Cable tie with a socket??

[Thomas777]

I thought I would tap into the available wisdom here to help me figure something out.
As I prepare our bikes for this year's tour, Riding across Canada, I decided I want to add flags to our bikes. The idea is to use cable ties to mount the poles to the rear rack(Tubus). But i am looking for a way to prevent the pole from sliding down.
The idea of some type of a holder or socket?
Thought or advice would be great.
Thanks!

[John Saxby]

Tom, here's a bodge that will probably work if you can't find a neater, purpose-built wotsit:

>    Take a small stainless steel hose clamp (3/8" shd do) and fasten that to your rack just below the point where your flagpole ends. (Prob best to wrap some tape or a bit of old inner tube around your rack strut first.) 

>    The adjusting screw for the clamp gives you the unsightly mini-bulge you need to stop your flagpole from going any further. Wrap the clamp with electrician's tape if you want to have a mysterious mini-bulge rather than an unsightly one.

(I used this trick when I was experimenting with drybags on my rear rack instead of panniers -- a couple of these on each rack kept my carabiner-style bungees under control.)

Cheers,  John

[DAntrim]

A few suggestions (you'll get the idea), decide which pole you are going to use then

1 - Get a pen / marker top which fits the end of the pole and then tape the top to the rack at the height you want
2 - Get a piece of foam and insert the pole into it, then tape the foam to the rack.

If your going to remove the pole often then don't tape the bottom of the pole, if your going to leave it on all tour then tape over the bottom, tape or cable tie the top..

Carlos