Recommended Trunk Mounted Bike Rack for 2014 Mazda 6

Question:

Which of the following truck bike racks do you most highly recommend and why? I own a 2014 Mazda 6, 4 door sedan. My bikes are a mixed style womens and a 20inch boys Trek. 1. Thule Gateway Pro 3 2. Saris Bones EX 3

asked by: Marilyn

Expert Reply:

The Thule Gateway, part # TH78VR is a fine product. It has many great features: dual folding arms, 6-point attachment straps, soft padding to protect your vehicle finish, 3-bike carrying capacity, an anti-sway system, a lifetime warranty and a quick-install system to make mounting to your Mazda 6 a simple process

The Saris Bones, # SA803, is a popular rack but the only thing I do not like about it is that it does have a lot of plastic parts. It is good, strong plastic, but I find metal holds up to wear and tear better.

Of the various racks you mentioned, all will attach to the vehicle the same way, via 6 nylon webbing straps that use buckles to tighten them. Because of this, any one of the racks would be just as stable in their attachment to the vehicle as any of the others.

For women's bikes or bikes with sharply angled top tubes or step-through frames, using a frame adapter like part # Y02531 is recommended. The adapter spans the distance between the seat post and the handle bar gooseneck, and provides a level attachment point to the bike rack so the bike is not carried at an angle.

expert reply by: Chris O