You do not need an $800 bike rack. If it’s a stretch to part with so much cash when you know you could get the job done for less than half, go ahead and spend less than half. I won’t try and talk you out of it. But if we’re talking about a bike, I’ll change my tune. No, you don’t need a Fox Grip2 damper over Fit4, or an XO1 cassette instead of GX. But if they’re at all within your reach, you should get them. Top-end parts make a good thing–maybe your very favorite thing–even better. But I bet that loading bikes onto bike racks is not your favorite thing. Using an expensive rack is like flying first class. It’s still flying. There are still delays and still turbulence. There’s still jet lag and baggage claim. It just improves something you’d rather not have to do. But I’ve done it, and if I could afford it, it’s the only way I’d fly.
Using the Saris MTR is the same kind of boutique experience, and it starts the moment you open the box. Having seen all the features it offered I expected assembly would be a nightmare. But the only bolt I had to turn to start using the MTR was the one that holds it onto my truck. Technically, that means the experience starts before you open the box. The MTR is manufactured in the U.S., mostly using materials that themselves were manufactured in the U.S., not far from Saris’ Madison, Wisconsin, headquarters. That happens to be true of All Saris racks, which tend to be priced for the masses. So, it’s up to the MTR’s quality to explain its price tag.
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Bike Magazine showcases the sport of mountain biking like no other publication. It captures the sport's personalities, trends, and issues with a style all its own. With insightful features, columns and gear reviews coupled with the best photography, Bike is sure to make you want to get outside and ride.
