Biker Info Site Reviews, Industry News & Other Useful Info

All Wheel Chocks Not Created Equal

In my early years of riding, tying down a bike consisted of lodging the front wheel against the back of a truck bed and securing it with two straps. Standard practice - but bikes were cheaper then and mistakes less costly. Not so today.

A variety of chocks are now available to fit all wallets, from reasonably inexpensive to premium featured units. Why use chocks? Wheel chocks hold the wheel securely preventing it from turning or moving which allows tie-downs to loosen.

Let’s start from the bottom in price range. Fixed, static units are the cheapest and most popular. Simply put – they work. Some include quick-removal hardware for a small premium which is nice if would like the use your trailer for hauling things other than bikes. These are easy to find in the $49-65 range. You can’t go wrong with this one.

The next generation of chocks are designed to lock your wheel more securely in place. Some do a better job than others, but all of them are superior in function to the fixed units. The more premium units actually do a good job of holding the bike upright without straps – though it’s not recommended when transporting. These units range from $89 to $270. For $270, you have a unit you can place in your garage and just ride the bike into it, get off and leave it – no kickstand needed! The chock can then be transferred to your trailer when transporting your bike.

How good are they? Let me tell you my experience. Several years ago I purchased a Condor SC2000 for my trailer because I wanted the convenience of riding into the trailer and dismounting a bike that remains upright without a kickstand. Strapping it down like this is a breeze. Also, the chock folds down or is removable via four thumb screws. Nice!

Anyway, on a trip back from Colorado, the Beemer was being hauled back to Waco, TX in an enclosed trailer after a week vacationing with the wife. Checking the bike every hundred miles or so is a habit, however, it was traveling well so I became lax. After about 300 miles I checked the bike while refueling the truck and was shocked to see all the tie-downs on one side of the bike touching the floor. After 40 years of hauling bikes this was a first. Much to my surprise and relief, the Condor had held my bike upright. Using any other chock, the RT would have been against the wall incurring hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of damage. The Condor has already paid for itself several times over.

There are several manufacturers that have copied the Condor design. While they seem to work pretty well, they don’t seem quite as stable as the Condor. On the other hand, they aren’t as expensive either. Ahh, expensive…what a relative term. After my experience, the Condor in my enclosed trailer is as affordable as the inexpensive fixed unit mounted in my small open trailer.