staehpj1 

Here in my neighborhood folks put some nice stuff out for the city's bulk pick up. Many of us tend to curb shop to the point that folks set things out with notes saying what is wrong with an item or that it is okay. Over the years that I have been here I have gotten some nice stuff fron the curb.

Anyway on my morning ride today I spotted a Saris 2 Bone rack sitting there with the trash. I wondered if there was something wrong with it, but didn't check as I passed. Anyway it ate at me since I needed a rack for my wife's car and was thinking of buying one. So I cut my ride a little short to head back and check it out. The bottom line is that it was in perfect shape and will fit her car perfectly.

It is a $200 rack according to the Saris web site. There was a paper sticker on it that said 12.99 so the guy who set it out either bought it second hand for that or tried to sell it for that at a yard sale. I figure 12.99 would be quite a deal, but free is better,

I figured it could be repaired if it was missing something, but I didn't find any missing or damaged parts afyer checking it out. Saris seems to sell most of the parts, but it doesn't look like I need anything unless i need extra anti sway straps or something.

10 Wheels

Great Find
Please post a Pic when you get it mounted.

freeranger

Nice find! I have the 3-bike Saris Bones (have only put 2 on it so far). Use the pickup more often, but the Saris is easy to use on our cars if needed. Guess their yard sale was a bust.

staehpj1 

I didn't deal with the extra slack in the straps yet. Also the straps are not in the correct spots. Turns out the hooks are clearly marked, but I just put it on quickly without paying attention to see if it fit and everything was there. The issue with the extra slack is usually kind of poorly addressed on most racks and in this case not addressed at all so far. I have an idea for using some inner tube as a sleeve that I may try when I put it back on more carefully and fit everything up properly.

So far I can tell that it is a nice solid rack and seem to be very firmly attached to the car. It will go on and off quickly once the straps and arms are set for the specific vehicle.

Here it is on the vehicle albeit not all properly set up.

freeranger

I noticed an error in the setup. The lower "legs" should sit on top of the bumper, not against the back of the trunk lid. It's how my instructions read, and dbl-checked against any instructions on the web, and all show the legs on top of the bumper. Know this isn't the finished mounting, but thought I'd bring it to your attention.

Chuck M 

Once you get the straps correctly placed as far as Upper, Lower and Side, you can simply tuck the loose ends into the center tube and they will stay put nicely. When I remove mine, I simply press the spring loaded buckles on the side and upper straps to loosen the tension and then it is easily cinched back up when I put it back on.

As mentioned, the lower feet will swivel down and sit on the bumper. I have a sedan and all the contact points sit on the bumper and the trunk lid. Which makes me wonder about the top sitting against the glass but I guess it is OK as I've seen them mounted on hatchbacks and wagons.. You can check the Saris website to see if you vehicle is compatible if you want to be sure.

jadmt

my buddy had that rack and after loading his bikes on it and getting to his destination he noticed it dented his car. He was not happy.

staehpj1 

Thanks. I'll have a look and consider that. The Saris site when I look up the fit for my model of car (Nissan 5 door harchback) show 2 pictures with 2 bike options. Neither shows the right car/rack combo. One shows a hatchback with a Bones EX (the EX has 2 top legs). It is mounted the same way mine is in my picture. The other is a regular Bones (like mine), but it isn't shown on a hatchback. It is mounted with the feet down on the bumper, but is on a sedan.

I may dig a bit more on their site to see if there are any pictures of the Bones 2 mounted like they show the Bones 2 EX. Ultimately I may try both and decide which seems to make sense on the Versa.

They do say that the flat side of the lower feet go against the vertical surface of the hatch. In any case the rack seems super solidly on the vehicle the way it is in the picture. More so tham any or the other trunk mounted racks I have used or installed. I have installed some much more expensive racks that were less solidly mounted

staehpj1 

Good to know. I guess if they didn't a closed cell foam plug would hold them in, but it sounds like that isn't unnecessary

Yeah a search for the exact model car brings up that rack as one option.

staehpj1 

After some tinkering I found he rack mounts nicely with the feet down at then bumper and the hatch can even be opened with no bikes on. The one issue is that the side straps need to be angled down quite a bit due to the shape of the hatch, Otherwise the tend to slide down and loosen. I don't think it is a problem though the way they are Anyway this is what it looks like the way I mounted it:

It seems solid and like it will stay put. The straps stow nicely. I'd have been happy with it if I bought it retail. As a roadside find I am delighted.

JohnDThompson 

I've mounted them both ways, and not had problems. The advantage of having the feet on the trunk lid is that you can open the trunk (after removing the bikes, of course) without having to remove the rack from the car.

Hyperventilate

I see the bracing arm resting on the rear window. What is the possibility that the window will shatter due to bicycle weight and pressure vibrations?

staehpj1 

I assume it is an acceptable risk given that many racks are installed that way by design.

rsbob 

Vehicle windows are designed to take far greater loads than they are from the inside.

Found this out the hard way when I was loading boards into my wife’s wagon and one tapped the front windshield from the inside.

rsbob 

Besides the usual tools and ;bungee cords along the road, my best find was a $100 bill.

John E

I have found various hand tools, including a few metric Snap-On wrench sockets in good shape, on the road. Also several unused Zip-ties (can't have too many of those). I did find a $20 bill once.

Ah -- the bonus benefits of walking or bicycling instead of driving.

We do get various abandoned cars on our local roads from time to time, like the old "Found On the Road Dead" acronym joke.

RB1-luvr

that's a good rack. I've had mine for many years. Mine holds three bikes. I like how easy it is to adjust.

curbtender

Worked for the local garbage company, thus the moniker. The bulky waste route had some pretty nice items sometimes. Some so nice that when we drove by to service the pile was already gone. My shed is full of bike projects from those days. What got me back into bikes was a 78' Schwinn Spitfire 5. Best bike was a 70's Bottechia Professional. Retired but some of my old colleagues still call when they find bike related items.

smoore

I've had one of these for about ten years and even though I only use it about twice a year....it works just fine in every way. It's used on my Mazda 3 Hatch and yes....you want the lower legs sitting on the top of the read bumper.

I recently found a small piece of paper on the road while I was riding; it says: "For a good time, call Candy at 404-678-****. Do you think it's a fellow cyclist looking for a riding partner or perhaps someone else who has questions about Saris bike racks? I figured I'd ask you guys before I check with my wife as she is not a cyclist and seldom understands my bicycle questions. Thanks.

gobicycling

Have your wife unknowingly call that number. Should be a big surprise! Then standby while she files divorce papers.