Matrix tie-downs ARE JUNK

therj_629
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therj_629
Edited Date/Time 8/6/2018 6:09am
Had a matrix tie-down break on me this morning on my way to work causing my bike to fall over and the brake lever to hit and completely shatter my rear window, costing me a nice $150. Shitty thing is they're only 6 months old. Looks like it's back to my 3 year old sun faded trusty fly racing ones
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plowboy
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plowboy 8/1/2018 4:34pm
8/1/2018 4:34pm
therj_629 wrote:
Had a matrix tie-down break on me this morning on my way to work causing my bike to fall over and the brake lever to hit...
Had a matrix tie-down break on me this morning on my way to work causing my bike to fall over and the brake lever to hit and completely shatter my rear window, costing me a nice $150. Shitty thing is they're only 6 months old. Looks like it's back to my 3 year old sun faded trusty fly racing ones
Post up a pic of the faulty tie downs so I'll know what to avoid pardner.
1
zehn
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zehn 8/1/2018 4:38pm
8/1/2018 4:38pm Edited Date/Time 8/1/2018 4:39pm
Ancra.... ‘nuff said

We’ve been using the same ones for 20+ years
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bradmx421 8/1/2018 4:43pm
8/1/2018 4:43pm
Ancra has never failed me...I do also like the Pro Taper ones with the swivel carabiner.

I've owned the fatty matrix before and my carabiner's rusted and didn't swivel so i stopped using them before they had a chance to fail.

I will note, if you live in SO CAL the sun beating down on the tie downs you just leave in the bed of your truck will always wear out tiedowns quicker.
1
jankymike
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jankymike 8/1/2018 4:45pm
8/1/2018 4:45pm
I have also had the Matrix ones fail. I have had the some pair of High Roller (lame name I know) ones with the bottom clevis and they are my favorite ones. also Ancra's are great!

The Shop

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pete24
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pete24 8/1/2018 4:46pm
8/1/2018 4:46pm
ancras aint what they used to be, i have 30 year old ones that are better than a pair i got last week, i run bike shoes in my trailer and pro taper tie downs in my truck which i have a habit of lending out and never getting back so i replace them at least once a year
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plowboy
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plowboy 8/1/2018 4:51pm
8/1/2018 4:51pm
pete24 wrote:
ancras aint what they used to be, i have 30 year old ones that are better than a pair i got last week, i run bike...
ancras aint what they used to be, i have 30 year old ones that are better than a pair i got last week, i run bike shoes in my trailer and pro taper tie downs in my truck which i have a habit of lending out and never getting back so i replace them at least once a year
Just so happens that I need to borrow some zoot capri tie downs that I have no intention of returning...can you hook me up buddy?Evil
Frank
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Frank 8/1/2018 5:05pm
8/1/2018 5:05pm
The original Matrix phatty's are the best tie downs ever made. The current ones might be the worst.
2
Brad460
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Brad460 8/1/2018 5:10pm
8/1/2018 5:10pm
zehn wrote:
Ancra.... ‘nuff said

We’ve been using the same ones for 20+ years
^^ right here

Don’t know why someone would tie down their $8000+ bike with anything else..
newmann
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newmann 8/1/2018 5:10pm
8/1/2018 5:10pm
pete24 wrote:
ancras aint what they used to be, i have 30 year old ones that are better than a pair i got last week, i run bike...
ancras aint what they used to be, i have 30 year old ones that are better than a pair i got last week, i run bike shoes in my trailer and pro taper tie downs in my truck which i have a habit of lending out and never getting back so i replace them at least once a year
plowboy wrote:
Just so happens that I need to borrow some zoot capri tie downs that I have no intention of returning...can you hook me up buddy?Evil
I just need to borrow one. Help a brother out...
3
newmann
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newmann 8/1/2018 5:11pm
8/1/2018 5:11pm
^^^^ if no one spits their beer out over that one, I will be disappointed.
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plowboy
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plowboy 8/1/2018 5:16pm
8/1/2018 5:16pm
newmann wrote:
^^^^ if no one spits their beer out over that one, I will be disappointed.
I'm way too careful about drinking while reading the forum...I've learned my lesson.
Tuna
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Tuna 8/1/2018 5:17pm
8/1/2018 5:17pm
jankymike wrote:
I have also had the Matrix ones fail. I have had the some pair of High Roller (lame name I know) ones with the bottom clevis...
I have also had the Matrix ones fail. I have had the some pair of High Roller (lame name I know) ones with the bottom clevis and they are my favorite ones. also Ancra's are great!
I’ve been running the same set of High Rollers for 7 years, they are awesome.
1
ktmwoods
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ktmwoods 8/1/2018 5:25pm
8/1/2018 5:25pm
The Pro Taper tiedowns with the swivel caribeneers on the bottom are the most legit and well made tiedowns in the history of MX. Used em all and the Pro Taper versions and worth their weight in gold.
9
DYE
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DYE 8/1/2018 5:36pm
8/1/2018 5:36pm
ktmwoods wrote:
The Pro Taper tiedowns with the swivel caribeneers on the bottom are the most legit and well made tiedowns in the history of MX. Used em...
The Pro Taper tiedowns with the swivel caribeneers on the bottom are the most legit and well made tiedowns in the history of MX. Used em all and the Pro Taper versions and worth their weight in gold.
I’ve had the same set for close to 10 years now. 100% confidence in them
3
blusmbl
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blusmbl 8/1/2018 6:22pm
8/1/2018 6:22pm Edited Date/Time 8/1/2018 6:22pm
I use mostly friction style straps for convenience, after long tows they do start to fray but I understand their limitations compared to the ratchet strap style.

I will say I had the stitching come undone on a nearly new pair I bought from Bikebandit and my somewhat mint '74 CB550 ended up falling over in a trailer because of it. I check them more carefully now.
1
Motoxtombo
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Motoxtombo 8/1/2018 6:40pm
8/1/2018 6:40pm
ktmwoods wrote:
The Pro Taper tiedowns with the swivel caribeneers on the bottom are the most legit and well made tiedowns in the history of MX. Used em...
The Pro Taper tiedowns with the swivel caribeneers on the bottom are the most legit and well made tiedowns in the history of MX. Used em all and the Pro Taper versions and worth their weight in gold.
DYE wrote:
I’ve had the same set for close to 10 years now. 100% confidence in them
I've been using them for years too,the carabiner on the bottom is great,I hate it when a regular tie-down hook
falls off before you pull the strap down.
theycallmeebryan 8/1/2018 6:54pm
8/1/2018 6:54pm Edited Date/Time 8/1/2018 6:55pm
ProTip. Put your bike in the truck bed on a diagonal with the front tire in the front left of the bed and the rear tire in the rear right of the bed. Put one strap on the front right cleat and one strap on the rear left cleat. Route both straps to the bars and lightly snug them down. Your bike will be secure, you'll be able to close the tailgate, and you are not fighting the fork springs to compress them down (which prolongs the life of your fork seals).
5
Berm
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Berm 8/1/2018 8:18pm
8/1/2018 8:18pm
theycallmeebryan wrote:
ProTip. Put your bike in the truck bed on a diagonal with the front tire in the front left of the bed and the rear tire...
ProTip. Put your bike in the truck bed on a diagonal with the front tire in the front left of the bed and the rear tire in the rear right of the bed. Put one strap on the front right cleat and one strap on the rear left cleat. Route both straps to the bars and lightly snug them down. Your bike will be secure, you'll be able to close the tailgate, and you are not fighting the fork springs to compress them down (which prolongs the life of your fork seals).
Ultimate pro tip - route both straps to the footpegs instead of the bars.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 8/1/2018 8:20pm
8/1/2018 8:20pm
FMF tie-downs last forever & even stay put when I have a bike tied down in the back of truck while prerunning in Baja.
2
KurtJ99
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KurtJ99 8/1/2018 8:28pm
8/1/2018 8:28pm
I like my motogate tie downs. They have the most robust carabiner I’ve found and are like old school ancras in the friction clamp.
captmoto
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captmoto 8/1/2018 9:09pm
8/1/2018 9:09pm
I have a pair of black tiedowns with 'universal" printed in yellow on them and a nice bulky carabiner on them. They are the best tiedowns I ever used but I don't remember who who makes them. Power Tye were crap, loosened up on me a couple times.
BAMX
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BAMX 8/1/2018 9:17pm
8/1/2018 9:17pm
High roller tie downs for me. They last forever.
rider41
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rider41 8/1/2018 9:22pm
8/1/2018 9:22pm
ancra or fly for me. Im stuck withe the pro taper ones, and they suck
1
Jeremy Macbeth 8/1/2018 9:27pm
8/1/2018 9:27pm
Pro Taper with the soft ties for the win. I bought a new pair with my last three bikes. The sun is their only kryptonite.
therj_629
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therj_629 8/1/2018 9:39pm
8/1/2018 9:39pm
theycallmeebryan wrote:
ProTip. Put your bike in the truck bed on a diagonal with the front tire in the front left of the bed and the rear tire...
ProTip. Put your bike in the truck bed on a diagonal with the front tire in the front left of the bed and the rear tire in the rear right of the bed. Put one strap on the front right cleat and one strap on the rear left cleat. Route both straps to the bars and lightly snug them down. Your bike will be secure, you'll be able to close the tailgate, and you are not fighting the fork springs to compress them down (which prolongs the life of your fork seals).
My bike was like this when my strap broke
1
Radical
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Radical 8/1/2018 10:49pm
8/1/2018 10:49pm
I've been using the same set of Ancra's for about 25 years. No sign of stitching coming loose or wear. I'll probably buy another pair soon, but 100% trust at this point.
tk2stroke
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tk2stroke 8/1/2018 11:00pm
8/1/2018 11:00pm
x5 on the Matrix being junk and the Pro Tapers being bulletproof.
1
zehn
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zehn 8/1/2018 11:29pm
8/1/2018 11:29pm Edited Date/Time 8/1/2018 11:30pm
zehn wrote:
Ancra.... ‘nuff said

We’ve been using the same ones for 20+ years
Brad460 wrote:
^^ right here

Don’t know why someone would tie down their $8000+ bike with anything else..
I asked my dad how old his oldest ones are. He said he still has ones that he bought in law school in LA, which would've been about 1972. He still uses them
Langston_fan 8/1/2018 11:46pm
8/1/2018 11:46pm
Dang uve got me worried here. I got a pair 6 months ago...
KDXGarage
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KDXGarage 8/1/2018 11:53pm
8/1/2018 11:53pm
One of my Ancras comes loose. It will not lock into place. One the ones that would stay in place, I got tired of the hook slipping out of the ring I fastened the bikes to. When tying down two bikes in the back of a truck by myself, that hook flopping out one last time was the end of it. I have a couple of sets of Matrix fattys. Carabiner on one end and soft strap on the other. Ancra did not have carabiner ends, and Matrix did.

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