Bicycle carrier racks

[uforgot]

I'm planning on doing a little travelling with my bikes and I'm checking out car carriers. I have a Dodge Neon which I have no intentions of giving up anytime soon. (Purchased before the biking addiction). Anyway, I'm worried about security. I don't necessarily want to put a hitch on my car, (would pretty much add $150 on to the total cost) but it seems like the most secure option. What I would like to do is get a trunk rack, but aren't they easy to get off of a car? Can you lock your bike on them? If they are easy to get off, seems kind of useless to get a nice one like a Yakima that someone can easily take. I want to be able to leave my car from time to time. Oh, not 6 hours in a mall, but I do want to stop and do tourist stuff that doesn't include the bike, although the bike is the main reason I'm hitting other states and their trails.

Can anyone give me some insight on all of this? I live pretty far away from any places that carry racks, and I've been trying to get all of my info from the Thule and Yakima websites.

Thanks!

[Fredwina]

I had a neon. I usually wound up folding down the seats and sticking the bike inside (with the front wheel off). Granted, this does cut down on the amount of other stuff you can carry.

[uforgot]

I had a neon. I usually wound up folding down the seats and sticking the bike inside (with the front wheel off). Granted, this does cut down on the amount of other stuff you can carry.

I've done that and it's hard on the Neon and the bike. I also want to take my mountain bike AND road bike if possible. Thanks!

[SJCzar]

Last season I used a Bones rear rack. I had two of the straps tucked inside the trunk so it was harder to remove the rack without opening the vehicle. I then wrapped a fairly decent rubber coated chain and lock thru both the bike and around the rack. It would have been a bit of a hassle to try to steal the bike (unless of course the thief came prepared with a bolt cutter). I left it parked in various places around town for hours at a time and no one ever messed with it.

[oxysback]

Last season I used a Bones rear rack. I had two of the straps tucked inside the trunk so it was harder to remove the rack without opening the vehicle. I then wrapped a fairly decent rubber coated chain and lock thru both the bike and around the rack. It would have been a bit of a hassle to try to steal the bike (unless of course the thief came prepared with a bolt cutter). I left it parked in various places around town for hours at a time and no one ever messed with it.

I second the recomendation of a Bones rack. I recently got the 3 bike one, after much frustration with a less expensive carrier (THANK YOU to Performance, who took the other carrier back after a month of use and applied the credit to the Bones one!).

The Bones rack fits almost any car, is TOTALLY adjustable and is very easy to get on and off the car. Using a lock like SJCzar suggests will keep your bike secure.

[wannaduacentury]

Right now I have a trunk rack that I've been using for awhile, my hitch and 4 bike rack will be here next week. The trunk rack has done the job fine, but I want to get in my trunk w/ the bike on the rack. They should come w/ a pin lock or something. But I have a cable lock and would wrap it every which way to make it difficult to steal. Jennifer