I have a Jeep with side rearview mirrors that fold to drive into a narrow garage.

I started to make a wooden rack to haul my LWB 'bent on the roof rack atop my Jeep, as I've seen people carrying regular bikes atop their cars, upright, with side straps applying tension to keep them from jostling from side-to-side on the freeway.

Then I remembered that I have a trailer hitch but no trailer. So maybe it might be easier to put a rack on the trailer hitch and carry bikes that way. I measured my bike's length, 88.25 in. It's less wide than the Jeep is, until I fold the mirrors in--then it's wider than the Jeep. The only disadvantage to putting bikes on my trailer hitch is that I'd have to remove the bikes from the hitch in order to open the rear Jeep hatch.

Could this work, hauling my bike sideways on the trailer hitch, despite the width? It would certainly save aerodynamic form drag on my Jeep at highway speed. What are your thoughts ? Is it simply a tradeoff between convenience and aerodynamic drag savings? Have you employed either method to haul a bike? Would you use the same method, or another one?

LWB guy...I have two LWB, a Linear and new to me Stratus from RANS... I have carried my Linear on my hitch mount and it works marvelous. Like you say the down side is that you can not open the 'back door', however i can open the window on my Ford Escape. The Linear is a long one so the wheels do stick out a little but not 'nough to worry as far as I am concerned. Just wanted you to know it works for me. If you are making your own rack (and only will be carrying LWB) you can put the arms further apart to make things more stable. I made a rack specifically for my Linear but since I now have the Stratus may do some modifications so i can haul it too. Since recumbent seats catch more wind you have to strap down the bike 'better' or i suppose you could remove the seat, i've never done that. The thing I like about the hitch rack is that it comes off or goes on easy... peace

Okay, thanks, Floyd. Yes, I made the rack to strap onto the roof rack. Then I got the idea of using the trailer hitch instead. So I think I'll try the trailer hitch idea. I'm thinking it might be easier/better (1) not as far to lift bike (2) less aerodynamic drag on rack at highway speed.

I use this to carry my Land Rider and my Bike E at the same time on the back of my Ranger.

They sell them all the time for $30

http://cgi.ebay.com/Steel-Bike-Rack-For-2-Bicycles-Expandable-Tire-Cradles_W0QQitemZ280251964630QQihZ018QQcategoryZ56200QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1 262

LWB...Glad I could be some help
and okcr...I have a 'custom made', by me, for my Linear which does not work real well so this gives me an idea to re-make it into something better. thanks.

If you need any measurements or close ups of it let me know, this thing really works well and is easy to adjust. Made simply otherwise I could not figure it out.

Rick