Can a Bike Rack Break a Window? Solved!
Originally posted on November 2, 2021 @ 11:44
You’re ready to hit the road with your trusty bike strapped to your car’s bike rack. But, what if the worst happens?
Can a bike rack break a window? The short answer is yes, but don’t panic just yet. In this article, we’ll explain why and give you tips to keep your ride safe and your car intact.
Table of Contents
How can a bike rack break a window?
When your car rack is not properly installed or when you use a bike rack that is not fitted for your type of car, the bike rack can become loose and fall which could cause damage to your window. This is more likely to occur when you are on the road.
When driving and gaining a bit of speed to rack might start to vibrate a bit and that may shatter glass or could scratch the paint of your car.
It’s important that your car rack is installed correctly and securely so there is no chance of it falling off while driving or parking! This requires some knowledge about how your car fits with a specific bike rack, which makes sense since different types of cars fit differently with various racks.
If you are unsure about the correct installation method for your car, you can always ask a professional to install it for you.
But let’s be honest, installing a bike rack isn’t that hard, if you follow the instructions below or watch youtube you should be fine. When installed properly the chances are slim that the bike rack will damage your car. Trunk bike racks are specially designed for this task so don’t be too scared about using a trunk rack for your car,
Are hanging bike racks bad?
No, hanging bike racks are not bad! In fact, they can be quite useful when it comes to carrying a lot of bikes or if you have a large car.
The only thing that could cause damage is either the poor installation or the lack of maintenance due to wear and tear which will eventually make your rack loose and fall off while driving or chip the paint of your car.
How to install a trunk rack?
When you have a rear-windowed bike rack, you may attach a strap rack to the back of your car’s door. This can be dangerous since the door might stay open and could cause damage to your car after slamming it. The best way is to attach a trunk rack if you have not installed one already
Do not rest the rack’s lower supports on the glass since this adds weight to the windows and would shatter them. make sure the bikes are not sticking out too much
Check to see if the rack’s lower supports are in place on the vehicle body. I’ve done it with minivans many times without causing a single window to break.
The goal is to let the lower legs rest on the bumper, But sometimes they rest on the license plate.
Things to look out for when driving with a trunk-mounted bike rack
Top edge straps properly installed
Before driving off always check that the straps are in the right place and not too far shifted to one side or the other.
Quality of the straps
How is the quality of the straps? there are stories of people where the straps broke off and the bike rack rolled on the street. just use common sense before driving off, if it looks cheap, it’s probably cheap.
- Cartman 12-foot long-by-1-inch wide lashing strap in 6-pack
- Great for general use cargo tie down where a hook is not needed
- Securely tightens loads to 200-pounds of actual use and 600-pounds of break strength
- Features silver protectant finish that offers a rich appearance and 3x more corrosion resistance
- Includes solid steel cast metal clamp, and a carry bag
Rubbers
Use the rubbers to strategically place where the bike rack comes in contact with the car. This is important because you don’t want them to scratch your paint, but rather they should rest on the rubbers.
Do not remove rubber strips when loading bikes! If you do so, there’s a high chance of scratching or damaging your car’s body. The idea here is that the bike rack sits perfectly between all four rubbers and doesn’t come in contact with the car.
How fast can you drive with a trunk bike rack?
There are no regulations that state that you should drive slower than the allowed maximum speed. But going all speedy Gonzalez might not be the smartest option especially when the road is a little bit bumpy. So drive safe, drive a bit conservative would be my advice.
Conclusion
Now that you know the facts about bike racks and windows, go ahead and install your trunk rack correctly! It’s best to check how it fits on your car first but overall installing a trunk rack is not very hard. Make sure not to damage windows or other parts of the vehicle since this might be a costly mistake!
Trunk bike racks are designed with safety in mind and will not cause damage when installed correctly.
So, can a bike rack break your car window? Yes, but only if you install it incorrectly or use the wrong type of trunk rack for your vehicle.
