RAY'S MONTERO SITE
MY MONTERO MODIFICATIONS
Bauer Bike Rack
THE RATINGS
RESOURCES/LINKS
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Function
Install
Fit n Finish
Overall
Being an avid Mountain Biker, Camper, Skier and Hiker, I needed a reliable rack system that supported a variety of different functions. It was summer when I first purchased my Montero so the first type of Rack I needed was a Bike Rack. In the past I had tried a number of different bike rack configurations from Trunk mount to Roof mount to Spare tire mount to bed mount.
TYPES OF RACKS AVAILABLE
After doing some research and also using past experience here's what I found...
1) The roof mount was the most versatile but was the most difficult to access and the most expensive.
2) The bed mount offered the most protection and was the least expensive but took the most amount of cargo room.
3) A rear mounted rack was the easiest to gain access to but needed to be mounted to a frame, hitch, or body location and not just the spare tire..
ONLINE RACK RESOURCE
After doing this research I decided to work with a local store called The Sports Rack (you can contact them at http://www.sportsrack.com). Since they had a number of different racks of each type, I knew I could get straight, unbiased answers to my questions.
After getting their feedback, I decided to go with a rear mounted rack (Figure 1). I got one that attached to the monty via a plate that mounted behind the spare tire and was bolted in place by attaching the spare tire to the vehicle (Figure 2).
METHODS FOR ATTACHING BIKES TO A RACK
There are two primary methods of attaching bikes to rear racks. One method is to tie it down using a number of different elastic materials (rubber, straps, etc.). This method was easier to access, but the biggest drawbacks were it was not lockable and bikes tended to sway due to the wind or the vehicle accelerating or slowing.
Another is to clamp it down with a vice type of setup. This is the way the Bauer rack works. The only drawback was it was harder to access your bike, but the upside was it was lockable and bikes were securely held in place regardless of wind or vehicle momentum.
OUCH!!
About the only drawback to both units was that they protruded beyond my spare tire 18"-24" at a height of about 6'. i.e. right where it would smack your head. (OUCH!! Too bad for my taller friends, but since I'm 5'6", it didn't impact me directly.
WHAT I CHOSE
I ended up selecting one of the Bauer locking units (a Sports Rack in-house brand) due to a combination of cost and features not available in any of the other better known brands (Bear Crafters, Thule, Yakima, etc.) If you have an expensive bike, a Lock is definitely a necessity (Figure 3). Price out the door... $120.
It only took me about 20 Minutes to install. The hardest part was removing the spare tire to mount the plate behind it.
Once in place, I put my cheap bike in it, locked in in place, and took it for a test spin. I purposely hit every pot hole, accelerated as quickly as possible, came to screetching halts and each time examined the bike for damage... NONE WHATSOEVER!!! It didn't even move!
Well, I was pretty pleased with the unit.
OVER THE MONTHS...
I've had this unit on now for well over 18 and it still works as it did when new!! One thing I noticed though was that rust has started to develop inside the unit and the screws that hold the bike down are also rusting (Figure 4).
One minor thing is that the rubber pads that clamp down on the bike have started to oxidize. I haven't contact the Sports Rack yet, but I'm sure I can get replacements.
On other thing for you squemish(sp?) ones...spiders regularly make homes in the crevices as well, but this has been the case with all my racks. Operation of the unit is still as it was when new. My bikes do no move at all!!
RACK RATING
Overall, I like the rack. Aside from the unit rusting (which I'm sure a little sandpaper primer and black paint could fix) and the rubber deteriorating, it was a really good investment and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good bike rack.
Hits since created on 10, June 2000