Thule maybe.
Can anyone recommend a good bike rack that would fit decently on a 7th gen accord?
Hi everyone,
As the title states, I’m in the market for some sort of bike rack that would fit on the trunk of my 2004 Accord. I’ve seen more and more people driving around with bike racks that appear to fit right over the trunk, which has drawn my interest (I always thought I would need to weld in a tow hitch to connect a bike rack).
Does anyone have any input on which bike rack will (a) not damage my car, and (b) not cause a giant accident by keeping my bike secure? It looks like there’s some decent options online, but I thought I’d ask here before I consider getting one.
As the title states, I’m in the market for some sort of bike rack that would fit on the trunk of my 2004 Accord. I’ve seen more and more people driving around with bike racks that appear to fit right over the trunk, which has drawn my interest (I always thought I would need to weld in a tow hitch to connect a bike rack).
Does anyone have any input on which bike rack will (a) not damage my car, and (b) not cause a giant accident by keeping my bike secure? It looks like there’s some decent options online, but I thought I’d ask here before I consider getting one.
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Thanks for the recommendations! And thanks to the power of Craigslist, I was able to find a Yakima bike rack for $25! It’s a little old, but I’m sure it does the job just as well as a brand new one. My only concern is that it might scratch the paint a little, but it looks like everything is rubberized (even the hooks that grab onto your trunk). Does anyone have any tips for preventing any scratches?
@fazio767 - No matter how tight you make the straps holding it, it will rub... So put a heavy coat of good quality car wax on the trunk lid, on edges where it hooks on, and on any potential bike contact points on rear bumper, etc, too.
When I used a truck lid bike rack, I also put a small piece of clean microfiber cloth under each contact point to limit rubber rubbing on paint. I secured each piece of cloth to the rack with a rubber band so it didn't take 6 hands to get the rack mounted, while keeping all contact points protected.
Not perfect solutions, but they did help...
When I used a truck lid bike rack, I also put a small piece of clean microfiber cloth under each contact point to limit rubber rubbing on paint. I secured each piece of cloth to the rack with a rubber band so it didn't take 6 hands to get the rack mounted, while keeping all contact points protected.
Not perfect solutions, but they did help...
Thanks for the tip… I just saw another vehicle parked in my parking garage with a bike rack. It looks like he cut little pieces of microfibre cloth and added those pieces to the hooks to ensure that they don’t rub on the actual paint. I also noticed that he added microfibre to the rubber pieces that sit against the paint. Maybe that’s worth a try? I know it’s a 20 year old car, but my paint is in excellent condition and I’d like it to stay that way.@fazio767 - No matter how tight you make the straps holding it, it will rub... So put a heavy coat of good quality car wax on the trunk lid, on edges where it hooks on, and on any potential bike contact points on rear bumper, etc, too.
When I used a truck lid bike rack, I also put a small piece of clean microfiber cloth under each contact point to limit rubber rubbing on paint. I secured each piece of cloth to the rack with a rubber band so it didn't take 6 hands to get the rack mounted, while keeping all contact points protected.
Not perfect solutions, but they did help...
@fazio767 - That sounds exactly like what I did with microfiber cloth for a truck lid bike rack.
As I said, not perfect protection, but better than not doing anything...
As I said, not perfect protection, but better than not doing anything...
Reading back over your previous comment, I can see that I was reiterating your exact strategy. If I cut a microfibre cloth into four pieces, and wash those pieces when they become dirty, it should work out okay. I may take the front tire off the bike so it doesn’t rub on my bumper.@fazio767 - That sounds exactly like what I did with microfiber cloth for a truck lid bike rack.
As I said, not perfect protection, but better than not doing anything...
@fazio767 - You'll need more than four pieces of cloth. Four may be enough for the "legs", but you also need a piece for each hook too. I presume there are two hooks for top edge of the trunk and at least two other hooks that attach to trunk's lower edge or under the bumper, and -depending on the rack- two hooks for side edges of the trunk.
Taking the front wheel off is a good idea. Or you could use elastic straps to keep the wheel straight so it doesn't hit the bumper.
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Taking the front wheel off is a good idea. Or you could use elastic straps to keep the wheel straight so it doesn't hit the bumper.
Try pool noodles or some other foam thing that can slide over any round areas. Think outside the box and you can come up with some really weird stuff
Pool noodle foam may be too rough on the paint...
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