General Cycling Discussion - Pros and Cons of Honda roof rack for CRV to carry bike

Hi all!

Just got tired of packing my bike into my CRV on the mornings I'm planning to go riding after work. I'm really keen to continue--I've been an avid biker for years, but now that I've gotten into the commuter lifestyle for work, I've been soooo out of shape.

I know Honda cells a roof rack, and I noticed that they are a bit pricey and they only hold up to 75 lbs. Since I have had occassion to load heavy, outsize stuff like lumber plastic paneling, etc. on my roof top, I'm beginning to realize how handy a multi-purpose roof rack might be. I know someone who swears by a Yakima, and the Yakima Control Tower system apparently holds about 145 lb.--double the capacity of the Honda rack.

The only thing that's preventing me from rushing out and buying the Yakima or Thule roof racks are the thought that these racks might need special adapters to fit on my CRV. Would anyone know if they might fit or not? If anyone has any other comments or insights, I would appreciate it if they would share it with me. Thanks.

Lil

By the way, in case it was not clear from my post, I did not choose to buy the roof rack when I bought my CRV. I didn't buy the roof rack earlier because I'm a bit on the small side--barely 5' and couldn't imagine myself trying to get the bike on top of the roof.

I just got a 2004 CRV and plan to get a hitch rack. Better gas mileage, easier to load/unload, and I won't have to worry about when (not if) I drive into the garage w/ the bikes still loaded. I'll probably get one of the more expensive hitch racks that swing away so I can get into and out of the back of the vehicle.

baker

Better gas mileage, easier to load/unload, and I won't have to worry about when (not if) I drive into the garage w/ the bikes still loaded

Exactly what I was going to say in favour of the hitch-rack.

bikegrl,

i too would suggest a hitch rack.. cuz it would be a pain in the butt to try and load the bike on top of a CRV... either that or you have to pretty tall to do that.

have a civic and i decided on going with a hitch rack and waiting for my Performance XPORT Flatbed 2 Bike Hitch Rack to be shipped... grrr... they take a long time to ship!!! :mad:

rui

I lose about 10% gas mileage with two singles and a tandem on my roof rack. Many years ago I did the garage goof with a bike on a roof rack. Damaged the car roof, a foot of the rack, the garage, but not the bike. I was also rear-ended once with a bike on a trunk/bumper rack. Totalled the bike. I don't have a garage now. One suggestion I've read here, if you have a roof rack, is to put the garage remote in the seat bag of the bike.

If you get a fork mount to go inside the car it works pretty well. I cut a piece of 1/2" plywood to fit in the back, covered it with carpet and put a fork mount on it to hold the bike. Works great for either the road or mountain bike and everything stays safely inside.

Buy a hitch or spare tire rack to carry your bikes. At your height, you will find it almost useless to have a roof rack because it will be so inconvienent, plus all the downsides- loss of gas mileage, running into garage/low sign/drivethuru (yes, it happens more than you think)

If you do buy Yakima, yes they have a system and you buy the appropriate "landing pads" and crossbars to make a rack. Add your choice of bicycle mounts and you're done.