Stupid trunk mount rack straps! Argh!
 

A while back I bought a top of the line Yakima trunk mount rack and I just really DO NOT like this thing. I'm sure it's not a bad design by Yakima, but just the general design of all trunk mount racks. The first time I used it, the flat nylon straps BUZZED(from the wind) so bad going down the road that it seemed like it vibrated the entire car. I wrapped a couple pieces of black tape around the straps to streamline them and that stopped the buzzing. This last weekend I had to haul our bikes about 50 miles so I put the carrier on. I decided to loop the side straps back over the top tube of the rack to help stabalize it a little better. This made the straps criss-cross in the center. When we were driving I noticed that the now crossed straps were BUZZING like the side straps had before. I didn't have anything to put on them so I drove on. Well when we got home I looked at the rack and the stupid straps were both cut more than halfway thru!!! :mad: The buzzing and rubbing against each other actually cut thru the heavy nylon. So now I'm stuck with a $150 rack with bad straps. :( :rolleyes: I guess I'm gonna cut off about 6" from the end of the forward straps that's not being used and try to sew it across the bad spots. Not sure whether I'll ever be able to really trust this stupid thing again! There's gotta be a better way. :(

Sorry to hear about your troubles. :(
This is precisely why I have a Yakima roof rack. :beer:
No buzzing, just the sound of a tornado outside the car. :D

Roof mount, hitch mount, or spare tire mount if you have an SUV, but I have never liked trunk mount racks. They either don't last, or damage the trunklid. I have a Thule rack on my van and a RHode Gear hitch mount too. I can carry 6 bikes, 6 riders and enough gear for the weekend, all without doing any damage to any sheetmetal.

DEMON

I've used a "Saris Bones" trunk rack for a while now and have found it to be tremendous. It can hold up to three bikes, is as solid as a rock and hasn't damaged the paint or finish of the car at all.

Peter

I have never used a trunk rack, always stuck with a roof rack. I have, however, strapped canoes on top of my truck using those ratchet straps. They buzzed until I put a few twists into them. For some reason they won't set up the harmonic vibrations if you do that. I don't know if it will work on a bike rack, but it might be worth a try...

Great idea Buzzbomb!! Too bad I was too stupid to think of that before ruining my straps. :(

I have been the trunk rack route and now the happy owner of a Yakima roof rack. Some of the best "cycling dollars" I've ever spent.

I've used both a roof rack and a trunk rack. In my experience the roof rack caused loud wind noise, and the trunk rack made no noise.