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.