My Saris Freedom 4 Bike Rack arrived and I had some spare time today. There I was: socket wrenches, Allen keys, nuts, bolts, and steel bars. It was kind of a mess but my outfit was cute, so there's that. I got a new (to me) Honda Odyssey, and had the towing package installed for such a time as this. I've spent enough money by now that I am really hoping for success with this new rack.
This install would have gone more smoothly with help, but I needed to know exactly how this thing works - backwards, forwards and upside downwards - because when I drive across the country this summer with the kids, who's gonna help me THEN? Not my husband, because he is smart enough to catch a flight and let me do the hauling, that's what. But I am the carrier-outer of shoddy plans, so I'll make the drive and feel smug and superior for having tackled it. Anyway, I should (and very well may) write a new thread detailing this rack, but for now let me say geez, that was hard work. Assembly - fine. The manual isn't great but the website gives great how-to videos, and using them together got me the desired result. Getting the bikes mounted? Good heavens what an ordeal. This thing is going to work, and that's the good news, but I'm not looking forward to using it. I'm 5' 6" and hoisting that 52 Clem H was really something. The rack is a decent height off the ground and the wheels trays weren't yet set correctly, and wow. Hard. Up next was the Bets, and with baskets and pedals it was a tight fit. I got her settled, and the frame clamps seem like they won't hurt the bikes' paint, and everything seemed secure. I got the boys' smaller bikes on more quickly and the whole rack tilts down for trunk access, even with the bikes loaded! That's the mini update for now. I know some of your were also rack-hunting, so just wanted to pop in here and let you know the Saris is probably pretty good, since most of you are men and therefore bigger of frame and height than me. You will have less trouble, I think. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
