Yakima TubeTop Bike Frame Adapter
An instant top tube for any bike frame, you can install this adjustable Yakima TubeTop adapter between your seatpost and stem to make your bike frame compatible with Yakima hitch and trunk racks.
- Installs quickly and securely to seatpost and stem to create a faux top tube so your bike mounts solidly to a single- or dual-arm mounts
- Length is adjustable to fit many bike sizes and styles, including most kids', step-through, hardtail and full-suspension bikes
- Oversized diameter tubing and anti-rotation inserts provide greater stability
- Large molded collars are gentle to your bike's finish
- Measures 22 in. long by 1 in. diameter (compressed, the TubeTop measures about 14 in. long)
- 45 lb. capacity (for a single bike)
Imported.
View all Yakima Bike Rack Accessories| Best Use | Cycling |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3 lbs. 8 oz. |
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works perfect
Works perfect for a woman's GT frame, see picture. Adjusts to size so real easy to get on and off. I just needed to lower the reflector on the seat to get the perfect fit. My only concern was that the TubeTop (named "top tube" on REI.com, but "tubetop" on Yakima website) would not be strong enough for long rides since the actual frame is not on the rack, but after purchasing and using, I now have no worries. For added piece of mind, I bought the Yakima Deadlock to wrap around the bike frame just in case. I'd recommend that anyway.
works, questionable durability
Simple enough design to allow odd shaped frames to fit on bike racks. The one concern I have is the construction. One of the hooks has become loose after a few uses. The rivet joining the hook to the bar has loosened up and has a lot of play. The parts have not fallen apart after several years but it always makes me nervous hitting speed bumps with a 40lbs mt bike. On long trips I also lash a cargo strap to carry part of the load (yes, defeats the convenience of a bar), and have reinforced the joint with zip ties just in case. Maybe the construction on more recent models or other brands may prove better.
Keeps my bike safer than my old one
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Yakima tube top bike rack adapter is just what I need to be able to put my beach cruiser on the car bike rack that I have. It’s much sturdier than my old tube top adapter (pictured in the last photo). I like that it has a locking and unlocking mechanism for the ends keeping my bike even more secure in transit.
Does NOT "fit all sizes"!
False description states "Adjustable length fits any size bike, creating a top tube for kids', women's and Y-frame bikes". In fact, the adapter's shortest telescoping length (measured from inside of the hook on each end) is 57 cm (22.5"). My wife's bicycle, measured from outside/rear of seat post to outside/front of handlebar stem is 52 cm (20.5"). The result of this 5 cm disparity is an ill-fitting and unstable arrangement. "Fits any size" requires disassembly of the tubes, hacksaw cutting the appropriate length off of each of the tubes, or perhaps drilling and relocating a bolt and a springy-thingey-latch, and reassembly of the shortened telescoping tubes..... Yet the user is left to do this him/herself with no instructions. The plastic collar and end caps are not easily loosened or removed to access the inner tubing components. The latch, on each end, hinges on a bolt through the tubing and could be relocated by drilling the tubing but the springy-thingey that secures the latch is riveted into the tubing, defying easy relocation. If you have a small bicycle (such as my wife's Bike Friday Petite Crusoe) and do not have a machine shop, avoid this monstrosity. Rather than "fits all sizes", the description should have "specs" that state what dimensions the adapter actually does fit; if the outside measurement from seat post to handlebar stem is less than 57 cm (22.5") you'll need a machine shop to make this work.
Works as intended
We use this product for 2 full-suspension mtn. bikes (y-frame) and a kids 18" bike. It works perfectly on the mtn. bikes, and reasonably well on the kids bike. If you are as obsessive as "oregonharrier" you may want to modify it to fit perfectly on bikes under 22" from stem to seat post. But I find that it works adequately as is... there may be a gap between "hook" and seat post and stem, but I found it still works, I see by oregonharrier's pics, it "fit" his wife's bike adequately as well. I wouldn't pick on the guy so much but he posted twice which skews the rating.
Didn't think I needed this, but I did...
We have several "odd" shaped bikes and I would wrestle them onto my Yakima SwingDaddy rack every time. I'd have pedals sticking into spokes, handlebars jammed under seats, derailleurs getting smushed and all sorts of frustration, then I ran across the TubeTop by Yakima. It solved all of my issues. Bikes sit level. Bikes are easy to line up. Bikes are easier to get on and off the rack. I have less to cuss about. All becasue I started using the tube top on... 29" Stump Jumper FSR Comp 18" girls HotRock 20" girls HotRock and a nondescript raleigh women's bike. So much easier... I have read a few of these reviews and a couple are a bit unfair... If you have a really strange bike (Bike Friday) this thing isn't going to help much. I did have concerns about construction, but this thing is actually pretty durable. If I were to warn about one thing, mine was a bit "sticky" when it came to adjusting length. Made it a LITTLE bit tricky to install the first time.
Works well on Townie 3i Step Thru Frame
I have used this several times. It works well on a step through frame, Electra Townie 3i. It's a little tricky at first and you may need to move down on the seat post any reflectors on light mounts. I bought this at double the cost of other companies models where the loops don't close around the seat post and stem. Gives me peace of mind. Like other yakima products it's beefy and seems durable for long term use. At first it was kinda of difficult to slide to get the right length. I also bought a second one for my Electra Townie 21d mens frame, but I haven't been able to make it work any better than just putting the bike on the rack. (Front Tire is still really low to the ground and has a tendency to scrap the ground if you go down/up a sharper angle like a driveway.)
Worked on different size bikes
Worked flawlessly on an almost 1800 mile trip down to Hilton Head and back to metro Detroit. Used them on my wife's full size Electra cruiser and my daughter's 24 inch mountain bike. No problems at all.
It's just right for me
I've used the Yakima adapter on a dozen round trips on local roads and on highways. I use the adapter to carry a unisex frame adult bicycle on a trunk rack. It's quick to put the adapter on the bike. I don't have trouble pressing the little buttons to allow the collar-arm to open and to lock; I just press the buttons with the tip of a finger. The fact that you can't set the length of the adapter isn't a concern, since gravity pulls down on the bike, and there's no force trying to pull the adapter side to side. Before I got the adapter, I had to wrestle the bike into an awkward position to get it on the rack. This device makes it far easier to put it on the rack. Once it's on the rack, it stays on it as it should until I'm ready to remove the bike.
So much better with this!
Hauled my FS MB a few times w/o this and realized late that I needed this to properly haul my bike. Totally worth it. Bike easier to load and unload. Bike now fits squarely behind my car and feels very solid. I added some electrical insulation tape on the hooks just to add a little cushion for the contact points.