Tips For Finding the Right Bike Rack For Your Car

I never liked cyclists very much. I own a Jeep Cherokee and whenever I'd drive around town in it, I'd inevitably see a cyclist on the side of the road pedaling away like it was the Tour de France. Normally I'd salute such dedication to sport and health, but the bikers were always hogging the road even if there was a bike lane! It was especially annoying when they took left turns with the traffic, as if pretending to be a car.

My attitude only changed when I was forced to go riding myself one day. A buddy of mine called up and invited me to go riding on a famed trail just outside of town. I began to say "No thanks, I'd rather embrace a cactus", but then he revealed that his truck had broken down, he had no way of transporting his bike and was therefore in need of a helping hand. I was still going to say "Heck no" but then I recalled that this particular buddy had donated his kidney to me a few years back and so I figured I owed him one. I reluctantly agreed and he insisted I ride along.

My first order of business was to get a bike and a way of securing it to my Jeep, i.e. a bike rack. I never dreamed that there was such a wide range of bike racks and bike rack accessories out there! There are hitch mount racks, which attach securely to the rear of the vehicle. Then there are trunk mount racks which latch on to a vehicle's trunk and are quickly and easily removed. Then there are of course the old standard roof racks which I was leaning toward for my own SUV.

Sometimes the best approach to picking a rack is to buy one based on the capacity of bikes it can hold. This can be as high as 5 but I decided to settle for one that would comfortably carry two. I also bought some car mats to spruce up the interior.

Finally the big day came! We drove out and rode some amazing trails, saw wondrous sights and got up close with beauty of the great outdoors. The next day I was so sore I called in sick and lay on the floor of my apartment twitching and flailing. But I was happy, for I had gotten in touch with nature and got a dose of exercise at the same time.

Whenever you are buying car parts or accessories, make sure you shop around and know what you're getting into. Research the pros and cons of the existing brands and models and read customer reviews, or you might end up stuck with something you'd rather not have.

I am now a changed man. The next time I'm driving around town, rather swear at the cyclists, I'll make sure to swerve widely around my fellow brothers of the wheel.