General Cycling Discussion - Bike rack for long trips--Roof or trunk???

I've already got a nice roof rack for around town transport and am considering adding a trunk rack for long trips on the highway (both to protect the bike from 70mph debris and to hopefully gain a few MPGs in these days of rising gas prices).

Am I being foolish to think that I'm going to decrease drag on the car by moving the bikes from the roof, to mounting them, cross-wise behind the trunk??? Anybody added a roof rack and noticed a decrease in gas mileage?

Thanks.

I've already got a nice roof rack for around town transport and am considering adding a trunk rack for long trips on the highway (both to protect the bike from 70mph debris and to hopefully gain a few MPGs in these days of rising gas prices).

Am I being foolish to think that I'm going to decrease drag on the car by moving the bikes from the roof, to mounting them, cross-wise behind the trunk??? Anybody added a roof rack and noticed a decrease in gas mileage?

Thanks.

I don't know about aero drag, but I wouldn't bet on keeping my bikes any cleaner by hanging them off the back. Take a look at how dirty the back windows get on minivans and the like. That's a turbulent area.

I hate all of the racks that hang bikes from the top tube and I hate all strap-on racks. I don't understand why anybody who already has a nice roof rack system would want to change over to one of them. For what even a Saris Bones rack costs, you could pay for enough extra gasoline to cover a pretty significant fuel mileage decrease.

If going with a rear-mounted rack then either go with a hitch rack or stick with the roof rack. Trunk racks with straps are annoying especially on long trips because the straps are prone to loosening and should really be rechecked every 50 miles or so. If going with a hitch rack, I'd advise using one that secures the bike by the wheels along with seatpost or frame instead of just hanging them from the top-tube.

I don't know about aero drag, but I wouldn't bet on keeping my bikes any cleaner by hanging them off the back. Take a look at how dirty the back windows get on minivans and the like. That's a turbulent area.

I hate all of the racks that hang bikes from the top tube and I hate all strap-on racks. I don't understand why anybody who already has a nice roof rack system would want to change over to one of them. For what even a Saris Bones rack costs, you could pay for enough extra gasoline to cover a pretty significant fuel mileage decrease.


I've got a hitch mount rack on a minivan. I've driven some long distances and you're right the bike does get dirty. I used to carry the bike in my car, but now that I've got a bent it doesn't fit inside. If possible I wouldn't carry the bike anywhere but IN the car. From what I've read, any roof rack increases drag and the bike would take a beating from bugs and any other debris. Also I feel more secure with the bike inside the car cause of possible theft while stopped somewhere. A bike seems easier to steal on the back rack.

I've used both roof racks and hitch racks over the last 22 years and they both have merits.

Currently, I'm using a hitch rack with wheel trays because my wife can easily rack the bike in literally seconds. The bad thing about the hitch rack is the dirt and the possibility of being rear-ended with a bike mounted. The dirt thing is pretty much superficial unlike a roof rack that has objects hitting it at 65-70 mph.

The only bad thing, make that 3, about roof racks is that if you drive very far on the interstate in the rain, you have to worry about water contaminated bearings everywhere. Second, is that someday you'll drive in the garage or through a low drive-thru. Some say you just have to be careful, but believe me, a lot of those people learned the hard way. Lastly, shorter people may have trouble using a roof rack.

I've got a hitch mount rack on a minivan. I've driven some long distances and you're right the bike does get dirty. I used to carry the bike in my car, but now that I've got a bent it doesn't fit inside. If possible I wouldn't carry the bike anywhere but IN the car. From what I've read, any roof rack increases drag and the bike would take a beating from bugs and any other debris. Also I feel more secure with the bike inside the car cause of possible theft while stopped somewhere. A bike seems easier to steal on the back rack.

I agree. When our last minivan shot craps, we bought a Saturn sedan and a Thule roof rack system. With a tandem on the roof (with a Yakima b-string) we get about 29mpg @70mph. I think that's pretty good. I don't know what the car would get without the roof rack. We've driven through some pretty nasty rainstorms with no problems, but our tandem has all sealed bearings. The lycra b-string looks pretty gross at the end of a 400 or 500 mile drive but it just goes into the washer and that's crud that I didn't have to clean off of the bike. I can easily load the tandem on our Saturn by myself and, in fact, I prefer not to have good intentioned people try to help me. Whenever I load bicycles onto the roof, I stick the garage door opener in the glove compartment to remind me they're up there.

Our roof rack still has one big problem that I can't get around. I never have complete peace of mind when I have bikes up there. I'm always thinking about what holds the bikes onto the rack and what holds the rack onto the car. I know that lots of people have them and use them and I've had reassurances by knowledgable engineering folks that everything is fine, but I still worry. I still think that the preferred way to carry your bikes is inside the car.