Do Not Leave that Bike at Home

By Jim Haraughty
For the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin

One of the best ways to see the world is from the seat of a bicycle. Unfortunately, most of us leave our bicycles at home when we travel. We have all seen photos of people riding along a path looking at the beautiful scenery. Sure, you could rent a bike for that; but renting costs money, and probably the fit would be off.

A better option is to travel with your bicycle

The tried and true trunk rack. This is the cheapest bicycle carrier you'll find at between $30 and $55. But, don't forget, you get what you pay for. For short hauls, or where cost is a factor, these racks can be the perfect choice. The shortfall to this type of bicycle rack is that the bicycle(s) may sway and bang into each other or worse yet, into the back of your car. If this doesn't seem like a problem, envision hitting a pot hole at 40 mph and the chain ring making contact with your car. Ouch. You can tie your bikes together but they may still move and sway.

Trunk mounted system. In this system, typically the front wheel is removed and the bicycles are mounted upright. That way there is no chance of the bicycles hitting each other or your car. I have used this type of rack for several years and can say that they work very well.

The main downside to this type of rack is that it needs to be installed each time you need it, and if you need to get into your truck, you have to unload the bikes. The cost for this type of rack runs a little more, ranging between $60 and $120. But the rack's added security and more protection for your car make it worth the cost.

Vehicle-hitch system. There are several options in this category. They range in cost from $100 to $200. Some of these models still hang the bike but at least they do not make contact with the car--just each other. These racks can hold from two to four bicycles.

Within the last year another type of hitch rack has appeared. This model mounts bicycles upright and side by side. The front wheel is removed and the bicycle is mounted using a skewer that holds the front fork. This type of system has several attractions: 1) You do not have to lift your bicycle over your head to attach it and 2) The bicycle is behind your car so your car's mileage is not significantly reduced.

Roof rack. This rack mounts the bicycle upright, which offers the advantage of minimum chance of damage. That is unless the bicycle is improperly attached or you drive your car into the garage without removing the bikes first -- not as uncommon as you might think.

There are actually two types of roof racks. The first type has you remove the front wheel and secure your bicycle by the fork. The second type leaves both wheels on the bicycle and has a bar that attaches to the down tube of the bicycle. This mounting system can allow a great deal of vibration at highway speed and result in the paint being scratched on the frame. The cost for a roof rack is higher than any of the other options ($200-$350), but the ability to modify the rack to carry many types of gear -- skis, canoes, luggage -- has a great deal of appeal.

Whichever type of rack you decided to use, remember the most important thing is that you are taking your bicycle with you. The trip is bound to be more fun.

Jim Haraughty is the Product Manager for the Trek Wrench Force.

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