Cleaning and Maintaining Your Bike Rack – Saris Pro Tips (2024)

For most of us, we give very little thought to putting our bikes on our bike racks. That’s the way it should be, it’s the way our racks are designed. But, your rack will work better and longer when you commit to giving it periodic love and attention. It’s not difficult, but it’s necessary. Like brushing your teeth and dusting, a good rack maintenance routine will go a long way. Plus, a little attention along the way means less work each time.

Check out this video to learn more of our tips for rack maintenance.

Here are our top three pieces of advice to keep your rack in good shape for many years to come.

We recommend using simple soap and water to keep your rack clean, though a water-soluble solution like Bike Wash also works well. Each time you use your rack, you should wipe it down – road “schmush” (the technical term for sand, salt, pebbles, grit) is hard on your car and hard on your rack, so give it a rinse to show you care.

Every few months, a full rack wash is in order. Remember, wash your rack by hand - never take your bike rack through the car wash. Some of us here at Saris are partial to a touch of Turtle Wax to provide some finish protection.

The key here is to make sure that the moving parts keep moving – this includes locks, lock cables and arm mechanisms. For locks, a shot of lube (our favorite is T9 BioShield) and a couple turns of the key will set your rack up for next season. Pay special attention to parts like the SuperClamp arms that you may missed.

This tip falls into the category of “oh, yeah, I should have thought of that.” When you take your rack off and are ready to store it away, make sure that you have put all the parts back on the rack, so they are there when you are ready to go.

Put the hitch bolt back on the rack, set the bike beam with the rack, attach extra straps and place the keys in the locks... You’ll thank us when you are getting ready for your next road adventure.

And, if you ever have more questions or need extra help, our Customer Support team is here to answer any questions, or concerns. Happy riding!