Sunday, July 15, 2012

Safe Drive for Both Your Car and Your Bike

It's the time of year when mountaineering is in vogue and your muscles are itching for a nice detour from real life, deep into the woods-and maybe it's time to consider purchase of bike racks. Although there is a huge variety of bike racks and their prices, it's important for you to know your main area of concern and convenience before spending your money on it. The wrong kind of purchase will definitely seem like a waste of money and even more, it can cause damage to your bike or your car by scratching the paint, for instance. So don't let yourself be beguiled by mere advertisement and try to make an informed choice.

Before knowing which type to pick, you should have an overview of the characteristics of each kind. Strap-on, truck-mounted carriers are a carrier frame which is attached to the car's hatchback or rear bumper, and it can hold up to two vehicles. It is one of the cheapest mounting racks out there and especially if you have a rented out bike, you should use this kind of mounting device. However for extensive use, it needs a lot of padding to prevent scratching and damage to the car and bicycle, and the truck cannot be open whilst the carrier is on. Better options beside the strap-on rack include the roof-mounted carrier, which eliminates the probably of the bike hindering the opening and closing of the hatchback. It also allows for more flexibility as the carrier doesn't only support your bike but other sports equipment such as canoes. Nonetheless it can still scratch paint and at the same time, it becomes nearly impossible to pass through most underpasses.

The most popular kind of rack, and which is oftentimes considered the best bike rack, is the hitch-mounted bike racks, which are by far the most expensive and at the same time have the greatest capacity for carrying bikes. Like a trolley at the back of the car, the bikes can be 'parked' on a tray-like area and then safely carried to a camping site or elsewhere. The bikes need not be disassembled, as is the need with the first two. It's easy to get going, though of course you'd need a trailer hitch as an additional cost. Nonetheless, it is the most convenient one of the three, and if you have the loose change you won't regret the fruitful investment


No comments:

Post a Comment