Upside Rack - Press Release

Dec 6, 2016
by Stefan Wrobel  
Press Release
Upside Rack

Upside Rack


Meet the Upside Rack. This innovative design fixes all bike types on normal roof racks in just seconds, with no pre-assembly required and no need to leave it on your car between rides. It’s so small and portable that you can even ride to work with it in your pack (or strapped to your bike frame) and catch a lift home.

In seconds, the Upside Rack is open and on your bike. From there, it’s onto your roof racks. Then one simple, strong clamping mechanism finishes the job and has you ready to go.


It's secure but soft grip promises to safely hold your bike no matter the shape of the frame or the size of the tires. It’s the only rack that fits your road bike, mountain bike, fat bike, kids bikes or commuter without adapters, wheel removal or frame contact. Once you arrive at your riding destination, your bike is off in seconds and you are ready to ride. It can easily be switched between vehicles. And, not being a permanent fixture on your car’s roof, the Upside Rack saves you from wind noise and extra fuel consumption.

“The unique design of our bike rack brings portability and the ability to carry nearly any type of bike. It solved a problem that most avid bike riders have faced at one point or another, quickly installing a second or third bike on your roof. I also see non-riders owning one, be it parents or even grandparents, without having a permanent installation.”- Sean Stoney, co-founder of Upside Racks

“We really went back to first principles with the design, threw out all our preconceived ideas of what a bike rack should be capable of, how it holds the bike and especially how it should look. “The user is always front of mind for us, whether it how easily it can be used, how after-sales care will work, how will it be stored and especially, can I trust this rack for durability and safety.” - Stefan Wrobel, co-founder of Upside Racks.

The Upside Rack team is obsessed about quality. Having worked for companies like Siemens, GM, Nissan, BMW and Tesla, the Upside Rack’s creators know all about speed, innovative design, and engineering. Having managed major operations and programs they also know how to deliver multi-million dollar projects on time. After months of refinement, the concept is ready to go and the highest quality suppliers have been sourced to craft this exceptionally strong, clean and easy-to-use solution.

The Upside Rack team are taking their product to Kickstarter now, offering supporters the chance to get their hands on the newest and most revolutionary bike rack the market has ever seen with limited edition models, discounted early-bird pricing and prizes. The worldwide Kickstarter campaign for Upside Racks has launched so get in quick to secure your rack at the best possible price.


For further information, please contact:
questions@upsideracks.com
www.upsideracks.com

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84 Comments
  • 65 0
 The brake bleed reminder device!
  • 8 0
 New wheel bearings every 200 km
  • 1 0
 Never mind i found a pack of bungees carry on..
  • 21 5
 Oh....it doesn't actually exist for sale. It's a "Kickstarter" to take your money in hopes of building them....or their bank accounts.

Thanks for nothing.
  • 8 2
 I learned my lesson after buying the Saygus V2 in Feb 2015. I'm done with anything crowdfunding.
  • 20 1
 I have backed 2 kickstarters... both turned into amazing products that i currently own.
  • 2 0
 Question: if a kickstarter doesn't pan out by a certain date or they don't get enough money do you get refunded or are you just SOL?
  • 1 0
 @chrisingrassia: Sad. Sorry you lost your money. I know that dude. He sucks.
  • 4 0
 @SeaJay: I usually never invest in crowd funded projects but I threw $500 at Stary electric skateboard on Kickstarter. It's been over a year since the projected delivery date and "supposedly" it's getting ready to ship.
I should of bought a Boosted Board. I always learn the hard way.
  • 3 6
 Seems like a real stretch to get it onto the roof racks of my lifted TRD Tacoma.
  • 1 0
 @kingsx: you know what dude?

Don't be sad. I lost no money. Got all my $$ back in March 2015 after the first delay. It's now Dec 2016, and this product still ain't out. The kickstarter folks though, I think they lost out BIG!
  • 3 0
 @gonecoastal: Then again, you have a lovely tail gate that's just begging for a pad and five bikes to make it look awesome...
  • 2 6
flag gonecoastal (Dec 7, 2016 at 8:38) (Below Threshold)
 @g-42: yes the old double whammy. Scratch the tailgate with the pad and the downtubes on the bikes with the pad.
  • 16 1
 @gonecoastal: God forbid your lifted 4x4 or mountain bike get a scratch. Perhaps you would be better suited with a Prius and a road bike?
  • 3 0
 @gonecoastal: if you have a "lifted trade tacoma" why the hell would you need a roof rack?! tailgate pad is all you need.
  • 2 1
 @adpeters82: Did you just assume my recreational activities?
  • 2 0
 @gonecoastal: don't know why the downvote, at least half this is true
  • 2 0
 @jewpowered: It likely hit too close to home for some people. ????????¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Glad to see humour is still alive and well down south!
  • 15 0
 not a good idea to strap that to a seat post with a dropper..........can barely keep droppers working as it is.
  • 3 0
 I was thinking the same thing - that, and the whole bring your brake bleedkit to the trail head if you use this issue...
  • 1 2
 Drop your dropper, no big deal.
  • 1 0
 @Pastafarion: really? maybe you haven't thought this through. it could have several adverse affects on dropper posts depending on how their made and what kind of mechanism they use. But i can think of a number of ways it could compromise, cause excessive wear or even break a dropper post. call anyone of the number companies that make droppers and see if they would warranty a post that had been strapped to a bike rack like this.
  • 7 0
 To the inventors: This is actually pretty well thought out from a usability and UX perspective, assuming it works as advertised. Pricing will be an important factor, as well as 100% reliability. One bike reported falling off or flying away and their goes your reputation. Wishing you the best of luck!
  • 4 0
 Hey thorsbane. Yep - we know that for sure! We are the newcomers and have a lot to prove. This is the reason we are testing to highest standards we can find but with bigger loads and faster crash speeds. We have a lot of experience in the testing and durability space so are confident in our design skills but will still test everything. Thanks for the best wishes. Stefan.
  • 8 1
 I turned a road bike upside down once to fix a puncture and got punched in the nose by one of the group. Apparently road bikes never go upside down. Now I don't ride them cos they are gay
  • 1 0
 you let a roodie punch you in the face?
  • 1 0
 @kaibr88: ha ha it was a donkey punch
  • 7 0
 The more appropriate name would've been Downside, no?
  • 3 0
 haha, but how glass half empty does downside sound!
  • 2 0
 Upside down...
  • 6 1
 That'd be great until you're running hydraulic brakes that aren't freshly bled, which is the case on most of my bikes most of the time...
  • 10 0
 So you're saying this rack supports the LBS?
  • 5 18
flag wobblegoblin (Dec 6, 2016 at 21:04) (Below Threshold)
 @mellowxc: what dipshit trusts an LBS to bleed their brakes correctly?
  • 2 1
 Lol or any Avid branded brakes
  • 2 0
 So many people complaining about a prototype design!! I really like the idea of it, I hate leaving bike racks on my roof all the time because of the look and wind noise, you're also constantly advertising to everyone (thieves included) that you have bikes. My only concern is if it would affect my brakes or dropper seat post and if I knew for sure that they would be unaffected then I'd buy it for sure (price dependent). I would want my wheels strapped for peace of mind but that's a minor detail.
  • 6 0
 That's pretty clever, but I'll wait until it's not a crowdfunding scheme
  • 5 4
 Exactly. If you want to sell something, then just build it already. If you believe in your product then you'll invest in it yourself, not try and rely on everyone else to foot the bill.
  • 4 1
 Hey @lightningskull ... thanks for the comments. Kickstarter was our approach because we wanted to keep this a rider business not a huge corporate with shareholders, etc... We have invested a huge amount of our own time and money into this because we know it works, now we want to give riders the option of grabbing one for less than retail. We are kicking off production this week and not waiting for "other peoples money" to do it. That's the reason we can offer delivery in April because the production activity is already underway. Having said all that, I completely understand and respect your hesitations. I hope to get one into your hands through your lbs one day. All the best, Stefan.
  • 2 0
 " It’s the only rack that fits your road bike, mountain bike, fat bike, kids bikes or commuter without adapters, wheel removal or frame contact"

Nope, Yakima High Roller does that too.
  • 1 0
 I was thinking the same thing, the only thing that won't fit in my High Rollers are my 29+ bike or any fat bike for that matter.
  • 1 0
 Is there any bike technicians or mechanical experts out there who can clarify if this rack will cause damage to your seatpost , brakes or wheel bearings ? All these negative comments ffs , I think it's a good stable rack that's easy to assemble ! Just a shame it's a kick(intheballs)starter scheme !
  • 2 1
 Hey Matt ... we'd love independent, expert advice and feel free to shoot us a follow up question if in doubt but fyi there is a detailed tech section on our Kickstarter page explaining much of this. The seat post is one we didn't explain. The rack design is such that is doesn't apply any twisting load on your seat post, only up/down which is exactly what seat posts are designed to take in use. Regarding dropper posts, the load of the bike on the post is significantly less than a rider. We drop our posts before installation as well, but it's not necessary. We have tested on our dropper posts (Sean's is the Norco in the vids, mine is the Stumpjumper) without any issues but have a plan in place to purchase the major models and test them as well. But you are right - it's super stable, especially on our mountain bike rigs.Stefan.
  • 2 0
 Re seatpost: While it all matters which post you're running (a mechanical one can certainly be run in any position), hydro ones you would want extended when mounted.
Re brakes: it won't hurt your brakes per se, but if you have air in your lines putting a bike upside down will cause the bubbles to go to the calipers which can cause them to stop working on trail until the bubbles make their way back up to the bladder at the lever.
Re wheel bearings: they are just saying if the wheels spin while driving it will wear out the bearings quicker. Two pieces of velcro will lock the wheels in place and avoid this issue.
  • 1 0
 Nope. There is nothing actually securing the bike on that, a rubber strap around a saddle which in neither video showed being passed through the rails would never grip securely then two little spring clamps (as far as i can tell) holding the handlebars which will be facing upwards when installed means any impact at all to the bike will lift the bike up and out of the clamps especially a light bike.

You can't seriously expect a rubber strap which over time will go soft and perish to grip around seat rails and if you install the bike facing forwards or backwards depending on saddle could plain slip out of it in one direction

This seems to rely entirely on securing on soft points like saddle and grips which is perfect for it working loose with vibrations and moisture and has no true method of securing through clamps, locks or ratchets.
  • 3 0
 Hey Andy ... thanks for your comments, there are rubber straps and then there are high-tech engineering grade materials. Checkout the Kickstarter campaign if you want more detail on our material selections but it's worth noting that even with lower grade prototype materials we have doubled the loads on the international standard crash tests without the seat strap letting go at all. The SEBS elastomer gives massive strength (we can hang off 6 year old bike grips made of the stuff without any issue) as well as taking up slack on the soft components of the bike and absorbing vibrations. It's worth noting the prototype in the video is a very early iteration and the production unit is far stronger with thicker sections for strength and durability. We have already passed crash tests and will continue to test for long term durability and rough road exposure. Quality is our number one priority. Stefan.
  • 2 0
 @UpsideRacks: My whole observation could be cut to an abrupt halt if the handlebar clamps actually lock and are not just spring clamps?

If not, would there be any provision provided for physically locking the handlebar clamps closed with a latch or wing nut or the like in which case the saddle mount point would just be a bonus tether.
  • 2 0
 @Andy-ap: ahhh - sorry, I understand your concern now. The spring clamps are only there to hold the rack to the bike while you invert it for installation. Once tightened onto the cross rails the spring portion of the clamp is redundant and the clamping mechanism occurs via an internal threaded rod to secure the loads. Thanks, Stefan.
  • 2 1
 A couple things strike me with this design:
- There is nothing included with the product to stop your wheels spinning. Not only will this have an effect on wheel bearing life but if mounted rear facing the spinning back wheel would also spin the drivetrain too causing additional wear to the cassette, chainring, chain & bottom bracket. I'd also expect a further increase in wind noise and a wheel spinning whilst doing 70mph or so would act like a sail in a crosswind.
- What is there to stop somebody removing your bike from your car if you've left it for a few minutes? I didn't spot any lock / way of locking the product to the roof bars or the bike. There is a reason why all other bike racks on the market come with keys!

I run 2 roof mounted racks that are permanently attached to my car. Yes, I do see a slight increase in fuel consumption but the bikes are secure, no part of them moves and they are locked in place making theft less likely.
  • 1 0
 Hi @buckley ... thanks for the comments. I just now replied about the wheel spinning on an earlier comment - let me know if it doesn't make sense (sorry, I'm an engineer not a communicator). Regarding the locking mechanism, it is coming. We are designing it very effective and straight-forward to use. We want to create the best lock solution, not one that can be broken through in a few seconds or if you happen to have one of a few keys that fit. We are currently fast-tracking the design and prototyping of this and we have an awesome concept. If we can include it in the Kickstarter reward deliveries we certainly will. However we won’t delay or compromise quality of the first basic units to try and squeeze it in. If the lock comes post-Kickstarter, we will offer the upgraded model with the lock to our Kickstarter backers at a ridiculously low price as a ‘thanks’ for their early loyalty. In the meantime a cable lock, the Litelok (www.litelok.com) or Ottolock (ottodesignworks.com) will certainly do the job until our lockable rack becomes available. Stefan.
  • 1 0
 1. whats stopping it from sliding from side to side? 2. Rubber straps and plastic clips holding in on? with all the fancy names its still plastic and rubber. they will perish. 3. No lock. 4. Transporting any bike upside down is a NO so many problems with that.
So whats the Point other that its slightly quicker to put in on your car.
  • 2 0
 So many haters... Guess what, you will never start a company, and probably never become rich either. If Gary Fisher and Joe Breeze had been listening to you guys way back when, we would not be riding mountain bikes today.
  • 3 0
 Hauling my DH rig onto my roof upside down with metal lockon clamps on either side of my bars? No thanks.
  • 3 0
 That seems so sketchy and unstable! JANKY
  • 2 1
 not good for bikes with hydraulic brakes, or any suspension....and that reverb dropper post will stop working correctly upside down haha
  • 5 0
 Its probably not a bad idea for forks. It takes a few good compression cycles to get oil into the upper bushings and seals. Flipping it upside briefly may help lube it up
  • 1 1
 @Renovatio: true, but your brake lines may get an air pocket in them
  • 2 0
 @Pmrmusic26: I don't think flipping your bike upside puts air pockets into the system, but what it does it move the air bubbles from the reservoir into the lines, so that if any air in the system it exacerbates it
  • 2 0
 @Renovatio: cool ....so it lets you no if there's air in your brakes ! Gives your maintenance a kickupthearse !!
  • 2 0
 Would love to see a video of a 40lbs DH bike mounted to one of these with a car on a test track taking high speed corners...
  • 1 0
 Throwing a bike on the roof of a taller vehicle is already a pain. Having to flip it upside down, then pitch it up there? I'll pass.
  • 1 0
 Why not just put rubber bands over the brake levers? That should hold the wheels in place? @UpsideRacks, how do I get one?
  • 3 2
 So what about all those mountain bikers with a dropper post? Seems like an oversight.
  • 4 0
 I don't see how it would change anything. Drop your seat down and put it on....I'm just trying to find a price.
  • 2 0
 how would that effect it? one of the bikes in the demo video even has a dropper on it and is shown to be working
  • 5 2
 @saltine: Its not good to have a seat being pulled on laterally. That will only cause play over time. Also the bleeds on your breaks will feel like crap after a long drive. Not to mention you have to have your cross bars in exactly one spot, meaning it only works for one bike on the roof. I can appreciate the innovation and ingenuity, but its not really a mountain bike ready product.
  • 1 3
 I hope this is sarcasm.
  • 2 1
 @birdoboards: I don't understand how it affects hydrolic brakes being upside down for a long time. Isn't hydrolics a closed liquid system? Can you be more specific?
Thank you
  • 2 0
 My dropper post goes through a lot more stress with me sitting on the saddle it than it would holding the bike weight.
  • 1 1
 Hey there @birdoboards: Thanks for looking at the press release and commenting. The design of the rack is such that the load on the seat is up/down which is the same as when ridden. There is no twisting load on the seat post as the handlebars take that load which is also the same as when riding. Regarding the cross bars, the design of the sliding hook allows the rack to adjust for the cross rail spacing in seconds when you install it. We have designed it to fit cross bars spaced 550mm - 930mm (measured from outer edges) which accommodates all the fixed location bars we have found except the Mazda CX-9. Industry experts also say the Mazda CX-9 is an anomaly in the market. So you can take your bike off one car with 930mm spacing and install in straight onto a mate's car with 550mm spacing in the matter of a few seconds. Regarding the number of bikes you can fit - if you have no overhang on the side of your cross bars, a small car and wide bars you may be limited to one bike but for example I can get three mtb's on mine with two facing forward and one rearward in the middle because my cross bars overhang just past the mounting feet of the roof racks. Hope this helps a little. Stefan.
  • 4 2
 That is awesome!!! Hoping for under $100. They would sell like hotcakes.
  • 1 0
 Ahh reminds me of my beloved Marzocchi 55 that definitely would not have liked this rack. Good memories!
  • 1 0
 Concerned the seat grab would damage your dropper post mechanics. increase side WOBBLE..
  • 1 0
 Thanks for inducing the epileptic seizures with that first video. What a POS that was!
  • 4 3
 Extra wear on your wheel bearings sounds like a treat also
  • 1 1
 You could probably put a thin strap through the wheels to remedy this
  • 1 1
 @Mtbkid21: I just figured that as a bike specific product, items like this would have been thought of and remedied in the final product
  • 2 1
 hey there @efornwald. We know the bearing wear will be minimal without load (check our tech section in the Kickstarter page for detail) but we wonder about spinning wheels too. There is some science to suggest the reverse side of the spin will slow the spin before it can get too fast which is what we are seeing on the small sample of testing we have done so far. However there are soooo many variables in aero including tyre tread patterns, wheel design and the care aerodynamics we need to do more tests. We already have a design to hold the wheels if we need it however we want to make is as easy as possible to use so will only include it if extensive testing shows it's needed. Thanks, Stefan.
  • 1 0
 on roof not on rear hitch? NO THANKS
  • 1 0
 doesn't a sea sucker do the same but just easier?
  • 1 0
 Take it on "Dragons Den "
  • 2 1
 A poor solution to a problem that doesn't exist...
  • 1 0
 Looks like it would thrash the seals on your dropper post
  • 2 1
 Pass
  • 2 1
 It just plain sucks







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