Bike Rack question

[Catrin]

I seem to be full of questions right now... and I greatly appreciate the collective wisdom of this forum.

I've transported my bike in my trunk a couple of times now, and I am just about over that. I am looking at the Saris Bones RS rack. My LBS tells me that this is the only one that can be locked to the car, and it is much more difficult to cut than the other racks available.

My question is this - and it is probably a silly one but I am going to ask it anyway If I mount this rack to my car, does it do any harm just to leave it there for the winter? It would be nice to leave it there to make it easier to take advantage of those occasional warmish days...but I don't want to do something that might cause damage to the trunk of my car.

[Tuckervill]

I wouldn't want to do that, because even if it's on perfectly, it will be rubbing the paint over time. That would annoy me to no end, just knowing that it's happening with every mile I drive!

You can put a small hitch on just about any car, and any rack you put on the hitch can be locked on with a locking hitch pin. etrailer.com is where I get my hitch related stuff. They have a selector which will help determine whether your car will take hitch, and what kind.

Karen

[Trek420]

.... or roof rack. Either trailer hitch or roof option will let you leave it in place. I've still got paint scratches on the spoiler from the rack I had before.

[sarahspins]

I wouldn't want to do that, because even if it's on perfectly, it will be rubbing the paint over time. That would annoy me to no end, just knowing that it's happening with every mile I drive!

Agreed.. I have a trunk rack on my car and it's been there about 2 months now.. I use it often enough (I take the kids to the park to ride - it's not really safe where we are) that it's not worth taking off constantly.

I'm a wee bit afraid to see what the paint looks like under it.

[Catrin]

Thanks for all of the tips, certainly something to consider. I am unsure, at this point, if I COULD get my bike into a roof rack - upper body strength is one of the things I am working on right now. The cost of the hitch and hitch rack is higher than the Bones RS trunk rack... so I will consider the two.

If I do go with the trunk rack then I will just put it on my car when I am actually using it. I saw a video online that shows the installation process for it - it looks like a simple process.

[sarahspins]

The cost of the hitch and hitch rack is higher than the Bones RS trunk rack... so I will consider the two.

That's why I have a trunk rack It was cheaper to go that route than to just get the hitch receiver put on, never mind buying a hitch rack on top of that.

I do eventually plan on a getting a hitch receiver and a hitch rack... it's just not a priority right now. I was in a spot a few months ago where I really needed *something* and I didn't have the funds to go all out.

[Tri Girl]

I put a sock under the part that sits on the trunk and it's actually done a pretty good job of protecting the paint. I wish I had done that for the first few months I had it on the car. I think you can protect your car's paint somewhat, but it will get scratched no matter what I'll bet. Except for long trips, my rack stays on my car all the time. I don't drive a whole lot anyway, but it's just easier to leave it on. It probably hurts the gas mileage a bit, and after 4 years I've noticed that the straps are getting a little dry/brittle probably from being in the sun a whole lot. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably take the rack off and only put it on when I need it (but that's kind of a pain for me).
BTW- that looks like a really nice rack. We bought the much cheaper Bones and have never worried about it being cut from the car- and we've traveled around the country with our expensive racing bikes on it (we can lock the bikes to the rack, but the rack doesn't lock to the car). I figure if they cut the straps they have a whole lot to cart away- the rack with both bikes locked with 3 locks to it. Good luck.