JF1

There's no way I'm getting bikes up on the top of my Land Rover Discovery (about 7 ft from ground to top of load bars) without a ladder so bikes go on the hitch rack. I like the way my wifes Passat looks with bikes on top so they go there, purely aesthetic.

kb5ql

Must I always remind people when posting on this topic???



FOLDING BIKE

blacksquid

Yeah, it's a different story if you have children. Though they might think it's fun for a while!

I prefer a hitch rack now that I've got one.

Hipcycler

No rack here....

WheresWaldo

Generally I carry either a tandem or 2-3 bikes at a time. Although the singles might fit in the back of our Yukon, they definitely will not fit in the trunk of our Mazda6! The tandem would need both wheels off to fit in the back of the Yukon so that will not happen anytime soon, it's just too hard to handle a very long 35 pound bike and it's wheels at the same time. On top of the Mazda is the easiest way to transport them.

slowandsteady

As obnoxiously large as most SUVs are, they really don't have much room inside for cargo. Honestly, I don't understand why people even own them.

They are:
hard to park due to a lousy turning radius
guzzle gas
have a tendency to flip over
and despite their looks don't have any room inside for cargo nor more room for people than a sedan

I have a two seat roadster and a pick up truck. I have a hitch rack for the pickup not because I want to show off my mid-level midget sized bike, but rather to protect it from bouncing around on the pick up bed. It also gives me more room if I want to haul several bikes plus camping gear.

jimbud

Just making the case that bikes fit in car trunks also and car owners still use roof racks. People can put there bikes where ever they want as far as I'm concerned. I just think it's ridiculous for someone (OP) to state that if you own a SUV and a roof mount bike rack you acting out some race team support vehicle fantasy.

San Rensho 

Hilarious! I think you've watched Borat one too many times.

cyclezealot

that silly. I just find them hanging atop the trunk inconvenient. Takes two to open the trunk. Roof racks are much easier. besides roof racks can accommodate three bikes or more. Trunk racks only two.

cccorlew

Roof rack: Works as a ski rack, so I never take it off. Leaves room in the car for endless cr*p. Never get grease in the seats. Less chance of scratching the bike. Get to see interesting collection of dead bugs on bars after trip.

Being able to reach the roof was a major factor in car selection. Anything taller than our Subaru Outback was tooo darn tall. Even with it I have to mount the bike holder outside the pillars.

alanfleisig

Would that explain the Thompson/Sidi/Michelin/Shimano and USCF decals all over the back of my Forester? Nah. I keep my bike on a rear rack, so I guess not.

noisebeam

I can put 60cm bikes in the back of both Prius and 2dr Explorer (seats down in both cases) with no disassembly or struggle.

I've put two bikes in back of Explorer stacked & no dissasembly with a thick blanket between them (kept in back of SUV for this purpose)

Al

willieb

lol, you may have something there. I have a home made fork holder. Back when performance had the fork holder thingy on sale for $10, I bought three of them and mounted them to a piece of stop sign galvanized poll, the ones with holes all in them. I can carry 2 road bikes and a hybrid in the back of my expedition. I'd much rather carry them inside the vehicle. The only thing is that you aren't as recognizable to other cyclists without them looking in the back with the door open.

uspspro

I use a $2.50 garage sale rack that just happens to fit PERFECTLY on the back of my MR2 Spyder.

I *could* fit bike the passenger seat, with the top down, rear wheel sticking out, with a the use of some towels for interior protection. heh, but I'd rather not.


Not much room in her...

San Rensho 

Nice Mister Two. What kind of race is that?

Pedal Wench

Do you have the pole secured to your car in any way? I'll be doing something similar, but worry about the bikes becoming missiles in an accident.

bigskymacadam

i like pie?

On Your Right

I put my Bikes Direct Bike (no shill, I promise) and my wife's Trek 1000 on my roof rack and go. I don't care who thinks what about me. I am thinking of a word for that.....Let's see........Ahhhhh Yes.......Convienience.

uspspro

Thanks!

Solo2 aka Autocross

Bantam

Beat me to it. I was dead set on a Miata before I started cycling. Now I want a WRX Wagon.

ScaryFast

I just ordered a Hidden Hitch for my 2002 Mazda Protege 5 (hatchback) so that I can get a hitch rack, most likely a sportrack which supports both wheels from the bottom and has a locking rubber hook for the top tube. only carries 2 bikes with the smaller hitch size, but that's fine.

My car did not come with a factory roof rack system and not only do I hate the look, the price to pick one up from the dealer or Thule direct is something stupid like $400ca plus a bike carrier on top. No thanks.

Hidden Hitch costs $106us, or approx. $150ca shipped to the border, then a 15 minute drive to pick it up, then another $150 or so for the rack.

My hatch area contains a sub-box I do not want to take out every time I want to transport my bike somewhere, and to fit a bike in the back seat I need to take both wheels off which is just annoying and means I have to lay out a tarp on the seat to make sure I get no oil from the chain on the seat, and always end up with it all over my hands or clothes anyway.

Having to carry a hitch rack out and mount it every time I want to bring the bike somewhere is much more convenient to me than dismantling half the bike. This way I could theoretically take 3 people with bikes along. 2 on the rear rack, and 1 with no wheels on in the back seat tetris style with the guy who drew the short straw or lost at rock paper scissors vs. the front seat passenger.

And provided I successfully design a new sub box for the hatch to be lower profile and get some covers to protect the subs themselves I should have plenty of room back there for the rest of our gear Oh yeah, some sort of hitch mounted storage box could be good for up to 200lbs of luggage on long rides with 4 passengers (took out sub box last summer for a trip and had to cram stuff up till it blocked the rear window AND scratched up my tint

bigbossman 

I can tell you from personal experience that this is not true. I have a Chevy Tahoe. I also have a wife, daughter, dog, bikes, and various other sporting equipment. I can get all three bikes in the back of the Tahoe, along with all the associated junk for a 4-5 day trip. And that still leaves plenty of seating front and back so that everyone is comfortable.

And when I take it hunting, I can easily get all the guys, equipment, and (if we're lucky) stack at least 4 hog carcasses in the back end.

Not much room? Hardy. It does burn some gas, though.

2Tired2Shift

I drive a Toyota Corolla. I can fit one bike in the trunk if I pull both wheels, but then there is no room in the trunk for anything else.

bellweatherman

I'm going to agree with the other posters that say that you can't fit 2 bikes in the back of an SUV with all the other crap back there. Obviously many of you small car owners don't have lots of other gear you are hauling with you.

jimples

Funny story.

I was driving with a buddy to a ride in Woodside one day with the back seats folded down in my Jetta and two bikes just stacked on top of each other in the trunk.

Pulled in to the town parking lot and started pulling the bikes out of the trunk.

This guy bikes past on a Cervelo Soloist Carbon and his jaw drops in amazement. "How do you get two bikes in the trunk without worrying about them scratching each other up?"

I said to him, "First, I put one bike in. Then, I put the other bike in. Finally, I stop worrying about them scratching each other up. It's a tool, not a jewel, dude."

He looked embarrassed for having asked such a silly question.