Trunk rack advice/experience?

[[email protected]]

I was perusing a site that has a few trunk racks on sale and I wanted
to ask if anyone had experience with some of them.

My vehicles are a Saturn SL2 hatch with a spoiler and a Volvo V70
wagon. If I can get an adjustable rack, I'd like to be able to use it
on either, so please include your experience with adjusting a rack in
your response. One or the other vehicle may be replaced within two
years or so, which is why I do not want to install hitches or roof
mounts.

I'd like to get a 3-bike rack if I'm looking at something that is easy
to adjust. If it is difficult, then I may opt for a 2-bike rack now
with the intention to upgrade in a few years when my infant will have
his own bike.

The models on the site include:

Sportrack Portage DLX 3 Bike Trunk Rack, on sale for $60.
Saris Bones Trunk Racks (3 Bike), on sale for $140
Sportrack Voyager III Trunk Rack, on sale for $70
Saris Sentinal 3 Bike Trunk Rack $60

Obviously, there is a huge price difference between the Saris Bones and
the Sportrack models. Does anyone have experience with these models?

TIA,
Dave

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] wrote:
> I was perusing a site that has a few trunk racks on sale and I wanted
> to ask if anyone had experience with some of them.
>
> My vehicles are a Saturn SL2 hatch with a spoiler and a Volvo V70
> wagon. If I can get an adjustable rack, I'd like to be able to use it
> on either, so please include your experience with adjusting a rack in
> your response. One or the other vehicle may be replaced within two
> years or so, which is why I do not want to install hitches or roof
> mounts.
>
> I'd like to get a 3-bike rack if I'm looking at something that is easy
> to adjust. If it is difficult, then I may opt for a 2-bike rack now
> with the intention to upgrade in a few years when my infant will have
> his own bike.
>
> The models on the site include:
>
> Sportrack Portage DLX 3 Bike Trunk Rack, on sale for $60.
> Saris Bones Trunk Racks (3 Bike), on sale for $140
> Sportrack Voyager III Trunk Rack, on sale for $70
> Saris Sentinal 3 Bike Trunk Rack $60
>
> Obviously, there is a huge price difference between the Saris Bones and
> the Sportrack models. Does anyone have experience with these models?
>
> TIA,
> Dave

A Thule ClipOn 9103 or 9104 might be what you need. A very nice rack
that fits most hatch-back, station-wagon type rear doors.

Joseph

 

[Dennis M]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

>A Thule ClipOn 9103 or 9104 might be what you need. A very nice rack
>that fits most hatch-back, station-wagon type rear doors.

On the subject of racks: I recently purchased a cheap used rack on eBay
that suits my purposes because I only need to transport one bike (even
though it will hold two). You've probably seen this variety of rack before
-- it's aluminum with four rubber pads on its feet and has red
rubber-coated arms to hold the bike. After a little sewing to the bottom
two straps (I took some excess off the top two straps and sewed them to the
bottom two straps so they would reach the holes under my back bumper) I was
able to get it mounted securely to my car, but now I'm curious as to the
best way to secure the bottom half of the bike to the car so it doesn't
sway back and forth as I'm transporting it. I experimented with a yard-long
bungee cord but I never could get it secure enough for my satisfaction. Do
you have any advice on how to do this, or perhaps a Web page to point me to
with photos? Thanks in advance for any tips.

 

[Gooserider]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I was perusing a site that has a few trunk racks on sale and I wanted
> to ask if anyone had experience with some of them.
>
> My vehicles are a Saturn SL2 hatch with a spoiler and a Volvo V70
> wagon. If I can get an adjustable rack, I'd like to be able to use it
> on either, so please include your experience with adjusting a rack in
> your response. One or the other vehicle may be replaced within two
> years or so, which is why I do not want to install hitches or roof
> mounts.
>
> I'd like to get a 3-bike rack if I'm looking at something that is easy
> to adjust. If it is difficult, then I may opt for a 2-bike rack now
> with the intention to upgrade in a few years when my infant will have
> his own bike.
>
> The models on the site include:
>
> Sportrack Portage DLX 3 Bike Trunk Rack, on sale for $60.
> Saris Bones Trunk Racks (3 Bike), on sale for $140
> Sportrack Voyager III Trunk Rack, on sale for $70
> Saris Sentinal 3 Bike Trunk Rack $60
>
> Obviously, there is a huge price difference between the Saris Bones and
> the Sportrack models. Does anyone have experience with these models?
>
> TIA,
> Dave

I have a Saris Bones, but not a hatchback. The rack is great. Easy to set
up, made from recycled materials, stable, non-scratching. Saris makes an
accessory for hatchbacks---they call it a "hatch hugger".

http://www.bicyclebuys.com/Items01.asp?NavID=moreinfo&SKU=0851020

It's a very nice rack.

 

[Chris BeHanna]

On Fri, 08 Sep 2006 03:38:21 -0500, Dennis M wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] wrote:
>
>>A Thule ClipOn 9103 or 9104 might be what you need. A very nice rack
>>that fits most hatch-back, station-wagon type rear doors.
>
> On the subject of racks: I recently purchased a cheap used rack on eBay
> that suits my purposes because I only need to transport one bike (even
> though it will hold two). You've probably seen this variety of rack before
> -- it's aluminum with four rubber pads on its feet and has red
> rubber-coated arms to hold the bike. After a little sewing to the bottom
> two straps (I took some excess off the top two straps and sewed them to the
> bottom two straps so they would reach the holes under my back bumper) I was
> able to get it mounted securely to my car, but now I'm curious as to the
> best way to secure the bottom half of the bike to the car so it doesn't
> sway back and forth as I'm transporting it. I experimented with a yard-long
> bungee cord but I never could get it secure enough for my satisfaction. Do
> you have any advice on how to do this, or perhaps a Web page to point me to
> with photos? Thanks in advance for any tips.

Most of the better racks have a stabilizer bar that projects out below
the bikes. This bar has loops on it. You can run bungees from each of
the bikes to the loops to prevent the bikes from swaying in and out.

If your rack does not have one of these, then perhaps you can fabricate
one using, say, a drill, a plank of wood, and some eye bolts.

--
Chris BeHanna


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