Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike

Comments about Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike:

Great bike rack, overall! Installs and removes on/off the vehicle very quickly...which was why I paid the extra $$ for it.

Very stable on a 4 hour trip (each way), mounted on the back of a 2001 Dodge Caravan with one mountain bike.

I've also used it on a 2006 Ford Taurus WITH A REAR SPOILER - fits nicely (though sliding the rubber coated hooks under the spoiler when installing might scratch paint - hooks barely fit between spoiler and trunck - might be able to go over spoiler, but then I'd be worried about breaking spoiler). At least it is possible, especially if (potential) minor scratches under spoiler are not a concern!

Only complaint is mounting the bike(s) on the rack is a little bit of a pain because the straps for the middle and outter bikes get in the way. Really not a big deal, but can be annoying!

One of my mountain bikes has a small "triangle" (area between top tube, seat post & stem). Suspect many other racks would not work due to being too wide, but this rack's bars can be adjusted close enough to fit my bike. A big plus. But, those straps are VERY annoying when mounting this bike in the position closest to the truck! Not a deal breaker, though!

Some hardware appears a little cheap (locking mechanism, especially), but actually might hold up fine, if not abused (which isn't necessary due to how quickly and easily it installs and is removed from the car). If someone wants to mess with your stuff, they will, no matter what rack you have...at least it has a lock! This will stop the average "theif" or prankster...which is all anyone really needs.

Rack seems very secure with 3 bikes, but I only went around the block.

Comments about Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike:

We were in the market for a rack without side connector straps, and evaluated the Bones RS against the Thule Raceway 2 for the trunk of our older fiberglass body Saturn car. After much research, the primary reason we selected this one was that the Thule was required to be connected below the rear bumper for our vehicle model, which would be difficult/messy to do frequently in order to access the trunk interior, especially with on-street parking. We only needed a 2-bike rack, so it was a negative for us to have to purchase a 3-bike rack.

There is a bit of research required prior to set up, as you have to determine the correct position for the middle pivot grip. The slots are not numbered, so you have to count to find the correct one, and then lock the pivots into the correct slot. We switch between two vehicles with different settings, and plan to Sharpie-mark the slots accordingly to make for quicker adjustments moving forward. It is difficult to hold the pivot in place while taking it out of one slot, and we found that we had to keep re-counting slots each time, despite only adjusting a space or two.

That said, we find the Bones quick and easy to connect to our vehicle. Having read other reviews that said the rack could create dents where the arms touch the vehicle, we are careful not to over tighten the straps, which are very easy to tighten with the ratchet system (a plus, in general, and our preference over the dial tightener of the Thule). We also have to make sure that the bottom hooks go completely over the trunk rim and not between the metal and moulding on our car. I'm not sure if it would matter, but we realized that sometimes we were not completely over the trunk rim of our car, so we have to lift the trunk up to a point where we can look at the connection. It is fairly easy to lift the trunk with the rack on, so that's not a big deal. The arms slide onto a ribbed sleeve and are then tightened in place. This is not as convenient as the arm adjustment on the Thule, which I find disappointing. While I like the thought that it may be more secure overall, I do get frustrated when in a hurry and I'm spending the extra minute to loosen each arm, pull it off the ribbed sleeve, and push it back on in another position. (warning: Do not save time and leave the arms dangling when the rack is installed but not in use. Obviously, to me now, they sway around and bang into the car). Once attached, the rack is solid, the straps stay in place, and we've not had any concerns of loosening, despite traveling hilly, cobblestone/brick, and pothole roads.

The key lock system to secure the rack to the car is nice, and we use the bike locks to secure the bikes to the rack if needed for short periods of time. The latter is not provided by the rack itself. The system to attach the bike to the rack is also sturdy, and for one of our bikes, it takes no more than ten seconds to put in place and a few more seconds to zip the straps onto the frame. However, it is very difficult to get our smaller size, thicker frame hybrid bike onto the innermost space. The plastic straps and clips are often in the way, they are not extremely flexible (nor removable), and it is a challenge to push and maneuver a small frame bike over all of the straps of the first two bike spaces to get it where it needs to be, even with the arms close together. The removable strap feature of the other rack, and the button-type closure over the zipper clips would be features I would have preferred.

All in all, we are very pleased with the most important features (to us) of this rack, namely quick and easy to attach to the car, and holds the bikes solidly without side straps. The lock-on feature and compact, sleek design are bonuses. Honestly, though...had we not required the Bones to avoid the under bumper attachment position on our one car, I probably would have been tempted to exchange the rack and trade away the ratchet tightener and solid arms of the Bones for quicker adjusting arms and an easier bike loading process with the removable straps of the Thule, despite its dial tightener system.

Comments about Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike:

Like the title says, I can't imagine a better trunk mount rack. I put it on the back of my 3 series (w/o spoiler - note this would be an issue) and can keep up with however fast the flow of traffic is going. Once setup for your car, installing and removing literally takes a couple of minutes --- and that includes double checking all of the attachments. My car is black and I've noticed little to no scratching as the mount points are minimal and rubber (including the cables and hooks). It's a bit pricey but I got it during the 20% membership promo so [$] was justifiable just based on the easy of use. Enjoy!

Comments about Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike:

I bought the Saris Bones RS for my 2008 Infiniti G35 sedan based on a review I read on the Saris website by another G35 owner. I was apprehensive, but short of adding a hitch to the car there were few choices. I couldn't be happier with the purchase. I just finished a 200 mile drive across California on bumpy highways from the coast to the Sierra foothills. The rack and the bike, a 30 pound mountain bike, did not budge one bit. I had checked the rack several times during my trip but never needed to adjust or tighten any straps.

Upon inspection after the trip there were no scratches, deformations or any blemish on the car or bike. I have always owned roof racks and felt that this trunk rack was just as secure and steady as any roof rack I have owned.

Setup was very easy. You must first visit the Saris website to get the setting of the pads for your car. The G35 setting was 8 notches up from the bottom. To mount the rack there are hooks that clip on the bottom of the trunk lid. The pads rest directly on the chrome trim of the trunk. Then the straps clip to the top of the truck lid and with a few clicks on the ratchet the rack was solidly in place. The bike is held in by 2 ratcheted straps on the top tube and a third strap on the downtube. The downtube strap is designed to prevent swaying. The bike never touched the car or even came close. I did use some bungee cords to stabilize the wheels and keep them from spinning.

The rack is a bit heavy but it was not a problem. Pricey? Yes, but I used my 20% discount coupon and REI rebate to defray the cost. Even at full price I think it is worth every penny.

Comments about Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike:

I bought this rack with the intention that I would not have to buy 2-3 cheap, flimsy racks over the next few years. Overall, it's very sturdy and stable. I like the belt/ratchet system that locks....easy to put on/take off without having to wrap/tuck straps all the way around the tailgate. I want there to be something that secures the front tire. It's very heavy, which I equate with the overall sturdiness. Unfortunately in the first month, one of the yellow plastic handles that clamp the rack in position snapped in half. customer service sent me a replacement pack of handles, but they should be made of a sturdier material. This one isn't cheap, so I expect it to work perfectly every time.

Service and delivery comments:

REI shipping was phenomenal.

Comments about Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike:

It took awhile to figure out which setting to use at first, but once I did, it is very sturdy and carries two triathlon bikes very well. It can not hold 3 triathlon bikes though. Works with my Mitsubishi Lancer 2003 with spoiler and it seemed to be the only one in the market that would work for my car.

Recommend it

Comments about Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike:

I am a fan of Saris products as they just seem to work. I bought the bones 3 as a gift to myself, but realized it did not fit my car w/spoiler. That is when I 1st discovered the RS and I have been salivating for almost a year for the right deal. features/simplicity/quality of this product blow any other rear mounted rack out of the water. I feel very secure transporting bikes with this rack (all others I am constantly stopping to check them). The guide tells you exactly what notch to set for proper fitting on your vehicle and than crank it down. [...] If your considering but hung up over the money, just do it! Time saved and worry free travel will justify the difference almost instantly.

Service and delivery comments:

1st off they call it "standard free delivery". 24 hours from order to front door seems anything but standard. How do you top that unless you can print the product out on your printer. Way to go REI/UPS!

Comments about Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike:

I'm not much for writing reviews, but, this product has worked so wonderfully that I felt compelled to help others in their search. Like most people, I do a lot of research prior to making a purchase. I've had a few racks in the past and have both a car and a jeep, so I knew a bit about what I was looking for. This rack is the result of excellent consumer research, engineering, and testing.

You don't have to spend extra for locks to secure it to your car and you can use your existing chain lock to secure all of your bikes to the rack. Although there are only two straps, they are wide, strong, and can wratched as tight as you want, so your bike won't move an inch even while going 70 MPH around turns on a open highway. The rubber coating on both the straps and their hooks prevents harm to your car's paint and won't dent the metal even if you really crank down on the built in wratchets. The fact that they wratchet and are contained within the rack makes for a very clean cut device (you won't be that car with a dozen straps flapping around in the wind). It holds three mountain bikes well and you won't have to worry about them rocking back into your car thanks to the three stabilizer straps per bike. Putting it on and securing your bike only takes about 45 seconds.

Simply stated... fork over the extra few bucks. I guarantee it's worth every penny and then some. (and there are always returns if you don't like it.)

Comments about Saris Bones RS Trunk Rack - 3-Bike:

I'm using the Saris Bones RS with my Kia Rio and love it. It's very quick and easy to setup and take down, and it's very sturdy as well. I was initially concerned about side-to-side motion, but this thing is solid. It's also got a locking mechanism on it to prevent any unintended release of the ratcheting mechanism. All-in-all a very good quality product.