There’s a familiar feeling of frustration for any cyclist who loves their car as much as their bike. You see a perfect day for a ride unfolding, the trails are calling, but your vehicle—a sleek sedan, a stylish hatchback, or an SUV with a prominent spoiler—lacks a trailer hitch. The thought of wrestling a bike into the back seat, risking grease on the upholstery and scratches on the interior, is enough to deflate any enthusiasm. We’ve been there. The search for a bike rack becomes a minefield of “will it fit?” and “will it scratch my paint?” This isn’t just about moving a bike; it’s about finding a tool that integrates seamlessly into your lifestyle, protecting your investments (both car and bike) and removing the final barrier between you and your next adventure. The wrong choice means constant worry on the highway, potential damage, and a rack that gathers dust in the garage. The right choice means freedom.
- EASY FIT CHECK: Scan the QR code to instantly verify that this rack is compatible with your vehicle before buying and avoid the hassle of returns.
- BONES EX: Lightweight at 11 lbs.; strongest frame on the market; arc–based design separates bikes on different levels. A Bike Beam may be required for...
What to Consider Before Buying a Trunk-Mounted Bike Rack
A trunk-mounted bike rack is more than just a piece of equipment; it’s a key solution for cyclists who need flexibility and don’t have, or don’t want, a permanent hitch installed on their vehicle. These racks are designed to be lightweight, portable, and adaptable, turning almost any car into a capable bike hauler. Their primary benefit lies in their accessibility and lower cost compared to roof or hitch systems. They grant you the ability to explore new trails far from home, join group rides across town, or simply take your bike on vacation without needing a specialized vehicle. They solve the universal problem of bike transport with an elegant, non-permanent approach that is perfect for renters, multi-car families, or those who simply prefer a clean, uncluttered look for their vehicle when not carrying bikes.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone who owns a sedan, hatchback, or SUV and needs to transport one or two standard-weight bicycles. They value their car’s finish and are looking for a rack that is both secure on the road and gentle on the paint. It’s perfect for the weekend warrior, the casual family rider, or even the serious road cyclist heading to a race. However, a trunk-mounted rack might not be suitable for those who own heavy electric bikes, as most models have a per-bike weight limit around 35 pounds. It’s also less convenient for those who need frequent access to their trunk, as the rack often needs to be removed to open the hatch or trunk lid fully. For those with e-bikes or a need for higher capacity, a hitch-mounted platform rack is a better alternative.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Vehicle Compatibility & Fit: This is the single most important factor for a trunk rack. Modern cars have complex shapes, with spoilers, plastic bumpers, and angled glass. A good rack must be highly adjustable to make secure contact on solid points of the vehicle. Always check the manufacturer’s fit guide for your specific car model before purchasing to ensure it works, especially around spoilers, which is a common point of failure for lesser designs.
- Capacity & Performance: Be realistic about your needs. A 2-bike rack should comfortably hold two bikes without them touching. Look for features like anti-sway cradles, which prevent bikes from rocking into each other and the car. Pay close attention to the weight limit per bike. At 35 pounds, the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack is perfect for road, hybrid, and most mountain bikes, but not for heavy e-bikes or fat bikes.
- Materials & Durability: Trunk racks are exposed to sun, rain, and road grime. Racks made from steel are strong but can rust over time if the coating is chipped. The Saris Bones EX uses an injection-molded composite material, which we found to be a superior choice. It’s incredibly strong, surprisingly lightweight, and completely rust-proof, ensuring a much longer lifespan and easier handling. Also, inspect the quality of the straps and buckles, as they are the heart of the system.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: How long does it take to install and remove the rack? A complicated setup will discourage you from using it. A great rack should be intuitive after the first one or two installations. Look for features like integrated strap management to prevent excess straps from flapping in the wind. Long-term care involves periodically checking straps for wear and keeping the rack’s contact points clean to prevent dirt from abrading your car’s paint.
While the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- Aluminum Alloy Material - Suitable for most bicycles, Such as road bike, mountain bike, fat bike, etc. (Kids' bike and Trek Verve can not be used，Please...
- Allen Sports Deluxe 2-Bike Trunk Mount Rack, Model 102DN-R
- 【High Quality Materials and load 310lb】The bike rear rack is made of high quality hard Aluminum Alloy. Also,durable TIG-welded and heat-treated process...
First Impressions: Unboxing an Icon Reimagined
Opening the box of the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack, the first thing we noticed was its weight—or lack thereof. At just 11 pounds, it feels substantially lighter than many of its metal counterparts, making it incredibly easy to handle. The product comes almost fully assembled, which is a welcome relief; there’s no bag of a hundred nuts and bolts, just a few simple steps to get it ready for the car. The design itself is striking. It doesn’t look like a utilitarian piece of hardware; its arched, bone-like arms give it an almost sculptural quality. The black composite material feels robust and solid to the touch, with a high-quality finish that immediately dispels any notion of “cheap plastic.” The rubber feet that contact the car are soft and pliable, inspiring confidence that they won’t mar the paint. The ratchet straps for securing the bikes are thick and feel durable, a clear step up from the simple rubber ladders on many competing racks. It’s immediately clear that this is a premium, well-thought-out product designed for users who care about aesthetics as much as function. You can see its unique design and build quality here.
Advantages
- Exceptional vehicle compatibility, clearing most spoilers
- Arc-based design separates bikes and prevents contact
- Articulating rubber feet protect vehicle paint effectively
- Lightweight yet incredibly strong and rust-proof composite construction
- Premium ratchet straps and anti-sway cradles secure bikes firmly
- Made in the USA with a lifetime warranty
Drawbacks
- Plastic threads on adjustment knobs are prone to cross-threading if not careful
- Lacks an integrated security system to lock the rack or bikes
Putting the Saris Bones EX Through Its Paces
A bike rack’s true worth is proven not in the garage, but out on the open road, over miles of varied terrain. It needs to be a silent, reliable partner you can trust with thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment. We put the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack through extensive testing—from short trips to the local trailhead to long highway journeys—to see if its real-world performance lives up to its legendary reputation.
Installation and Vehicle Fit: A Masterclass in Versatility
The number one anxiety for any trunk rack user is the initial installation. Will it fit securely? Will I do it wrong? The genius of the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack lies in its highly adjustable, three-legged design. The setup involves positioning two upper feet on the trunk lid or rear window, and one lower foot on the bumper or trunk face. Each of these “legs,” along with the two bike-carrying arms, pivots around a central aluminum spine and locks into place with a grooved, interlocking system. This allows for a massive range of configurations, which is why it boasts compatibility with 90% of top vehicles, even those with tricky spoilers that make other racks unusable.
Our first installation on a 2021 Hyundai Elantra, a car with a complex, angled trunk, took about 15 minutes as we carefully consulted the instructions. As one user noted, it’s wise to “take your time” initially. We found the Saris website’s vehicle-specific fit guide to be an invaluable resource. Once we had the arms positioned correctly, six straps—two top, two side, two bottom—hook onto the edges of the trunk lid. The hooks are metal but coated in a thick, rubberized material that prevents scratching. After tightening everything down, the rack felt like a part of the car—rock solid. Subsequent installations were much faster, taking us less than five minutes. This experience was echoed by a user who, after being paranoid on their first trip, now has “full confidence” in the rack. The key is ensuring all contact points on the car are clean and methodically tightening each strap until there is zero movement. This impressive vehicle compatibility is its standout feature.
On-the-Road Stability: The Arc-Based Advantage
With a road bike and a heavier trail bike mounted, we hit the road. This is where the signature arc-based design truly shines. Unlike flat racks where bikes are crammed together, the arched arms of the Saris Bones EX place the bikes on slightly different levels. This clever geometry creates crucial separation, dramatically reducing the chance of handlebars hitting saddles or pedals scratching an adjacent bike’s frame. It’s a simple concept with a massive impact on peace of mind.
The bike hold-downs are another highlight. The main cradles use a premium ratcheting strap system that clicks audibly as you tighten it, leaving no doubt that your bike’s top tube is secure. More importantly, Saris includes dedicated anti-sway cradles for the seat tube of each bike. These small but critical components brace the bike against the rack, virtually eliminating the side-to-side rocking that plagues cheaper models, especially during crosswinds or sharp turns. We took it over speed bumps and on winding roads, and as confirmed by one user who drove over 150 miles on highways, there was “no wobbling.” Another user with a heavy Commencal bike on a car with stiff coilovers reported the bike “doesn’t move much even over big speed bumps.” This level of stability is exceptional for a strap-based trunk rack and is fundamental to protecting both your bikes and your vehicle.
Design, Durability, and Long-Term Livability
Living with a product day-to-day reveals its thoughtful details and its flaws. The choice of 100% recyclable, injection-molded composite for the arms and legs is a masterstroke. Not only is it strong enough to earn Saris’s claim of having the “strongest frame on the market,” but it’s also completely immune to rust. We left it out in the rain and saw no ill effects, a stark contrast to steel racks that can begin to show corrosion after a few seasons. At only 11 pounds, it’s effortless to carry and store, a significant quality-of-life improvement.
However, no product is perfect. The most common critique we found, and one we agree with, concerns the large knobs used to tighten the arms. One user put it perfectly: “PLEASE update the clamping knobs to have metal threads.” The knobs use plastic threads that tighten onto a metal bolt. If you’re not careful, it is possible to cross-thread them. We managed it by being slow and deliberate, but we understand the frustration of the user who had to fix the threads with a razor knife. It feels like a cost-saving measure on an otherwise premium product. Another practical consideration is strap management. While Saris provides small caps to help tidy the excess, the straps are very long to accommodate large vehicles, and we often found ourselves, like other users, tying simple knots to keep them from flapping.
Despite these minor issues, the overall package is backed by a lifetime warranty, a testament to the manufacturer’s confidence in their product. This commitment from a US-based company adds significant value and makes it easier to overlook small imperfections, knowing the company stands behind their gear. For those seeking a durable, long-term solution, this level of build quality and support is hard to beat.
What Other Users Are Saying
Across the board, the sentiment for the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack is overwhelmingly positive, with users frequently praising its stability and car-friendly design. One user, who was deeply concerned about scratching their Cadillac CTS and Hyundai Genesis, reported that the rack “definitely passes the no-scratch test,” noting the high quality of the three main pads that contact the vehicle. This is a critical endorsement for anyone hesitant to strap something to their prized possession.
The rack’s reliability on long journeys is another common theme. One of the most impressive accounts came from a user who took their road bike on a 2,000-mile trip from Texas to Massachusetts. They reported checking the rack at every stop and found it held firm throughout the entire journey, providing ultimate peace of mind on the interstate.
However, the feedback isn’t without criticism, which lends authenticity to the overall picture. The most pointed negative review came from a user who cross-threaded one of the plastic adjustment knobs during reinstallation. “Plastic threads in a metal nut will cross thread with about the same torque as the threads going in correctly,” they warned, suggesting it was a frustrating design flaw in an otherwise clever product. Another valid point raised by a user was the lack of security, noting there’s “no real way to secure the entire unit to the vehicle” from theft, a common issue with most trunk racks that don’t have integrated locks.
How Does the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack Compare to the Alternatives?
While the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack excels in the trunk-mount category, the broader market offers different solutions for different needs. Understanding these alternatives is key to making the right choice for your specific situation.
1. Thule T2 Pro XT/XTR Hitch Bike Rack
- Versatile design fits nearly all styles of bikes up to 60 lbs each with zero frame contact
- Integrated wheels help to maneuver the rack when it's off the vehicle
The Thule T2 Pro represents the gold standard of hitch-mounted platform racks. Unlike the Saris, it never touches your vehicle’s paint, as it mounts directly into a 2-inch hitch receiver. Its primary advantages are its incredible ease of use—bikes are loaded in seconds with no frame contact—and its ability to carry much heavier bikes, including e-bikes. It’s a more permanent, significantly more expensive solution. A cyclist who owns heavy e-bikes, highly values speed of loading, and has a vehicle equipped with a hitch receiver would prefer the Thule for its raw capability and convenience. However, it lacks the portability and vehicle versatility of the Saris.
2. Allen Sports 322DN 2-Bike Spare Tire Carrier
- Patented design carries bikes up high, away from road and hot exhaust
- 15 inches long carry arms easily accommodate 2 bicycles (up to 70 pounds ); Works with a wide range of bicycle styles and frame sizes
This Allen Sports rack is a highly specialized product designed exclusively for vehicles with a rear-mounted spare tire, such as a Jeep Wrangler or an older Toyota RAV4. It bolts on directly over the spare tire, offering a very secure fit for its intended application. It’s typically very affordable and keeps the bikes elevated and away from the exhaust. However, its utility is extremely narrow. Anyone who doesn’t own a vehicle with a rear spare tire cannot use this rack. The Saris Bones EX, with its universal fit system, is infinitely more versatile and can be moved between different family cars, making it a better choice for nearly everyone else.
3. WEIZE 2-Bike Hitch Bike Rack
- ✅ For low step-through bikes, a top cross-bar needs to be purchased separately for compatibility.
- ✅ SMART TILTING & FOLDING DESIGN: Our bicycle car rack is versatile, the tilting function allows for access to the back of your vehicle even when loaded...
The WEIZE hitch rack is a compelling budget-friendly alternative for those who have a hitch receiver. It offers an impressive 160 lbs total capacity, making it fully e-bike compatible, a feature typically found on much more expensive racks. It also includes desirable functions like smart tilting for trunk access. Someone might prefer the WEIZE if their top priority is carrying heavy electric bikes on a tight budget. While it provides immense value and capacity, it likely won’t match the long-term durability, refined finish, or lifetime warranty offered by a premium brand like Saris. It’s a choice of function over form and long-term refinement.
The Final Word: Is the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack the Right Choice for You?
After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict is clear: the Saris Bones EX 2-Bike Trunk Rack is an outstanding piece of engineering and arguably the best trunk-mounted bike rack on the market. Its iconic arc-based design isn’t just for looks; it provides best-in-class stability and bike separation. Its main triumph is its unparalleled vehicle compatibility, confidently fitting on cars with spoilers and complex trunk shapes that leave other racks unusable. The combination of its lightweight, rust-proof composite construction, paint-safe rubber feet, and a made-in-the-USA lifetime warranty creates a package that is built to last and inspires confidence.
While it’s not without its minor flaws—namely, the plastic adjustment knobs that require a careful hand and the lack of an integrated lock—its core performance is flawless. It is the perfect solution for the cyclist whose car lacks a hitch and who refuses to compromise on security for their bike or the finish on their vehicle. If you’re looking for a reliable, versatile, and stylish way to transport your bikes, the Saris Bones EX is an investment that will pay dividends in miles of stress-free adventures. Check the latest price and get ready for your next ride today.
Last update on 2025-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API