Using a bike tie-down strap when you have your bike tied up helps prevent the bike from rolling on your foot. They are often used to tying up bikes and keep your bike upright when you’re not using it. The best thing to do is use these when you’re not riding the bike and take it off after use. In this way, it will always be safe to stand on the footpeg while the bike is on.
There are two ways to get a bike tie-down strap working. One way is by using the footpegs that come with your bike. You thread the strap through the footpegs and then hook the belt onto the bike. Once on your bike, you can push the footpegs into the saddle and sit tight, holding the strap in place with pressure.
A much more straightforward and safer way is to use the simple ratchet system. This is just like the footpeg tie-down, except you don’t have to loop the strap around the bike. Thread the ratchet and pull it back up, tightening it as you pull it. This keeps the belt tight and secure and prevents the bike from rolling over. You can easily loosen the nut when you need to and take the strap off after each ride.
When using the ratchet type of tie-down, remember that if you have an expensive bike, the nut will probably come loose at some point. You will have to replace the nut or make another purchase of an entirely different system. A good alternative to the footpeg ratchet is the swivel option. It works well when there is only one footpeg because it allows you to twist the bike while you have the strap around it.
If there is more than one bike in your fleet, you have to decide between tie-downs with feet or with a swivel. Although the former is easier to use, it is much more expensive and puts more stress on the joints of your bike frame. On the other hand, the swiveling system allows you to move the bike from left to right to left. Because of this, rotation motion makes it easier to work with a limited number of bikes at one time.
A common mistake that many people make when installing a footpeg system is putting it too low. When this happens, the bike will not go as far as it should because it is tied down too low. Ensure that the tie-down is set at the appropriate height, even if it is slightly higher than what you typically would use.