Grab-and-Go Bicycle Carriers: An Alternative to Rear Racks

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by Steve Hitchon, Chief of Police
Rural Municipality of Springfield (MB, Canada) Police Service

The Springfield Police Service, which is located directly adjacent to the City of Winnipeg, started a bike patrol program in the summer of 2022. The Rural Municipality of Springfield is spread out over 1,096 square kilometers (423 square miles). This may not be an issue while utilizing a patrol vehicle; however, attempting to transport a bike 30 kms (19 miles) over rough terrain can be a little difficult if you do not have the proper equipment, tools, and knowledge.

Therefore, the Springfield Police contacted Push Bar Solutions, which is headquartered in Winnipeg, for assistance. Subsequently, we ordered their Grab-and-Go Bicycle Carriers, which attach to the front of the patrol vehicle (in our case, Ford Explorers and Dodge Durangos), utilizing the vehicle’s push bar. With a load capacity of 22 kg (50 pounds), these bicycle carriers can be used to transport numerous styles of bikes from racing bikes to mountain bikes, but not e-Bikes, which are significantly heavier than conventional bikes.

The Grab-and-Go Bicycle Carrier is simple to install and takes approximately three to four minutes to attach. Once the rack is attached to the vehicle’s push bar, the bike mounts easily to the carrier and is ready to go. It enables us to transport our bicycles in a safe manner that does not damage either the vehicle or the bike itself.

Not only does the bike stay secure at highway speeds, it also remains secure on gravel roads. Furthermore, the bike is not a distraction to the driver, as it is low enough and out of the driver’s line of sight and tight up against the vehicle’s push bar.

The Grab-and-Go Bicycle Carrier also does not interfere with the Automatic Licence Plate Readers (ALPR) that are installed on the front of each patrol vehicle. When not in use, the carrier can be stored easily in the vehicle’s trunk.

In our experience, Push Bar Solutions provided exceptional service. Not only did they come out to the office in a timely manner and provide a full demonstration, they also ensured that we fully understood the process of correctly installing the Grab-and-Go Bicycle Carrier on the vehicle’s push bar and mounting the bike on the carrier.

I would highly recommend the Push Bar Solutions Grab-and-Go Bicycle Carrier to your Police Service/Department.

Push Bar Solutions was founded in 2019 by former Winnipeg Police Service bike officer Marcus Hutton, who, during his 20-year career, witnessed some time-consuming and unsafe bicycle transportation practices. For more information about Push Bar Solutions and the Grab-and-Go Bicycle Carrier, visit https://www.pushbarsolutions.com/ or email info@pushbarsolutions.com.

Chief Steve Hitchon came to the Springfield Police Service in May 2020 after spending 32 years with the Canadian Armed Forces Military Police. Initially from Southern Ontario and a die-hard Toronto Maple Leafs fan, Steve has served throughout Canada and across seas with the Military Police. For five years, Steve was assigned to 1 Canadian Air Division at 17 Wing Winnipeg, where he was responsible for conducting Security and Force Protection evaluations for all Royal Canadian Air Force and NORAD locations in Canada. Furthermore, he was a Taceval Evaluator for NATO, where he conducted evaluations of Security, Force Protection and Policing within various NATO counties around the world. He can be reached at SHitchon@rmofspringfield.ca.

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