What Kind of Rack Do I Need?

You CAN Take It With You!

The ability to transport your bicycle by car is a great way to expand your cycling horizons. Georgia is a big state and there are wonderful rides to be had out of the metro Atlanta area. While it is possible to ride a bicycle from your home to pretty much anywhere in the state, not everyone is up to an adventure of that magnitude. Still, everyone should have the opportunity to explore some of these wonderful places to ride. So, take your bike along!

Lots of people simply take the wheels off their bikes and put the machine in the trunk or back seat of a car. Stowing a bicycle in a larger SUV or in the back of your truck may not even require any real disassembly. However, not everyone wants the hassle of taking wheels off or getting chain grease on the nice upholstery. What do you do with multiple bikes? What about multiple people and multiple bikes in your Honda Civic?

The best way to carry bicycles from one place to another is by loading them onto a car carrier designed specifically to fit your car and carry bicycles. Using a bike rack generally means a minimum of bicycle disassembly, the bikes are securely fastened to the rack (and the rack to the car) and you are off for an adventure.

The most important thing to keep in mind is a bargain car rack is not a bargain. You are attaching your bicycle to your car and heading down the highway, so why take a risk on losing the bike and ruining your day - and the day of the guy who runs over your bike with his car? Inexpensive car racks generally are not constructed the same way that higher end models are, they frequently do not attach as securely as possible to the car, or are not adjustable for specific cars. Some cars are not even suited for any kind of rack due to the vehicle construction. Come in and see us, and we will check out your car in the fit book and help you explore your options.

Ok, so you know you want a car rack, but which one? Well, type of car, budget, number of bicycles to be transported, how often you plan to use the rack, your ability to take off wheels for certain kinds of racks, or strap a rack to a car all come into play. The easiest way to discuss this is probably by price/carrying capacity, and then follow with special applications and security concerns.

Trunk Racks and Strap Racks
Trunk racks, or strap racks are your least expensive option. Depending on the type of rack and the vehicle's construction, you can carry from one to three bikes. Trunk racks should have at least 4 straps securing them to the car, but 6 strap models will attach to the car with even greater security. Since most people don't leave their trunk rack on the car all of the time, you should be comfortable removing and reinstalling the rack and following a simple procedure to check for secure installation. It's also likely if you are carrying the maximum number of bicycles, and those bicycles are not light in weight, you will need to check strap tension on long trips, when you stop for gas or to take a break. Always remember, you may not be able to get into the trunk, hatch or rear door of a vehicle with a trunk or strap rack, when bikes are loaded. Check with us as to which rack fits your car correctly.

Interestingly enough, the same rack might fit multiple cars in your household, but you'll need to adjust it differently for a small van, than for a sedan. We can help! We are also more than willing to check your install if you've not put your rack on for a while and just want to be sure everything is ok before getting out on the road with your bikes.

A variant of the trunk rack is the spare tire rack. This is a trunk style rack that attaches to the spare tire mount or the spare tire itself on a small SUV, van or Jeep with a rear mounted spare tire. Spare tire mounted racks need to be attached very securely and often have a one or two bike limit. Come in and ask us if you are exploring that option. A couple of road bikes might be fine on a spare tire rack, but a pair of down hill racing mountain bikes with a combined weight of almost 100 pounds (and a combined price of many thousands of dollars!) might be risky.

Hitch Racks
Hitch racks are probably the most versatile option for taking bikes along. Models are available that carry from 2 up to 5 bikes. Since the rack mounts to a special mount attached to the frame of your car, no bikes are resting on the trunk, no pedals are digging into your license plate and usually you can open the trunk of a sedan with bikes mounted. Opening rear access doors of SUVs, hatch backs and vans may require removing the bikes, but there are swing away models allow you to swing the loaded bikes away from the vehicle and have access to the inside of the vehicle. The main restriction on hitch racks is the receiver, which is where the rack needs to mount. Receivers are the square shaped tow hitch part that needs to be installed by an experienced installer on your vehicle. Depending on the type and age of car you have, you may need to visit your car dealership for the correct model of receiver that will not void a vehicle warranty or damage the vehicle. Receivers come in two measurements, 1¼" and 2". This measurement refers to the size of the square opening that the bike rack or tow ball device fits into. As to the size of the receiver that fits onto your car, that is often determined by the towing capacity of a vehicle. Receivers are usually specific to the car, and a 2" receiver won't be available for a small Honda. However, some big trucks may use either size. Bike racks are available for either size, 1 ¼" and 2" we stock both, but the rack models that carry the most bikes or have complicated (and heavy!) mechanisms for swinging a load of bikes away from the vehicle are usually restricted to 2" only. We've had really good luck with U Haul for installation for many of our clients. We can make a local recommendation, so give us a call. Cost wise, the receiver may be more than the rack, but you can make sure your next car has a receiver as well, so your bike rack can just move to a new car if need be. Prices and features on the rack itself cover a wide range, so come on in and check out what might work the best for you.

Roof Racks
If you have a light bike, a low car and aren't carrying kids bikes or bikes with non easily removable front wheels, a roof rack may be for you. If your bike is heavy, tall and you aren't a very tall person with a very tall van or SUV - a roof rack may not be the best choice. Roof racks are also the most expensive option out of all the bike carrying choices.

Usually the rack part that mounts to the car is less expensive than the mounts for the bikes that attach to the rack. There are specific adapters for each car roof, so don't buy that fancy roof rack used on ebay or at a garage sale unless you know it fits your year and model of car. There are also many different styles of bicycle mounts, some which require wheels to be removed, some which do not. If you've got a normal sized car and a tandem or recumbent (long wheel base bikes) a roof rack may be your only choice. Limitations as to the number of bikes that can be carried on a roof rack are usually a function of vehicle construction and space on the roof. One of the shop employees has a large vintage Mercedes sedan and gets 6 bikes on the roof of her car and also a wire carrying basket for gear. She's been accused of driving a bike racing team transport vehicle. One thing that cyclists with bikes on the roof have to be very conscious of, is what they might be driving under. Low train bridges in the country, fast food drive thrus, car ports, trees - all sorts of hazards are out there. Know how tall your bicycles are on the roof and remember when they are up there. Nothing makes our shop employees sadder than the customer in to see the mechanic with a bicycle that has been damaged on a roof rack. Often that kind of damage is non repairable, and many an expensive bicycle has been ruined forever.

Special Applications
It used to be that one just tossed their bike in the back of a pickup truck. That was that, the bike lay on it's side, slid around, and was removable by thieves as simply as the owner. Now there are as many mounts for pickup trucks on the market as there are pickup trucks. These mounts vary from simple fork mounts, where one removes the wheel of the bike and mounts the bicycle front fork into a special clamp that mounts to the truck, to complicated locking track systems that hold the bike entirely upright. There are mounts that allow the use of a bed liner, a camper top, tandems, kid's bikes - the variety is amazing. Come on by and we will discuss your options with you.

Since cycling continues to gain in popularity, manufacturers are constantly thinking up new ways for you to spend money, umm, new ways to take your bikes with you. We've seen trunk mount racks that fit like roof racks (front wheel off, fork anchored) and rest on the trunk lid, hitch racks that hold the bikes via wheel trays, special bike only trailers to tow behind a car, tandem mounts with special lifts to get that tandem on easily on the car, all sorts of adaptors for factory roof racks - there are new things on the market every year. We will always do what we can to research new ideas for you and we usually have inside information from the manufacturers of the brands we stock. Just let us know.

Security
You've been on the bike all day and it's time to stop at that cute little place for a meal and good company after your ride. You've been out all day and you should really stop by the store before you go home. You are at work - and you cannot wait to get off to go ride your bike, waiting on the car rack on your car in the parking lot. Now, you've spent the money to carry your nice bike securely, don't give your bike away to the first person that walks by. None of the available options is as secure as your hands and eyes on your bike, but there are ways to deter thefts of convenience. That's what most bike thefts are - someone sees your bike, discovers that it is easy to remove and simply rides away or tosses it in their car. We've even heard of someone taking a bike off their own bike rack, stealing another one, loading it up and driving away.

Remember, no locking system is 100% secure. Roof racks and some hitch racks often have complicated key lock mechanisms that hold the frame of the bike securely to the rack. While that type of mechanism may be more secure than the little cable you ran through both bikes on your trunk rack (and failed to secure to the car!) someone determined to steal your bike is going to do just that. The best way to foil potential thieves is to think like one. Either leave someone with the bikes while you run into the store, bring them into a restaurant, if its ok, or lock them securely to a bike rack outside where you are stopping. If you've got a trunk rack, a thick cable or even better, a chain, run through the bike frames and some secure part of the car is going to foil most thieves. If you stay at a hotel at night, bring the bikes in with you.

Now that you know how to take it with you, come in and see us and we can recommend all sorts of fun rides appropriate for all skill levels, in the area. There are great places to ride with kids, ride downhill mountain bikes, ride in the mountains, all sorts of opportunities for group rides from our local clubs - the possibilities are endless!