Mark

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Yep, similar things have happened to me. But I hadn't thought about it in some time. I guess I learned the hard way to be more careful with my loads.

Thanks for the reminder.

Bungee cords are very useful. But when in proximity to your wheels, they should be handled with care.

 

[Mountainman]

hey Mark

that story could happen to many of us

glad that you came through it in pretty fair condition there

I think that at times we all wonder
what would that BUNGEE CORD be like
wrapped around my wheel ?
or caught in our chain and sprockets ?

yes - some food for thought here -- thanks Mark

watch those BUNGEEs when we Ride That Thing Mountainman

 

[spyke hyzer]

I had a little brain fart when checking all my fasteners and spokes. I had undone the bungee to get the tool pack off the rack, after the adjustments a thought I'ld give it a test ride. Of course I didn't take the bungee off and it got wrapped in the spokes and it broke, not the spokes just the bungee. I was lucky it didn't do any damage, sometimes I'm my own worst enemy.
Glad you didn't get hurt Mark. Did you ever fix the handlebar vibrations?

 

[SirJakesus]

Bungee cords have never done me wrong. I just always remember to use many of them for a single application. When I strap my gas can to my ezip to ride gas free to the gas station, just to get a chuckle, I use two bungees looped through the handle opposite of each other and the right length so they're very tight on there. It definitely doesn't move. In fact I'm constantly leaning my arse on the gas can because the bungees push it centered on the rack and therefore toward the seat.
Just get one of those bungee assortments and stow several various sizes and tie each load down with at least 2 cords at all times.
Glad you didn't spill your go-juice!

 

[Mountainman]

Just get one of those bungee assortments and stow several various sizes and tie each load down with at least 2 cords at all times.

I went out the other day so as to buy another one of those

BUNGEE ASSORTMENTS

bought them at the same place as before -- Home Depot
looked the same -- container -- same

but -- when I got home and opened the bungee container up

BUNGEE QUALITY WAS DOWN from last assortment bought

usually a little less quality in a bungee cord would not matter too much

but -- I am using these to tie down my MB in my wifes truck

I wish to locate some (strong - old time) bungees somewhere ???

so as to stick to the point of this thread here
a poor quality bungee cord = more chance of falling loose - into something..

ride that thing Mountainman

 

[Tinker1980]

Well I did it last night - had my first official MB wipeout. I was going up a hill and not up to much speed, when the wheels got caught in a groove and spilled me out into Union Ave.

The Good - Bike was not hurt at all. Other than losing another headlight.

The Bad - Right hand broken in 2 places, dislocated finger, Rash on shoulder. WEAR GLOVES. It could have been worse.

-Mark

 

[JE]

ouch. Yea I wear a dot Approved half shell Helmet, Gloves and Riding Jacket with Armor in it when i ride my Whizzer around.

 

[Mountainman]

had my first official MB wipeout. the wheels got caught in a groove and spilled me out into Union Ave.


The Bad - Right hand broken in 2 places, dislocated finger, Rash on shoulder. WEAR GLOVES. It could have been worse.

-Mark

sorry to hear that Mark

one momment we are touching base with you in thread
next thing we know -- you have been hurt

the wheels got caught in a grove
yes - I too have been to this place
it happenes VERY FAST

we hope that you heal soon so as to

Ride That Thing Mark ---------------------------- MM

 

[DougC]

What is safer than bungee cords is if you buy a couple of the motorcycle cargo nets and use them instead, one over the other. These have multiple hooks around the edge of a small piece of netting made of elastic cord.

The reason bungee cords aren't ideal is that if they're strapped across the load on the rack and one hook slips off under tension (either the hook comes unhooked, or the hook slips off the end of the bungee cord) the cord snaps around and ends up in the spokes on the opposite side of the bike.

The reason the cargo nets are safer is that if one hook comes off, the others still hold the whole thing on, it doesn't end up in the spokes.

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Even though, I am using some bungee cords right now. :-/
I couldn't find any of the nets in local stores when I looked around. The bungee cords aren't built that well anymore (all I could find was ones with plastic end hooks). I just be careful not to stretch them very far, in use.
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