Recommendations Sought for Car-Mounted Bicycle Racks

In My Humble Opinion
1

The Firebug’s getting good enough on two wheels that he and I can start riding together. So I need a bike rack for my car that (a) can carry at least two bikes, and is some combination of (b) permanently mounted, but doesn’t get in the way of access to the trunk, or © quick and easy to put on and remove from the car.

While I don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on this, I’m willing to spend a good bit over low-end for ease and convenience.

So, what racks do you all use, and what have your experiences been?

2

We have the Saris Bones 3-bike rack. It attaches at 6 points to the trunk so you still have access to it, it holds up to 3 bikes, and it folds up into a compact package that is easily stored in the trunk or anywhere else you might want to keep it. 3 minutes to put on once you establish your settings initially. Highly recommended.

3

What kind of car?

4

Before I got an SUV that was easy enough to throw a bike or two in back, I tried several different kinds. The only ones that really felt secure to me were the ones that mounted to a trailer hitch, the ones attached with straps to a hatch always made me nervous and would tend to loosen up on long trips.

5

Another endorsement of Saris products.

6

First thing you want to consider is whether you want to mount your rack to your trunk, your roof, or a hitch.

Trunk-mounted racks are generally going to be least expensive, least secure and offer least trunk access.

Roof mounted racks are generally going to be more secure, most expensive, and offer unimpeded trunk access.

Hitch mounted are generally priced a little less than roof systems, but more than trunk-mounted, are as secure as roof-mounted systems and vary in trunk access.

Look at Thule and Yakima for quality and variety. If you consider the cost of your bikes, you might find they are worth the price to keep your bikes from flying off your car while driving or getting stolen.

7

I also have and love the Saris Bones rack.

8

Yeah, ditto. I had one that scratched the shit out of the trunk of my old Mercedes, although that was the least of that car’s cosmetic problems. The one AirmanDoors linked to looks a fair bit sturdier than the one I used back then, though.

9

Hitch-mounted is out, since my car doesn’t have a trailer hitch.

While the trunk-mounted rack that Doors links to looks pretty good, anyone got any roof-mounted racks that they’d recommend?

A 2000 Honda Accord.

10

I’m assuming your Accord doesn’t have the factory roof rails either, though. I would guess that a light-duty trailer hitch and a hitch-mounted bike rack will cost quite a bit less than a roof rail system and a roof-mounted rack.

11

I checked REI, where I was recently given a $75 gift card, and they have the Saris Bones rack. I’m gonna think about it overnight and check back in the morning, but unless I or someone else comes up with some reason another carrier would be better, I think I’m going with it.

12

One last question: I’ve seen some negative reviews of the Saris Bones 3-bike trunk rack on the REI site from people who say the rack doesn’t work with kids’ bikes. Have any of you who’ve recommended the rack had any experience with putting kids’ bikes on your rack?

Since I’m buying the rack for my bike and my not-quite-6 year old son’s bike, this is basically the make-or-break question for this rack.