Very Quick
"I didn't find a need for bungee cords to secure the wheels because there's so much extra strap that you can tie it through the wheels to keep them from rotating."
"Not only was my bike rock-solid secure on the rack (with the help of locks and bungee cords, of course), and the rack extremely secure on my car (straps didn't budge an inch while in motion), but this bike rack can take anything."
"Once the bikes are on there, you need to give those straps some more good tugs because the added weight will change the distribution and forces acting on the rack."
"I am very happy with it over all and in the past couple of trips I have added an additional 2 bikes (boy was that fun the first time- thank goodness my friend knew what they were doing) all in all great buy, and highly recommended."
"I wore a glove when setting them and had no issues but I can definitely see how someone could get hurt."
"I also added bungees between the bike frame and front wheel to stop it spinning and keep the handlebars straight, on one of my bikes if I did not do that the wheel turned until the car trunk stopped it."
"The first trip was scary because the bike will wiggle as you drive, but I made sure to bungee the wheels and it rides really well."
Allen Sports Deluxe Trunk Mount 3-Bike Carrier (Click to Compare Deals)
Quick
"* This is a great rack that was really easy for me to install even during a hot day, after a long ride, while my head wasn't all together there... I didn't find a need for bungee cords to secure the wheels because there's so much extra strap that you can tie it through the wheels to keep them from rotating... And we only use this on old cars whose paint I don't really care about, but I see no problem with scratching even if you leave the hooks as-is."
"But I took a chance and got this modestly-priced bike rack over a well-known, expensive brand like Thule, because I don't have that kind of money... Not only was my bike rock-solid secure on the rack (with the help of locks and bungee cords, of course), and the rack extremely secure on my car (straps didn't budge an inch while in motion), but this bike rack can take anything... The ONLY issue I could have with this rack is that the pads that protect your car from the metal rack showed some serious wear after what I put them through (which is understandable)."
"Here's some quick tips that I found from others that have worked for me: 1) Wrap the metal strap clips in Electrical tape or put pieces of rubbery cabinet liner between the clip and the car... Once the bikes are on there, you need to give those straps some more good tugs because the added weight will change the distribution and forces acting on the rack... I live in the dry and dusty California climate and I found out the hard way that if you keep the rack on your car for extended periods of time, dirt and grime will get up in there and scratch or stain your paint and/or bumper."
"It would have taken a lot less time to ride the bike the 6 county blocks, however I got this and next time it will be so much easier and faster... So now that I have mastered this thing and ALL the straps I would recommend it to others and I like the way it folds down to be able to store it. I am very happy with it over all and in the past couple of trips I have added an additional 2 bikes (boy was that fun the first time- thank goodness my friend knew what they were doing) all in all great buy, and highly recommended."
"* The Allen Sport's website says this model does not fit the Corolla S because of the clearance of the rack onto the trunk over the spoiler... First, the rack has a warning about the two metal hooks you have to set into place during assembly being a pinch point... I wore a glove when setting them and had no issues but I can definitely see how someone could get hurt."
"Take your time to first get the two top straps to the right length and figure out how it all goes together... I checked the straps at each rest stop, the sway ones can loosen slightly in strong crosswinds (so a quick tug retightened them) but the top ones and bottom ones did not budge. I also added bungees between the bike frame and front wheel to stop it spinning and keep the handlebars straight, on one of my bikes if I did not do that the wheel turned until the car trunk stopped it."
"I can't do anything else if my bike is on my car since it would be very easy to unhook this and take it with a locked-on bike, if someone was so inclined... The first trip was scary because the bike will wiggle as you drive, but I made sure to bungee the wheels and it rides really well... I have to mount mine on the outside clips because if it's on the clips closer to the trunk the pedals hit the car - I couldn't get it into place on those."
Less Quick
"* This is a great rack that was really easy for me to install even during a hot day, after a long ride, while my head wasn't all together there... You may have to do a little pedal positioning, but it beats buying another part you really don't need... DO NOT mount the women's bike like they suggest: with one holder rotated to attach to the seat tube, under the top tube!... I didn't find a need for bungee cords to secure the wheels because there's so much extra strap that you can tie it through the wheels to keep them from rotating... And we only use this on old cars whose paint I don't really care about, but I see no problem with scratching even if you leave the hooks as-is. The key is to be good at tying down your straps tightly enough so that there isn't extra vibration or so they don't move... This makes a great rack to throw in my mom's car and keep there so she can meet up with us and then drive our sore, tired butts home after a long ride day."
"I was really worried about buying a bike rack for my transcontinental trip (7,000 miles coast-to-coast and many places in-between)... But I took a chance and got this modestly-priced bike rack over a well-known, expensive brand like Thule, because I don't have that kind of money... Not only was my bike rock-solid secure on the rack (with the help of locks and bungee cords, of course), and the rack extremely secure on my car (straps didn't budge an inch while in motion), but this bike rack can take anything. I drove up Pike's Peak in Colorado (14,000+ mountain), across the rain-soaked plains, over the Rocky Mountains, in crazy hot temperatures, in cool temperatures, in dry and wet climates, at all levels of incline, at 90 MPH on Utah highways, on bumpy, crazy park roads, and more... The rack itself is very easy to mount, and you can technically still open your truck when it's mounted (although it'll be awkwardly heavy)... The ONLY issue I could have with this rack is that the pads that protect your car from the metal rack showed some serious wear after what I put them through (which is understandable)... Now, I haven't thoroughly washed my car since the trip, and I'm 99% sure that this mark will come up no problem."
"It's been on several trips up and down the CA coast ranging from 70+mph freeways, stop and go city traffic, and windy mountain roads with no problem... Here's some quick tips that I found from others that have worked for me: 1) Wrap the metal strap clips in Electrical tape or put pieces of rubbery cabinet liner between the clip and the car... 2) Use bungee cords to strap the bike(s) to the rack and to keep the wheels from spinning... Alternating them (one bike points one way, next bike is flipped the other direction) makes the bikes fit into each other better and evenly distributes the weight across the rack... Once the bikes are on there, you need to give those straps some more good tugs because the added weight will change the distribution and forces acting on the rack... I wrap the excess around the straps then tuck the last three inches back into itself 5) IF YOU HAVE NICE PAINT: Take the rack off frequently after long trips and clean in between the pads. I live in the dry and dusty California climate and I found out the hard way that if you keep the rack on your car for extended periods of time, dirt and grime will get up in there and scratch or stain your paint and/or bumper."
") I decided not long ago that I was going to pick up a new hobby and start getting healthy at the same time so here it is long story short. I bought an adult mountain bike and proceeded to make it mine with all the necessities, to include purchasing this bike rack... So I am out putting this thing on my car and of course I have the box and the directions to try and allow myself to keep up... I then proceeded to hook my one and only bike to the rack and added my own bungee to strap it down... It would have taken a lot less time to ride the bike the 6 county blocks, however I got this and next time it will be so much easier and faster... So now that I have mastered this thing and ALL the straps I would recommend it to others and I like the way it folds down to be able to store it. I am very happy with it over all and in the past couple of trips I have added an additional 2 bikes (boy was that fun the first time- thank goodness my friend knew what they were doing) all in all great buy, and highly recommended."
"* The Allen Sport's website says this model does not fit the Corolla S because of the clearance of the rack onto the trunk over the spoiler... First, the rack has a warning about the two metal hooks you have to set into place during assembly being a pinch point... I wore a glove when setting them and had no issues but I can definitely see how someone could get hurt... Second, if you set the bottom pads of the rack against your license plate and the top on the trunk, it clears the spoiler fine... Third, many reviews mention the hooks that attach to the sides of the trunk scratching the paint... Fourth, an extra bungee comes in handy to keep loose bits like the front tire from moving around too much... The rack is being used for one bike but I don't think a second one would cause an issue with this set up."
"* So the first install is something you should do before you and your family / friends are standing around the car ready to load and go. Take your time to first get the two top straps to the right length and figure out how it all goes together... I checked the straps at each rest stop, the sway ones can loosen slightly in strong crosswinds (so a quick tug retightened them) but the top ones and bottom ones did not budge. I also added bungees between the bike frame and front wheel to stop it spinning and keep the handlebars straight, on one of my bikes if I did not do that the wheel turned until the car trunk stopped it. Alternating bikes so the front wheels point left right and similarly looking to have the pedals horizontal then vertical can make getting bikes back to back on the frame much easier. With this on don't expect to open your trunk or use your rear wash wipe (on a SUV/hatch), not such a big deal for a short trip but for a longer journey this can be awkward. I'll probably invest in a hitch now as they are fairly easy to do yourself and $100-200 to give more convenience (no need to add the electrical connections)."
"I can't do anything else if my bike is on my car since it would be very easy to unhook this and take it with a locked-on bike, if someone was so inclined... I also make sure and take it off at the trails and put it in the trunk so I have a way to get my bike home again..... The first trip was scary because the bike will wiggle as you drive, but I made sure to bungee the wheels and it rides really well... They can easily scratch the paint, especially if you didn't tighten something enough. My car is old so I don't care, but I would recommend putting some puffy tape on those if you care about your car... I have to mount mine on the outside clips because if it's on the clips closer to the trunk the pedals hit the car - I couldn't get it into place on those... Anyway, great for now until I get a newer vehicle that I can actually just put the bike in."
