spectastic

I have a saris bones trunk rack. I want to keep it on my car, because I take my bike everywhere, and this would make it so much simpler. my car doesn't have a hitch, and I'm too lazy to install one, otherwise I would just keep a hitch rack on there. The problem I'm worried about is leaving the nylon straps in the sun. I'm afraid it'll deteriorate and cause an accident or something. should i just leave it inside, and only bring it out when I'm traveling?

profjmb

If you can afford it, consider Saris RS rack. Fine to leave on and you can even use your trunk.

spectastic

yea, $300 is more than what I would spend on a rack. It looks nice and convenient though... how long have those been on the market? maybe they'll come out with a newer one so that I can get the sloppy seconds on holiday... or maybe I should stop pretending i'm still living on a college budget.

Kayotee

The nylon straps on the trunk bike racks are all pretty darn sturdy, it'd take quite a significant amount of exposure to the elements to begin to deteriorate the nylon enough to be a hazard (given that you occasional inspect for tears). However, here in southern Arizona, I'm forced to remove my trunk rack more for the sake of the foam pads where they contact my vehicle. The heat can often be enough to start melting the foam where it touches the car.

Looigi

FWIW: Nylon degrades pretty rapidly in direct sunlight. Some nylon includes UV inhibitors which help, but it still doesn't last. Acrylic and polyester have much better resistance to degradation from UV and are what is typically used for outdoor awnings, boat covers, etc.. I don't know what material the Bones straps are.

rommer25

I used to leave my rack on the car all the time. It took about two years for my rack to fail (top strap). Dump two bikes on the street.