The Dive Watch Connection

I am renting a mini van for an upcoming vacation but need/want to take my MTB with me. I usually haul it with a hitch mounted rack on my pickup. Does anyone have any experience with a particular rack on their minivan? A number of the racks appear to fit according to their websites but I am looking for some recommendations from the collective.

Thanks all!

Saris Bones is probably your best bet for a vehicle without a hitch. They adjust to fit almost any vehicle with a trunk or hatchback. Worth buying to have in the garage. We have used ours on hatchbacks, wagons, sedans and a minivan over the years.

Other companies make the same style, but Saris seems to have it down the best and has been evolving their design for years.

dnslater wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:57 am

Saris Bones is probably your best bet for a vehicle without a hitch.

This has been the answer for years and years. You won't go wrong with these guys. Cheap too:
https://www.rei.com/product/853367/sari ... trunk-rack

Am I reading your post correctly that you would consider buying a bike rack to use on a rental vehicle? I'm guessing whatever you buy will be single-use (i.e. this trip only)?

I don't have any advice regarding racks b/c, like you, I use a hitch mounted rack on my Tacoma (one that drops down and pivots out of the way as needed). I much prefer these as I like to be able to access my bed / storage area even with the bike.

That said, I just checked Hertz and they rent racks (bike, canoe, etc.) as accessories to their cars.

I'd look to see if their rental cost exceeded the cost of a cheap rear hatch mounted bike rack. If I could rent for less than buying, I'd rent. If I were to buy, I'd get the least expensive rack I could as you'll likely end up selling it for pennies after your vacation.

seasucker
works on anything with a roof and/or large enough glass panels (not vehicle/cross-bar specific) and doesn't leave bikes exposed to getting totaled in a simple rear ender bender...

JP Chestnut wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:36 am

dnslater wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:57 am

Saris Bones is probably your best bet for a vehicle without a hitch.

This has been the answer for years and years. You won't go wrong with these guys. Cheap too:
https://www.rei.com/product/853367/sari ... trunk-rack

I was reading earlier about how REI's return policy was so liberal, people called them "Rental Equipment Incorporated".

Just to add, I prefer the rear mounted rack over the roof mounted rack for a couple reasons:
1) Lifting a dirty, muddy, mountain bike to mount on the roof of your vehicle is a PITA, especially for a taller vehicle such as a minivan or SUV.
2) You have to remember you have a bike adding 3 or 4 feet to the height of your vehicle. Parking garages, etc. are going to require you to remember you've got a bike up there. My buddy ruined an expensive saddle going through a hotel check-in driveway "portal" because of this.
3) Cost- I'd rather save $100 + on something I'm only going to use as a backup to the hitch receiver.

The only negatives to those hatch mounted designs is the rub marks the straps and bumper can leave on the paint. With a rental car I wouldn't care at all, but with a personal vehicle, I would pad where the straps touch the paint.

Ryeguy wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:49 am

JP Chestnut wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:36 am

dnslater wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:57 am

Saris Bones is probably your best bet for a vehicle without a hitch.

This has been the answer for years and years. You won't go wrong with these guys. Cheap too:
https://www.rei.com/product/853367/sari ... trunk-rack

I was reading earlier about how REI's return policy was so liberal, people called them "Rental Equipment Incorporated".

It’s true. I always buy from REI when they sell what I want.

dnslater wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:57 am

Saris Bones is probably your best bet for a vehicle without a hitch. They adjust to fit almost any vehicle with a trunk or hatchback. Worth buying to have in the garage. We have used ours on hatchbacks, wagons, sedans and a minivan over the years.

Other companies make the same style, but Saris seems to have it down the best and has been evolving their design for years.

I did some more research after posting the above. I like the look of the Saris but they specifically say they don't have a rack for a Chrysler Voyager which is the odds on favorite from Budget. They also have a few Toyota Sienna's as well but also don't fit. I think it has to do with the plastic spoiler at the top of the glass. The straps would pull over that and damage it I suppose.

I found brand called Hollywood Rack that has a extra section that stays above the spoiler.



Not as cheap as the Saris but it will likely get used on my wife's new Honda CRV. I could use this instead of installing a hitch on the CRV and using my old rack.

Ryeguy wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:46 am

Am I reading your post correctly that you would consider buying a bike rack to use on a rental vehicle? I'm guessing whatever you buy will be single-use (i.e. this trip only)?

I don't have any advice regarding racks b/c, like you, I use a hitch mounted rack on my Tacoma (one that drops down and pivots out of the way as needed). I much prefer these as I like to be able to access my bed / storage area even with the bike.

That said, I just checked Hertz and they rent racks (bike, canoe, etc.) as accessories to their cars.

I'd look to see if their rental cost exceeded the cost of a cheap rear hatch mounted bike rack. If I could rent for less than buying, I'd rent. If I were to buy, I'd get the least expensive rack I could as you'll likely end up selling it for pennies after your vacation.

The rack has the potential to be used more than once. I rented from Budget as I get a discount thru work that was to good to pass up. Budget does not rent racks. I suppose I may be able to rent the rack from Hertz only. If they did that without a car rental thru them.

jtbenson wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:57 am

seasucker
works on anything with a roof and/or large enough glass panels (not vehicle/cross-bar specific) and doesn't leave bikes exposed to getting totaled in a simple rear ender bender...

Gotta be a pain the ash to get those mounted on a minivan???? And then mount the bikes also???

yep, add a day on both ends of the trip to mount/unmount the rack and bikes, for sure

I’ve just rented a pickup truck or large SUV and put the bike in the back. Never thought of buying a single use rack locally.

Could you hire a bigger van and stow the bike inside
It will be much more secure as well

jtbenson wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:57 am

seasucker
works on anything with a roof and/or large enough glass panels (not vehicle/cross-bar specific) and doesn't leave bikes exposed to getting totaled in a simple rear ender bender...

That's pretty cool. If you mount the front and rear pieces on glass, you don't have to worry about marred paint.

I have to admit the suction cups make me a little nervous, but I'm sure they're strong, or the company wouldn't be in business for long.

get a hatchback rack off of craiglist.

amckiwi wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 2:01 pm

Could you hire a bigger van and stow the bike inside
It will be much more secure as well

The deal on the minivan was too good to pass up. Would cost me 4-5x for the larger van.

toxicavenger wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 6:26 pm

get a hatchback rack off of craiglist.

Hard to argue with this. I just checked my state's Craigslist and found at least 10 racks for between $25 - $50. There is even a BNIB Hollywood (3 bike model) for $80. You mentioned this model would work for your wife's CRV, so maybe worth checking.

As an aside, I don't know if the "hands free" automatic lift gate is available on the CRV, but my wife has it on her Pilot. You just wave your foot under the bumper and the tail gate will open for you (great if you have two bags of groceries in your arms, for example).

The negative to the design, however, is you cannot install a generic under-the-bumper receiver hitch. You have to buy one from Honda with the appropriate cut outs / brackets for the sensor. IIRC, they want about $1K for the kit - not cheap.

This is why we always take my truck when traveling with bikes.