Racks for 2003 Matrix?

April 18, 2006 1:42 PM

Any suggestions on roof and bike racks for my 2003 Toyota Matrix?

It looks like we will be doing a lot of traveling this summer. i'm looking for a roof rack that will hold a large cargo bag and a bike rack for the hatch that will hold two bikes. I've googled around a bit, but I have to confess I'm just keep getting more confused. Do I just need the racks or do I also need some of the accessories they mention? Are there racks that will allow me to lock the bikes? Can I order the racks online and install them myself? If I can't install them myself, where does one go to get roof racks?

As far as particulars go, I'd prefer a roof rack that was versitile, that I can use in the future with kayaks or skis. I'm fresh out of school so I don't have a ton of money, but I don't mind paying a bit more for good quality.

posted by a22lamia to travel & transportation (12 comments total)

I love my Thule rack. For my Camry, I needed the feet, the load bars, and the bike mounts, which lock the fork. The Thule racks can be used with kayaks, skis/snowboards, surfboards, bicycles, cargo boxes, etc.

Yakima is, essentially, the same thing as Thule, and they are similar in price.

Both are available from bike/outdoor stores (REI, etc) or can be ordered online. You can install them yourself pretty easily; it just takes an hour or three.

From personal experience, I'd recommend avoiding the generic imitation racks (such as the Xport brand sold by Performance Bikes).
posted by JMOZ at 1:46 PM on April 18, 2006

Sorry- I didn't see that you wanted a rear rack for the bikes. I'd still personally recommend getting a roof rack, which will generally hold a cargo box and two bikes. Total cost for the rack and the bike mounts should be about $400 (or, at least as of a few years ago). The cargo boxes cost more.

The fairing improves aerodynamics and reduces the noise. They also allegedly improve fuel economy (the roofs cause a small hit of maybe 3-5 MPG).
posted by JMOZ at 1:49 PM on April 18, 2006

I actually need both - it looks like (crossing fingers) we'll be moving to the West and will do so travelling along our way. I'm planning on getting a 15 sq ft bag and a bike rack for the back.

Does anyone know if the fairing actually works? If it really improves fuel economy I'll definitely need one.
posted by a22lamia at 2:00 PM on April 18, 2006

I strongly recommend going for the factory bars and then adding on to them. They are waaaay quieter than the Thule bars (I have Thules on one truck and the factory bars on another).
posted by unSane at 2:04 PM on April 18, 2006

the fairings work but they are easy to damage while you are getting stuff on and off, so I didn't bother. The dealer told me this, and when I looked at the design I believed him.
posted by unSane at 2:04 PM on April 18, 2006

Just a warning for anyone considering a roof rack for bikes. Putting bikes on the roof can be a real bummer if you don't get used to the added clearance needs. I clipped something with a bike on my roof. F-ed up the bike, ripped up the bike-adapter on my rack, and put a nasty crease in the car's back hatch. After doing so, I learned that I was far from alone.
posted by Good Brain at 2:07 PM on April 18, 2006

Good Brain's advice is very good- most people make that mistake only once, but it can be a rather expensive mistake.

The fairing isn't too easy to damage if you take stuff off even remotely carefully; I've had a fairing for a long time and never had a problem. It definitely makes a big difference for noise, but as I said, I'm not 100% convinced one way or the other on fuel economy.

unSane's suggestion of a factory roof rack might be a good one, though that is likely to be a rather more expensive approach.
posted by JMOZ at 2:11 PM on April 18, 2006

Oh- to answer the other part of your question- most of the hatch/trunk mount racks strap on. Be sure to tighten them very carefully, and make sure the bikes don't rub. (There was a recent AskMe thread where someone scratched up his new bike). Also, to the best of my knowledge, none of the trunk/hatch mount racks allow you to lock your bike. You can, however, get a long cable and lock them around the roof bars.

Long term, you might consider getting the bike mounts for the roof rack rather than the hatch mount rack. The hatch mount racks never feel very stable to me. Conveniently, they're generally a rather small investment ($50 range, I think) I guess you'll probably need the seperate rack if you're using a very large roof bag.

That having been said- the bike racks don't take up much real estate on the rack (3 inches of width, maybe?), so you MIGHT be able to get the bike racks to coexist with the gearbag. Don't rule out the possibility until you measure. (The Thule load bars are 50" wide. I think Yakima are 48", but I'm not 100% positive)
posted by JMOZ at 2:17 PM on April 18, 2006

unSANE - has Toyota released factory bars? When I first bought my car they said they eventually would, but I've never seen factory bars for a Matrix - only for the Vibe (which unfortunately don't fit)
posted by a22lamia at 2:21 PM on April 18, 2006

Based on your needs, and what other people are saying, I'd agree that you'll probably be able to fit both the bag (or box, if you swing that way) and two bikes easily. I'd do it with a bike at the far edge of each side and then the bag centered in the middle. This makes getting the bikes on and off much easier. I don't know how tall you are, but it is a bit of a pain to get the bikes up and down from the top. It might be easier to use the racks that hold a bike with the front wheel still on. This is doubly true if you're going to travel (and bike often) -- where are you going to stick the two front wheels if the car is full to the ceiling wth boxes?
posted by zpousman at 2:35 PM on April 18, 2006

A friend of mine found a Thule hitch rack for an obscene price - like $120, as I recall. Email (in profile) if you're interested.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 3:16 PM on April 18, 2006

I don't think anyone's mentioned what a pain in the ass hatch/trunk mounted racks are - you often have to unmount them to get stuff out of the back of the car. I have a CRX, with the 48" Yakima rack, and I can easily fit two bikes and a carrier on that. Granted, I splurged and the locking bike mounts so I can mount the bikes outside the support feet, giving me more room, but that configuration is what I'd recommend.
posted by notsnot at 4:29 PM on April 18, 2006