Originally Posted by
JamieElenbaas
Actually I do have some advice. I have driven hundreds, maybe thousands of miles with one or two bikes on that car. A couple of weeks ago, coming around a sharp corner, the forks of a friends bike came out of my Yakima rack. By some miracle, the strap held the rear wheel and the bike came to rest dangling to the side of the car with with no damage to car or bike. (I was sure I owed him a wheel truing at least.)
What the heck?
Post event analysis:
1) Older heavy steel frame so lots of momentum coming around the corner.
2) Older forks so no lawyer lips (!)
3) and probably most important, I was driving the car like a 911. I didn't really think I was pulling big Gs, but apparently you get used to driving a little harder than you do your 'civilian' car.
This happened to me once as well, and just during a quick trip in town when I was moving bikes from my old place to the new. I thought it through and realized it was one of the very few times that I did not bother locking the release down (with key) after installing the bike on the rack. Never had a problem aside from that once. May be coincidence but, I don't think it could have physically happened if it were locked that one time.