The Chainlink

feedback please : trunk mounted bike rack recommendations ?

OK chainlinkers - you have never failed to deliver in the past; so let's work the magic again.

 

We need to buy a bike rack for the car, here are the requirements so far :

 

- must be able to buy it via REI (or REI outlet)  (we are having it shipped to a store in New Hamshire where we will attach to a rental car and then rent bikes there...blah blah blah)

 

- must be very good at NOT damaging the car (I know most of them already

meet this requirement)

 

Here are my questions :

 

What brand / model do you have ?

What do you like about it ?

What do you dislike about it ?

 

any other comments welcomd - thanks folks

 

DHB

 

 

 

 

 

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on July 9, 2013 at 8:52am

We have this:

http://www.rei.com/product/724094/saris-bones-3-bike-trunk-rack

and like it just fine. If you don't need three-bike capactiry, there's a slightly cheaper two-bike model as well:

http://www.rei.com/product/853367/saris-bones-2-bike-trunk-rack

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on July 9, 2013 at 9:40am

You're missing some important info for us, what kind of car will it be going on?

Racks are not universal and you need to make sure you are getting one that fits your car, not that worked well for other people with different cars.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on July 9, 2013 at 9:50am

The Saris we have is quite adjustable.  We use it on a Toyota Matrix, but it should work well on sedans as well.  The three legs rotate on the central aluminum shaft.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 9, 2013 at 10:17am

I have the same rack, which I've found very adjustable to many different sedans. It can be problematic with some hatchbacks, depending on how much clearance you have around the top of the hinge to put the hooks in place and whether the hinge accommodates the hooks once the hatch is closed.

It carries the bikes in a stable, secure position.

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

We have this:

http://www.rei.com/product/724094/saris-bones-3-bike-trunk-rack

and like it just fine. If you don't need three-bike capactiry, there's a slightly cheaper two-bike model as well:

http://www.rei.com/product/853367/saris-bones-2-bike-trunk-rack

Permalink Reply by dan brown on July 9, 2013 at 10:28am

good point dug; but I cannot answer since it will be a rental car (make/model TBD) so I guess

I am going to threadjack my own thread (is that allowed ???) LOL.

 

NEW question : Has anyone ever rented a car and attached a bike rack with the knowledge of

the car rental agency staff ??? (i.e. I could just whip the rack out when renting and then

request "I need a (compact, subcompact, for example) make/model *that will accommodate THIS HERE*

bike rack". ???     are they going to balk, or be cool with this ??? (FYI this will be in New Hampshire

so I don't expect to get the usual big city chapped-ass / personality plus treatment  <g>.

 

thanks in advance folks....happy TOOSDAY.



notoriousDUG said:

You're missing some important info for us, what kind of car will it be going on?

Racks are not universal and you need to make sure you are getting one that fits your car, not that worked well for other people with different cars.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on July 9, 2013 at 10:33am

Maybe ask them ahead of time?  I can't believe this hasn't ever happened before.  The Saris has rubber feet.  I've not noticed any issues with the paint.

dan brown said:

NEW question : Has anyone ever rented a car and attached a bike rack with the knowledge of

the car rental agency staff ??? (i.e. I could just whip the rack out when renting and then

request "I need a (compact, subcompact, for example) make/model *that will accommodate THIS HERE*

bike rack". ???     are they going to balk, or be cool with this ??? (FYI this will be in New Hampshire

so I don't expect to get the usual big city chapped-ass / personality plus treatment  <g>.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 9, 2013 at 10:38am

I've never had any issues with the rubber feet or rubber-coated hooks causing problems.  You might want to wrap something soft around the bike pedal closest to the trunk so that it doesn't damage the paint.  That's the only issue I've had with this or other rear-mounted racks.

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

Maybe ask them ahead of time?  I can't believe this hasn't ever happened before.  The Saris has rubber feet.  I've not noticed any issues with the paint.

dan brown said:

NEW question : Has anyone ever rented a car and attached a bike rack with the knowledge of

the car rental agency staff ??? (i.e. I could just whip the rack out when renting and then

request "I need a (compact, subcompact, for example) make/model *that will accommodate THIS HERE*

bike rack". ???     are they going to balk, or be cool with this ??? (FYI this will be in New Hampshire

so I don't expect to get the usual big city chapped-ass / personality plus treatment  <g>.

Permalink Reply by JeffB on July 9, 2013 at 10:46am

I have the two-bike saris bones and have never had a problem with my rentals.  Just watch out for the pedal position on the inside bike, and be careful when attaching or removing the metal strap ends.  And search youtube for various installation videos.  And bring some bungee cords to stabilize your front wheel so it doesn't move during travel.

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

We have this:

http://www.rei.com/product/724094/saris-bones-3-bike-trunk-rack

and like it just fine. If you don't need three-bike capactiry, there's a slightly cheaper two-bike model as well:

http://www.rei.com/product/853367/saris-bones-2-bike-trunk-rack

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on July 9, 2013 at 10:52am

I wouldn't directly mention it to the Rental Car agency (unless they offer Bike Racks as one of their options.. and I don't know of any that do)  as they will likely pull some term or condition out to prevent you from doing so.    Do you have time to rent the car and THEN go to a Bike Store and buy a rack which will fit on the car?  In Chicago this would be easy enough to do... and if you got a car with a "roof rack" of some sort (SUV) you could get a rack which would work well. 

Permalink Reply by Michael A on July 9, 2013 at 11:10am

I would recommend getting a SUV for  couple reasons. 1st is you will be traveling with your bikes from the airport so  they will be in a box or travel case. It will be very hard for two people, luggage and two bikes in boxes to fit in a small to midsize car. Once your trip is over you will again have to get you and your stuff back to the airport.  2nd while you are on your trip you will probably make mini trips to ride destinations. two bikes locked in the back of an SUV are much more secure then a rack. The 10-15 bucks a day more that the SUV will cost will worth it over purchasing a rack you have never used and trying to set it up on a car you have never driven.

Permalink Reply by Michelle Loomis on July 9, 2013 at 12:43pm

I would 2nd the SUV or minivan idea. My dad and I fly all over with our mountain bikes and rent a large vehicle wherever we go. Pretty much all modern SUVs and Minivans have seats that fold down. Pop off your front tire and you can easily fit at least 3 bikes in the vehicle.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on July 9, 2013 at 1:06pm

this SUV stuff is food for thought - but I left out an important detail :

 

-we are NOT flying our bikes out there.

We are renting them in Maine (cheaper in US) then driving to Canada to end up in PEI

(Prince Edward Island : much more expensive to rent). And I want to say theft (they will

be locked with U-Locks and cables to the car rack whenever we are not riding them or

having them checked with us at various B&B's etc).

 

so the plan is this :

 

fly to providence, RI (great fares on sothwest)

pick up rental car

pick up purchased rack at REI store near providence airport (free shipping to any REI store)

drive to Maine

Rent bikes - put on rack

go into Canada - then PEI

ride and stay there

drive back to maine - return bikes

drive to Providence - put bike rack in box and FedEx it back to Chicago (not next day ;-)

return rental car

fly home to chicago

 

let's critique this one now...;-)

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