In this article, you will find a discussion on Best Inexpensive Bike Rack for a Car, SUV, Trunk, Truck and Truck Hitch, Trailer Hitch, Jeep Wrangler, Bike Rack Bed of Truck with Many Info and Tips.
Automobile bike racks are defined as any rack that mounts on an automobile. An automobile being a vehicle as in car, sedan, hatchback, coupe, wagon, crossover, SUV or truck. The most popular types of automobile bike racks are trunk mount, roof mount, hitch mount, spare tire mount, and an internal mount. Internal mounts are also truck bed mounts. They are all priced differently for various reasons. The best automobile bike racks are not always the most expensive. Sometimes you are paying for brand name bike gear. You know the story, why buy an Cadillac when you can buy another cheaper vehicle that performs just as well or sometimes even better for a cheaper price?
The first thing to do when looking for an automobile bike rack is to decide what type you want. Check out my related posts. If your thinking about a trunk mount bike rack for your automobile read this full post and then look into the different types of bike racks that are available. For the best information on bike racks for your automobile book mark this page. I’m going to be updating it with even more reviews and articles about bike racks. I’ve got a lot of opinions from different people on the racks that they own. I’ve also got some stories to tell about predicaments that people have got them selfs into with their bike racks.
After reading you should be well educated as to what type of bike rack you want, need. You can search for deals on this site and find the best deal on the automobile bike rack thats right for you and your beloved car. Once you get your new setup you can go out and enjoy biking with the rest of us.
Read: Special Bike Rack for Toyota Cars
How to choose a bike rack
Choosing an adequate bike rack to store or transport your bike is not always an easy task. A good balance between ease of use, security and cost should be considered.
The first thing to decide is what type of bike rack you want for your automobile. For an automobile besides the specialty racks there are three basic choices: Roof Rack, Trunk Mount Rack and Hitch Mount Bike Rack. Each have their own cost, ease of use and security features.
If you are wanting a hitch mount bicycle rack a Yakima or Thule bike rack is the way to go. Cheap ones will work but will not last as long and may get your bike stolen.
As far as roof bike racks Yakima is the way to go. Although Thule recently has some great products that compete with them.
For a trunk mount bike rack I would highly recommend the Saris bones bike rack. It is an amazing piece of work that fits practically any automobile. They are relatively inexpensive also.
All of the above pieces can be purchased from links on this site. The amazon Auctions are the best place to find the lowest prices.
Make sure once you have purchased a bike rack that you purchase a good lock to go with it or you will come back to an empty bike rack which is not normal unless you are returning to your bike rack!
Read:Best Inexpensive Folding Bike Under $ 200!
Platform Bike Racks
Ride on bike racks, also known as platform bike racks are the type of bike racks that are generally seen on the back of vehicles and front of public transport. The design is generally similar to roof mount bike racks where the bike is “ridden” or placed on the platform and an arm or other device fastens the bike to the rack.
The major brands such as Thule and Yakima and many others all have offerings in this category. They can be mounted by hitch and even trunk mount and offer the advantage of being able to carry full suspension mountain bikes easier than traditional racks. Stay tuned for more information and pictures of this type of bike rack!
Campus Police Car Bike Rack
I thought that this was funny when I first saw it. It happens to be a campus police car with a hitch mounted bike rack. I don’t know what year it is, but I know that it is a Chevrolet Malibu. So, you ask what kind of bike rack is it? Well, its a two bike Thule. Some people may buy Crown Vic’s or Malibu’s under the reasoning that “The police drive them, they must be good cars!”
Well, that may or may not be true, but what I can tell you is that the Thule hitch mount racks are some of the best out there. I wasn’t exactly sure of the legalities of taking pictures of police cars, so I kept this one low res and took it from a distance. I’ve seen a police car with a bike loaded on it before and do you know what type of bikes they ride? Cannondale. Another quality product, so if you’re going to buy a trunk mount bike rack for a Malibu get a quality Thule one.
Jeep Wrangler Spare Tire Rack
Jeeps are known to be rugged vehicles, worthy of off road conditions and not scared of a mud. If you ask me they go hand in hand with mountain bikers that like to ride some of the more remote trails
Jeep Patriot Roof Rack for Bikes
Complete with Stickers this Jeep Patriot has a roof rack for bikes. The Jeep Patriot Factory Roof Rack comes with side rails. The cross bars are round that will fit accessories from many manufacturers. The Crossroads Railing Rack from Thule or the “RailGrab” system from Yakima will increase the load capacity of the standard bars, however they are rather pricey. If you didn’t purchase crossbars when you got your Patriot you can save some money by finding them online or going to the dealer rather than buying an after market system. Just don’t let the dealer install them as they are not difficult, and will charge an arm and a leg to open a box and tighten 8 bolts.
Read:Stowabike 20 Folding City V2 Compact Foldable Bike Review 2019
Jeep Cheroke Hitch Mount Bike Rack
This picture was taken in the dark. I believe I was parked at the time because of the angle it was taken at. It demonstrates what a hitch mount bike rack looks like on the Jeep Cheroke. It is possible that I am mis-spelling the word since the spell check tells me that it is in fact Cherokee. Never the less. The rack is actually a Yakima and is in the folded down position. The Yakima rack shown is quite in-expensive and since the Jeep comes with a hitch is probably a better idea than getting a trunk of roof mount rack for this vehicle. The height of this vehicle could be a problem if you were to install cross bars for a roof mount. Its hard to get pictures of Jeep Cheroke’s with loaded bike racks, but this shows what it would look like. There is room inside the Cheroke for a bike with the seats folded down but if you have kids or other bike riders then this is the way to go! Check out the products on the ebay auctions page for the best deals.
Trunk Mount Bike Racks – Bike Racks For Cars
Trunk mount for European counterparts are a great way to add a bike carrier to your car. They come in different shapes and sizes for different types of cars. Some are better than others. They are really good ways to transport your bike. They can detach, fold up easily and be mounted on different types of cars. If you have a biking partner you can attach some types to different types of cars meaning that your not always stuck driving. The cool thing about them too is that they can be removed from the car, meaning that if you don’t want it on your car because you have a special event to attend then just take it off.
Read: Not the chair you need but the chair you desire
If considering buying a trunk mount bike rack consider these points:
How many bikes the rack carries is an important factor. You do not want to have too much of a load on your trunk. Depending on your trunk, I would recommend a two bike carrier. If you need to carry more bikes, look for a roof mount or hitch mount rack from the different types of bike rack page.
How much does your paint job matter to you? Some bike racks mount on the trunk with clips and pads. These types can cause abrasion on your paint job making unsightly blemishes. If you have an older car, or a hatchback style car this won’t be a problem as you’ll probably be mounting your bike rack on the glass window. If your paint is important to you, look for a types of bike rack that mounts in a different location.
Sway. Anti sway is a nice feature to have in your bike rack. If the bikes sway while cornering you won’t be able to get to your location as fast which means less riding time. This can be a huge problem for mountain bikes as mountain roads tend to never be in a straight line. Look for a type of bike rack that reduces sway.
Ease of mounting. Mounting your bikes has to be easy. There is nothing worse than a great ride and not being able to easily lift your bikes onto the bike carrier. If you need one that is easier to mount.
Locking. Can you lock your bikes to your rack? On a road trip while transporting your bike this is especially important. As ease of mounting the rack is great, its also a great way for thieves to steal your precious hard earned bikes. They can be locked up with a chain, or wire but if the rack can be detached by cutting the mount in a few places I would suggest buying a different type of bike rack.
Storage. How easy is the bike rack to transport while not transporting bikes? This is very important. If it doesn’t fold up or easily come off your car then you may want to look at another rack. If you don’t mind it being attached to your car all the time then the more affordable types of bike rack may work.
Can you open your car while the rack is mounted? This isn’t so important for certain types of cars, but for sedans that the only way to get into the trunk is by the trunk lid then the bike rack may block this. If trunk access is important to you, consider the different types of bike rack.
Automobile bike racks are defined as any rack that mounts on an automobile. An automobile being a vehicle as in car, sedan, hatchback, coupe, wagon, crossover, SUV or truck. In this article, you will find a discussion on Best Inexpensive Bike Rack for a Car, SUV, Trunk, Truck and Truck Hitch, Trailer Hitch, Jeep Wrangler, Bike Rack Bed of Truck with Many Info and Tips.
The most popular types of automobile bike racks are trunk mount, roof mount, hitch mount, spare tire mount, and an internal mount. Internal mounts are also truck bed mounts. They are all priced differently for various reasons. The best automobile bike racks are not always the most expensive. Sometimes you are paying for brand name bike gear. You know the story, why buy an Cadillac when you can buy another cheaper vehicle that performs just as well or sometimes even better for a cheaper price?
The first thing to do when looking for an automobile bike rack is to decide what type you want. Check out my related posts. If your thinking about a trunk mount bike rack for your automobile read this full post and then look into the different types of bike racks that are available. For the best information on bike racks for your automobile book mark this page. I’m going to be updating it with even more reviews and articles about bike racks. I’ve got a lot of opinions from different people on the racks that they own. I’ve also got some stories to tell about predicaments that people have got them selfs into with their bike racks.
After reading you should be well educated as to what type of bike rack you want, need. You can search for deals on this site and find the best deal on the automobile bike rack thats right for you and your beloved car. Once you get your new setup you can go out and enjoy biking with the rest of us.
Read: Folding Bike Manufacturers Directory 2019
How to choose a bike rack
Choosing an adequate bike rack to store or transport your bike is not always an easy task. A good balance between ease of use, security and cost should be considered.
The first thing to decide is what type of bike rack you want for your automobile. For an automobile besides the specialty racks there are three basic choices: Roof Rack, Trunk Mount Rack and Hitch Mount Bike Rack. Each have their own cost, ease of use and security features.
If you are wanting a hitch mount bicycle rack a Yakima or Thule bike rack is the way to go. Cheap ones will work but will not last as long and may get your bike stolen.
As far as roof bike racks Yakima is the way to go. Although Thule recently has some great products that compete with them.
For a trunk mount bike rack I would highly recommend the Saris bones bike rack. It is an amazing piece of work that fits practically any automobile. They are relatively inexpensive also.
All of the above pieces can be purchased from links on this site. The amazon Auctions are the best place to find the lowest prices.
Make sure once you have purchased a bike rack that you purchase a good lock to go with it or you will come back to an empty bike rack which is not normal unless you are returning to your bike rack!
Read: Medication, Medicine, Injections, Shot for Alcoholics to Stop Drinking
Platform Bike Racks
Ride on bike racks, also known as platform bike racks are the type of bike racks that are generally seen on the back of vehicles and front of public transport. The design is generally similar to roof mount bike racks where the bike is “ridden” or placed on the platform and an arm or other device fastens the bike to the rack.
The major brands such as Thule and Yakima and many others all have offerings in this category. They can be mounted by hitch and even trunk mount and offer the advantage of being able to carry full suspension mountain bikes easier than traditional racks. Stay tuned for more information and pictures of this type of bike rack!
Campus Police Car Bike Rack
I thought that this was funny when I first saw it. It happens to be a campus police car with a hitch mounted bike rack. I don’t know what year it is, but I know that it is a Chevrolet Malibu. So, you ask what kind of bike rack is it? Well, its a two bike Thule. Some people may buy Crown Vic’s or Malibu’s under the reasoning that “The police drive them, they must be good cars!”
Well, that may or may not be true, but what I can tell you is that the Thule hitch mount racks are some of the best out there. I wasn’t exactly sure of the legalities of taking pictures of police cars, so I kept this one low res and took it from a distance. I’ve seen a police car with a bike loaded on it before and do you know what type of bikes they ride? Cannondale. Another quality product, so if you’re going to buy a trunk mount bike rack for a Malibu get a quality Thule one.
Jeep Wrangler Spare Tire Rack
Jeeps are known to be rugged vehicles, worthy of off road conditions and not scared of a mud. If you ask me they go hand in hand with mountain bikers that like to ride some of the more remote trails
Jeep Patriot Roof Rack for Bikes
Complete with Stickers this Jeep Patriot has a roof rack for bikes. The Jeep Patriot Factory Roof Rack comes with side rails. The cross bars are round that will fit accessories from many manufacturers. The Crossroads Railing Rack from Thule or the “RailGrab” system from Yakima will increase the load capacity of the standard bars, however they are rather pricey. If you didn’t purchase crossbars when you got your Patriot you can save some money by finding them online or going to the dealer rather than buying an after market system. Just don’t let the dealer install them as they are not difficult, and will charge an arm and a leg to open a box and tighten 8 bolts.
Read:Stowabike 20 Folding City V2 Compact Foldable Bike Review 2019
Jeep Cheroke Hitch Mount Bike Rack
This picture was taken in the dark. I believe I was parked at the time because of the angle it was taken at. It demonstrates what a hitch mount bike rack looks like on the Jeep Cheroke. It is possible that I am mis-spelling the word since the spell check tells me that it is in fact Cherokee. Never the less. The rack is actually a Yakima and is in the folded down position. The Yakima rack shown is quite in-expensive and since the Jeep comes with a hitch is probably a better idea than getting a trunk of roof mount rack for this vehicle. The height of this vehicle could be a problem if you were to install cross bars for a roof mount. Its hard to get pictures of Jeep Cheroke’s with loaded bike racks, but this shows what it would look like. There is room inside the Cheroke for a bike with the seats folded down but if you have kids or other bike riders then this is the way to go! Check out the products on the ebay auctions page for the best deals.
Trunk Mount Bike Racks – Bike Racks For Cars
Trunk mount for European counterparts are a great way to add a bike carrier to your car. They come in different shapes and sizes for different types of cars. Some are better than others. They are really good ways to transport your bike. They can detach, fold up easily and be mounted on different types of cars. If you have a biking partner you can attach some types to different types of cars meaning that your not always stuck driving. The cool thing about them too is that they can be removed from the car, meaning that if you don’t want it on your car because you have a special event to attend then just take it off.
If considering buying a trunk mount bike rack consider these points:
How many bikes the rack carries is an important factor. You do not want to have too much of a load on your trunk. Depending on your trunk, I would recommend a two bike carrier. If you need to carry more bikes, look for a roof mount or hitch mount rack from the different types of bike rack page.
How much does your paint job matter to you? Some bike racks mount on the trunk with clips and pads. These types can cause abrasion on your paint job making unsightly blemishes. If you have an older car, or a hatchback style car this won’t be a problem as you’ll probably be mounting your bike rack on the glass window. If your paint is important to you, look for a types of bike rack that mounts in a different location.
Read: Not the chair you need but the chair you desire
Sway. Anti sway is a nice feature to have in your bike rack. If the bikes sway while cornering you won’t be able to get to your location as fast which means less riding time. This can be a huge problem for mountain bikes as mountain roads tend to never be in a straight line. Look for a type of bike rack that reduces sway.
Ease of mounting. Mounting your bikes has to be easy. There is nothing worse than a great ride and not being able to easily lift your bikes onto the bike carrier. If you need one that is easier to mount.
Locking. Can you lock your bikes to your rack? On a road trip while transporting your bike this is especially important. As ease of mounting the rack is great, its also a great way for thieves to steal your precious hard earned bikes. They can be locked up with a chain, or wire but if the rack can be detached by cutting the mount in a few places I would suggest buying a different type of bike rack.
Storage. How easy is the bike rack to transport while not transporting bikes? This is very important. If it doesn’t fold up or easily come off your car then you may want to look at another rack. If you don’t mind it being attached to your car all the time then the more affordable types of bike rack may work.
Can you open your car while the rack is mounted? This isn’t so important for certain types of cars, but for sedans that the only way to get into the trunk is by the trunk lid then the bike rack may block this. If trunk access is important to you, consider the different types of bike rack.
Read: Folding Bike Manufacturers Directory 2019
Check out these great deals on The Best Inexpensive bike racks:
I’ve noticed that some of the best deals on bike racks are actually from amazon. This isn’t surprising since amazon is the best place to find deals. Some of the deals are outstanding. Why buy a new rack when you can buy the same thing used for a fraction of the price? Face it, it doesn’t matter if its slightly used, has scratches or anything. Think what happens when you actually mount your first bike on it anyway!
Trunk Mount Bike Racks are everywhere. Some better quality than others. Some made out of wacky materials, like plastic or composites like some peoples decks are made out of. Some trunk mount bike racks are home made, some cost $500, but what is the best trunk mount bike rack?
People ask what the best type of bike rack is all the time and there is not one solid answer. My answer is, it usually depends on your needs. Trunk mount bike racks are great don’t get me wrong, but they are not suppose to be permanently attached to the car. Sure, its fine to do it if you want to, its not against the law (in all states) but seriously, they don’t look the best they scratch your paint and some models can be easily stolen, I won’t point fingers here Saris.
The picture here was of some trunk mount bike racks that a friend of mine took while shopping. You will notice the saris bones racks on the side. He was wondering how much these should cost, and which one to buy. I told him that he’d be better off finding the model he wanted, by reading about the different types and then buying it online. I even asked him to by it from this site and he agreed. So, if your thinking about buying a trunk mount bike rack, look no further than this blog. After all its pretty much a blog just about bike racks since I’m unfortunately not riding my bike as much these days.
VW Golf Trunk Mount Bike Rack
I spotted this trunk mount bike rack on a VW Golf while leaving work. You can barely see it in the picture, although if you enlarge it you might be able to. Anyway, in busy traffic it was easy to catch up to it and snap a good picture. There are lots of straps that you can see on this trunk mount, which can be a bit of a pain to set up, but if you only do minimal bike transporting a trunk mount for your VW Golf should do the trick. Golfs sit low so you can get a good roof rack system setup on them, or if you think you could use a hitch for something else, a hitch mount would work too. I’m still looking for pictures of the black GTI or R32 with a roof rack system loaded with high end bikes. Anyone?
VW Beetle Trunk Mount Bike Rack
Today we have a VW Beetle Trunk Mount Bike Rack picture, the first VW Beetle I’ve featured on this site. While a Saris Bones bike rack does fit on the beetle there are other options available like this owner chose. The unusual shape of the trunk can make mounting a bike rack difficult on the Beetle, however this one seems to fit. I’m not sure how the trunk release works on this one since the bottom support covers the hidden trunk handle. If you own a Beetle and are in the market for a bike rack, check the manufacturer fit guides if they’re available, if not choose a retailer who’s policy is to accept returns. Other options for the Beetle are the roof rack systems and hitch mount if you decide to take another route.
Today we have a VW Beetle Trunk Mount Bike Rack picture, the first VW Beetle I’ve featured on this site. While a Saris Bones bike rack does fit on the beetle there are other options available like this owner chose. The unusual shape of the trunk can make mounting a bike rack difficult on the Beetle, however this one seems to fit. I’m not sure how the trunk release works on this one since the bottom support covers the hidden trunk handle. If you own a Beetle and are in the market for a bike rack, check the manufacturer fit guides if they’re available, if not choose a retailer who’s policy is to accept returns. Other options for the Beetle are the roof rack systems and hitch mount if you decide to take another route.
saris bones 2 bike trunk mount bike rack fit guide
The Saris bones bike trunk mount bike rack is probably one of the most versatile bike racks out there. It fits most cars and the instruction booklet will guide you through the fitting easily. Check out Saris website to get the manual. Anyone who sells this rack should have the instructions on their site and you can find the fit guides on Saris’s site. I’m working on getting a list of the cars that both the Saris bones 2 bike and 3 bike model fit. So check back and see which of your friends is driving on your next ride.
Dodge Intrepid Trunk Mount Bike Rack
Took this picture while riding my bike down my local greenway. I managed to snap this while riding around the parking lot on my way home. It was quite difficult to get a good shot since I was moving about 15mph. As you can see the Dodge Intrepid is capable of having a trunk mount bike rack. I’m not sure if this would have been my choice of bike rack for the Dodge Intrepid since it looks like its not mounted correctly. Had I purchased one of these bike racks I probably would have taken it back. The Saris bones bike rack would fit better and even folds up so that you can put it in your trunk when your not using it. The Dodge Intrepid is a low car, so a roof rack would fit on it perfectly but if you don’t want to go with a roof rack because of cost or bike weight I would look for a Saris Bones 2 or 3 bike rack for this car. If you happen to have a Saris bike rack for your Dodge Intrepid please take a picture and send it over my way so that we can show every body else how good these bike racks are!
If you don’t have a bike rack for the Dodge Intrepid yet you are in the market for one browse these pages and see if you find any products on the bike rack eBay auctions that I have listed here. Some times you can find Yakima, Thule or Saris bike racks really cheap. Also I have some pages which have the best places to buy bike racks from so check them out!
Dirt Bike Truck Bed Mount
This rack is a picture I took of a dirt bike in a truck bed. You can’t tell by the picture but this truck has a mount in the back for the dirt bike. If you want you can click on the picture to get a better view but since this was taken at night on a bad camera it doesn’t really help a whole lot. The dirt bike mount just sits in the truck bed and the bike was tied down by standard ties that you can find at Walmart. Check out the auctions on this page to find a similar mount so that you can start transporting your dirt bike with ease, just like these people are.
If you consider your self handy, you can actually make one of these for your truck bed out of 2×4’s. I’ll post my dirt bike truck bed mount plans some time soon so book mark this site and come back to check the plans out.
Read:Instant Female Libido Enhancer FDA Approved
Ford F150 Truck Bike Rack
The 150 by Ford is a nice truck. Many people who have the F150 put their bikes in the bed however if you wish to buy a bike rack for an F150 my suggestion would be a hitch mount. The bike rack on the Ford F150 pictured is the “ride on” variety and holds two bikes. Many of these bike racks allow an extension which would allow this F150’s bike rack to carry four bikes with ease. Other options for the F150 are bed mount bike racks and roof rack a factory or after marked one is installed.
Check out these great products:
How to hang your bicycle with bike hooks
Bike hooks are a great way to hang your bikes inexpensively and quickly. You can buy the hooks known as bicycle, bike or ladder hooks from many hardware stores or even Walmart. The best place to get a deal on bike hooks is from e-Bay. If you don’t have an account I suggest signing up for one. Along with bicycle mounts and storage there are many other great biking steals on eBay. Anyhow, to the point of the article.
Bike Hooks
The mistake people make with hooks is that they think that just because it takes one hook to hang a bike thats all that is needed. This is a big mistake. NEVER use bike hooks to hang your bike by the wheels. Either by one wheel or by both upside down. Your bike has grease in casings that when you hang it up side down on bike hooks may drip out and cause your bike to cease up. Bike hooks with the stationary types of bike rack hooks are some times referred to as wheel benders.
The best way
The best way to hang your bike up is by using two bike hooks and resting the crossbar on the hooks. If you have a womans bicycle, or mountain bike there are cross bars that lock between the seat post and head stem. Look into these, or look at the other different types of bike racks. There are other types of hoists that are probably better suited for hanging your bike.
Large Family Bike Transportation
Bike transportation for one or two people can be a pain. Now imaging trying to transport bikes around for a large family. I was watching a TV show where a family had a lot of kids. Now I imagine at some time it would be nice if they could borrow bikes and get some nice fresh air. Problem is, “How do you transport bikes for a large family?”
Well, it depends on your definition of large. There are many bike carriers that are capable of carrying four to five bikes, add a roof rack and you’ve got spots for another three to four bikes. With the smallest of the two you have room for seven bikes which is the same number of passengers that your average dodge mini van can carry. If the family has a mini bus sized family or a camper full of kids a trailer might be best. It would be easy to make a carrier to haul 16 bikes from bike rack plans.
If you make such a system, please let me know, I’d love to see your pictures.
Bike Rack Instructions
I get these fortunes every time I log in, I thought this one was funny:
“First Law of Bicycling:
No matter which way you ride, it’s uphill and against the wind.”
Which reminds me of the other day. It was so windy, I was barely moving forward and stuff was flying at me. It didn’t last for long but long enough to slow me down to miss the traffic light. Crazy!
Well, its the day after Christmas which means people are probably looking for instructions to their new bikes and bike racks they got. Well, I guess I’ll let a little secret out:
Thule bike rack instructions
Yakima bike rack instructions
Saris bike rack instructions
All of the above can be found:
http://www.thuleracks.com/tech_manual.asp
First select bike carriers. Thule then lists each of their bike racks in this list! Choose the one you purchased and then the manual will come up in pdf.
For Yakima bike rack instructions you’ll have to search a little harder. First go to http://www.yakima.com/Search.aspx
This is where you put in a search for the product you got. For example if you you the KingJoe bike rack, you’d do a search for “KingJoe instructions” Its pretty simple, but it may take a while for you to get to the right page.
Now Saris bike rack instructions thats a different story. You get no manual. You get a complete video telling you how to use your bones system. The video can be found at: http://www.saris.com/p-299-bones-3-bike.aspx What a great company, to use the internet to its fullest. Who wants to read boring instructions? Nobody. just show me how to get my bike rack on my automobile! If you have another type of Saris Bike Rack just go here: http://www.saris.com/t-SarisRacks.aspx?skinid=1 find your bike rack. Saris then makes it easy to view information about it. Just happens that Saris also provides instruction manuals on this page, go figure!
There you have it, this is the page I made after Christmas to help people find instruction manuals for bike racks. I hope it helps some one!
Bike Rack Maintenance
Whenever you attach your bike to your car rack if you ride in the snow or drive in the the snow or in extreme cold weather make sure that you wipe your rack down. Especially if slag has been on the road. This is basically salt which will rust your bike and bike rack.
When I was riding yesterday I saw a lot on the ground and ice on the bridges so I figured this was worth a mention.
Caring for your bike rack
Winter bike riding can be very fun. Mountain or road. The thing that people forget to do is take care of their bike racks. Along with proper bike maintenance bike racks also need to be taken care of. A good cleaning to get the mud off of them never did any harm. Inspections of any of the pads that connect to the metal of your car is also a good idea. While we are on the line of inspecting if its a hitch or roof mount inspect the lock barrels and also make sure that you check for rust. Paint any places where paint may be falling off.
Be sure to inspect your bike rack before you put your bike on it. Normally a good tug on the arms will be sufficient. Make sure some one didn’t come along and loosen your rack so they could watch your bike fall off.
If you have a bike rack mount make sure that its mounted really tight. If its not your bike could come loose when you turn around a corner. That could be tragic if you have a pick up truck because your bike might get damaged or fly into the road causing injury / damage to others, so check that and tighten it often.
If you own a home made bike rack it will probably hold up longer than any that you buy in the store, and you will know everything about it so it will last a life time. But even if you did make it you should still take care of it. Saris bones bike racks need the least maintenance of all of the bike racks out there. All you really need to do is clean them. I would like to see a composite material hitch bike rack. That would be awesome. Thats just given me an idea for the ultimate hitch mount bike rack. Take a hitch mount and rhino line it. This would make a great non metal hitch rack. The only metal part would be the part where it mounts to the hitch. If this was greased regularly I don’t think it would be a problem.
Bike Rack Safety
According to http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/2008/01/triple-bike-racks-being-temporarily.html
There have been problems with some bikes falling off the triple bike racks on the bus fleet and Metro is taking this very seriously. Here’s the text of the notice:
Starting Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, bike racks will not be available on some Metro Transit routes and trips.
Some bike racks are being removed due to rack-operating concerns, and will be replaced in the coming weeks as they become available.
This change affects all bus trips on routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 12, 13, 14, 36, 49 and 70, and some trips on routes 7, 43 and 44.
The concerns regard bikes remaining tightly secured to the 3-position bike racks. Metro is working with the manufacturer to resolve the issues. In the meantime, all 3-bike racks are being removed. The goal is to temporarily replace them with 2-bike racks, but there are currently not enough of the 2-bike racks to equip every vehicle in Metro’s fleet.
During the transition, it is possible that some buses may or may not have racks when or where cyclists expect them. It is not possible for Metro staff to know ahead of time if a bus has a rack. Cyclists are reminded that rack use is first come, first served, and, with the exception of bikes that fold safely, bicycles may not be carried inside buses.
Metro appreciates your patience while this issue is being resolved. Please check this site for updates.
I believe this is in Seattle but this makes me wonder about the safety of the bike racks on the front of our buses in Charlotte. Some peoples bikes are worth alot of money. Would you risk putting your bike on the front of a bus and risk it getting crushed? I don’t think that I’d mount mine now especially after this! If I need to use the bus, now I’d check to make sure that the bikes in the rack securely before going. What do you do about damaged bikes from the use of these racks? Well, it depends, if your city contracts out the transportation service. Go after them. Make sure that they get whats coming to them for taking your tax dollars and buying cheap bus bike racks.
Well, charmeck.org has some interesting information on the Charlotte Area Transit System. Basically, you are responsible for loading and unloading your bike which is understandable. If your bike gets damaged while loading, its basically your fault. Now, they are not responsible for theft, or damage that gets done to your bike when its on their. That makes me want to use it even less. I’ve seen the way the buses drive in Charlotte and some times the rack bounces violently. I could see this causing a bike to fall off the rack. What happens if you load your nice bike on one, and then the bus driver crashes? Who’s fault is that? Not yours, why should you be responsible for damages? What if your bike gets stolen from a bus? You’re not really suppose to lock your bike to the rack (unless its on the inside and your quick about it) but even still. The instructions they have on the website are great. I don’t see how any one could mess up putting a bike on the rack. But I do see how these racks could break over time causing damage do your bike. They have a cool video on the website, check out the links from this site to theirs if your interested.
Read: Stylish Backpacks Review for Teenage High School and College Girl
Here are the rules for using their bike racks (Nothing about locking)
Be prepared before the bus arrives.
You are responsible for the loading and unloading of your bicycle. For safety reasons, the driver cannot leave the bus to assist you.
Racks are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If the rack is full, you will need to wait for the next bus. Bikes are not allowed on the inside of CATS buses.
If you are unable to secure your bike, please do not delay the bus.
All bikes 16” or larger fit easily and securely on the rack, even children’s bikes. All bikes load in exactly the same way, quickly and easily. No motorized bikes are allowed on the racks.
Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
CATS is not responsible for bicycles or personal items lost or damaged while in transit.
I wouldn’t worry about the first one, they are always late in Charlotte anyway whats another couple of minutes? If the rack is full, I suggest getting on your bike and riding. If you know your stops, you might as well ride past each of them. Another bus won’t be there on time, so you’ll be able to make it. If you know shortcuts you’ll probably be able to make it the whole way home.
If you use one of these bikes, make sure its in securley and you sit at the front of the bus so that you can defend your bike if some one attempts to steal it. At best you’ll be able to stop your bike from getting stolen. You can bet the bus driver isn’t paying attention so, you better!
How to build a bike rack
Firstly you have to decide what type of bike rack it is you want to build. Once you’ve decided on that browse for bike rack plans for the type you want to build.
The next step is to get the tools and materials needed. When buying material always buy more than you need the first time around. There is nothing like starting a project and realizing that you need to go back to the store or order more parts because you forgot something or didn’t have enough of another part.
Plan to set aside a couple of hours for your project and make sure that you get some help if you need it.
Be careful when drilling & cutting wood, PVC or welding metals. Make sure that some one is around to check on you in case the worst happens.
Once you’ve finished your project test it out. Make sure its not too woobly because you don’t want your bike to fall off.
Now take pictures of it and send them to me so that I can post them here!
Bike Storage for Apartments
Storing your bikes in an apartment can be a tricky task. The first thing to do is figure out where you want to store your bikes. If you have a balcony or storage closet then these can be good choices. If not perhaps a laundry room. Where ever you choose to store your bikes the next thing to do is figure out how you want to store them. I have a small closet that can comfortably fit three bikes and at most four. I am trying to figure out the best way to store these bikes while leaving room to store other things I own. Gear, tools, camping equipment and miscellaneous boxes are also on the list. I think I have figured out a good way to store them by using boxes and a home made bike rack. I will probably end up putting the front or back wheels on a rack which will be slightly elevated to allow to store equipment. I have thought about using a bike hoist to hoist my unused bikes up but do not yet know if the ceiling is high enough to do this. One thing that is not good to do is store your bikes vertically. As mentioned in other articles on this site using bike hooks to hang bikes by one wheel is not the best idea. It does get the bikes out of the way but if you made an investment into your bike it would probably be better to invest some money in storage for them. There are many products that can be purchased to help organize apartments for bike storage but you can save some hard earned cash by using 2×4’s and screws to construct your own. A combination of the two could be used. Once I get back from my vacation one of my first projects is to build some good storage for my closet that will allow me to store my bikes and all of my gear. I will be posting pictures along the way with a how-to for any one that is interested. Once it is complete I hope to see other people using the techniques I use to maximize their storage space. I’m always interested in seeing how people store their bikes so if any one uses tips from this website I would love to see pictures. Any one who sends me pictures will get an article written about them with a link back to their home page or blog. So what are you waiting for? Show me some commend love and send me some pictures!
Read: Best Child Carrier Backpack of 2019 for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Year Old Babies
Bike Hooks – The Correct Way
I’ve seen a lot of pictures on the internet of ways people are hanging their bikes. Great idea! I mean what better way to get your bike off the ground and save your bike then by buying a cheap bike hook from a department store. Then you can hang your bike right from the wheel right? WRONG!
If you have good bikes, (anything over $100) that you really would like to last a while then do not hang your bikes with bike hooks by the wheels. It will eventually bend your wheels. Grease will move out of your head stem and bottom bracket meaning that you will need to perform maintenance on your bike more often. If you are going to hang your bikes with bike hooks I suggest just spending a little extra money and buy two bike hooks instead of one. This way you can hang your bike horizontally by the cross bar. This is also a quick way to get your bikes down since all you have to do is lift up two inches and pull towards you.
I’d like to hear horror stories of peoples wheels getting bent, but I’ll probably just have to search for them and post them. Bike hoists are also great ways to store bikes and can be great alternatives to home made bike racks. Check the section out over to the right.
Cross Bar Adapters
What are cross bar adapters? Cross bar adapters are also known as crossbar adapters, frame adapters, suspension adapters and womens bike adapters. Often adapter is misspelled for the word “adaptor” making one believe that there are not very many “frame adaptors” on the market, when in fact there are a lot, they are just looking in the wrong place. Thankfully for you guys that have found this, you’ve got me, I’ve done all the work and put together this site, a place where you can find all the information you need for the perfect bike rack setup.
In this post I list all of the cross bar adapters that I have information on. Click on each link to view a product image or visit the cross bar adapter store to shop for them all on one page.
The following are listed in order of price, but thats the retail price. Some times you can buy them from Amazon from a seller that is selling has a stock pile of them or slightly used demo’s for a lower price!
Cold Weather Bike Clothing
So, if anyone has actually been keeping up with this blog they will know that I am trying to at least double the amount of miles I rode last year. This means that I’m going to have to ride in more extreme temperatures. Hot or freezing I have to ride. So, I’ve made a list of what I’ve found to be good biking clothes for cold weather so that others can get out on their bikes in the winter and not freeze.
- Under layer get something as a base layer between you and your other clothing. Something comfortable like a long sleeve t-shirt will do but the type I like best is under armor type material.
- Put another layer between your base layer, a t shirt is fine.
- Put your regular cycling gear on over this.
- A Fleece jacket next
- Depending on how fast you want to ride and how cold it is, you may want a wind breaker over top.
- As for your legs wear a tight pair of trousers. Like the ones football players wear.
- Put a pair of wind proofs over those. Make sure they fit tight on the right leg you you will get caught in your crank. If they don’t tuck your trousers into your sock.
- Socks, wear a thin pair, then another pair over them.
- Shoes, put booties over them if you have them or modify a pair of socks to make a pair of booties.
- Bandanna for your ears and a neck warmer work great for really cold weather.
Thats about all I do to keep warm on the cheap in the cold. Hope this helps some one.
Bike Rack for Christmas
Now is a good time to think about buying a bike rack for a Christmas present for your beloved biker. This post will guide you in buying one that your biker will enjoy.
When looking at bike racks, it is important not to buy the cheapest one. The last thing you want is bikes falling off, or one that is hard to mount. You have to take into consideration a few things.
The Type of Bikes
If you plan on carrying full suspension bikes, a ride on type also known as a platform is a good choice. Roof racks are also good if you don’t mind lifting them on top of the vehicle. Some Women’s bikes are also hard to mount on racks with large supports, so take that into consideration too. For normal mountain, road or comfort bikes a normal “prong” type bike rack will work just fine.
The Number of Bikes
Just because you only have one or two bikes it doesn’t mean you’ll only want a two bike rack. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to transport more bikes for other riders that may tag along. I’d recommend at least a four bike rack. If however you have a convertable with two seats and that is the only car that would be carrying bikes, a two bike rack will be fine.
Type of Mount
Perhaps the most important part of buying a rack is the way it attaches to the vehicle. There are a few options.
First is trunk mount, these mount to the trunk by straps and pads. They are a good choice if you want to move between cars (the Saris Bones is good at this) but can be hard to put on and take off.
Hitch mount bike racks are great if you have a hitch on a vehicle. Good brands for hitch mount are Thule and Yakima although a little more expensive they’re guaranteed to last and both manufacturers stand by their products. They are the tried and true bike racks. There are two sizes for hitches, the 2″ is better than a 1-1/4″ as they give more support to the frame.
Roof Rack bike racks are possibly the most expensive unless you have a roof rack already. You can buy the trays for about $100-$150 each and they fit directly to the crossbars. I personally would only go with a roof rack system if that was my only choice.
Truck bed racks can be purchased if you own a truck, they come either as a bar that fits in the bed or as little mounts that can be bolted to the floor. Both are great choices for trucks, depending on how you want to mount them.
Automobile bike racks are defined as any rack that mounts on an automobile. An automobile being a vehicle as in car, sedan, hatchback, coupe, wagon, crossover, SUV or truck. In this article, you will find a discussion on Best Inexpensive Bike Rack for a Car, SUV, Trunk, Truck and Truck Hitch, Trailer Hitch, Jeep Wrangler, Bike Rack Bed of Truck with Many Info and Tips.
The most popular types of automobile bike racks are trunk mount, roof mount, hitch mount, spare tire mount, and an internal mount. Internal mounts are also truck bed mounts. They are all priced differently for various reasons. The best automobile bike racks are not always the most expensive. Sometimes you are paying for brand name bike gear. You know the story, why buy an Cadillac when you can buy another cheaper vehicle that performs just as well or sometimes even better for a cheaper price?
The first thing to do when looking for an automobile bike rack is to decide what type you want. Check out my related posts. If your thinking about a trunk mount bike rack for your automobile read this full post and then look into the different types of bike racks that are available. For the best information on bike racks for your automobile book mark this page. I’m going to be updating it with even more reviews and articles about bike racks. I’ve got a lot of opinions from different people on the racks that they own. I’ve also got some stories to tell about predicaments that people have got them selfs into with their bike racks.
After reading you should be well educated as to what type of bike rack you want, need. You can search for deals on this site and find the best deal on the automobile bike rack thats right for you and your beloved car. Once you get your new setup you can go out and enjoy biking with the rest of us.
How to choose a bike rack
Choosing an adequate bike rack to store or transport your bike is not always an easy task. A good balance between ease of use, security and cost should be considered.
The first thing to decide is what type of bike rack you want for your automobile. For an automobile besides the specialty racks there are three basic choices: Roof Rack, Trunk Mount Rack and Hitch Mount Bike Rack. Each have their own cost, ease of use and security features.
If you are wanting a hitch mount bicycle rack a Yakima or Thule bike rack is the way to go. Cheap ones will work but will not last as long and may get your bike stolen.
As far as roof bike racks Yakima is the way to go. Although Thule recently has some great products that compete with them.
For a trunk mount bike rack I would highly recommend the Saris bones bike rack. It is an amazing piece of work that fits practically any automobile. They are relatively inexpensive also.
All of the above pieces can be purchased from links on this site. The amazon Auctions are the best place to find the lowest prices.
Make sure once you have purchased a bike rack that you purchase a good lock to go with it or you will come back to an empty bike rack which is not normal unless you are returning to your bike rack!
Platform Bike Racks
Ride on bike racks, also known as platform bike racks are the type of bike racks that are generally seen on the back of vehicles and front of public transport. The design is generally similar to roof mount bike racks where the bike is “ridden” or placed on the platform and an arm or other device fastens the bike to the rack.
The major brands such as Thule and Yakima and many others all have offerings in this category. They can be mounted by hitch and even trunk mount and offer the advantage of being able to carry full suspension mountain bikes easier than traditional racks. Stay tuned for more information and pictures of this type of bike rack!
Campus Police Car Bike Rack
I thought that this was funny when I first saw it. It happens to be a campus police car with a hitch mounted bike rack. I don’t know what year it is, but I know that it is a Chevrolet Malibu. So, you ask what kind of bike rack is it? Well, its a two bike Thule. Some people may buy Crown Vic’s or Malibu’s under the reasoning that “The police drive them, they must be good cars!”
Well, that may or may not be true, but what I can tell you is that the Thule hitch mount racks are some of the best out there. I wasn’t exactly sure of the legalities of taking pictures of police cars, so I kept this one low res and took it from a distance. I’ve seen a police car with a bike loaded on it before and do you know what type of bikes they ride? Cannondale. Another quality product, so if you’re going to buy a trunk mount bike rack for a Malibu get a quality Thule one.
Jeep Wrangler Spare Tire Rack
Jeeps are known to be rugged vehicles, worthy of off road conditions and not scared of a mud. If you ask me they go hand in hand with mountain bikers that like to ride some of the more remote trails
Jeep Patriot Roof Rack for Bikes
Complete with Stickers this Jeep Patriot has a roof rack for bikes. The Jeep Patriot Factory Roof Rack comes with side rails. The cross bars are round that will fit accessories from many manufacturers. The Crossroads Railing Rack from Thule or the “RailGrab” system from Yakima will increase the load capacity of the standard bars, however they are rather pricey. If you didn’t purchase crossbars when you got your Patriot you can save some money by finding them online or going to the dealer rather than buying an after market system. Just don’t let the dealer install them as they are not difficult, and will charge an arm and a leg to open a box and tighten 8 bolts.
Jeep Cheroke Hitch Mount Bike Rack
This picture was taken in the dark. I believe I was parked at the time because of the angle it was taken at. It demonstrates what a hitch mount bike rack looks like on the Jeep Cheroke. It is possible that I am mis-spelling the word since the spell check tells me that it is in fact Cherokee. Never the less. The rack is actually a Yakima and is in the folded down position. The Yakima rack shown is quite in-expensive and since the Jeep comes with a hitch is probably a better idea than getting a trunk of roof mount rack for this vehicle. The height of this vehicle could be a problem if you were to install cross bars for a roof mount. Its hard to get pictures of Jeep Cheroke’s with loaded bike racks, but this shows what it would look like. There is room inside the Cheroke for a bike with the seats folded down but if you have kids or other bike riders then this is the way to go! Check out the products on the ebay auctions page for the best deals.
Trunk Mount Bike Racks – Bike Racks For Cars
Trunk mount for European counterparts are a great way to add a bike carrier to your car. They come in different shapes and sizes for different types of cars. Some are better than others. They are really good ways to transport your bike. They can detach, fold up easily and be mounted on different types of cars. If you have a biking partner you can attach some types to different types of cars meaning that your not always stuck driving. The cool thing about them too is that they can be removed from the car, meaning that if you don’t want it on your car because you have a special event to attend then just take it off.
If considering buying a trunk mount bike rack consider these points:
How many bikes the rack carries is an important factor. You do not want to have too much of a load on your trunk. Depending on your trunk, I would recommend a two bike carrier. If you need to carry more bikes, look for a roof mount or hitch mount rack from the different types of bike rack page.
How much does your paint job matter to you? Some bike racks mount on the trunk with clips and pads. These types can cause abrasion on your paint job making unsightly blemishes. If you have an older car, or a hatchback style car this won’t be a problem as you’ll probably be mounting your bike rack on the glass window. If your paint is important to you, look for a types of bike rack that mounts in a different location.
Sway. Anti sway is a nice feature to have in your bike rack. If the bikes sway while cornering you won’t be able to get to your location as fast which means less riding time. This can be a huge problem for mountain bikes as mountain roads tend to never be in a straight line. Look for a type of bike rack that reduces sway.
Ease of mounting. Mounting your bikes has to be easy. There is nothing worse than a great ride and not being able to easily lift your bikes onto the bike carrier. If you need one that is easier to mount.
Locking. Can you lock your bikes to your rack? On a road trip while transporting your bike this is especially important. As ease of mounting the rack is great, its also a great way for thieves to steal your precious hard earned bikes. They can be locked up with a chain, or wire but if the rack can be detached by cutting the mount in a few places I would suggest buying a different type of bike rack.
Storage. How easy is the bike rack to transport while not transporting bikes? This is very important. If it doesn’t fold up or easily come off your car then you may want to look at another rack. If you don’t mind it being attached to your car all the time then the more affordable types of bike rack may work.
Can you open your car while the rack is mounted? This isn’t so important for certain types of cars, but for sedans that the only way to get into the trunk is by the trunk lid then the bike rack may block this. If trunk access is important to you, consider the different types of bike rack.
Check out these great deals on bike racks:
I’ve noticed that some of the best deals on bike racks are actually from amazon. This isn’t surprising since amazon is the best place to find deals. Some of the deals are outstanding. Why buy a new rack when you can buy the same thing used for a fraction of the price? Face it, it doesn’t matter if its slightly used, has scratches or anything. Think what happens when you actually mount your first bike on it anyway!
Trunk Mount Bike Racks are everywhere. Some better quality than others. Some made out of wacky materials, like plastic or composites like some peoples decks are made out of. Some trunk mount bike racks are home made, some cost $500, but what is the best trunk mount bike rack?
People ask what the best type of bike rack is all the time and there is not one solid answer. My answer is, it usually depends on your needs. Trunk mount bike racks are great don’t get me wrong, but they are not suppose to be permanently attached to the car. Sure, its fine to do it if you want to, its not against the law (in all states) but seriously, they don’t look the best they scratch your paint and some models can be easily stolen, I won’t point fingers here Saris.
The picture here was of some trunk mount bike racks that a friend of mine took while shopping. You will notice the saris bones racks on the side. He was wondering how much these should cost, and which one to buy. I told him that he’d be better off finding the model he wanted, by reading about the different types and then buying it online. I even asked him to by it from this site and he agreed. So, if your thinking about buying a trunk mount bike rack, look no further than this blog. After all its pretty much a blog just about bike racks since I’m unfortunately not riding my bike as much these days.
VW Golf Trunk Mount Bike Rack
I spotted this trunk mount bike rack on a VW Golf while leaving work. You can barely see it in the picture, although if you enlarge it you might be able to. Anyway, in busy traffic it was easy to catch up to it and snap a good picture. There are lots of straps that you can see on this trunk mount, which can be a bit of a pain to set up, but if you only do minimal bike transporting a trunk mount for your VW Golf should do the trick. Golfs sit low so you can get a good roof rack system setup on them, or if you think you could use a hitch for something else, a hitch mount would work too. I’m still looking for pictures of the black GTI or R32 with a roof rack system loaded with high end bikes. Anyone?
VW Beetle Trunk Mount Bike Rack
Today we have a VW Beetle Trunk Mount Bike Rack picture, the first VW Beetle I’ve featured on this site. While a Saris Bones bike rack does fit on the beetle there are other options available like this owner chose. The unusual shape of the trunk can make mounting a bike rack difficult on the Beetle, however this one seems to fit. I’m not sure how the trunk release works on this one since the bottom support covers the hidden trunk handle. If you own a Beetle and are in the market for a bike rack, check the manufacturer fit guides if they’re available, if not choose a retailer who’s policy is to accept returns. Other options for the Beetle are the roof rack systems and hitch mount if you decide to take another route.
Today we have a VW Beetle Trunk Mount Bike Rack picture, the first VW Beetle I’ve featured on this site. While a Saris Bones bike rack does fit on the beetle there are other options available like this owner chose. The unusual shape of the trunk can make mounting a bike rack difficult on the Beetle, however this one seems to fit. I’m not sure how the trunk release works on this one since the bottom support covers the hidden trunk handle. If you own a Beetle and are in the market for a bike rack, check the manufacturer fit guides if they’re available, if not choose a retailer who’s policy is to accept returns. Other options for the Beetle are the roof rack systems and hitch mount if you decide to take another route.
saris bones 2 bike trunk mount bike rack fit guide
The Saris bones bike trunk mount bike rack is probably one of the most versatile bike racks out there. It fits most cars and the instruction booklet will guide you through the fitting easily. Check out Saris website to get the manual. Anyone who sells this rack should have the instructions on their site and you can find the fit guides on Saris’s site. I’m working on getting a list of the cars that both the Saris bones 2 bike and 3 bike model fit. So check back and see which of your friends is driving on your next ride.
Dodge Intrepid Trunk Mount Bike Rack
Took this picture while riding my bike down my local greenway. I managed to snap this while riding around the parking lot on my way home. It was quite difficult to get a good shot since I was moving about 15mph. As you can see the Dodge Intrepid is capable of having a trunk mount bike rack. I’m not sure if this would have been my choice of bike rack for the Dodge Intrepid since it looks like its not mounted correctly. Had I purchased one of these bike racks I probably would have taken it back. The Saris bones bike rack would fit better and even folds up so that you can put it in your trunk when your not using it. The Dodge Intrepid is a low car, so a roof rack would fit on it perfectly but if you don’t want to go with a roof rack because of cost or bike weight I would look for a Saris Bones 2 or 3 bike rack for this car. If you happen to have a Saris bike rack for your Dodge Intrepid please take a picture and send it over my way so that we can show every body else how good these bike racks are!
If you don’t have a bike rack for the Dodge Intrepid yet you are in the market for one browse these pages and see if you find any products on the bike rack eBay auctions that I have listed here. Some times you can find Yakima, Thule or Saris bike racks really cheap. Also I have some pages which have the best places to buy bike racks from so check them out!
Dirt Bike Truck Bed Mount
This rack is a picture I took of a dirt bike in a truck bed. You can’t tell by the picture but this truck has a mount in the back for the dirt bike. If you want you can click on the picture to get a better view but since this was taken at night on a bad camera it doesn’t really help a whole lot. The dirt bike mount just sits in the truck bed and the bike was tied down by standard ties that you can find at Walmart. Check out the auctions on this page to find a similar mount so that you can start transporting your dirt bike with ease, just like these people are.
If you consider your self handy, you can actually make one of these for your truck bed out of 2×4’s. I’ll post my dirt bike truck bed mount plans some time soon so book mark this site and come back to check the plans out.
Ford F150 Truck Bike Rack
The 150 by Ford is a nice truck. Many people who have the F150 put their bikes in the bed however if you wish to buy a bike rack for an F150 my suggestion would be a hitch mount. The bike rack on the Ford F150 pictured is the “ride on” variety and holds two bikes. Many of these bike racks allow an extension which would allow this F150’s bike rack to carry four bikes with ease. Other options for the F150 are bed mount bike racks and roof rack a factory or after marked one is installed.
Check out these great products:
How to hang your bicycle with bike hooks
Bike hooks are a great way to hang your bikes inexpensively and quickly. You can buy the hooks known as bicycle, bike or ladder hooks from many hardware stores or even Walmart. The best place to get a deal on bike hooks is from e-Bay. If you don’t have an account I suggest signing up for one. Along with bicycle mounts and storage there are many other great biking steals on eBay. Anyhow, to the point of the article.
Bike Hooks
The mistake people make with hooks is that they think that just because it takes one hook to hang a bike thats all that is needed. This is a big mistake. NEVER use bike hooks to hang your bike by the wheels. Either by one wheel or by both upside down. Your bike has grease in casings that when you hang it up side down on bike hooks may drip out and cause your bike to cease up. Bike hooks with the stationary types of bike rack hooks are some times referred to as wheel benders.
The best way
The best way to hang your bike up is by using two bike hooks and resting the crossbar on the hooks. If you have a womans bicycle, or mountain bike there are cross bars that lock between the seat post and head stem. Look into these, or look at the other different types of bike racks. There are other types of hoists that are probably better suited for hanging your bike.
Large Family Bike Transportation
Bike transportation for one or two people can be a pain. Now imaging trying to transport bikes around for a large family. I was watching a TV show where a family had a lot of kids. Now I imagine at some time it would be nice if they could borrow bikes and get some nice fresh air. Problem is, “How do you transport bikes for a large family?”
Well, it depends on your definition of large. There are many bike carriers that are capable of carrying four to five bikes, add a roof rack and you’ve got spots for another three to four bikes. With the smallest of the two you have room for seven bikes which is the same number of passengers that your average dodge mini van can carry. If the family has a mini bus sized family or a camper full of kids a trailer might be best. It would be easy to make a carrier to haul 16 bikes from bike rack plans.
If you make such a system, please let me know, I’d love to see your pictures.
Bike Rack Instructions
I get these fortunes every time I log in, I thought this one was funny:
“First Law of Bicycling:
No matter which way you ride, it’s uphill and against the wind.”
Which reminds me of the other day. It was so windy, I was barely moving forward and stuff was flying at me. It didn’t last for long but long enough to slow me down to miss the traffic light. Crazy!
Well, its the day after Christmas which means people are probably looking for instructions to their new bikes and bike racks they got. Well, I guess I’ll let a little secret out:
Thule bike rack instructions
Yakima bike rack instructions
Saris bike rack instructions
All of the above can be found:
http://www.thuleracks.com/tech_manual.asp
First select bike carriers. Thule then lists each of their bike racks in this list! Choose the one you purchased and then the manual will come up in pdf.
For Yakima bike rack instructions you’ll have to search a little harder. First go to http://www.yakima.com/Search.aspx
This is where you put in a search for the product you got. For example if you you the KingJoe bike rack, you’d do a search for “KingJoe instructions” Its pretty simple, but it may take a while for you to get to the right page.
Now Saris bike rack instructions thats a different story. You get no manual. You get a complete video telling you how to use your bones system. The video can be found at: http://www.saris.com/p-299-bones-3-bike.aspx What a great company, to use the internet to its fullest. Who wants to read boring instructions? Nobody. just show me how to get my bike rack on my automobile! If you have another type of Saris Bike Rack just go here: http://www.saris.com/t-SarisRacks.aspx?skinid=1 find your bike rack. Saris then makes it easy to view information about it. Just happens that Saris also provides instruction manuals on this page, go figure!
There you have it, this is the page I made after Christmas to help people find instruction manuals for bike racks. I hope it helps some one!
Bike Rack Maintenance
Whenever you attach your bike to your car rack if you ride in the snow or drive in the the snow or in extreme cold weather make sure that you wipe your rack down. Especially if slag has been on the road. This is basically salt which will rust your bike and bike rack.
When I was riding yesterday I saw a lot on the ground and ice on the bridges so I figured this was worth a mention.
Caring for your bike rack
Winter bike riding can be very fun. Mountain or road. The thing that people forget to do is take care of their bike racks. Along with proper bike maintenance bike racks also need to be taken care of. A good cleaning to get the mud off of them never did any harm. Inspections of any of the pads that connect to the metal of your car is also a good idea. While we are on the line of inspecting if its a hitch or roof mount inspect the lock barrels and also make sure that you check for rust. Paint any places where paint may be falling off.
Be sure to inspect your bike rack before you put your bike on it. Normally a good tug on the arms will be sufficient. Make sure some one didn’t come along and loosen your rack so they could watch your bike fall off.
If you have a bike rack mount make sure that its mounted really tight. If its not your bike could come loose when you turn around a corner. That could be tragic if you have a pick up truck because your bike might get damaged or fly into the road causing injury / damage to others, so check that and tighten it often.
If you own a home made bike rack it will probably hold up longer than any that you buy in the store, and you will know everything about it so it will last a life time. But even if you did make it you should still take care of it. Saris bones bike racks need the least maintenance of all of the bike racks out there. All you really need to do is clean them. I would like to see a composite material hitch bike rack. That would be awesome. Thats just given me an idea for the ultimate hitch mount bike rack. Take a hitch mount and rhino line it. This would make a great non metal hitch rack. The only metal part would be the part where it mounts to the hitch. If this was greased regularly I don’t think it would be a problem.
Bike Rack Safety
According to http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/2008/01/triple-bike-racks-being-temporarily.html
There have been problems with some bikes falling off the triple bike racks on the bus fleet and Metro is taking this very seriously. Here’s the text of the notice:
Starting Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, bike racks will not be available on some Metro Transit routes and trips.
Some bike racks are being removed due to rack-operating concerns, and will be replaced in the coming weeks as they become available.
This change affects all bus trips on routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 12, 13, 14, 36, 49 and 70, and some trips on routes 7, 43 and 44.
The concerns regard bikes remaining tightly secured to the 3-position bike racks. Metro is working with the manufacturer to resolve the issues. In the meantime, all 3-bike racks are being removed. The goal is to temporarily replace them with 2-bike racks, but there are currently not enough of the 2-bike racks to equip every vehicle in Metro’s fleet.
During the transition, it is possible that some buses may or may not have racks when or where cyclists expect them. It is not possible for Metro staff to know ahead of time if a bus has a rack. Cyclists are reminded that rack use is first come, first served, and, with the exception of bikes that fold safely, bicycles may not be carried inside buses.
Metro appreciates your patience while this issue is being resolved. Please check this site for updates.
I believe this is in Seattle but this makes me wonder about the safety of the bike racks on the front of our buses in Charlotte. Some peoples bikes are worth alot of money. Would you risk putting your bike on the front of a bus and risk it getting crushed? I don’t think that I’d mount mine now especially after this! If I need to use the bus, now I’d check to make sure that the bikes in the rack securely before going. What do you do about damaged bikes from the use of these racks? Well, it depends, if your city contracts out the transportation service. Go after them. Make sure that they get whats coming to them for taking your tax dollars and buying cheap bus bike racks.
Well, charmeck.org has some interesting information on the Charlotte Area Transit System. Basically, you are responsible for loading and unloading your bike which is understandable. If your bike gets damaged while loading, its basically your fault. Now, they are not responsible for theft, or damage that gets done to your bike when its on their. That makes me want to use it even less. I’ve seen the way the buses drive in Charlotte and some times the rack bounces violently. I could see this causing a bike to fall off the rack. What happens if you load your nice bike on one, and then the bus driver crashes? Who’s fault is that? Not yours, why should you be responsible for damages? What if your bike gets stolen from a bus? You’re not really suppose to lock your bike to the rack (unless its on the inside and your quick about it) but even still. The instructions they have on the website are great. I don’t see how any one could mess up putting a bike on the rack. But I do see how these racks could break over time causing damage do your bike. They have a cool video on the website, check out the links from this site to theirs if your interested.
Here are the rules for using their bike racks (Nothing about locking)
Be prepared before the bus arrives.
You are responsible for the loading and unloading of your bicycle. For safety reasons, the driver cannot leave the bus to assist you.
Racks are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If the rack is full, you will need to wait for the next bus. Bikes are not allowed on the inside of CATS buses.
If you are unable to secure your bike, please do not delay the bus.
All bikes 16” or larger fit easily and securely on the rack, even children’s bikes. All bikes load in exactly the same way, quickly and easily. No motorized bikes are allowed on the racks.
Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
CATS is not responsible for bicycles or personal items lost or damaged while in transit.
I wouldn’t worry about the first one, they are always late in Charlotte anyway whats another couple of minutes? If the rack is full, I suggest getting on your bike and riding. If you know your stops, you might as well ride past each of them. Another bus won’t be there on time, so you’ll be able to make it. If you know shortcuts you’ll probably be able to make it the whole way home.
If you use one of these bikes, make sure its in securley and you sit at the front of the bus so that you can defend your bike if some one attempts to steal it. At best you’ll be able to stop your bike from getting stolen. You can bet the bus driver isn’t paying attention so, you better!
How to build a bike rack
Firstly you have to decide what type of bike rack it is you want to build. Once you’ve decided on that browse for bike rack plans for the type you want to build.
The next step is to get the tools and materials needed. When buying material always buy more than you need the first time around. There is nothing like starting a project and realizing that you need to go back to the store or order more parts because you forgot something or didn’t have enough of another part.
Plan to set aside a couple of hours for your project and make sure that you get some help if you need it.
Be careful when drilling & cutting wood, PVC or welding metals. Make sure that some one is around to check on you in case the worst happens.
Once you’ve finished your project test it out. Make sure its not too woobly because you don’t want your bike to fall off.
Now take pictures of it and send them to me so that I can post them here!
Bike Storage for Apartments
Storing your bikes in an apartment can be a tricky task. The first thing to do is figure out where you want to store your bikes. If you have a balcony or storage closet then these can be good choices. If not perhaps a laundry room. Where ever you choose to store your bikes the next thing to do is figure out how you want to store them. I have a small closet that can comfortably fit three bikes and at most four. I am trying to figure out the best way to store these bikes while leaving room to store other things I own. Gear, tools, camping equipment and miscellaneous boxes are also on the list. I think I have figured out a good way to store them by using boxes and a home made bike rack. I will probably end up putting the front or back wheels on a rack which will be slightly elevated to allow to store equipment. I have thought about using a bike hoist to hoist my unused bikes up but do not yet know if the ceiling is high enough to do this. One thing that is not good to do is store your bikes vertically. As mentioned in other articles on this site using bike hooks to hang bikes by one wheel is not the best idea. It does get the bikes out of the way but if you made an investment into your bike it would probably be better to invest some money in storage for them. There are many products that can be purchased to help organize apartments for bike storage but you can save some hard earned cash by using 2×4’s and screws to construct your own. A combination of the two could be used. Once I get back from my vacation one of my first projects is to build some good storage for my closet that will allow me to store my bikes and all of my gear. I will be posting pictures along the way with a how-to for any one that is interested. Once it is complete I hope to see other people using the techniques I use to maximize their storage space. I’m always interested in seeing how people store their bikes so if any one uses tips from this website I would love to see pictures. Any one who sends me pictures will get an article written about them with a link back to their home page or blog. So what are you waiting for? Show me some commend love and send me some pictures!
Bike Hooks – The Correct Way
I’ve seen a lot of pictures on the internet of ways people are hanging their bikes. Great idea! I mean what better way to get your bike off the ground and save your bike then by buying a cheap bike hook from a department store. Then you can hang your bike right from the wheel right? WRONG!
If you have good bikes, (anything over $100) that you really would like to last a while then do not hang your bikes with bike hooks by the wheels. It will eventually bend your wheels. Grease will move out of your head stem and bottom bracket meaning that you will need to perform maintenance on your bike more often. If you are going to hang your bikes with bike hooks I suggest just spending a little extra money and buy two bike hooks instead of one. This way you can hang your bike horizontally by the cross bar. This is also a quick way to get your bikes down since all you have to do is lift up two inches and pull towards you.
I’d like to hear horror stories of peoples wheels getting bent, but I’ll probably just have to search for them and post them. Bike hoists are also great ways to store bikes and can be great alternatives to home made bike racks. Check the section out over to the right.
Cross Bar Adapters
What are cross bar adapters? Cross bar adapters are also known as crossbar adapters, frame adapters, suspension adapters and womens bike adapters. Often adapter is misspelled for the word “adaptor” making one believe that there are not very many “frame adaptors” on the market, when in fact there are a lot, they are just looking in the wrong place. Thankfully for you guys that have found this, you’ve got me, I’ve done all the work and put together this site, a place where you can find all the information you need for the perfect bike rack setup.
In this post I list all of the cross bar adapters that I have information on. Click on each link to view a product image or visit the cross bar adapter store to shop for them all on one page.
The following are listed in order of price, but thats the retail price. Some times you can buy them from Amazon from a seller that is selling has a stock pile of them or slightly used demo’s for a lower price!
Cold Weather Bike Clothing
So, if anyone has actually been keeping up with this blog they will know that I am trying to at least double the amount of miles I rode last year. This means that I’m going to have to ride in more extreme temperatures. Hot or freezing I have to ride. So, I’ve made a list of what I’ve found to be good biking clothes for cold weather so that others can get out on their bikes in the winter and not freeze.
- Under layer get something as a base layer between you and your other clothing. Something comfortable like a long sleeve t-shirt will do but the type I like best is under armor type material.
- Put another layer between your base layer, a t shirt is fine.
- Put your regular cycling gear on over this.
- A Fleece jacket next
- Depending on how fast you want to ride and how cold it is, you may want a wind breaker over top.
- As for your legs wear a tight pair of trousers. Like the ones football players wear.
- Put a pair of wind proofs over those. Make sure they fit tight on the right leg you you will get caught in your crank. If they don’t tuck your trousers into your sock.
- Socks, wear a thin pair, then another pair over them.
- Shoes, put booties over them if you have them or modify a pair of socks to make a pair of booties.
- Bandanna for your ears and a neck warmer work great for really cold weather.
Thats about all I do to keep warm on the cheap in the cold. Hope this helps some one.
Bike Rack for Christmas
Now is a good time to think about buying a bike rack for a Christmas present for your beloved biker. This post will guide you in buying one that your biker will enjoy.
When looking at bike racks, it is important not to buy the cheapest one. The last thing you want is bikes falling off, or one that is hard to mount. You have to take into consideration a few things.
The Type of Bikes
If you plan on carrying full suspension bikes, a ride on type also known as a platform is a good choice. Roof racks are also good if you don’t mind lifting them on top of the vehicle. Some Women’s bikes are also hard to mount on racks with large supports, so take that into consideration too. For normal mountain, road or comfort bikes a normal “prong” type bike rack will work just fine.
The Number of Bikes
Just because you only have one or two bikes it doesn’t mean you’ll only want a two bike rack. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to transport more bikes for other riders that may tag along. I’d recommend at least a four bike rack. If however you have a convertable with two seats and that is the only car that would be carrying bikes, a two bike rack will be fine.
Type of Mount
Perhaps the most important part of buying a rack is the way it attaches to the vehicle. There are a few options.
First is trunk mount, these mount to the trunk by straps and pads. They are a good choice if you want to move between cars (the Saris Bones is good at this) but can be hard to put on and take off.
Hitch mount bike racks are great if you have a hitch on a vehicle. Good brands for hitch mount are Thule and Yakima although a little more expensive they’re guaranteed to last and both manufacturers stand by their products. They are the tried and true bike racks. There are two sizes for hitches, the 2″ is better than a 1-1/4″ as they give more support to the frame.
Roof Rack bike racks are possibly the most expensive unless you have a roof rack already. You can buy the trays for about $100-$150 each and they fit directly to the crossbars. I personally would only go with a roof rack system if that was my only choice.
Truck bed racks can be purchased if you own a truck, they come either as a bar that fits in the bed or as little mounts that can be bolted to the floor. Both are great choices for trucks, depending on how you want to mount them.
Check out these great deals on bike racks:
I’ve noticed that some of the best deals on bike racks are actually from amazon. This isn’t surprising since amazon is the best place to find deals. Some of the deals are outstanding. Why buy a new rack when you can buy the same thing used for a fraction of the price? Face it, it doesn’t matter if its slightly used, has scratches or anything. Think what happens when you actually mount your first bike on it anyway!
Trunk Mount Bike Racks are everywhere. Some better quality than others. Some made out of wacky materials, like plastic or composites like some peoples decks are made out of. Some trunk mount bike racks are home made, some cost $500, but what is the best trunk mount bike rack?
People ask what the best type of bike rack is all the time and there is not one solid answer. My answer is, it usually depends on your needs. Trunk mount bike racks are great don’t get me wrong, but they are not suppose to be permanently attached to the car. Sure, its fine to do it if you want to, its not against the law (in all states) but seriously, they don’t look the best they scratch your paint and some models can be easily stolen, I won’t point fingers here Saris.
The picture here was of some trunk mount bike racks that a friend of mine took while shopping. You will notice the saris bones racks on the side. He was wondering how much these should cost, and which one to buy. I told him that he’d be better off finding the model he wanted, by reading about the different types and then buying it online. I even asked him to by it from this site and he agreed. So, if your thinking about buying a trunk mount bike rack, look no further than this blog. After all its pretty much a blog just about bike racks since I’m unfortunately not riding my bike as much these days.
VW Golf Trunk Mount Bike Rack
I spotted this trunk mount bike rack on a VW Golf while leaving work. You can barely see it in the picture, although if you enlarge it you might be able to. Anyway, in busy traffic it was easy to catch up to it and snap a good picture. There are lots of straps that you can see on this trunk mount, which can be a bit of a pain to set up, but if you only do minimal bike transporting a trunk mount for your VW Golf should do the trick. Golfs sit low so you can get a good roof rack system setup on them, or if you think you could use a hitch for something else, a hitch mount would work too. I’m still looking for pictures of the black GTI or R32 with a roof rack system loaded with high end bikes. Anyone?
VW Beetle Trunk Mount Bike Rack
Today we have a VW Beetle Trunk Mount Bike Rack picture, the first VW Beetle I’ve featured on this site. While a Saris Bones bike rack does fit on the beetle there are other options available like this owner chose. The unusual shape of the trunk can make mounting a bike rack difficult on the Beetle, however this one seems to fit. I’m not sure how the trunk release works on this one since the bottom support covers the hidden trunk handle. If you own a Beetle and are in the market for a bike rack, check the manufacturer fit guides if they’re available, if not choose a retailer who’s policy is to accept returns. Other options for the Beetle are the roof rack systems and hitch mount if you decide to take another route.
Today we have a VW Beetle Trunk Mount Bike Rack picture, the first VW Beetle I’ve featured on this site. While a Saris Bones bike rack does fit on the beetle there are other options available like this owner chose. The unusual shape of the trunk can make mounting a bike rack difficult on the Beetle, however this one seems to fit. I’m not sure how the trunk release works on this one since the bottom support covers the hidden trunk handle. If you own a Beetle and are in the market for a bike rack, check the manufacturer fit guides if they’re available, if not choose a retailer who’s policy is to accept returns. Other options for the Beetle are the roof rack systems and hitch mount if you decide to take another route.
saris bones 2 bike trunk mount bike rack fit guide
The Saris bones bike trunk mount bike rack is probably one of the most versatile bike racks out there. It fits most cars and the instruction booklet will guide you through the fitting easily. Check out Saris website to get the manual. Anyone who sells this rack should have the instructions on their site and you can find the fit guides on Saris’s site. I’m working on getting a list of the cars that both the Saris bones 2 bike and 3 bike model fit. So check back and see which of your friends is driving on your next ride.
Dodge Intrepid Trunk Mount Bike Rack
Took this picture while riding my bike down my local greenway. I managed to snap this while riding around the parking lot on my way home. It was quite difficult to get a good shot since I was moving about 15mph. As you can see the Dodge Intrepid is capable of having a trunk mount bike rack. I’m not sure if this would have been my choice of bike rack for the Dodge Intrepid since it looks like its not mounted correctly. Had I purchased one of these bike racks I probably would have taken it back. The Saris bones bike rack would fit better and even folds up so that you can put it in your trunk when your not using it. The Dodge Intrepid is a low car, so a roof rack would fit on it perfectly but if you don’t want to go with a roof rack because of cost or bike weight I would look for a Saris Bones 2 or 3 bike rack for this car. If you happen to have a Saris bike rack for your Dodge Intrepid please take a picture and send it over my way so that we can show every body else how good these bike racks are!
If you don’t have a bike rack for the Dodge Intrepid yet you are in the market for one browse these pages and see if you find any products on the bike rack eBay auctions that I have listed here. Some times you can find Yakima, Thule or Saris bike racks really cheap. Also I have some pages which have the best places to buy bike racks from so check them out!
Dirt Bike Truck Bed Mount
This rack is a picture I took of a dirt bike in a truck bed. You can’t tell by the picture but this truck has a mount in the back for the dirt bike. If you want you can click on the picture to get a better view but since this was taken at night on a bad camera it doesn’t really help a whole lot. The dirt bike mount just sits in the truck bed and the bike was tied down by standard ties that you can find at Walmart. Check out the auctions on this page to find a similar mount so that you can start transporting your dirt bike with ease, just like these people are.
If you consider your self handy, you can actually make one of these for your truck bed out of 2×4’s. I’ll post my dirt bike truck bed mount plans some time soon so book mark this site and come back to check the plans out.
Ford F150 Truck Bike Rack
The 150 by Ford is a nice truck. Many people who have the F150 put their bikes in the bed however if you wish to buy a bike rack for an F150 my suggestion would be a hitch mount. The bike rack on the Ford F150 pictured is the “ride on” variety and holds two bikes. Many of these bike racks allow an extension which would allow this F150’s bike rack to carry four bikes with ease. Other options for the F150 are bed mount bike racks and roof rack a factory or after marked one is installed.
Check out these great products:
How to hang your bicycle with bike hooks
Bike hooks are a great way to hang your bikes inexpensively and quickly. You can buy the hooks known as bicycle, bike or ladder hooks from many hardware stores or even Walmart. The best place to get a deal on bike hooks is from e-Bay. If you don’t have an account I suggest signing up for one. Along with bicycle mounts and storage there are many other great biking steals on eBay. Anyhow, to the point of the article.
Bike Hooks
The mistake people make with hooks is that they think that just because it takes one hook to hang a bike thats all that is needed. This is a big mistake. NEVER use bike hooks to hang your bike by the wheels. Either by one wheel or by both upside down. Your bike has grease in casings that when you hang it up side down on bike hooks may drip out and cause your bike to cease up. Bike hooks with the stationary types of bike rack hooks are some times referred to as wheel benders.
The best way
The best way to hang your bike up is by using two bike hooks and resting the crossbar on the hooks. If you have a womans bicycle, or mountain bike there are cross bars that lock between the seat post and head stem. Look into these, or look at the other different types of bike racks. There are other types of hoists that are probably better suited for hanging your bike.
Large Family Bike Transportation
Bike transportation for one or two people can be a pain. Now imaging trying to transport bikes around for a large family. I was watching a TV show where a family had a lot of kids. Now I imagine at some time it would be nice if they could borrow bikes and get some nice fresh air. Problem is, “How do you transport bikes for a large family?”
Well, it depends on your definition of large. There are many bike carriers that are capable of carrying four to five bikes, add a roof rack and you’ve got spots for another three to four bikes. With the smallest of the two you have room for seven bikes which is the same number of passengers that your average dodge mini van can carry. If the family has a mini bus sized family or a camper full of kids a trailer might be best. It would be easy to make a carrier to haul 16 bikes from bike rack plans.
If you make such a system, please let me know, I’d love to see your pictures.
Bike Rack Instructions
I get these fortunes every time I log in, I thought this one was funny:
“First Law of Bicycling:
No matter which way you ride, it’s uphill and against the wind.”
Which reminds me of the other day. It was so windy, I was barely moving forward and stuff was flying at me. It didn’t last for long but long enough to slow me down to miss the traffic light. Crazy!
Well, its the day after Christmas which means people are probably looking for instructions to their new bikes and bike racks they got. Well, I guess I’ll let a little secret out:
Thule bike rack instructions
Yakima bike rack instructions
Saris bike rack instructions
All of the above can be found:
http://www.thuleracks.com/tech_manual.asp
First select bike carriers. Thule then lists each of their bike racks in this list! Choose the one you purchased and then the manual will come up in pdf.
For Yakima bike rack instructions you’ll have to search a little harder. First go to http://www.yakima.com/Search.aspx
This is where you put in a search for the product you got. For example if you you the KingJoe bike rack, you’d do a search for “KingJoe instructions” Its pretty simple, but it may take a while for you to get to the right page.
Now Saris bike rack instructions thats a different story. You get no manual. You get a complete video telling you how to use your bones system. The video can be found at: http://www.saris.com/p-299-bones-3-bike.aspx What a great company, to use the internet to its fullest. Who wants to read boring instructions? Nobody. just show me how to get my bike rack on my automobile! If you have another type of Saris Bike Rack just go here: http://www.saris.com/t-SarisRacks.aspx?skinid=1 find your bike rack. Saris then makes it easy to view information about it. Just happens that Saris also provides instruction manuals on this page, go figure!
There you have it, this is the page I made after Christmas to help people find instruction manuals for bike racks. I hope it helps some one!
Bike Rack Maintenance
Whenever you attach your bike to your car rack if you ride in the snow or drive in the the snow or in extreme cold weather make sure that you wipe your rack down. Especially if slag has been on the road. This is basically salt which will rust your bike and bike rack.
When I was riding yesterday I saw a lot on the ground and ice on the bridges so I figured this was worth a mention.
Caring for your bike rack
Winter bike riding can be very fun. Mountain or road. The thing that people forget to do is take care of their bike racks. Along with proper bike maintenance bike racks also need to be taken care of. A good cleaning to get the mud off of them never did any harm. Inspections of any of the pads that connect to the metal of your car is also a good idea. While we are on the line of inspecting if its a hitch or roof mount inspect the lock barrels and also make sure that you check for rust. Paint any places where paint may be falling off.
Be sure to inspect your bike rack before you put your bike on it. Normally a good tug on the arms will be sufficient. Make sure some one didn’t come along and loosen your rack so they could watch your bike fall off.
If you have a bike rack mount make sure that its mounted really tight. If its not your bike could come loose when you turn around a corner. That could be tragic if you have a pick up truck because your bike might get damaged or fly into the road causing injury / damage to others, so check that and tighten it often.
If you own a home made bike rack it will probably hold up longer than any that you buy in the store, and you will know everything about it so it will last a life time. But even if you did make it you should still take care of it. Saris bones bike racks need the least maintenance of all of the bike racks out there. All you really need to do is clean them. I would like to see a composite material hitch bike rack. That would be awesome. Thats just given me an idea for the ultimate hitch mount bike rack. Take a hitch mount and rhino line it. This would make a great non metal hitch rack. The only metal part would be the part where it mounts to the hitch. If this was greased regularly I don’t think it would be a problem.
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Bike Rack Safety
According to http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/2008/01/triple-bike-racks-being-temporarily.html
There have been problems with some bikes falling off the triple bike racks on the bus fleet and Metro is taking this very seriously. Here’s the text of the notice:
Starting Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, bike racks will not be available on some Metro Transit routes and trips.
Some bike racks are being removed due to rack-operating concerns, and will be replaced in the coming weeks as they become available.
This change affects all bus trips on routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 12, 13, 14, 36, 49 and 70, and some trips on routes 7, 43 and 44.
The concerns regard bikes remaining tightly secured to the 3-position bike racks. Metro is working with the manufacturer to resolve the issues. In the meantime, all 3-bike racks are being removed. The goal is to temporarily replace them with 2-bike racks, but there are currently not enough of the 2-bike racks to equip every vehicle in Metro’s fleet.
During the transition, it is possible that some buses may or may not have racks when or where cyclists expect them. It is not possible for Metro staff to know ahead of time if a bus has a rack. Cyclists are reminded that rack use is first come, first served, and, with the exception of bikes that fold safely, bicycles may not be carried inside buses.
Metro appreciates your patience while this issue is being resolved. Please check this site for updates.
I believe this is in Seattle but this makes me wonder about the safety of the bike racks on the front of our buses in Charlotte. Some peoples bikes are worth alot of money. Would you risk putting your bike on the front of a bus and risk it getting crushed? I don’t think that I’d mount mine now especially after this! If I need to use the bus, now I’d check to make sure that the bikes in the rack securely before going. What do you do about damaged bikes from the use of these racks? Well, it depends, if your city contracts out the transportation service. Go after them. Make sure that they get whats coming to them for taking your tax dollars and buying cheap bus bike racks.
Well, charmeck.org has some interesting information on the Charlotte Area Transit System. Basically, you are responsible for loading and unloading your bike which is understandable. If your bike gets damaged while loading, its basically your fault. Now, they are not responsible for theft, or damage that gets done to your bike when its on their. That makes me want to use it even less. I’ve seen the way the buses drive in Charlotte and some times the rack bounces violently. I could see this causing a bike to fall off the rack. What happens if you load your nice bike on one, and then the bus driver crashes? Who’s fault is that? Not yours, why should you be responsible for damages? What if your bike gets stolen from a bus? You’re not really suppose to lock your bike to the rack (unless its on the inside and your quick about it) but even still. The instructions they have on the website are great. I don’t see how any one could mess up putting a bike on the rack. But I do see how these racks could break over time causing damage do your bike. They have a cool video on the website, check out the links from this site to theirs if your interested.
Here are the rules for using their bike racks (Nothing about locking)
Be prepared before the bus arrives.
You are responsible for the loading and unloading of your bicycle. For safety reasons, the driver cannot leave the bus to assist you.
Racks are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If the rack is full, you will need to wait for the next bus. Bikes are not allowed on the inside of CATS buses.
If you are unable to secure your bike, please do not delay the bus.
All bikes 16” or larger fit easily and securely on the rack, even children’s bikes. All bikes load in exactly the same way, quickly and easily. No motorized bikes are allowed on the racks.
Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
CATS is not responsible for bicycles or personal items lost or damaged while in transit.
I wouldn’t worry about the first one, they are always late in Charlotte anyway whats another couple of minutes? If the rack is full, I suggest getting on your bike and riding. If you know your stops, you might as well ride past each of them. Another bus won’t be there on time, so you’ll be able to make it. If you know shortcuts you’ll probably be able to make it the whole way home.
If you use one of these bikes, make sure its in securley and you sit at the front of the bus so that you can defend your bike if some one attempts to steal it. At best you’ll be able to stop your bike from getting stolen. You can bet the bus driver isn’t paying attention so, you better!
How to build a bike rack
Firstly you have to decide what type of bike rack it is you want to build. Once you’ve decided on that browse for bike rack plans for the type you want to build.
The next step is to get the tools and materials needed. When buying material always buy more than you need the first time around. There is nothing like starting a project and realizing that you need to go back to the store or order more parts because you forgot something or didn’t have enough of another part.
Plan to set aside a couple of hours for your project and make sure that you get some help if you need it.
Be careful when drilling & cutting wood, PVC or welding metals. Make sure that some one is around to check on you in case the worst happens.
Once you’ve finished your project test it out. Make sure its not too woobly because you don’t want your bike to fall off.
Now take pictures of it and send them to me so that I can post them here!
Bike Storage for Apartments
Storing your bikes in an apartment can be a tricky task. The first thing to do is figure out where you want to store your bikes. If you have a balcony or storage closet then these can be good choices. If not perhaps a laundry room. Where ever you choose to store your bikes the next thing to do is figure out how you want to store them. I have a small closet that can comfortably fit three bikes and at most four. I am trying to figure out the best way to store these bikes while leaving room to store other things I own. Gear, tools, camping equipment and miscellaneous boxes are also on the list. I think I have figured out a good way to store them by using boxes and a home made bike rack. I will probably end up putting the front or back wheels on a rack which will be slightly elevated to allow to store equipment. I have thought about using a bike hoist to hoist my unused bikes up but do not yet know if the ceiling is high enough to do this. One thing that is not good to do is store your bikes vertically. As mentioned in other articles on this site using bike hooks to hang bikes by one wheel is not the best idea. It does get the bikes out of the way but if you made an investment into your bike it would probably be better to invest some money in storage for them. There are many products that can be purchased to help organize apartments for bike storage but you can save some hard earned cash by using 2×4’s and screws to construct your own. A combination of the two could be used. Once I get back from my vacation one of my first projects is to build some good storage for my closet that will allow me to store my bikes and all of my gear. I will be posting pictures along the way with a how-to for any one that is interested. Once it is complete I hope to see other people using the techniques I use to maximize their storage space. I’m always interested in seeing how people store their bikes so if any one uses tips from this website I would love to see pictures. Any one who sends me pictures will get an article written about them with a link back to their home page or blog. So what are you waiting for? Show me some commend love and send me some pictures!
Bike Hooks – The Correct Way
I’ve seen a lot of pictures on the internet of ways people are hanging their bikes. Great idea! I mean what better way to get your bike off the ground and save your bike then by buying a cheap bike hook from a department store. Then you can hang your bike right from the wheel right? WRONG!
If you have good bikes, (anything over $100) that you really would like to last a while then do not hang your bikes with bike hooks by the wheels. It will eventually bend your wheels. Grease will move out of your head stem and bottom bracket meaning that you will need to perform maintenance on your bike more often. If you are going to hang your bikes with bike hooks I suggest just spending a little extra money and buy two bike hooks instead of one. This way you can hang your bike horizontally by the cross bar. This is also a quick way to get your bikes down since all you have to do is lift up two inches and pull towards you.
I’d like to hear horror stories of peoples wheels getting bent, but I’ll probably just have to search for them and post them. Bike hoists are also great ways to store bikes and can be great alternatives to home made bike racks. Check the section out over to the right.
Cross Bar Adapters
What are cross bar adapters? Cross bar adapters are also known as crossbar adapters, frame adapters, suspension adapters and womens bike adapters. Often adapter is misspelled for the word “adaptor” making one believe that there are not very many “frame adaptors” on the market, when in fact there are a lot, they are just looking in the wrong place. Thankfully for you guys that have found this, you’ve got me, I’ve done all the work and put together this site, a place where you can find all the information you need for the perfect bike rack setup.
In this post I list all of the cross bar adapters that I have information on. Click on each link to view a product image or visit the cross bar adapter store to shop for them all on one page.
The following are listed in order of price, but thats the retail price. Some times you can buy them from Amazon from a seller that is selling has a stock pile of them or slightly used demo’s for a lower price!
Cold Weather Bike Clothing
So, if anyone has actually been keeping up with this blog they will know that I am trying to at least double the amount of miles I rode last year. This means that I’m going to have to ride in more extreme temperatures. Hot or freezing I have to ride. So, I’ve made a list of what I’ve found to be good biking clothes for cold weather so that others can get out on their bikes in the winter and not freeze.
- Under layer get something as a base layer between you and your other clothing. Something comfortable like a long sleeve t-shirt will do but the type I like best is under armor type material.
- Put another layer between your base layer, a t shirt is fine.
- Put your regular cycling gear on over this.
- A Fleece jacket next
- Depending on how fast you want to ride and how cold it is, you may want a wind breaker over top.
- As for your legs wear a tight pair of trousers. Like the ones football players wear.
- Put a pair of wind proofs over those. Make sure they fit tight on the right leg you you will get caught in your crank. If they don’t tuck your trousers into your sock.
- Socks, wear a thin pair, then another pair over them.
- Shoes, put booties over them if you have them or modify a pair of socks to make a pair of booties.
- Bandanna for your ears and a neck warmer work great for really cold weather.
Thats about all I do to keep warm on the cheap in the cold. Hope this helps some one.
Also Read: First 2-in-1 Laptop With Liquid Cooling Packed in Intel 6th Gen Core Series CPU
Bike Rack for Christmas
Now is a good time to think about buying a bike rack for a Christmas present for your beloved biker. This post will guide you in buying one that your biker will enjoy.
When looking at bike racks, it is important not to buy the cheapest one. The last thing you want is bikes falling off, or one that is hard to mount. You have to take into consideration a few things.
The Type of Bikes
If you plan on carrying full suspension bikes, a ride on type also known as a platform is a good choice. Roof racks are also good if you don’t mind lifting them on top of the vehicle. Some Women’s bikes are also hard to mount on racks with large supports, so take that into consideration too. For normal mountain, road or comfort bikes a normal “prong” type bike rack will work just fine.
The Number of Bikes
Just because you only have one or two bikes it doesn’t mean you’ll only want a two bike rack. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to transport more bikes for other riders that may tag along. I’d recommend at least a four bike rack. If however you have a convertable with two seats and that is the only car that would be carrying bikes, a two bike rack will be fine.
Type of Mount
Perhaps the most important part of buying a rack is the way it attaches to the vehicle. There are a few options.
First is trunk mount, these mount to the trunk by straps and pads. They are a good choice if you want to move between cars (the Saris Bones is good at this) but can be hard to put on and take off.
Hitch mount bike racks are great if you have a hitch on a vehicle. Good brands for hitch mount are Thule and Yakima although a little more expensive they’re guaranteed to last and both manufacturers stand by their products. They are the tried and true bike racks. There are two sizes for hitches, the 2″ is better than a 1-1/4″ as they give more support to the frame.
Roof Rack bike racks are possibly the most expensive unless you have a roof rack already. You can buy the trays for about $100-$150 each and they fit directly to the crossbars. I personally would only go with a roof rack system if that was my only choice.
Truck bed racks can be purchased if you own a truck, they come either as a bar that fits in the bed or as little mounts that can be bolted to the floor. Both are great choices for trucks, depending on how you want to mount them.
