Microfiche

We recently moved to an area where we are at the top of a large hill with some pretty heavy inclines, so we are considering getting a bike rack to run the bikes down the hill and perhaps within a few kilometers to various bike trails.
There will not be any long distance trips.
We have an Audi A5 Sportback and a Tesla Model 3, so the rack needs to be hitch installed as we don't really want a roof rack.
We have 2 Specialized mountain bikes and a 2016 Giant Defy Advanced 3 road bike with a carbon frame.
I don't really want to invest a lot of money into this rack as we won't use it often so I was looking at a Sportrack Crest 2 Locking Hitch Platform System Bike Rack (www.sportrack.com/product/crest-2-locking/)
I asked a local shop and it was suggested that a SuperClamp EX 2-Bike (www.saris.com/product/superclamp-ex-2)would be the bare minimum required because of the carbon frame, which is twice the price.
Does anyone have any relevant experience?

Chandne

I don't particularly like any rack that clamps on the tubes of a bike. I use a rack (1UPUSA) that clamps on both tires but if you do not want to spend much money, look at one you can simply hang your bike off. There are plenty of those and they are less expensive than the others. I'd do that over clamping the top tube.

chaadster

You’re pretty much the perfect use-case for a Seasucker rack.

The Seasucker uses vacuum mounts, so it’s quickly and easily installed, removed, and transferred between vehicles. There are no permanent mount elements.

With their Huske mount, you can quickly switch between end plugs to accommodate different axle types, if needed.

I’ve used a Seasucker Talon for years because, like you, I don’t often need a rack, didn’t want the hassles of a traditional roof rack, didn’t want to spend a lot of money, and really wanted the flexibility to move it between my cars. It works perfectly and has met all of my demands, with the added benefit of looking super cool.

If there is a downside for me, it’s in security. It’s super quick and easy to install/remove…even with a bike on it! All a thief needs to do is pop the vacuum pads and they’re off with both the bike and the rack. Seasucker have a window bracket through which you can secure a cable lock to the bike, but in most cases I either feel that’s insufficient or unnecessary, so I wind up hardly using it. Instead, I pick my scenarios based on perceived risk, and prefer to keep the car in places where I can keep sight of it. For my use scenarios, that’s largely a non-issue, though, and is scarcely inconvenient.

https://www.seasucker.com/collections/bike

taco2ewsday

I have the Saris SuperClamp 2 on the back of a Honda Accord I'v had it for about 6 weeks and get in about 3 rides a week that are anywhere from 3 mile (surface streets) to 20 mile (interstate) away from my home in distance. I love that it grabs both wheels unlike most platform racks.

rumrunn6

good luck, the choices are mind boggling. my 2 cents: don't let the price dictate what you buy

chaadster

taco2ewsday

agreed skimping 50-100 $ on a rack to carry a bike the average member here has is a questionable calculus

eduskator

Price shouldn't be a factor to carry your several thousand dollar bike.

I was about to get sea suckers but heard horror stories about glass breaking with the suction (I have a Tesla 3) so I am getting roof rails instead with a fork mount Yakima bike carrier.

Koyote

Hoisting the bikes onto, and off of, a roof rack sounds like a bit of a hassle for just getting them up and down a steep hill near the house.

A good cradle-style hitch-mounted rack is super convenient and quick in use. Thule, 1-up, and Kuat all make good ones, and each will cost around $600-$700. Factor in another few hundred dollars for the hitch receiver if you do not already have one on the vehicle.

if I were only carrying the bikes a short distance, like the OP, and was not too concerned about the paint jobs, I might just get the type of rack the clamps onto the rear of the vehicle and supports bikes by the top tube. It would save a lot of money.

Andy Somnifac

It's not. And neither of the vehicles the OP mentioned are tall. I've had roof racks on my last 2 vehicles and I have zero issues with it as an adult of very average height. If I didn't want something permanently attached to my car, I'd 100% be looking at the SeaSucker racks.

eduskator

Not a hassle at all if you have a car unless you are a really short person. It's another thing if you drive a SUV or a pickup truck.

chaadster

There are *way* more stories of Tesla roof glass cracking, exploding, and shattering that have nothing to do with Seasuckers, and tons of folks run Seasuckers on their Teslas, so it’s a pretty safe bet the problem, to the extent it’s a serious concern, is not suction.

Anyway, I’d take Seasuckers recco for Model 3 mounting and put the wheel cup on the metal deck lid. I’d also not open/close the hatch with the bike on it.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/15...ctions.pdf?637

ksryder

OP: I don't want a roof rack.

Bikeforums: Here's a bunch of roof racks!

Get a hitch rack from Saris, Thule, Yakima, 1up, or Kuat. Spend more than you think you should have to. /thread.

blakcloud

Personally I find hoisting any bike on a roof rack a pain in the butt. Last year at the end of the season I installed a hitch on to my car and purchased the Thule Helium Platform rack. You couldn't pay me to go back to roof rack.

First it is light, so almost everyone can install it from car to car without hassle. At less than 40 lbs it is an easy task.
Second, it doesn't grab the frame but holds the wheels. Great for carbon bikes and bikes with front racks.

I can load a bike in less than 30 seconds.

Yes the 1UP is a great rack but sometimes you just don't need such a heavy duty rack especially for what the OP is requesting. The Thule may be more than you wanted to spend but it checks all the boxes except for maybe price. Below is a photo of the rack in question that I took yesterday.

Jack Tone 

I bought a cheap rack like this from Nashbar maybe ten years ago or more. Cost less than half of what they are now. After thousands of miles, no problem what so ever.

https://www.performancebike.com/tran...7rsdhc5tzrgqhe

chaadster

Haha! Okay, guilty!

In my defense, I mentioned Seasucker because a lot of folks are unfamiliar with them and the distinctive qualities which make them quite different from typical roof racks.

PeteHski

That would be the winner for me. For some reason, wheel clamp hitch racks are impossible to find in the UK. At least they were only a couple of years ago when I was last in the market. Mine has frame clamps, which are a bit of a pita to be honest.

ksryder

Fair enough. I'll add that I've looked into Seasucker and the rack itself seems to be perfectly reliable and safe. For my own use I'll never have a roof rack because the risk of me forgetting that it's there and running my bike into the garage is too great, but they're fine for other people and their particular use cases especially if they don't forget things like I do.

Matthias90

My experience with Seasucker is very bad! My bike was mounted with Seasucker on the roof and the bike fell/flew of the roof on the highway.
A truck drove over it. Thousands worth of damage and it could of been a lot worse.
I read the intructions very well and checked if it was set up correctly (two people checked) and boom 20 minutes later on the highway... bike gone.

mstateglfr 

Since this was brought back from the dead- what did you buy?
I would think that taking a couple bikes up and down a paved hill would be something most any rack can handle. Its what- maybe a 5min drive on a town road?

Zaskar

I'm tall. My bikes are light. I still won't go back to a roof-mounted bike rack. I love the simplicity of the wheel clamp style hitch racks. Thru axles, Leftys... doesn't matter - 5 seconds and the bike's secured.

Oh, and zero concern hanging $20k worth of bikes off the back.

Kabuki12

I bought a Thule hitch mount rack that has a cradle for the front wheel with a top tire restraint and a strap on the rear wheel. It is mounted on my wife’s Toyota Tacoma and it is real easy to mount the bikes…like seconds and you’re done. The swedge type locking mount that fits in the receiver is very tight so no bouncing around even on rough roads. It was a bit pricey(about $700),but worth it. The rack is very heavy so it has wheels built in for putting it away in the garage. The rack can swing down for access to the tail gate even if the bikes are on it and it folds up when not in use. The tail gate can come down without hitting the rack when the rack is tilted down.

base2 

You have 2 Specialized unnamed mountain bikes, a Defy (carbon!) a Tesla, an Audi, don't want a roof rack & want to be cheap with a cheap hitch rack to carry the bikes a few kilometers because of a hill?

Puh-leeeaze... :eyes roll:

Any bike ought to be more valuable than the car carrying it.

Snark & overly dramatic eye-rolling at class disparities aside: A Kuat NV at around $800 will fill your needs. If you want to be "cheap" a Kuat Transfer at around $450 will also do nicely.

Either will fit nicely & authoritatively say you are a "serious" cyclist no matter what kind of car you hang them on, but especially to the Thule Camber or Saris Bones, Camry owning masses that don't even bother loading their bikes onto a car for the 1&½ mile ride to the ride start.

As for me: I put my $10,000 bikes (bikes, heh...plural.) on my $800 NV on my decade old Prius. They hang by their top tubes equally well on the other cars $250 Thule.

This thread is the very definition of First World problems.

merlinextraligh

Sear Sucker works for us. And the bike is worth more than the car

base2 

I love it!
That is a [accent] ~faaañcey bike [/accent]