TexasTea

I'm 67 and just getting ready to start riding again. I will be needing an inexpensive rack until I'm sure that I'm going to stick with bike riding. I'd sure like to get some advice from some of you that have gone through the same thing, and know what the best bang for the buck is. Thanks for the help.

Slightspeed

I've had this Rhode Gear rack for years. I paid $15 for it at Goodwill. I only use it to haul more than one bike at a time. By myself I prefer to lay it down and lock it in the rear hatch. Comes in handy for SAG support though. Look up Rhode Gear Pro on Amazon, $59 new, carries 3 bikes. Mine is solid, easy on and off. If you want a hitch mount, check out Thule, several others for more $$$. Mine is useable either on a hatch back, or sedan with trunk.

Sorry for the poor picture quality, it's all I could find.

u235

I have an Allen 2 bike model. Like $40 at Walmart or Amazon. I put it on my car over 2 years ago and haven't taken it off once since. Used it maybe 200 times so far. I don't think I even had to tweak it or adjust anything on it in over a year. I have a similar style Thule on another car I got for a $1 at an auction. I can see it is better in ways and I like the rubber straps but it was probably 5x the price when new. In the end it does the same thing.

https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Sports-Deluxe-2-Bike-Trunk/dp/B00TRTSAZM

ggoytia1

Allen two bike paid $20 when it was on sale.
i see them at the goodwill all the time for $10-$15 max. Go to the better neighborhood for quality stuff.

fietsbob

https://www.saris.com/catalog/racks/trunk

Elvo

1upusa

308jerry

Amazon four bike rack that slides into the hitch. I've tightened everything with wrenches, the vibration of the road still makes the wheel holders and the hold downs move. Lost one bike off the back a year ago.......
Don't buy cheap crap ....

Tanstaafl

I use this to tighten up anything in my 2" hitch receiver. It will prevent anything in the reciever from rattling.

Get it from Amazon. Order here

Hokiedad4

For SOLID, I don't think you can do better than a hitch rack, but of course that entails the expense of buying and possibly paying someone to install the hitch. I wanted something that I could throw on the car by myself in a few minutes but was solid enough for highway travel.

But a good quality trunk rack is fine for local travel.

Ogsarg

Since no one has mentioned it yet, put the bike in your trunk or even the back set covered with an old sheet or blanket or whatever. likely have to take off the front wheel.

thumpism 

Saris Bones. Not the cheapest but extremely versatile and sturdy. Made to fit nearly everything. Find 'em used on CL for a reasonable price. They also make a 2-bike version with one upper leg.

TexasTea

Thanks for all the help. Sadly, Saris does not make a rack for my 2010 LX 570.

TrojanHorse

Look on craigs list for a yakima or thule hitch rack (I assume your car has a hitch receiver). Should be loads available and as noted above there are solutions to prevent hitch racks from rattling.

alcjphil

My advice given the car you own is to not spend any money on a rack of any kind, at least until you know how much you will enjoy riding. Simply put your rear seats down and put your bike inside the car. I own a station wagon (Golf Sportswagen) and even though I have a hitch rack I almost never use it unless I am carrying a couple of muddy mountain bikes. I have room inside for 2 road bikes if need be. Your bike is much safer inside the car

johnhoh

You're where I was when I got a bike a few years ago. I've ridden it only occasionally since. My recommendation is a Thule. Not the cheapest, but who cares about money anyway.

stasher1

On something like the LX 570, I'd go with a hitch-mount rack.

In this area (Atlanta, GA), used quality hitch-mount racks are plentiful and cheap. Check Craigslist and pay close attention to the method of retention used to keep the bike on the rack. If it's worn or missing, pass on that particular rack unless it's dirt cheap or damn near free. Replacement parts are usually available for most brand name racks, but it's just an unnecessary hassle.

Any wobble in the rack itself can typically be taken care of with the device shown above in post #8

HerrKaLeun

Get a hitch receiver and a 1up rack.... $200 for the receiver installed, and $300 or so for the rack.

all the other cheaper solutions will scratch up your car, be a hassle to use and will work invariably well or bad on FS, fatbikes and other odd-frame or tire bikes. Also the front wheel will flop into your car. all those cheap solutions only work if you buy used and have a car you don't car about. You'll use one of those cheap solutions, and then go the above expensive route = no savings at all and a possibly scratched car and bike.

ericzamora

Simply commit to riding again. It's good for your health all around. Also, focus on the fun aspect of riding. No need to kit up in full lycra for every ride, or turn every ride into a workout. Embrace the inner-child.

Target a 2-inch hitch-mount system. If you don't already have a hitch, i bought my Curt for $132.95, free shipping/no tax from e-trailer, installed myself in about half an hour. Find a friend to help.

I went with a Kuat Transfer 2 for about $290. Then I waited for a 20% off sale from REI. Mounted on my Nissan Xterra, i am not aware of any rattling at all. I leave the rack on all the time, and keep my bike in my living room, so that it's always in sight/in mind, making easy to grab and go for a ride. The Kuat held two 27.5 plus-sized tire, long hardtail MTBs well, and now our gravel bikes. It holds the bike by the wheels, but does not play well, with bikes with fenders or front racks. The holding arm needs to tighten up against the front tire. But a "tray-mounted" racks is the way to go. I had a hanging style 4-bike Thule. Good quality, but went with the tray-mount system. so much easier and less hassle. Sold the Thule on CL for $125.

I had a Hollywood Racks trunk mount rack once. Never really felt secure, but it worked. I got tired of all the straps, and didn't work well with sloping toptubes, eventually giving it to a buddy, but probably found it on craigslist for $50.

eric/fresno, ca.

DT Tandem

We used a Hollywood rack we picked up for 5 dollars at a yard sale for a couple years until we upgraded.

On one trip we used that rack to take our tandem from Oregon to Arizona and back with no issues.

Really the biggest issue for us is with our car I felt we needed to take both wheels off the tandem because its so long and I didn't want to mess with that anymore.

Don,

u235

I put one of those cheap racks my cars once more than 2 years ago and maybe one adjustment since, it has never been off the car. I use it an average of 3x a week (well over 200 times). It takes me literally no more than 20-30 seconds to get my bike on it and strapped in including a safety precaution of a bungy from my pedal around the front wheel. In the winter months I am doing it in the dark. The process couldn't possibly get an easier or faster unless I paid someone to stand by and do it for me. I only agree with the pads potential to scratch your car. My bike is nothing great but yet I still paid more for my bike than my car it's on so take that with a grain of salt.
I also have a hitch mount I use on my other car. Not because it is safer or easier or quicker or more stable but I didn't care to take the strap mount off the other car, I already have the tow package because I needed it for an actual trailer and I didn't want to risk any scratches to my "new" car. On the flip side, I only take that on and off when I need it because it is big and heavy and gets in the way and that process itself takes MUCH longer and the time is on top any bike mounting time. If that was my primary bike carrier 3-4x a week, I'd compromise and just leave it installed until I need to tow something.

Kapusta

HerrKaLeun

You should also consider how easy it is to use the trunk/hatch of your car and how easy it is to take off the rack if not needed. Those cheap strap-on racks basically make the trunk unusable.

If you go the cheap route, get a really cheap used one to lose the least money before you move to a better rack.

stasher1

For me, security was also a concern. I drive a full-sized truck, so I simply bolted a strip of uni-strut to the front wall of the bed and mounted three Yakima fork mounts with Delta locking skewers. The front wheels go in the back seat of the truck.

I also have a hitch-mount rack that I use when I don't feel like climbing in/out of the bed of the truck. It uses a clamshell type of clamp that secures the bike(s) by the top tube, and has provisions for padlocks.

With either of these in place, I can feel relatively safe stopping on my way home to pick up a couple of items at the grocery store. I know that neither option will stop a dedicated thief, but they'll need more than a pocket knife.

TexasTea

Thanks to all of you for the great input. After writing the post, I realized that I do have a Hitch already installed. Now I know what companies are making good racks, etc.. Thanks again.