Warning for other riders! -> Pay attention to where the exhaust is aiming while using a bike carrier

[Maastricht]

Hi All,

Last week I went biking together with @PaoloBLEvo in Italy. We had a great time but unfortunately also faced a big issue with my Levo Pro Roval carbon wheel set.

A friend had my bike mounted on a Thule bike carrier behind his Audi with double exhaust pipes and it seems due to heat generated by the exhausts, the bike carrier melted including my Roval Traverse carbon rims. This bike carrier has been used for at least 15 years without any issues behind all different cars. Unfortunately now the issue occurred. Just see this post please as a warning to make you aware what happened to my bike.

It also seems to happen more frequent as Specialized added this exclusion to their "shit happens" warranty policy:

Roval Warranty And Crash Replacement Policy

www.specialized.com

"Damaged your carbon wheel from an exhaust pipe or drove into your garage with your bike on the roof? While that **it happens, it’s not covered."

Bike is around 6 months old. We were with a group of friends 8 people in total no one thought about this including my dealer. Let it be a warning for all of you.

 

[Tim1023]

Oooh - that's gotta hurt. Looks like Audi thought more about clean lines than what people are using the trailer hook for. I'd guess more people use them for bikes than actual trailers.

 

[mtbbiker]

Bummer, I’ve heard of this happening to other people. Unfortunately it’s not the bike carriers fault. Probably should rename the post to “pay attention to where the exhaust is aiming while using a bike carrier”. The exhaust tip lined up perfectly and so close to your rim.

 

[Janisj]

Looks like nonOriginal Audi exaust, maybe that could be an issue...

 

[Maastricht]

I think you are right that these are aftermarket pipes. I think it has been a combination of riding through the mountains which generated excessive heat. Searched on the internet obviously and it seemed to have happened more often with other riders.

Personally I have an electric car now as well but as we only went to Italy for 5 days (3 bike riding days) we thought the petrol car would be more convenient. Stupid lesson and expensive damage.

Hope we will be able to sort it out.

 

[beutelfuchs]

Oh shit! I run my bike on the roof into a parking lot top barrier already, but I would equally never have thought of that trap. Thanks for the warning!

 

[ragetty]

Aftermarket tips are not going to change how much heat comes out - the pedal foot, load and road speed/terrain will. The tips will also not change where it comes out (unless they also redirect, though usually not common).

FWIW, it looks to me like the carrier wheel trays are too low - this gets the bikes out of the wind, but the result was the damage lower down … unfortunately.

My own (foldable) bike carrier wheel trays are not so low - also Thule. It might be a known problem to Audi too.

 

[Chairman]

I hate it when that happens

 

[Tim1023]

Oh shit! I run my bike on the roof into a parking lot top barrier already, but I would equally never have thought of that trap. Thanks for the warning!

I also had a problem with my bikes on my helicopter roof-rack.

 

[Mina08]

Aftermarket exhaust probably & decated?

 

[Arminius]

Hi, as discussed here it is not a problem of the rim / bike but the car used, found to be problem e.g. with BMW X and Audi:

Specialized Levo Pro -> Warning for other riders! -> Bike carrier damage Roval carbon rims

Hi All, Last week I went biking together with @PaoloBLEvo in Italy. We had a great time but unfortunately also faced a big issue with my Levo Pro Roval carbon wheel set. A friend had my bike mounted on a Thule bike carrier behind his Audi with double exhaust pipes and it seems due to heat...

www.emtbforums.com

Interesting to see the different reactions in the forums.

 

[Bndit]

Hi All,

Last week I went biking together with @PaoloBLEvo in Italy. We had a great time but unfortunately also faced a big issue with my Levo Pro Roval carbon wheel set.

A friend had my bike mounted on a Thule bike carrier behind his Audi with double exhaust pipes and it seems due to heat generated by the exhausts, the bike carrier melted including my Roval Traverse carbon rims. This bike carrier has been used for at least 15 years without any issues behind all different cars. Unfortunately now the issue occurred. Just see this post please as a warning to make you aware what happened to my bike.

It also seems to happen more frequent as Specialized added this exclusion to their "shit happens" warranty policy:

Roval Warranty And Crash Replacement Policy

www.specialized.com

"Damaged your carbon wheel from an exhaust pipe or drove into your garage with your bike on the roof? While that **it happens, it’s not covered."

Bike is around 6 months old. We were with a group of friends 8 people in total no one thought about this including my dealer. Let it be a warning for all of you.

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I think you should change the title of this thread because it has nothing to do with Specialized bikes...

 

[Suns_PSD]

Yah, when you have a turbocharged engine going up mountain passes and blowing 800' exhaust gas on your plastic bike probably for minutes at a time, your plastic bike is probably going to melt. Duh.

 

[Expidia]

Thanks for the heads up. I never would have thought this could be an issue. Now I have to mount my 1UP rack and see if the exhaust is blowing across any part of the bike.

One would think the rubber tire would have melted first!

 

[JP-NZ]

Ive seen this on a factory exhaust VW Passat wagon. Completely melted the front wheel

 

[Matt van]

#Audilife

 

[Penttithefinn]

A bit late to this post, but its likely to happen when the DPF regenerates and the emissions are far hotter than usual.

 

[steve_sordy]

Great warning! Thanks.

That looks bad and expensive!
I have been using Audis for years and so far, I've not had a problem. (Touch wood!)

But then again, I haven't climbed any mountain passes, nor do I have a diesel that needs to regenerate every now and then. But even when I had a diesel (all previous Audis until this one), I believe that I did enough high-speed miles for the engine not to need regenerating.

I have spent more time wondering if the exhaust was contaminating my discs. They are in line, but above the exhausts. However, I suspect it may just be the airflow directing road crap at the centre of the wheels. Since I started putting sandwich bags over the discs, I've had no further problem with disc contamination.

 

[Plummet]

Yep. Rookie mistake that one. Been there done that.... maybe 25 years ago.