Saris Bones 2

I recently purchased a Cannondale Quick 5 (feminine) and the salesperson recommended a Saris Bones 2 to transport the bike. She raved about it and I purchased it but upon reading reviews, it seems like it's hit or miss. Has anyone here used the Bones model? By the way, I have a VW Jetta.

Thanks for your advice in advance,
Dana

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Permalink Reply by Leah on August 19, 2008 at 4:20am
Congrats on the new bike! I've also been looking into the Saris Bones 2, because it seems easy to put on/take off and fits a lot of different kinds of cars (so if a friend drives we can still use it). So while I don't have advice from using it personally, I'm pretty close to getting it myself. I keep seeing them on Craigslist, so maybe you can buy a used one and test it out!
Permalink Reply by Dana on August 19, 2008 at 4:30am
Well, I tried the Bones... wasn't easy to put together at all. The size of it is awkward and the way you have to move the arms is incredibly frustrating. It's a balancing act for sure (as I knew), but it was pretty ridiculous when it took me 45 minutes and a project engineer to figure it out. I'm returning my Bones back from whence they came and will consider some other method of transporting my bike... lol.

Leah said:
Congrats on the new bike! I've also been looking into the Saris Bones 2, because it seems easy to put on/take off and fits a lot of different kinds of cars (so if a friend drives we can still use it). So while I don't have advice from using it personally, I'm pretty close to getting it myself. I keep seeing them on Craigslist, so maybe you can buy a used one and test it out!
Permalink Reply by Leah on August 19, 2008 at 4:59am
Yikes - I had no idea it would be so difficult. Thanks for sharing - let me know what else you try.

Dana said:
Well, I tried the Bones... wasn't easy to put together at all.... it took me 45 minutes and a project engineer to figure it out.

Leah said:
DIV>
Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on August 19, 2008 at 6:02am
I have an older Saris bike rack. It looks most like the Sentinel Model. It holds three bikes, though it can sometimes be kind of hard to the the three bikes onto it. Fortunately for me, some former tenants who had gone carfree left it in my apartment building and I got it for free.

I can get the rack on and off in less than five minutes and the bikes seem pretty secure on there, though I always worry. Putting women's and children's framed bikes is a little difficult, though I've managed it, even with three bikes. I've even carried some pretty heavy bikes (two kids walmart steel bikes, plus a mountain bike) and it still holds up.

One negative that I'm sure is really big for others, though not as much for me is that the foam on my rack wasn't quite sufficient. With a loaded rack, it would sometimes press down too far and the paint on my trunk is kind of scratched off. Fortunately, my bike is kind of old and crappy anyway, but if you have a nice car, you need to be careful of that.
Permalink Reply by Bill on August 21, 2008 at 12:55pm
Hey Dana,

If you did not return the rack yet, I can help you out. I have one and it was easy for me to put together and install on my car. It is actually a really nice rack.

Bill
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 31, 2009 at 10:54am
I got the same rack a few years ago. It took a little while to put it together and configure it for my car, but now that it's set up, it's quick and easy to put on or take off, and easy to load bikes. It stays on the car well while driving, and bikes are held in place securely.

If you're adjusting it to put on a different car, time and difficulty depends on whether it's the same car body type (trunk vs. hatchback). For another car of the same body type, a quick strap adjustment will usually do the trick. Switching from trunk mount to hatchback mount is more involved. I had to do that last year and needed to rotate one pair of arms to a different angle.

I've found that the rack will accommodate combinations of 1 mountain bike and 2 road bikes, or 3 road bikes, but only 2 mountain bikes. A little bit of bounce is normal on rough pavement, especially with 2 or 3 bikes on the rack.
Permalink Reply by Dave Thomas on January 31, 2009 at 12:01pm
I have to agree with AA on this -- the Saris Bones 2 is exceptionally well designed, & I find it's pretty smooth to adjust to accommodate different car rear slopes, etc. I've had mine for 2 years, it's on the car almost permanently, survives the winter very well, and it's easy to remove for the auto car wash. I do use 1 bungie cord for further stability & because I hate seeing the front wheel spin around on the highway.
Permalink Reply by J on January 31, 2009 at 1:31pm
The Bones 2 really is the best design out there among the current crop of trunk mount racks. It outsells all other racks combined at my shop. It is a little more complicated to set up initially than older, Hollywood-style racks -- but it's far more flexible and super secure. One great feature (and it sounds like it might apply to you) is the way you can vary the width of the arms for frame with small front triangles, and more importantly, the ability to lock the mounts asymmetrically. This allows you to mount smaller frames and frame with sloping top tubes without one wheel being way up in the air.

So I'd echo the comments to give it another try (A good shop will send out an employee with you and whip it together in 5 minutes!) because if you think the Bones is bad, you'll be stunned at how poorly engineered most other racks are.

The only crucial design flaw is the plastic adjuster knobs. They will strip quite easily -- so be sure to ask for a few extras when you buy these racks. Most shops have a bag full of them for warranty use.

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