General Cycling Discussion - Women's bike and bike racks

For Christmas my mother bought me a used bike rack to use until I get the money together to buy a nicer one. It attaches to my trunk and has 3 groves on each arm to hold the bikes and then a long strap to secure them to the rack. Now that I have the bike rack I have no idea how to get my bike on it since I don't have a straight bar like a man's bike. Also I am a little scared about tying my bike on, is there anyway to secure it better on a rack like this??

Thank you so much, I am hoping to figure this out soon so I can take my bike with me.

Jenna

I was at Academy a while back, and they had this weird little gadget that I didn't know what it was. Got to looking, and it's a temporary top bar that goes on a step-through frame just so it can be carried on a rack.

I don't see it on Academy's site, but here's one with a little video of how it's used:
http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Tension-Bicycle-Cross-Bar-Adaptor/dp/B000ELSSZE

Maybe there's some better way to work things, but that would be one option. I haven't used it, just saw it.

My wife used one of these contraptions with her quite small framed bike and it worked very well.

This is the exact one she used. http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1031464_-1_400019_400007_400173

I like the Saris adapter: http://www.amazon.com/Saris-Bike-Beam/dp/B001EIKUG6

On some women's bike, you don't need one though. It all depends on your rack and the bike. But, you can try putting the bike on the rack by placing one of the rack's arms in the rear triangle and the other at the underside junction of the down tube and the head tube. If you can do this, I would recommend it. On some bikes, the way the adapter works, makes the bikes hang too low on the rack. It seems that this could be an issue while going over speed bumps or if you hit a big pot hole.

I like the Saris adapter: http://www.amazon.com/Saris-Bike-Beam/dp/B001EIKUG6

On some women's bike, you don't need one though. It all depends on your rack and the bike. But, you can try putting the bike on the rack by placing one of the rack's arms in the rear triangle and the other at the underside junction of the down tube and the head tube. If you can do this, I would recommend it. On some bikes, the way the adapter works, makes the bikes hang too low on the rack. It seems that this could be an issue while going over speed bumps or if you hit a big pot hole.I've got a "men's" bike that works better mounted that way.

you can try putting the bike on the rack by placing one of the rack's arms in the rear triangle and the other at the underside junction of the down tube and the head tube. If you can do this, I would recommend it.

I haul bikes on my car a lot, and womens style the majority of the time. I do it just like above. I was nervous at first, but its been a couple of years and I haven't lost one yet. At least not because of being poorly tied down. I always secure a strap through both wheels and around the rack. Also make sure it is tied down to arms of the rack or it will bounce up and down over bumps and pot holes. I also try to make sure the pedals don't hit my car. Usually the arm can be turned to rest on some part of the rack and that works. Finally, if the bike will be unattended for any period of time, lock it. If you have to leave it on the car lock it to the rack. I like a ulock around the rack, frame, through rear wheel. You might also want to use a cable lock too. Learned this one the hard way.

I like the Saris adapter: http://www.amazon.com/Saris-Bike-Beam/dp/B001EIKUG6

On some women's bike, you don't need one though. It all depends on your rack and the bike. But, you can try putting the bike on the rack by placing one of the rack's arms in the rear triangle and the other at the underside junction of the down tube and the head tube. If you can do this, I would recommend it. On some bikes, the way the adapter works, makes the bikes hang too low on the rack. It seems that this could be an issue while going over speed bumps or if you hit a big pot hole.

I will have to look and see if this is possible with my bike, it is a 2010 Trek Hybrid 7000 13 inch, I am a shortie.

I will have to look and see if this is possible with my bike, it is a 2010 Trek Hybrid 7000 13 inch, I am a shortie.
That should fit in the trunk of a Yaris I should think!

In case you're not sure how the bar works, here are a few pictures so you can figure it. It should fit your bike.

I tried and the bike will not fit in my car even with taking the front wheel off.

thanks for all the advice I am going to try the adapter

On arm under the top tube, the other arm under the seat stay/seat tube junction. No adapter needed, and has worked for me for years.

One arm under the top tube, the other arm under the seat stay/seat tube junction. No adapter needed, and has worked for me for years.

There is no law that the bike has to be level on the rack. Just make sure that neither wheel is lower than the rear bumper or in line with the exhaust.