Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
My friend Rick sent in the following question about a car bike rack (below). As summer is rapidly approaching, which is when you might be traveling to ride somewhere new too, I offer a few tips for Rick that might help you safely transport your bikes as well:
Rick wrote
“My brother is looking for a bike rack for his cars. He wants a trunk style rack because he doesn’t have a hitch on either of his Hondas.
I have access to this old one (see photos below). Would it still be suitable or as good as what’s sold today?”
My reply
“These strap-on trunk racks work fine as long as you follow directions and get them installed correctly. I’ve seen people barely strap them on. You must install the straps and get them tight for these racks to stay in one spot when you’re driving.
You don’t want them moving around because it can damage the car and could slide right off the trunk if one of the strap hooks comes free from the trunk lid, which can happen if slack develops in the straps.
The other important thing is how you mount the bike(s). The car exhaust pipe is usually at the back of the car right beneath one of the wheels of the bike. Enough heat comes out that it can melt a tire. This is why the rack is designed to hold the bikes up high and angled, not hanging vertically off the back of the car. So you must follow the bike mounting directions too.
Other than these precautions these racks work fine, they’re the most affordable and most portable too since they fold up small. It appears to be new and hardly used so I don’t see any reason it won’t work as good as new.
If you’re using the strap type rack for a long drive, you’ll want to check the bikes and rack straps when you stop for gas just to be sure nothing’s coming loose or has shifted. And if you’re carrying 2 bikes, you want to be sure nothing is rubbing or else it’ll get scratched and possibly ruined.
For what it’s worth, you can buy bolt-on hitch kits to mount one to the car if you wanted to. I’ve never done this but that’s one way to do it. And, I’ve heard that the company U-Haul offers hitches and mounting too so you could look into that if you were interested.
The advantage of hitch type racks is that they make it easier to mount bikes and they don’t touch the car at all so they can’t scratch it. Also, some types only touch the wheels, not the bikes. And for multiple bikes, the bikes have their own trays so they won’t touch each other either.
The disadvantage of hitch racks is that they’re more expensive than the trunk mount rack you have. If you mount a hitch I’d recommend getting a 2″ hitch versus the smaller 1 ¼” size available. That way it’ll be the stronger and less wobbly of the two.”
A few more rack thoughts
After I replied to Rick I thought of some other issues with racks I’ve experienced. Regarding hitch type racks with arms that hold the front wheel at the fork, I only just noticed something important. My rack is a Hollywood TRS, which I reviewed here: Hollywood Racks TRS Rack & Rack Valet.
Please look at these photos. The first shows how the arm rests on the top of the front tire and against the fork – lots of hitch racks hold bikes like this. Now, keep in mind that I’ve carried my bikes well over 10,000 miles like this. So it’s an extreme example. Still, if you look at the second photo, you’ll see what has my attention.
Notice the abrasion on the fork leg. There’s one just like it on the other fork leg. Obviously, the rack’s arm – even though it’s got a protective foam cover on it – is rubbing the carbon fork legs and has already made it through the paint. Now that I’ve seen it, I’ve started sliding pipe insulation over the fork legs before putting the bike in the rack to prevent further damage.
Part of the problem is that the rack is on the back of our RV. Our rig is only a 24-footer and the rack is made for RV use. But on long vehicles like RVs and trailers, racks are cantilevered far behind, where they’re subjected to a violent whiplash effect that can put anything on the rack at risk.
On our last trip for example, my buddy Tony, who pulls a 19-foot Escape trailer behind his Sprinter van, hit a totally beat-up miles-long stretch of I-40. On the back he has a really nice 1 Up hitch rack carrying his gravel bike and his wife’s ebike.
Even driving below the speed limit he could feel his rig getting tossed around back there so he left the highway to check his precious cargo. He found that both bikes had been shaken so badly that if they’d moved any more in the rack they might have fallen. He keeps his bikes covered which might have kept them from falling, but he was relieved to have spotted the problem so he could snug everything up before anything worse happened.
The moral of the story is that even with hitch racks, it’s a good idea to check your bikes regularly. And if you’re buying a rack for an RV, you should make sure the company specifically says it’s made for RV use. Also, for ebikes, get a rack that’s designed for them too.
Those are a few tips to help Rick and maybe you too. It would be great if you other regular bike-rack users would share your best bike toting tips. I’m sure you’ve got some good stories and tips too.
Jim Langley is RBR’s Technical Editor. A pro mechanic & cycling writer for more than 40 years, he’s the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop in the RBR eBookstore. Tune in to Jim’s popular YouTube channel for wheel building & bike repair how-to’s. Jim’s also known for his cycling streak that ended in February 2022 with a total of 10,269 consecutive daily rides (28 years, 1 month and 11 days of never missing a ride). Click to read Jim’s full bio.
I’ve often wondered what happens when a bike has a slow leak in a rack that grips the bike tire.
Thanks for the great question syborg. In theory, if the tire goes flat the grip of the rack on the tire isn’t as good as it was and the bike can become loose in the rack. The wheel straps will help keep the bike from falling off the rack and the arm should help too. But hopefully you’ll check your bike soon and tighten the arm on the flat front tire plus fix the flat when you get where you’re going.
Maybe someone will have had it happen to them and tell us about it in a comment.
Thanks!
Jim
One thing to keep in mind about trunk or hitch mounted racks: If your vehicle is involved in a rear-end collision more than likely your bike will be destroyed or damaged. That is one of advantages of a roof mounted rack.
This happened to me. I lost a $500 bike rack, a $3000 bike and the use of my car for 3 months during $14000 of repairs. (Lots of trunk, rear parts replaced). I now have ugly flourescent tape all over my new rack and carry fluorescent taped bottles in the cages during transport. Fortunately the guy’s insurance paid.
It is different for a bike weighing under 40 versus over 70 pounds. There are specific racks for electric bikes and they have more parts and need to be checked more often.
I do a graded test. Drive around the block, then try 5 miles around the neighborhood. then try a 10-20 mile drive to the next town and then I don’t drive longer than 30 miles at a time.
If you have a heavy ebike like I do THULE makes a great hitch mount ride. Their CS is great!
Even if they have great, sturdy locks, don’t leave them where you can’t see them, if you stop for lunch, etc. Overnight, bring in to hotels, house, garage., etc. We’ve had many friends who have had their bikes stolen from their locked racks.! One couple ran in to use the restroom and came out to find three bikes gone!
I only cried when I read your post; I too had a very nice (expensive) road bike and stopped for a quick restroom break. While these racks are wonderfully convenient, easy to put on, but also easy to take off. Quickly. A blessing, but also a problem. Watch your bike!
Great detailed article Jim; thank you.
I’ll never use a bike rack as anything can happen – the bike is hanging off the back of the car in a very vulnerable place. The likelihood of a stone flying up and chipping or cracking a delicate carbon frame is very real, and you would not even know it until the frame crumbles beneath you on a fast descent.. Theft, rear end collision, etc., etc., are just a few of the dangers, and now that bikes have easily hit the $20,000 mark, it’s certainly worth spending a few extra $$ on a vehicle that can accommodate your precious gem inside it. As it is, I ride mainly titanium bikes which are next to indestructible, but I still store it in the back seat whenever transporting.. Before I bought my Porsche 911, I made sure that I could get the bike inside it !
I have a friend that uses one of those suction cup roof=top devices made for bikes and skis. EEK ! Imagine if that came loose at 70 mph.. Less deadly than that, he drove into his garage with the bike on there…not much left of the bicycle, and the roof was dented badly.
Be careful if using a deck-mounted rack, some fit on the rear window, especially for SUVs. My Honda CRV goes thru a rear wiper cycle when started, and certainly when using front wipers. This could hit the rack supports, and damage wiper mechanism
One drawback for some models of hitch-mount racks is they can drag on the ground when going up a step driveway or crossing a curb. I’ve only seen one do it., but it did it bad.
I’m a ‘bike stays inside the car’ person. We stack two bikes with a heavy moving blanket between them.
I do same…I have a small Ford Focus, but I”ve gotten my Argon Dark Matter gravel bike and custom Seven Ti/carbon road bike lying flat in the back of the car with rear seats folded down. I just put a camping mattress cover between the bikes and still have room for camping gear behind front seats and in between bikes. I have a hitch mounted rack but only use that for local rides where I don’t want to deal with loading the bike inside the car.
I use movers’ blankets between bikes with front wheels off and pedals off for long trips. They stack more easily and neatly with the pedals off, allowing for more cargo.
My wife and I both ride. When we decided to buy our first expensive (titanium) bikes we did so only with the understanding that we would get a minivan to transport them INSIDE the van. Back in 2000 we were able to purchase a Bike Transporter bicycle rack that is designed to sit on there floor of the van or pickup and had three rails with six fork mounts. You strapped the rack to the floor of the rear of the van and mounted your bike,with the front wheel removed, to the rack standing up. We are able to get four bikes mounted in the rear area of our van. This company was located in California but I don’t think they are in business any longer. Friends of ours accomplish the same thing by attaching fork mounts to a 2×4 and laying the 2×4 in the back of their van. By the way, the start of our club rides looked like a Honda Odyssey club because most people ended up using them to carry their bikes inside the van. Full disclosure, we don’t have kids but we do have a lot of toys (bicycles). We purchased our minivan in 2000 and had it for 16 years and bought a new one in 2016. Keeping the bikes inside a minivan is not only a secure way to transport you bikes, but also, especially nowadays, there are too many people who wou;d get a kick by damaging your bike if they had an opportunity with it hanging off the back of your car. You can never be to careful.
Thanks for validating my plans using a 2×4 and a fork mount in my mini van. I’m considering getting a roof mount rail and the securing that to the 2×4. That way the bike(s) will be secure and right where I want them. I’m curious if anyone else gets this elaborate?
I got a minivan so I can keep my bike(s) inside. They stay out of the weather and any road stuff flying around
Thanks everyone with your great car rack and bike carrying tips, appreciate it!
Jim
A plug for the Odyssey. Two bikes in the back and room for 5 passengers and baggage. Always carried the bike in the car, even when it was a Civic stnwgn
Her are a couple of comments on my experiences.
1. I had used a trunk mount rack for many years and mounted a new bike on it for the second ride. on the way hit a bump the whole thing came loose. The bike wheel and frame were bent, fortunately REI replaced it under their generous warranty. Also maybe as they had just opened in Indianapolis, they wanted good publicity, which I gave them.. I used a hitch mount from then on.
2. A U-Haul experience, I had purchased a new SUV and went there to have a hitch installed. They in stalled the hitch for the previous years model which hd a different configuration . One day another driver stopped and said my tail pie was flapping. they had to remove the hitch, refund my installation and hitch purchase price, and since the car was a lease they had to pay for the dealer to replace several part, to the tune to about $1,000.
3. ONLY USE A HITCH NOUNT RACK FOR AN EBIKE
Another advocate for a minivan. In our CR-V the bike has to lay down and takes up the whole storage area. In the minivan it is upright and still leaves plenty of seating and cargo space. I’m on my 3rd one and would not do without one.
I bought a hitch rack for my Honda online, bolted it on in a couple of hours. It has not moved in several years, carries a 4 bike rack without difficulty. It affected the foot-operated lift gate sensor by making it a bit trickier to get your foot under the bumper in the right place to activitate the hatch lift. I lock the rack to the hitch, and the bikes to the rack. I take the bikes inside hotels, etc., at night. It’s so much more convenient than taking off wheel, etc., to put bikes in the car, and we can carry 4 passengers and gear this way.
I use a 1 up on a 2 inch receiver on a “toad” vehicle behind my RV. I’ve had issues in the past with another rack dragging on steep driveways, etc. The 1 up has been issue free. The bikes sit high enough where dragging isn’t an issue. But they do block the brake lights to a degree. It’s a great rack but I always use a protective chain on the rims to the rack just in case of a flat tire or some other failure that would dislodge the bikes. I check them at every rest stop as well. I initially had a 1 up with a 1.25 to a 2 inch receiver adapter but it was pretty wobbly. 1 up sold a 2 inch replacement adapter for the 1.25 inch which was very secure. It also securely locked to the receiver. The 1.25 inch did not lock. I was always concerned about theft and the rack coming loose in transit.
If you have a heavy ebike like I do THULE makes a great hitch mount ride. Their CS is great!