himespau 

I have a hitch rack, but an enclosed towable trailer would be awesome. I could even sell my wife on it with how much easier it would make hauling stuff for camping. The only problem would be storing it the 98% of the time when it's not in use.

Eric F 

I've been debating between a 1Up hitch rack or a Seasucker Bomber for my SUV.

msu2001la

HItch racks are generally easier to use, but SeaSucker does show this rack being used on the rear glass of an SUV with bikes hanging vertically, so with this arrangement I suppose it's arguably as easy-to-use as a hitch rack.

I would definitely want to test this out a few times before ripping down a bumpy road. There also does not appear to be anything securing the rear wheels in this photo, though the rack does include additional rear-wheel suction cup mounts - maybe they could attach to the bumper?

BJack312

I have a set of Yakima Highroads mounted on the factory rails of my Subaru outback. Overall, they are excellent racks and hold the bikes very securely. The downside, I'm 6'5" tall and it is a stretch to put the bikes on top of the car without a step stool. I do think that the roof rack gives you a very slight advantage when it comes to theft, especially on taller vehicles.

The roof racks (loaded) do have a significant impact on gas mileage, I've seen as much as a 25% decrease on some windy highway trips. The unloaded racks make about a 2% difference in fuel mileage.

Polaris OBark

Suction cups? What could possibly go wrong?

At risk of stating the obvious, the best solution is if you can stick the bike inside the vehicle. This is why minivans aren't just for texting-distracted soccer parents.

I wish we still had ours. I now have a stupid little FUV called Rav4. I got it mainly because it was a hybrid and in 2017 it was over-stocked and thus comparatively inexpensive. Now that you can get hybrid minivans, I would go back to that if I ever purchase another fossil-burner.

The Rav4 has a very aero roof rack (well, until you put bikes on it, at which point the mileage plummets by 1/3 on the highway) and a 2" hitch rack (Kuat Sherpa 2.0). The rear rack has taken two hits, but fortunately not with bikes in it. I feel less nervous with my bike on the top (or inside) the car. The rear rack is far more convenient.

t2p

Ironfish653

Ugh, minivans are so awful to drive, though . I mourn the slow extinction of the affordable, mid-size estate wagon in the North American market.

I have all three types of rack, and they all have their advantages:

Strap-mount trunk rack: Least expensive; easy to store folded up in the trunk or a closet, if you don't have a garage. A single rack can fit a wide range of vehicles without add-ons or modifications.
Cons: Least secure (without additional locking measures) initial setup can be fiddly, especially single -handed. Works best with full -sized diamond frames; kids', step-throughs and unconventional frame shapes may be an awkward carry.

Roof Rack:. Most Versatile; can handle attachments for snow and water sports if you're a multi season enthusiast, as well as carriers for luggage or cargo. Does not add to the vehicle footprint (useful in urban environments) or obstruct access to the doors/trunk/hatch if you choose to leave it installed full time.
Cons: Most Expensive , particularly if you're building a setup for a vehicle with a bare roof (no factory rails). Also, a particular rack setup is usually dedicated to a single vehicle. You can buy adapters to fit the rack to different models, but it's not it's not something you do every weekend. Finally, height: you've got to be able to lift the bike up and get it into the carrier. On a traditional sedan, it's not a big deal, but for most SUVs and vans, you'll need to make a step up, while holding your bike; even harder if it's a heavy one. Last, watch your clearance:. I had a lowered VW that was still,~8-1/2 feet high when loaded, my Ford is a couple inches shy of TEN FEET TALL with the big bikes up.

Hitch Racks: Most Convenient, single pin or bolt to attach to the vehicle, easy to move between vehicles , lower loading height. Wheel-tray style racks allow for very quick loading an unloading of bikes, and play well with different sizes and shapes of bike. Relatively easy to store when not in useCons: Requires vehicle to have an appropriate receiver installed, which may or may not be DIY or inexpensive. Large 3-4 bike models can add several feet to the vehicle length, and depending on the weight of the bikes (particularly e-bikes) can add a couple of hundred pounds of load onto the rear suspension, similar to a good-sized single-axle trailer.
A hitch rack may also, depending on configuration, restrict access to the rear hatch, even when unloaded; may or may not be a big deal, YMMV.
*BeikForums makes great worry about getting in a rear-end collision with a hitch rack, but I posit that the rack itself doesn't increase the chances of getting hit; but if it's on the car all of the time, it's more likely that it'll be on there in the big IF something does happen.


Obligatory picture of my everyday setup: 60” Yakima bars with 2 bike rails and the pads for my surfboard / SUP. I also have two more bike rails and a 60” Space Cadet cargo pod.
It’s really tall; 9,-8” over the handlebars on the orange bike

Eric F 

Seasucker has been around a long time and has a long track record of success.

I drive a mid-size SUV, and can fit my road bike crosswise on the floor if I flip the 2nd row seats forward. My MTB, I can put in the same spot, or stand it up in the cargo area with all the seats folded flat, but that's only because I have a dropper post. I cannot stand my road bike up in the cargo area. Getting 2 road bikes inside isn't going to happen, unless I lay them down stacked on top of each other, which I really dislike. I have an older Yak hitch rack that hangs bikes by the top tube. It's heavy, challenging for FS MTBs, and generally a pain in the ass. The restricted access to the cargo area when not hauling bikes is an issue for me, too.

PeteHski

Looks like a disaster waiting to happen on all sorts of levels!

rumrunn6

here's a vote for toe hitch. but then, I never tried a roof mount

JanMM

Zombie Thread had been asleep for 10 years before being awakened earlier this afternoon.

Our tandem is hauled on the roof on a Tandem Topper or our single bikes are hauled on a hitch rack tray mount Two Timer.