I am in the market for a hitch rack for my car, but really don't know the difference between all of the price points. Anyone have any good recommendations? Thinks you like/hate about yours or one you used? I will probably buy from REI so I can use my 20% off coupon...
tray style is the way to go with hitch racks, much more secure and well worth the money. i LOOOOOVe my yakima hold up http://www.rei.com/product/784535/yakima-holdup-bike-hitch-rack
i can put road bikes, bmx bikes, 10" travel downhill bikes, 29ers and pretty much anything that isn't a long cargo bike, tandem or some recumbents on it.
I second the tray style, as well as one that holds 3 bikes, if possible. One advantage, concern based on vehicle, is the height and departure angle of the car. It is consistent with the tray style. This means when you turn into a parking lot that is uphill or other instances like it the back of the car is closer to the ground than when flat, add a bike rack and it's worse. I have seen more than one person, and been that guy, who knocked a wheel off the ground on the traditional trunk mount racks because there was no standard height.
I had the kind that holds bikes from the top and had no problem with it. One disadvantage with the tray style, besides cost, is that you can't see the unloaded tray while backing up, and may hit another car when parking.
I also agree that the tray styles are good. But before you spend the money on a bike-only rack, I'd consider buying a $70 cargo rack from Harbor Freight and bolting a few $20 Yakima fork mounts to it. You would end up with something which is more versatile than a bike-only hitch. I fabricated something like this from scrap steel and it has been very useful for not just bikes, but all kinds of things:
Not necessarily advice on styles but...
I got a different kind of rack two years ago, and so far the only regret I have now is that I didn't get one that held the same number of bikes as I can comfortably fit passengers in my car. I went with a 2-bike rack, thinking "me and the hubby", and forgot "carpooling with friends". I was thinking more "epic camping trips" and less "common weekend trips". We can fit a third inside with some dismantling, but I'm feeling limited and will likely upgrade before long.
The kinds you guys are all discussing seem to hold more than two so maybe it's not a helpful comment, but it's just something I really wish I'd thought of more.
Best of luck!
Thanks for the suggestions. I was hoping to be able to pay less than the Yakima Hold Up (considering I have to get the hitch installed too!), but am willing to spend the money if I hear that it is worth it. The tray style racks look pretty heavy-are the racks themselves easy to put on/take off the car?
I probably only need a two bike rack, but I agree with ejwme that there will probably be a few times I wish I had the capacity for more. Jacob's suggestion sounds good- definitely a better price, but I am not very handy and would probably screw up trying to hitch something to it. I will also check out the one salty is selling... I need to get a rack in time for the 5 boro tour in about month...
I don't have a hitch on my car, so I went with a Thule Raceway rear rack. It is by far the best decision I've made for hauling bikes. The use of metal cables for the straps mean no slip and give. Racheting adjustments mean the rack is always stable/tight to the car. There is a feature that lets you lock the rack to the car, and the bikes to the rack.
My first big trip with it was the day of the Washington Boulevard washout last year. I was on the PA Turnpike in Central PA, with two bikes on the back of the car. Despite really heavy rain and wind, there was no wiggle in the rack.
It comes in both 2 and 3 bike styles.
(BTW, my subaryu dealer recommended against installing a hitch mount on my Impreza/Outback Sport. I can't remember why, but the reason sounded plausible at the time.)
For those with experience using the tray style racks, I really want one but my mixte has fenders. Does the arm interfere with that?
The bike I'm talking about is the one in my crappy avatar thumbnail. It has the fenders and a basket in front.
(BTW, my subaryu dealer recommended against installing a hitch mount on my Impreza/Outback Sport. I can't remember why, but the reason sounded plausible at the time.)
It's because Subaru doesn't crash test them w/ the hitch in place, and don't want to suffer the consequences of losing their "top safety pick" rating from whatever organization doles them out these days. They don't sell a hitch for this reason, you have to get it aftermarket, but they DO sell the hitch rack once you get a hitch elsewhere.
My g/f asked the same question when she ordered her '12 Impreza.
When I got a new car I also changed up from the rack that strapped to the trunk to a Thule doubletrack in a U-haul hitch. For a moment I was shocked at how far it stuck out from the back of the car but then I realized that when I started driving it was in my grandfather's '79 Bonneville and my Honda Civic plus the bike rack was still a few inches shorter than that. I learned how to parallel park in that boat so it merely took a little bit of practice to get used to it again.
Yeah, I'd be happy to sell mine - although if you have a 20% off coupon from REI, I'd buy a new one since it's the same price within a few bucks. I think I might just try to return mine, obviously if REI won't take it back I'd be more willing to lower the price.
I looked at the tray racks, they are nice but also expensive and heavy. I ultimately bought the one I did (Thule Helium) because it's really light and I wanted my wife to be able to easily use it if I needed her to pick me up or something. Although, that's never actually happened so maybe it's not worth it, you're definitely paying a premium for the light weight. It is a really nice rack but like I said in the other thread it just does not work well with the hitch system I installed on the Mini. I think if I had it to do over again I'd pick a different hitch, but oh well.
@Salty - I've never had a problem returning ANYTHING to REI -- receipt, no receipt; recent purchase, a purchase from more than a year earlier; etc. Of course my returns have always been in like new condition, but it sounds like your rack is as well. And, the odds are, it will end up in their semi-annual garage sale, so someone will be able to get it for a very good price. A potential win-win situation, with little grief on your end. (And not all of my returns still had their packaging. I don't think that is an issue.
Get one for as many bike as you can as someone suggested. I can't tell you the number of times I needed just one more bike on the car.
Roof and hitch!
Roof and hitch!
+1
One of the reasons I have an suv is that I can comfortably fit 5 bikes and people and gear for everyone and do road trips to places like snowshoe and mountain creek or whiteface in the summer. Since my blazer is tall enough and takes a class 3/4 hitch, I can do the four bike version of the holdup. It's pretty huge though so I wouldn't want to try it on a car.
I'm car shopping, looking at a 2011 Nissan Versa. No hitch installed. I have no idea how well it would handle a roof rack. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of car, and/or hooking a rack of some sort to it?
I have the Subaru Outback Sport (Impreza hatch). Although the car is not terribly high, I still opted against the roof rack. I just can't see me lifting the bike over my head onto a rack EVERY time, without dropping it on my head, on the car roof, or just plain dropping it. So, I bought the rear (non hitch) rack. I originally bought the version with the tray, but it seemed too heavy to me, so I returned it to get the non-tray version. I couldn't be happier with it. If you buy the Versa (or whatever car you buy) you are welcome to try it out.
I don't know the car, but for what it's worth, and especially on a car that new and nice, I'd get a U-Haul hitch/receiver and a cheap hitch-style bike rack. Others may disagree, but I've never seen a trunk-mount rack, or an aftermarket roof rack, which did not dig into or abrade the car's paint in some way. They may well exist, but to date I have never seen one. What I have seen is +$500 worth of paint damage and/or decreased resale value caused by the racks' attaching brackets. That's my respectful suggestion.
Stu, if the Nissan versa is a hatchback, and if it is similar to a Honda fit, which I own, you can probably put the seats down in the back and put the bike inside on its side with the front wheel turned up.
I've been assured I can put one intact bike inside a Versa, two if I take off a wheel apiece. I more wondered if anyone had experience fitting a rack to one.
Thanks for the suggestions so far. The family is pretty much sold on the Versa, so I'm hoping there's a good outcome.
I like the idea of the bus-style hitch rack with rooftop style platforms. Keeps the bikes from damaging each other or the car, which often happens with the trunk style racks. Also much easier to mount the bikes than rooftop rack, which also damages the car over time I would assume.
Stu, gimme until noon tomorrow and I will have some links for ya. I cannot stress enough the utility of a roof rack for a hatchback.
Thule's new AeroBlade bars are available in a fitment for the Versa. That would be how I would go. You will be able to mount 4-5 bikes without issues. Rocky Mount makes some nice racks but there are others out there. The big thing is the load bars. The quiet bars are amazing. Whispbar and the AeroBlade are both the way to go.
Recently bought a 2012 Ford Focus and had U-Haul install the hitch. Bought this rack: http://www.amazon.com/Swagman-Cross-Country-2-Bike-2-Inch-Receiver/dp/B001DMJPLO
FWIW, I really like this rack. It's solid and not very heavy (30-ish lbs) and holds the bikes from the bottom. No issues with backing up as the center bar is high enough to see through the rear window. The center post also folds down if I needed to open the rear hatch but didn't want to take the rack off the car. It also is easy to take on an off, which is good because I don't like driving around an empty bike rack.
Does that rack press down on the top tube?
I'm mostly happy with my Yakima trunk rack, but I don't transport my bike on my car all that often. Now that I've had it a few years, here're a few extra considerations:
1) if you have step-through or mixte frames, the racks are not designed to acommodate them. I can usually find a way to rig it securely, but this is hard when I have two step-thrus on the rack.
2) you can buy an adapter bar to solve the above problem, but they aren't all that great on my small-framed bikes. Probably fine on larger frames.
3) I took a very long drive recently so tied my bike down with extra straps. Unfortunately, I tied one tire too close to the exhaust and melted it - doh! This is not normally a problem, just something to be mindful of if you are tinkering with the intended rack setup.
My rack was around $100. I've gotten tons of use out of it & don;t have any complaints about it damaging my paint. Easy to take on & off & stow in my trunk.
@orionz06 - yes it does press on the top tube but not hard enough to cause damage. The hooks are padded and I have had no issue with the carbon top tubes and they give a secure hold to the bike.
It may not press hard enough to cause damage when stationary but I would not trust it anyway. Consider the fact that the car will be bouncing around, the rack is further from the axle and will have a greater arc and will likely see a small amount of upward force repeated. Not a concern on a steel frame but for aluminum road bikes and CF bikes I would be concerned.
Seeing that the distance between the hook and the tray where the wheels rest always remains the same, I am not concerned...but if I notice damage, I will report it on this board.
The top hooks on that rack look similar to the ones on the bus racks, and I regularly put those on top of my plastic fender on top of my front wheel with no damage. It seems to provide more lateral support than downward.
With a Versa, if considering a hitch rack, really check if access to your hatch will be affected with the rack in place. Some have a swing-away mechanism for that purpose, but may still hinder. I have a hitch rack now and love it, but access is slightly affected.
Roof bars are great, but if you're using a 40 lb commuting bike and not a road racer, it's a lot of work getting up there.
Otoh roof load bars open up the possibility of using a roof box for a trip or something. With a small car that is a nice option.
Roof rack systems are $$$$.
I've used plain and simple strap on trunk racks just fine, with no damage to the vehicle. Just depends on how careful you (or other users!) can be. That's the lowest buck investment.
The fixed hook location once installed is the concern. The bike is still moving upward with some degree of force. Not knowing that force is where the concern comes in. If you put a bike in the back of a small truck the bike can still jump up. I have seen a 30# mountain bike jump out when it was not secured between Shaler and North Park. That particular rack would be just like hitting the top tube with that amount of force using the hook. Again, need to know what is really happening. Securing to the wheel seems like the better option.
Using only a steel bike or something more substantial changes things, but I prefer my racks to be capable of carrying as many types of bikes as possible. Carbon race bikes, thin wall aluminum race bikes, Lefty bikes, and downhill bikes.
It also has tire straps.
The tire straps are not likely resisting enough force to prevent the hook from reacting against the top tube.
Again though, unlikely an issue unless it is long term with a race frame.
I built a steel superstructure around my carbon frame with space-age vibration dampers...kidding ofcourse! 
my problem with trunk racks is damage the bikes inevitably do to each other when there is more than one bike on the rack.
And the damage to the paint, if that matters.
yeah, I've used my trunk rack more than a handfull of times, and though the various rust spots tend to blend into one another on my 12+ yr old car, I believe there are some attributable solely to the rack. However, in the grand scheme of things, I'm not concerned about resale value, just longevity.
We have the Versa. Roof rack is not under consideration. No hitch yet. Looks like U-Haul is the most obvious place to get that. Does REI do that? Any other choices?
As to racks, family thinks a four-bike rack, but my experience says we will almost never need to carry more than two.
That Swagman rack looks like the best choice of suggestions so far, but I don't see how it hooks to a rack.
Anyway, here's what I'm working with:
Looks like a nice car; I like the color. Regarding alternatives to U-Haul, if you are comfortable installing the receiver yourself, I'd call Advance Auto Parts and see if they can order one for that car (read: not a universal fit receiver for ladder-frame vehicles). It may, or may not, be cheaper than U-Haul.
As for the Swagman hitch's fit, it simply slides into the receiver and is retained by a cross pin. I'd also check Nashbar as they have some good deals on hitch-style carriers from time to time.
REI would not install the hitch, that's auto work.
Check Uhauls cost to do it, but also call a couple of trailer specialists.
The main reason I would be hesitant to DIY is the lighting electrical connection. With a good hitch bolting it to the car is the easy part. The lighting plug needs to be patched into the cars wiring harness for brake lights and such, I would not DIY that esp on a brand new car.
I got a 2-inch hitch receiver and installation from uhaul (without electronics) for around $120 for my honda element. I figured that I didn't need electronics if I wasn't actually towing trailers.
On a hatch the lighting is quite easy as there is easy access to the wires and you can easily see what does what. More importantly though, do you really need/want a trailer towed by a FWD small car? If you wanted some help I would gladly lend a hand. Actually depending on the hitch you get I could actually help with the whole install.
The correct wiring harness should be "plug and play," assuming that the rear tail lights unplug (which, in all likelihood, they will). At most you might have to ground the new harness to the frame, as I did on two of three vehicles I put a harness on, if memory serves. You could save $30 and buy a universal fit harness, which will require a lot of splicing, but that's a pretty foolish way to save $30 for the reasons Edmonds wisely suggests. But this is somewhat academic because, as stated above, there is no need to run wires for a bike rack.
A trailer, a very small one, is a definite possibility, since we will be transporting the daughter to college in it (assuming we don't keep the wagon in the above picture).
A hitch has been ordered, one specific to the car. It might be a DIY install, so thank you for the tips.
I believe the family took the various recommendations under consideration, and then went with something else. I'll keep you all updated with what it is and how well it works.
Thanks again for all the help!
btw, anyone wanna buy a 1999 Sable wagon? Runs well, driven daily, inspected through Feb 2013, still licensed and insured; right now the front passenger window is stuck in the down position. $1K or BO.
How much was your hitch Stu? I have a Versa as well.
Stu - Congratz on the new car, it looks nice! (I've always loved hatchbacks!)
I'll point out that I have a 2-bike rack, and wish I'd gotten a 4-bike rack, though we're a two bike household. I didn't think I'd need it that much if ever, and it's been about 50/50 using it vs wishing it were bigger. Carpooling with 3 other cyclists make some of the medium distance rides make a LOT more sense than just driving up with one other person.
Just a thought, though I fully expect you to be able to transport 4 bikes and their owners via that hard-core yankee ingenuity you've got, regardless of presence or size of rack, hitch, or car, really.
and what kind of mileage does the wagon get?
Hitch, I think $30. Rack, stupidly cheap (new) at $70-ish.
One bike fits in the car, but then can only carry two people. Putting four fairly thin adults in the car is possible, and if one isn't thin, it starts to not be that good an idea. Theoretically it will hold five people, but the fifth better be tiny.
The wagon has seven seat belts. Gas mileage has been un-wonderful, 20 mpg in a good week, but we're just tooling around the suburbs, often cold. I've nursed high 20s out of it on trips. But it will hold a huge amount of stuff and five large people. I've tied bikes on the roof (there's a built-in rack) and it will carry three people and one bike inside at the same time.
Stu, about towing with your Versa:
We have a FWD 4-cylinder Toyota Matrix, so it's probably the same size. We got a 1 1/4" hitch - 2" wasn't available on our car. I think U-Haul installed it.
We've towed our Sunfish sailboat, a U-Haul trailer, and a few other small things. As long as the weight isn't overly huge, the Matrix does an OK job.
The Sunfish tows nicely because it's low-profile. You don't really notice a big performance change until you fill the gas tank.
Trailers are OK if they are smaller than the car. U-Haul gave us the wrong trailer once, and it was taller than the car. That led to some sucky performance on hills on the highways, but around town it was fine.
Really we've noticed the same sucky performance on highways when we've loaded the roof up with non-bike things (kayak, bags, etc). So I think it's really more about the gearing and aerodynamics than weight.
Just my $0.02 about towing with a small-ish car.
