mulchie

We have four bikes and a Rav4 and we need to get a rear rack to carry 4 bikes. I'm a little overwhelmed by the choices. We are looking at a Curt13509 hitch for the car. But what is the best 4 bike carrier that is not over the moon? Any help, will help.
thanks
happy to be back on the bike all the time lately, and back on bikeforums as a result.

PaulRivers

I don't own one yet, but I'm looking at the Saris T-Rax "Sport" (the mid-level version is the sport).

With a class 3 hitch you could also get one of those cool "hold by the wheel" racks, but it would cost twice as much.

mulchie

I will look into the Saris T-Rax. Right now considering the Thule Roadway. I do like those hold-by-the-wheel racks, but with four bikes, my guess is that the platform would end up being too big.
Thanks for the response.

cyclist2000

I have a Thule hitch that holds the bikes by the wheels, it may be quite a bit too long for a rav4 (I use one on a Land Cruiser) but I think that it offers more protection for the bike in a rear end collision.

Tem

The Thules are really heavy duty. I have the Thule Parkway with the lock. I've been rear ended twice with it mounted (luckily, without the bike.) Absolutely no damage to my car or the rack but the other guys' cars had badly caved in front fenders. I never take it off now.

mulchie

Interesting perspective! I settled on the ridgeline since it locks to the car, and allows the bikes to be locked to the rack. Before this, we had been having to park near any place we might want to stop, eat, etc. while the bikes were on an unlockable rack. This way, when we are not biking, we can walk away without worries. So far I am finding the ridgeline an incredibly fine rack and a transformation from those flip on trunk racks I've used in the past. Like it so much that I actually went and bought two sets of the Thule rests for my old Allen rack and I am modifying that to accommodate two bikes without having them rub. Before this we were wrapping towels around everything and then going to town with bungie cords. Felt, um, a little less than perfect.

PaulRivers

With all due respect regarding the locking issue, if the Ridgeline uses a cable lock (which it almost certainly does), you can't quite "walk away without worries" unless you don't need much security. Sometimes you don't - it's great then. Like I used to use a cable lock to lock my bike to my bumper using a cable lock when going into a restaurant where I could see the bike from my seat.

But it's no ulock or anything. :-( Cable locks are fairly easy to cut.

trek2.3bike

Ditto. Jerk rear-ended me last Friday. HE got a ruined hood (probably $1000 to fix). I lost a 2" triangle of reflector tape. The Thule rack saved my Jeep for sure.

AndrewP

I am happy with my Swagman which holds the wheels - 2 bike verasion but 4 bike version also available. It holds the bikes steady and the clamp over the top tube can be locked in position. The depth is determined by the width of the bikes so would be no different from the simple style that hangs the bike by the top tube.