<p>DH and I are going to treat ourselves to new bicycles, so we can take advantage of the many trails in the area. We also need a new bike rack. </p>
<p>We have a small SUV with a factory-installed roof rack and cross bars. We’d like to put the bikes on top. The two brands I see the most are Thule and Yakima. Anyone with experience/ recommendations regarding these?</p>
<p>H is the King of Bike Racks and he hates roof racks. It is to forget and run under something, the wind drag is bad and they are harder to load. He recommends using a trailer hitch receiver type rack. He thinks Yakima and Thule are good but over-priced. You want a rack in which you don’t have to take the front wheel off the bike. Look at Saris. You want one with trays to set the wheels in and notnwhere you hang the bike from the top tube.</p>
<p>Expect to pay up to $300.</p>
<p>Our current rack is on the hitch…but the vehicle with the hitch just took off to college with D1. The little SUV that stayed home doesn’t have a hitch :). But I guess we could add a hitch to the vehicle and use our old rack. </p>
<p>Thanks for the Saris lead…I haven’t heard of that brand but will check into it.</p>
<p>If you’re just going locally I wouldn’t worry too much about wind drag with a roof rack. On long-distance drives it’s a real headache, but for shorter drives it’s tolerable. I think Thule and Yakima are pretty comparable, and roof racks are pretty cheap. I’d definitely recommend one with a front fork mount. It holds the bike more securely, it doesn’t ride as high on top of the vehicle, and you can lock it, so it’s good, secure anti-theft protection. I like our Thule roof rack, but it does take some effort to muscle the bike up there. DW, who’s a few inches shorter, refuses to use it; just too awkward for her. You also need someplace to carry the front wheel, which can be inside the vehicle on a short trip, though we have a separate little rooftop rack for the detached front wheel that we use for longer trips.</p>
<p>IMO trailer hitch racks are too heavy, extend too far out the back, and put too much weight at the back end of a small vehicle. Unless you’ve got a big SUV with a heavy-duty suspension, I think a trailer hitch rack throws the vehicle off-balance. On our Honda CR-V we have a Thule rack that mounts flush to the spare tire assembly at the back end of the vehicle. Very light weight and efficient, and it doesn’t create that tail end drag we got from a big clunky trailer hitch rack on our former vehicle.</p>
<p>Both my husband and son have small Subarus (not SUV) and have no problem with the hitch rack. Limit to 2 bikes, though. No imbalance with the car. We just went over a couple of mountain passes with 2 mountain bikes on the back.</p>
<p>Son said he couldn’t imagine wrestling a bike onto the roof with the fork mount. </p>
<p>Lots of opinions and options.</p>
<p>Yes, lots to consider. </p>
<p>This morning I pantomined putting a bike on the top of our small SUV…it seemed a little too high to be easy, and we’re not getting any younger! I’m leaning towards a hitch rack. It will only be for two bikes.</p>
<p>I’ve had hitch racks, temporary racks, and roof racks. The roof racks are the most secure (it’s hard for a thief, too) and the least likely to rip holes in your clothes (and shins) when you use the car normally–but they do require some lifting. However, at 5’3" I can lift my bike onto my roof rack (one of the ones with a locking arm) and off. I just stand in the door of the car, not on the ground. Not the easiest, but it works. </p>
<p>I detest hitch racks–I always had bruises on my shins when we had a hitch rack.</p>
<p>The temporary trunk-mounted racks (which will work on a SUV) are very easy to use and can be put away when you’re now using them. They’re also pretty inexpensive. If you’re just getting bikes, I’d suggest a temporary rack until you see how much you actually ride.</p>
<p>My DH managed to forgot his bike was on the car roof as he left our hotel en route to an early race start. :rolleyes: (Obviously he was not the first as the organizers had the parts he needed.) We haven’t used a roof-top carrier in a while but I’ve noticed Thule makes a pivoting tandem carrier that looks relatively easy to load. Perhaps they make something similar for singles.</p>
<p>If you have an SUV / van / wagon, why not just put the bicycles inside?</p>
<p><a href=“Error | Honda”>Error | Honda;
<p>That is what we usually do now , but it is only possible when the kids are not with us (i.e., at school).</p>
