Bike Hoist
 

I am preparing for my first big overland trip - 20,000 miles on a Cagiva Elefant

I am going solo and it's a big bike (I am not a big man) so I put together a bike hoist. It is small and light and I can lift the bike with one hand, as long as I can find a tree, barn, scaffold etc to hang the hoist from. I am also taking a wire saw so I can make a basic tripod and hang the bike from that.

Does anyone else have a bike pulley/winch type thingy, or should I get this checked and tested so I can sell them?

I put together a block and tackle using boat parts (light weight, maybe 300 grams for the pair). It is a 5:1 system that can pick up 750lbs as a working load (340kg) with a breaking strength of 1500 lbs (680kg). I use climbing rope with it. The pulleys were only about $20 (US) for a pair, and I got 6mm climbing rope at the local backpacking store. A couple of easy changes would have allowed it to have a 1500 lb working load with no real extra weight, so I'll do that next time if I ever make another. Good 4mm rope is more than strong enough, but it stretches a lot and is harder on your hands.

Matthew

i use one of those ratchet cargo straps you see on the side of trucks, with a hook on either end. you can lift either end of the bike or the whole thing if you rig a sling

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dave