Bike Rack

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djc315
djc315 Posts: 585 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am looking for a bike rack for my car. I have a 2008 subaru legacy with a spoiler. Anyone know of a good bike rack that will fit with the spoiler?

It only needs to hold one bike.

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  • djc315
    djc315 Posts: 585 Member
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    Anyone....
  • AlanByam
    AlanByam Posts: 36
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    Google it.
  • SusanUW83
    SusanUW83 Posts: 152 Member
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    The Saris Solo bike rack might fit. Only one I know that fits only one bike -- all of mine hold 2 and stick out farther than I would like. I think many of the trunk racks would bridge over the spoiler -- bottom leg(s) would fit on the back of the car and top leg(s) would fit on the top, or possibly both top and bottom would fit on top of trunk and straps go under the spoiler.
  • tavenne323
    tavenne323 Posts: 332 Member
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    If you have a trailer hitch, I'd go that way. I had a hitch one on my SUV and all it did was scratch it up. Plus, I couldn't access my trunk with it on. It also held my bike too close and the pedal scratched my back door.

    I actually had a hitch installed in order to get a hitch bike rack. Thule and Saris are the two brands that I like.
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
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    The pop-up ad above your post says to try etrailer.com - the bike rack experts. LOL

    ETA - correct website name
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
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    If you have a trailer hitch, get one that fit in there. Spoiler wont be an issue. If it's a low spoiler, most over the trunk racks will fit. They are designed to go over spoilers. (Make sure it says it is on the package before buying)
  • djc315
    djc315 Posts: 585 Member
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    Google it.

    I have. Thanks.




    All the ones I am finding say they don't fit over a spoiler. I have also looked at etrailer.com, same issue. OR they are 200+ dollars. I was hoping to spend half that. I was hopeful maybe someone would have experience with one that fits over their spoiler. It is a factory issued spoiler, so it isn't that large.

    I was looking into the hitch style, but I don't have a hitch and can't afford to spend that money right now. In the future that is the way I will go. I would not mind a rack that fits more than one bike but I really only need it to fit one. The getting into the trunk isn't that big of a worry of mine right now, considering to take my bike down to the trails I have to take the wheel off and shove it into my trunk. It's a real pain in the butt. I would rather deal with taking the bike rack off and on :)
  • djc315
    djc315 Posts: 585 Member
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    The Saris Solo bike rack might fit. Only one I know that fits only one bike -- all of mine hold 2 and stick out farther than I would like. I think many of the trunk racks would bridge over the spoiler -- bottom leg(s) would fit on the back of the car and top leg(s) would fit on the top, or possibly both top and bottom would fit on top of trunk and straps go under the spoiler.

    Thanks, I will look into that one.
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
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    I have a spoiler, and my rack fits over it. I'm not sure of the name, i think i just got it from Target or somewhere like that. It was only like $50. I'll probably replace it this year, but it lasted a good 5-6 years with a lot of use.
  • djc315
    djc315 Posts: 585 Member
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    I have a spoiler, and my rack fits over it. I'm not sure of the name, i think i just got it from Target or somewhere like that. It was only like $50. I'll probably replace it this year, but it lasted a good 5-6 years with a lot of use.

    Really? Hm. My target has only one in stock and it is about 50 dollars. It says it will fit my car make, but not with a spoiler. Maybe I will just try it out. It would be cheaper than ordering online if I need to return it. 5-6 years is a good length of time for 50 bucks. Have you taken it on the freeway or anything? Or is short trips? I don't plan on driving far - like 10 miles down the road.
  • SusanUW83
    SusanUW83 Posts: 152 Member
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    Store with a decent return policy would allow you to try it out and see if it fits and return it if it doesn't. Try driving around without the bike a bit and see if everything stays tight but doesn't rub.
  • djc315
    djc315 Posts: 585 Member
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    Well, I got the bike rack at Target. It fits over the spoiler but the bike doesn't fit well on the rack. The bike rubs against the bike rack, and I went over a TINY bump (and was going slow because I was so paranoid) and the bike fell off the rack. I tied that on really tight, too. I didn't like the looks of the straps and didn't think they appeared secure based on the material.

    Back to square one, I guess. Doing more research - but if anyone has a suggestion on a good bike rack, please, let me know!
  • Hunnergomeow
    Hunnergomeow Posts: 231 Member
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    I'd say go to your local bike shop (if you have one) and they can help you find the best one. Just tell them what kind of car you have or show them it and they'll be able to sell you the right thing or tell you what to buy and you can find it for cheaper elsewhere. Some good ones are the Saris Bones II and Allen Sports 102S.

    Source: my boyfriend is a bicycle mechanic/shop manager at a local shop here
  • sullenbee
    sullenbee Posts: 13 Member
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    I have a Yakima Bike Rack on my Prius, and it is super sturdy. Enter your vehicle info into the website and it will recommend a rack. http://www.yakima.com/fit/Information
  • cowgirlslikeus86
    cowgirlslikeus86 Posts: 597 Member
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    Do you have a factory roof rack? I have a Thule fork mount tray for my roof rack. It's great! Don't have to worry about trying to get in and out of the trunk when you have stuff in there. If you want a trunk mount, Saris is a good brand.
  • jim180155
    jim180155 Posts: 769 Member
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    The Saris Solo bike rack might fit. Only one I know that fits only one bike -- all of mine hold 2 and stick out farther than I would like. I think many of the trunk racks would bridge over the spoiler -- bottom leg(s) would fit on the back of the car and top leg(s) would fit on the top, or possibly both top and bottom would fit on top of trunk and straps go under the spoiler.

    Thanks, I will look into that one.

    Saris makes great bike racks. I went to my LBS to buy one and they had it in stock, but when they looked it up on the computer they said it wouldn't fit over my spoiler, so they sold me a less expensive one. I took it home and used it the next day. I was a nervous wreck because I could see my bike coming loose in the rearview mirror. I kept stopping every 3 to 5 miles to re-secure it, but it just wouldn't do the job. I went back to the LBS and asked them to put the Saris on my car, just to confirm that it would not fit. It fit. Saris' computer database was wrong.

    I've been using ever since. It's a rock solid bike rack. (I have the Bones 3 model which handles 3 bikes.)
  • djc315
    djc315 Posts: 585 Member
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    I ended up going to REI and I got a Thule. It's a trunk rack (I don't have a roof rack). The settings that are supposed to fit on my car didn't so I had to adjust it a little. It makes me nervous, thinking it isn't as secure but I used it last night and it seemed to work well. At least better than the one I picked up at Target. Hopefully it continues to work, but at least it isn't a no on the first go!

    Thank you for all the help and suggestions!

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