My bike rack is trashed

[Crankin]

Yesterday my brother in law was in town, giving a presentation. So, I drove my husband to work and then later went back to pick him up so we could go into Boston together, to meet his brother for lunch. It was raining and we were stopped in traffic in Wellesley on Rt. 16. A young girl ran into the back of my car, like she just wasn't paying attention. There was no obvious damage and we went and had a nice lunch, but when we came home, the damge became clear. I have a very unusual bike rack that is made by Hertz. It attaches to a hitch and unfolds, you put the bike on the skinny platform and two metal pieces slide up and holds it. It is perfect for a mechanically challenged and short person! Anyway, it wouldn't unfold, the mechanism is broken and it's all twisted inside. We can't get the hitch off the car. There are a few scratches on the back of my BMW, but I am more upset about the rack. Now, I have to deal with the body shop... we are still dealing with having my husband's car fixed because he hit a deer a few weeks ago.
I know there are worse things, but it took me ages to research this rack and I hope it's still made!

[SheFly]

That stinks, Robyn! could have been worse - could have had a bike on the rack at the time...

This is PRECISELY the reason I bought a van - no roof or hitch racks (on my last car, when it was only a month old, I went to the drive-up teller with the bike on the roof...).

Hope you make out ok.

SheFly

[Crankin]

Well, we started researching to see if we could replace the rack and it looks like it is not made anymore... but we haven't exhausted the search.
I drove a 4 Runner for 6 years and a mini van before that, so I was really sick of bigger cars, which is why I got a smaller sedan. I can put my bike in the back, if I put the seats down, even without taking the wheel off, but that's not my ideal situation.

[Deanna]

I'm with SheFly, I would never use a rear rack for this reason. At least you're bikes weren't on the rack when it happened!

[short cut sally]

Sorry about your mishap. I have to agree that good thing your bike wasn't on the back and that you are okay after the incident. I dread having to go somewheres with my bike off the back of my vehicle, I think, I hope I don't get rear-ended. I don't care about my truck, but the bike..another story.

[Zen]

I have a Thule hitch rack and am always giving drivers behind me the hairy eyeball for getting too close.

You have (had) a hitch rack, why couldn't you use one like the Thule?

[Crankin]

Well, I am too short for a roof rack, so I had no choice. And this was SO easy to use. I don't put my bike on it that often, so I don't worry about it. The fact that we were driving closer to Boston where people generally don't drive well has something to do with it. I think the most times I've used it has been driving up to ride with Denise G! There have been a few others, but not much. And, we were lucky; my husband WAS going to ride his bike to work and i was going to pick him up, but with the rain, I drove him in. But, I think we probably would have had his bike in the back, not on the rack, since we were heading into the city.

[Lifesgreat]

I am sorry about your car and rack and am glad you are OK. I don't know the particulars about your rack, but wanted to post a couple of links that have racks similar to what you described. (oops, I see you got it resolved, but will keep the post up in case others are looking for similar racks)

The Saris Thelma

Yakima Hookup (comes in different hitch and # of bike sizes)

Thule makes one too and it comes in different hitch sizes.


I am nearly six feet tall but would never use a roof rack. I KNOW I would forget my bike was on the roof of my car as I drove into the garage.
This is my rack, I bought it at Costco.