[dadstoy]

One thing that slows me down when Im trying to leave the house is attaching my bike rack back onto my car. I don't use my trunk at all, so keeping it on there shouldn't both me. What does, is the possibility that some a**hole will steal my bike rack. I thought about somehow locking it, or chaining it to my car.

What do you guys do? Leave the rack on all the time? Ever had it stolen when you were out riding or when you're at work? Do you lock it to your car and have had good results?

 

[Dugg-E]

Have you thought about a roof rack?

My rack stays attached year round. Bikes in the spring/summer/fall and skis in the winter.

Yakima Q-towers on a G35X. Massachusetts.

 

[Guest]

Yes...it is attached year around...

 

[dadstoy]

A roof rack?? Hmm, I'll have to check on that one. I cant remeber ever seeing one ontop of a Toyota Camry,..that's what I have

 

[Trail Ninja]

Mine would be attached all the time, but I'm worried about someone stealing my bike. I bought a van with no windows and I keep my bike inside it (locked to the floor).

 

[dadstoy]

Mine would be attached all the time, but I'm worried about someone stealing my bike. I bought a van with no windows and I keep my bike inside it (locked to the floor).

Oh yeah, yeah,..I meant keeping the bike rack attached,..not the bike .

 

[lumber825]

I've seen trailer hitches on cars like a Camry. It wouldn't be cheap but a possibility would be a hitch and a hitch mount rack like a Thule and a lock kit. My Thule stays on most of the summer and comes off in the winter months.

Before the SUV my trunk rack always came off and when at a trail head it went into the trunk. I have a real distrust of my fellow man.

 

[thestig_wj]

A roof rack?? Hmm, I'll have to check on that one. I cant remeber ever seeing one ontop of a Toyota Camry,..that's what I have

http://www.orsracksdirect.com/toyota-camry-roof-rack.html

the only problem is you will have to buy the base rack if your car doesnt already have the side rails and then the bike rack attachment

 

[AaronK]

Hitch rack is always attached....always ready.

 

[m85476585]

Yakima makes a security strap that loops around the rack and into the trunk. I got one, but it doesn't feel very secure. It is made up of two steel cables inside a nylon strap, all of which could be easily cut. No one has taken my rack yet (had it on for at least two months), but I haven't heard of many bike racks being stolen in general. My car sits in an unsecured garage on a college campus in a major city.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EMADH6

Another option if the car has a tow hook attachment point is to get a steel cable and a lock and loop it around the rack and lock it to the hook point. That might get in the way of the trunk opening, though.

I looked into getting a hitch type rack, but it was prohibitively expensive. A bolt on hitch for my car would be a few hundred dollars, and a hitch rack is also a over hundred.

A roof rack wouldn't work for me because I'd have to take the bike off before pulling into the garage.

 

[dadstoy]

Yakima makes a security strap that loops around the rack and into the trunk. I got one, but it doesn't feel very secure. It is made up of two steel cables inside a nylon strap, all of which could be easily cut. No one has taken my rack yet (had it on for at least two months), but I haven't heard of many bike racks being stolen in general. My car sits in an unsecured garage on a college campus in a major city.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EMADH6

Another option if the car has a tow hook attachment point is to get a steel cable and a lock and loop it around the rack and lock it to the hook point. That might get in the way of the trunk opening, though.

I looked into getting a hitch type rack, but it was prohibitively expensive. A bolt on hitch for my car would be a few hundred dollars, and a hitch rack is also a over hundred.

A roof rack wouldn't work for me because I'd have to take the bike off before pulling into the garage.

Thx Matt,...I was just outside staring at my trunk and bike rack area,...and thought of the exact samething! Tomorrow, Im gonna get one of those 1/2" thick steel cables with loops on the end, and lock it to the hook attachment under the trunk. I should need about a 6' of steel cable. Im not too worried about opening the trunk. I actually can't remember the last time I did. :thumbsup:

 

[Trail Ninja]

Oh yeah, yeah,..I meant keeping the bike rack attached,..not the bike .

I knew what you meant.

I suppose there is less chance of a rack being stolen than a bike simply because they aren't worth that much. If you add cables and make it difficult to steal, that lessens your chances of rack theft.

Speaking of bike theft off racks. A friend lost his GF Cake off his hitch rack when he went back in the house to get his glasses. He didn't lock it on because he was going straight to the trail. I've also seen them go off those racks on the front of the bus at stop lights. The driver won't chase a bike thief and by the time you get off the bus, they are long gone.

Safety tip: Put your bike in a really high gear before you put it on a rack. It's really sad to watch your bike being stolen but it's really satisfying to knock some turd off your bike because he couldn't pedal it away because it was in high gear.

 

[m85476585]

Racks are expensive; maybe they just don't have a high resale value. Around here people cut cable locks to steal bikes and break into cars to steal valuables, so I'm surprised that they don't walk off with bike racks that are essentially free for the taking.

I bought an armored cable lock to attach my bike to my rack. It is nearly an inch thick and long enough to go around three bikes. When I'm not using it I usually just keep it in the car, so it's always there if I need it.

Changing to a high gear all the time would be a pain given that the change of actually getting your bike stolen is relatively low. Unhooking the brakes (assuming V brakes) is another good one, but again too much trouble and too much risk of forgetting to put them back and riding off with no brakes.

 

[Ouchy The Clown]

Do you always keep your bike rack attached to your vehicle?

No.

When I need to carry a bike they go on. When I'm done they come off.

 

[dadstoy]

LMAO,...putting the bike in high gear and, unhooking the v-brake cable!....That's awesome! I just had a mental picture of some dumbass going through all that.

Im gonna practice all those. And besides,..I always take a lil'roll around the parking lot before hitting the trail head to get comfy, and check everything out first.
Thx guys.

 

[AllMountin']

It would be priceless to see a thief steal your bike and ride off- only to speed brake-less into the next intersection. Maybe even worth the mangled bike that would result.

In today's litigious society- I'm sure the thief could sue you for his injuries for not having the bike theft ready and in ride-able condition.

I keep my hitch rack on until I need to haul a trailer. Mine is a one-off fabrication, single bike, seat post mount rack that attaches to a hidden hitch behind the bumper of a Mazda Miata. There are only a handful of people in the world who would find my rack useful, so I feel safe leaving it out. Could always get a hitch lock if necessary.

 

[jasonball]

I keep my trunk rack on all the time. bike or no bike attached. never had a problem with theft. but when I run into the store I park close as possible. and make it quick.

 

[roxnroots]

I've seen trailer hitches on cars like a Camry. It wouldn't be cheap but a possibility would be a hitch and a hitch mount rack like a Thule and a lock kit. My Thule stays on most of the summer and comes off in the winter months.

Before the SUV my trunk rack always came off and when at a trail head it went into the trunk. I have a real distrust of my fellow man.

Exactly what I have ('98 Camry, U-Haul-installed 1.25" hitch for $225 total, and Thule rack with lock) and it works great. Drop the rig in the tray and go.

Doesn't affect gas mileage too much and I haven't had any problem with idiots screwing with it. I keep it on year-round because I ride nearly everyday as long as there isn't a foot of snow on the ground like right now or if the trails are slop. Only problem is that your ride will catch a lot of slush and road salt with a hitch rack if you do a lot of winter riding in 1
to 3 inch snowfalls.

 

[dexetr30]

I leave it on year round. I have a Jeep Wrangler with a spare tire mounted rack. I make sure it stays secure by permanently wrapping a ratchet strap around the spare tire and the top of the rack and then ratchet it down good and tight.

 

[dkbikes4life]

I now use a roof rack so it does stay attached all the time. I drive a Grand Am so I cant fit anything big in my car. They rack came in handy one day when I needed to move a 8 foot long piece of 3" X 1.5" 3/16" wall rectangle steel tubing. Weighed probably 60 or 70 pounds. I just slid it on the rack and tied it down.

Before I had the roof rack I used a normal trunk mounted bike rack. That one I would always take off. Heck I even would take it off when I got to the trails for the same reasons you mentioned. I thought someone would steel it.