Harry Kooros
Keen cyclist Harry Kooros has recently been testing out two rooftop racks from Rhino – here are his thoughts.
Bicycling Australia: Great to speak with you Harry – tell us what are you driving and what two racks you have on your vehicle?
Harry Kooros: I’m driving a Peugeot 4008 with my newly installed Rhino Rack Hybrid Bike Carrier racks. I was so sick of jamming my bikes in the back of the car and constantly damaging them so was super excited to try out the Rhino Rack racks.
BA: What bikes do you fit to the racks and how would you describe fitting a bike and the security once they’re on top?
HK: Over the last few months, I’ve actually fitted a number of different bikes to these racks, all the way from a $400 hybrid bike to a $15,000 BMC road bike. Fitting bikes is pain-free and easy thanks to the wheel support arm and the swing-up arm assembly. The addition of the locks really adds peace of mind when carrying expensive bikes and leaving the car unattended for any period of time.
BA: The setup sounds great for weekend getaways – how have the bike racks helped and are there any standout trips?
HK: It really is perfect for weekend getaways. While my car can fit two bikes inside (just), they are always damaged in transit, and I forgo the ability to have more than one passenger or any luggage.
“…My last weekend trip away… was a disaster – I had the bike in the boot of my car and the di2 battery drained throughout the car trip due to the shifter button being held down…”
Having them securely on the roof allows me so much more freedom when going away for a weekend with family or friends. My standout trip with these racks was my recent drive to Mudgee, where I took two bikes down for a weekend away.
My last weekend trip away before I had these racks was a disaster – I had the bike in the boot of my car and the di2 battery drained throughout the car trip due to the shifter button being held down. I stupidly didn’t bring a charger either so was unable to ride the whole weekend. Having them safe and secure on the roof is proving to be the best solution.
BA: For those who haven’t used the Rhino Racks, what would you say the key features are?
HK: The best thing about these racks is definitely the ease of installation. I was worried when I opened the box thinking it was going to take me hours, but it was a very simple process.
The wheel support arm is a feature that I really think makes this rack stand out, because it aids with positioning the bike on the roof, and it helps you safely get the bike up there in one lift.
I also like the overall look and finish of the products – the black looks stealthy.
BA: Finally … We’ve heard the horror story’s – how do you remember you have bikes on top?
HK: I have a few horror stories of my own. Over the years, I’ve managed to ruin about $13,000 worth of bikes thanks to roof racks.
I took a bit of a hiatus from them after this but now I have a simple cardboard SRAM reminder tag that sits on my rear-view mirror so that I never forget.
Luckily I haven’t had any close calls lately, I think I’m now a lot more aware of the height restrictions when transporting my bikes.
