Trying to find a decent trunk rack



mateoc15

New Member
Apr 14, 2010
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Here's what I sent to Yakima support after buying a "Joe" series trunk rack that doesn't work. They told me that I need a $35 adapter for each of my bikes! ****. The three bikes I have are very simple standard bikes. I can't believe that this Yakima rack doesn't accommodate such a standard sized bike.

Can someone tell me where I can find a 3 bike trunk mount rack that doesn't cost $200?

Thanks!

"I just bought a Mega Joe and I'm having trouble getting the bikes on the rack. I have a men's mountain bike and the distance between the bars of the rack is larger than the area under the horizontal bar on the men's bike - the mounting bars on the rack are too wide. It's a 26" bike.

Also, I have two women's bikes that don't have the horizontal part of the frame like a men's bike. Mounting the bike on the rack is only possible if the rear wheel is way above the top of the car and it doesn't look safe."
 
I'm not aware of a manufacturer that sells a trunk mount rack that easily fits bikes without a normal horizontal top tube. How can they with all of the varying bike frame designs? I assume some racks have support bars that are closer together than your Yakima Mega Joe, but I don't have any recommendations for you in that regard. Maybe you could see some different racks in person at your local bike shop?

Within reason, I would try to fit all of your bikes onto the rack, but buying an adapter is a viable option. Here's a link to a less expensive adapter on Amazon: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Tension-Bicycle-Cross-Bar-Adaptor/dp/B000ELSSZE/ref=acc_glance_sg_ai_-2_t_1"]Allen Tension Bicycle Cross Bar Adaptor[/ame]. The Saris Bones trunk mount rack usually gets great reviews, though many cyclists take the financial plunge and purchase either a hitch mount rack or roof rack. I really like the hitch rack designs that hold bikes by their wheels, thus alleviating any fit problems with the various frame designs. Personally, I own an Xport Flatbed rack from Performance Bike and believe you can't get a better rack for the price.
 
Well then this really sucks. I don't want to invest in three different roof racks and would like to be able to use it on multiple different cars easily, so that's no good. I can't believe there's no trunk rack that supports the women's style bikes! I don't have a hitch on my car and don't want to install one.

Is there no other option? Every option so far just seems to be more complicated than it should.

Thanks!
 
I personally have a hitch based rack (from Saris) but I have heard some good things about their trunk rack. Have a look: Saris Cycling Group It says in the link that it accommodates men's, women's and children’s bikes.
 
I've also heard good things about the Saris trunk mount racks....


My local bike shop sells the Saris Bones 3 ( carries 3 bikes ) for $160.
 
64Paramount said:
I've also heard good things about the Saris trunk mount racks....
But if you need to use the TubeTop with a trunk rack, you'll need it for the Saris Bones, too. Sorry.

Two ways to bypass the TubeTop--(1) get a roof rack, or (2) get a tray rack that mounts on a hitch receiver, such as the Yakima HoldUp or StickUp.
 
So I decided on the $89 Yakima Mega Joe 3 bike rack. The bars are too wide and my basic Schwinn mountain bike is too narrow under the cross bar between the seat post and the fork so I can't even get it on there! The women's style bike with the diagonal crossbar - I have NO idea how to make that work. So I took it back. Yakima support wanted me to buy a $35 adapter for EACH bike. I guess I'll keep looking around. This should NOT be this difficult. I'm not buying three $1000 bikes just so they'll fit on a rack - haha.

More suggestions certainly welcome!
 
oldbobcat said:
Or you can take the wheels off and put them in the back seat. Ha ha.
True, but I have a pull-along cart for my daughter to ride in that takes up all of the room in my little crappy hatchback. And people riding the three bikes have to sit somewhere! Maybe the roof (for the bikes or the people, whichever works)
 
Roof rack with wheel carriers would be one solution of course, but downsides are the added wind drag as well as the risk of driving under a low roof or into your garage with them. And they can be pricey too by the time you buy all the adapters, locks, wheel carrier pieces needed to fit your car.

To avoid these issues, most here have switched to the hitch-mounted rack that holds the bikes wheels, They do require you install a Class I hitch (usually a bolt-on), but for many cars those are less than $100. Pluses include nothing touching either the car or the bike frames and quick mounting without having to remove any wheels.

OTOH, maybe it's time to dump your "crappy little hatchback" for a minivan Nothing is better for swallowing bikes and family gear, and putting everything inside has advantages over any outside rack set up :)
 
My $1200 sh!trocket gets me to and from work just fine. We use my wife's car for everything else. Good luck convincing her to get a minivan haha. I'd like a midsize SUV - but then we're getting into spending THOUSANDS instead of DOZENS to get my bike from place to place!