# 1
Malone Hanger Trunk Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - Adjustable Arms
2019 Mazda CX-5. 1st you’ll want to get protective pads for the hooks. They sell them [online]. The hooks are coated with a rubberized material but I didn’t want to risk getting scratches as some other reviews said. As far as the actual rack it took a bit to get it adjusted so the bottom crank on my bike wouldn’t hit it. Top bar should be right in the middle of the rear window. Once I got it on & everything seemed secure I took off. 50 min trip 40 mins on the freeway. Unfortunately 20 min in the top hook came undone. I had to pull over on the emergency lane to re adjust it. Luckily 4 of the 6 straps were still tight enough to hold my bike on but I almost lost it. After I got it secured again I made it to my destination with no other issues. Definitely watched it thru my rear view tho. On my way back I knotted all the excess strap around the rack to secure it even more. I added a picture for an example. It seemed to help. I had no issues on the way back. I would suggest if you need to go on the freeway keep your speed below 60mph. Once I got home & took my bike off I did notice the red cradles did get some wear from the shifting cables & hydraulic brake hoses. Also the padding in anti sway cages came off (Added a picture below) & left a few scratches on the bike frame. I’ll have to figure out a way to protect the frame for the next trip. Overall it’s not an ok rack. Definitely more for short trips under 30mph. You shouldn’t have any issues. If you have to do some short Freeway trips really secure it & knot the excess strap. Keep your speed under 60/65mph & add something where the anti sway cage is to prevent scratches on your frame. Avoid anything longer then 40 mins. I’ll probably look into another rack for my 50 min trip & use this only for short city trips under 30mph. Also avoid leaving your bike unattended. This has a cable lock but someone could easily clip it. I’d suggested getting a 2nd chain lock for added security if you need to park. Stay close & don’t leave it for more then a few mins. And remember to take it off before getting on the road again.
The Malone rack adjusts to fit my 2017 Trax really snugly and securely. Once we learned how to configure the bikes for best fit, everything traveled without movement. The only downside is that this system seems designed for narrow road bikes rather than the mountain and hybrid bikes we own. Although the anti-sway cradles are sufficiently wide for mountain tires, the close proximity of the individual bike setups sometimes cause a strap to pull loose during travel, so we keep the bikes cabled to the rack frame. We are able to make it work. For narrower bikes, I would recommend this rack without reservation.
What our customers are saying:
"Loved the hitch 5-bike bike rack. Came quickly and is as advertised."