buster71

For those interested in a somewhat cheaper alternative to the Yakima rack offered by the dealer, check out the roof rack system by Saris. First off, for those who think putting a rack on the roof serves no purpose other than to uglify it, please move on. Some of us need a rack to transport stuff that won't fit in the back, such as 2 bikes. BUT...also be aware that the Saris roof rack can be put on or taken off in about 2 minutes (if you're slow), so you very easily take it off when not in use. The moonroof is not useable with the rack on, except in the tilt-up position. If you accidentally open the roof with the rack on, I imagine you'd end up with a shattered moonroof. Luckily, the rack does not in any way interfere with the hatch. However, if you have a big bike, such as a downhill rig, your tires may touch. For my XC dualie, though, I still have a couple of inches of clearance.

Total cost of the rack system to hold 3 bikes should come in under $400 if you shop frugally. Rack is solid. I've been using a Saris rack for about 5 years with no problem. If you're looking into this for your tC, you will need 59" load bars and 2 sets of #24 clips.

Hope this helps someone. Please don't post just to tell me I've ruined the profile of my car.



hatch open:

ThePerchik

Nice, i have a 02 Camry and I am waiting for my tC to arrive from Japan, but i plan to move my Yakima over to the tC for winter skiing. How far from the end of the door did you mount the Q-towers?

mikochu

Looks good. Saris roof racks a nice. How's the wind noise with the bike? Does it clear the sunroof?

buster71

Saris racks, according to the manual, require minimum 16" spread between the load bars. My front load bar is lined up with the front edge of the sunroof, and the rear load bar is lined up with the rear edge of the sunroof. Guess that would be about 2.5-3" from the edge of the door.

Don't know where to position the towers for Yakima, though.

buster71

The bike really doesn't make much noise. But, Saris racks whistle like crazy. There is an easy remedy, though, by just using electrical tape to cover up any exposed grooves on the underside of the rack. Once done, I really don't hear any noise at all. In fact, with the windows rolled up, there's no change in noise from the usual wind noise. It's so quiet that I sometimes have to look up through the sunroof to assure myself the bike is still there.

With the Saris rack, you will NOT be able to open your sunroof. Tilt it up, yes, but open, no. If you forget and open the roof, the glass will press up against the underside of the rack and you'll probably end up with a shattered roof. It is the major drawback of the roof rack, but again, taking the Saris off is so incredibly easy, so it doesn't have to stay on all the time.

nyr197

Awesome, I'm going to pick one of these up to move my kayak around this summer.

nyr197

Where did you purchase the rack?

buster71

I purchased the load bars from Frenchies Cycles in Huntington, Long Island, which also operates bicyclebuys.com. You can call the number at bicyclebuys.com and tell them you want to pick up the merchandise from the store, and you'll get a better price than if you walked into the front door to buy the stuff. The load bars were $209. I think clips to fit the car run about $30, then you just have to buy the bike trays and mounts. I forget how much those cost, cause I've had the trays for 5 years. Anyway, the prices at Frenchies/bicyclesbuys.com are nothing special, as the rack runs about the price anywhere you go. Keep an eye out on ebay, though, as I've seen these racks go for DIRT cheap - like $175 for the whole system including 2 bike mounts. Worth a look if you don't mind buying used.

nyr197

Thanks for the info.

d_gage

that actually looks very cool, i need a new bike and was thinking of going this route myself