wanna…
…borrow my welder ? a few zaps and it’ll stay where put !
racks
Racks are noisy and kill the mileage of the car they are on. Takes maybe 10 minutes max to remove them.
Bill H.
That’s nice of them
I guess you can’t complain about their service.
However, it would be better if they just made racks that were easier and faster to remove and install, so people didn’t feel compelled to leave them on the car all the time. I never leave my Saris rack on my roof if I’m not using it, as it goes on and off quickly enough that there’s no point in leaving it on. Although I haven’t actually taken it off while I’m out paddling, if I was in an area where rack theft was an issue, I wouldn’t hesitate to do so.
I agree…
…which is why I never leave mine on. However, I can install them in about two minutes, so it’s no major inconvenience. Some racks are a pain to remove and install, which is why people leave them on. Although it sounds counterintuitive, if rack maker made their racks easier to remove and install, it might actually result in less theft.
Rack mileage depends on the car
I get the same 24 mpg at 60mph on the highway with no racks or with three racks on the roof.
just curious…
What part of the U.S. are the thefts taking place? Any speculation as to why gangs would go out of their way to steal racks? Thanks.
Pagayeur
thefts
Yakima told me that they were contacted by the LA police department because of all the thefts in that area. If you google that question you will find most occur on the west coast of the US. I also saw reports from Ontario, Orlando, Tampa, etc. It seems to me that there is a connection between thefts and demand of these racks by a large community of bike clubs and paddlers. These racks have a simple lock that can easily be opened with a flat head screwdriver and a firm twist. Clips can also be pried and pulled off with some force.
So if you live in an area where many use roof racks…this could affect you.
Oh, boy
Whatever crime hits southern CA gets pretty quickly to CO. They’re probably already targeting the bike mounts, as those are as common here as kayak cradles are in the Seattle area.
Now, where is that NRA sticker and the bumper sticker that says Never Mind the Dog–Beware of Owner.
1 Like
That would be a great NRA sticker!
I would get one.
Re racks - our trailer is designed by us to take thule bars with mostly Malone carriers attached. When we get to our destination, we simply undo the bars sitting into the notched wood (use rubber bike straps to hold down) and put inside the van. This keeps an honest thief away -of course they could break into the van if they really want them.
Re our bike carrier which is a hitch design - i remove it and also put into the van - again same scenario. I feel better knowing the chances of all parts being there are better than left out in the open. The bad part is when i forget the van door up and install the carrier etc then realize i cannot close the van door! Yeah i know once you should learn - nope not me - done numerous times! always after a ride - guess a little tired!
Is it that hard to take them off…
your roof?
I own Q towers for the car, and I’ll bet I can move slowly and have them in the trunk in two minutes.
The Hull raisers, or whatever they call the crossbar clamps on the SUV take a bit longer, maybe four minutes. I have to unscrew these to release, not just unclamp.
Mark your vehcile where the racks fit, and you can have them on in a jiff.
Why leave them on? They won’t steal what they can’t see. Besides, racks on a car without boats is just ugly.
Further, the UV degradation of the plastics won’t happen with proper storage.
T
So quit buying the “name brand yuppie”…
Sh!t. Then nobody will steal it & it will still work just as good.
Paddle easy,
Coffee
What kind of car do you have?
Let me guess a subaru? If so, I have a set of factory racks from a ford dealership that are brand new. They were ordered for a customer who then changed their mind. I believe I have all the hardware. It is new in package. Shoot me an offer & we’ll figure out something.
Paddle easy,
Coffee
He lives in Kalifornia. They aren’t…
Allowed to have weapons or protect themselves. The only weapons they are allowed to have are far inferior to the weapons that the gang members aren’t “supposed” to own.
Good luck to the OP. I suggest he move to a less communist country & live like a free man.
Paddle easy,
Coffee
Not Kalifornia
I live in Floriduh not a communist country as of yet.
Tried PVC
and 2 x 4 rack but couldn’t figure out how to make them secure enough to transport boats and have them not fly off at highway speeds. If you have any ideas, please post them.
An older Toyota Matrix.
Floriduh!!! LMAO!!!
I never heard of (seen) it spelled like that… ROTFLMAO!!!
Paddle easy,
Coffee
Another idiotic "Coffee-ism"
Please do enlighten us about how you came to the conclusion that Yakima and Thule racks are “brand-name yuppie” products. They’re simply the most commonly available brands of racks. Also, please list the alternative brands, as based on your statement, there must be a lot of them.
For the record, I don’t own either one, but the Saris rack I own is no longer in production, so it’s not a viable alternative unless you can find a used one and you have an older car for which clips were available.
Just casue you are an idiot, doesn’t…
Mean that rationality is stupid… Yes, they are “name brand & yuppie”. Yuppies use them & put down any other alternative.
Inno
Malone
Mont Blanc
Proline
Barrecrafters
Fulton
Perrycraft
There ya go, just afew of many examples.
Well known name brands are “attention getters”. Either buy those that gets there attention caught or by those who want attention!!!
Paddle easy,
Coffee
An idiot? Well, at least I can spell…
– Last Updated: Jun-28-10 10:35 AM EST –
...and put together a coherent sentence.
So a bunch of racks that cost the about the same as Yakima and Thule are not "yuppie", simply because they're less well known? Yeah, that makes sense. I guess McDonalds and Burger King must be "yuppie" restaurants, since everyone knows their name. I mean, they're EVERYWHERE!
Exactly who are all these yuppies that are "putting down" other brands of racks? For that matter, who are all these people who's attention is focused on what brand of rack someone owns? Really, when have you ever seen ANYONE pay ANY "attention" to what roof rack another person owns? It seems you're probably the only person with the warped perception that anyone else actually cares what type of rook rack someone owns or that a roof rack can be a status symbol.
"Wow, nice rack!" is not generally used to describe rooftop kayak carriers, but perhaps that's where you're getting confused.
Outlets for the racks you listed are nowhere near as common as for the Y and T brand racks, which is why most people don't buy them. They may be great products, but Y and T dominate the market, for better or worse. They're readily available everywhere, which is why they sell well. Y and T racks are also widely available used, in which case they can be considerably cheaper than alternative brands. Is a product still "brand name yuppie" if you buy it used for a fraction of the original price?
It really seems that "name brand yuppie" is just Coffee-speak for "Anything I don't like or won't spend my money on". As I said, idiotic.