Review on Saris Solo Trunk Mounted Black by Matt Heringer

I bike to work and my son bikes to school. I've been looking for a bike rack for days when bad weather or other circumstances make it impractical to bike home and we need to be picked up. I specifically wanted something inexpensive, easy to install and use. Also compact and light if possible. This shelf can do everything. It is very easy to put on or take off the car. I have a 2006 Mazda 3 hatchback and the installation is very simple and straightforward: slide four clips into place and tighten the slack. The only caveat is that mounting it at the recommended angle on my car interferes with the operation of the rear wiper. Otherwise, the rack is small and light enough to store in the trunk until needed. It installs quickly - just check the car trunk installation before use. This will help keep the top straps in place and only loosen the bottom straps for removal/replacement. The straps are very long so you can use rubber bands or whatever to keep the slack taut. Fastening straps use spring-loaded metal buckles to hold tension. The upper buckles rest on the webbing material, however there is a possibility that they could slip off and the metal could contact the roof/spoiler/trunk lid. My car is old and has its fair share of scratches and dents, so I won't notice any more marks. If you have a good car, you can put something under the buckle. Apparently this rack only holds one bike. The bike's top tube bolts to the ends of the arms and is held in place by fairly strong plastic ratchet tabs/buckles that are easy to use. The ends of the arms form semicircles about 1-5/8 inch in diameter. I tested this rack on a bike with a 1-1/2" aluminum top tube and it fit well. There is another fabric strap on the left sleeve that you can loop around the seat tube, rim or pedal to allow the Bike doesn't rock.This position will be different on every bike but I really haven't been able to tighten this strap to anything on the bikes I've installed on.What happens is you can pull this strap taut across the frame until the tire is pressed against the bumper.Also you need to find a middle ground for the inside grip/pedal so it doesn't rub or scratch the car.These problems will arise with any rack that hangs the bike by the top tube.I have its durability only Rated four stars as the stand itself is plastic and may not be as strong as a metal stand, I don't know how well it or the straps hold up when permanently mounted in the sun/rain, but everything about this rack seems designed with portability/occasional use in mind. It feels solid and sturdy as it is made of plastic. No problem holding a steel frame road bike. The more vertical you can adjust the levers, the more stable it will be. If you want a more permanent hold or something really heavy you can spend a little more on something else but for my particular use this is the perfect solution.