# Bike Rack vs Roof Racks



## TomSynnott (Mar 10, 2015)

Guys we only have a small hatch back, but expensive bikes plus kids bikes wondering what is the best to go for, Roof Racks or a Bike Rack on the toe bar? I have used a toe bar bike rack before and it was very unforgiving to the bikes... any advice / opinions appreciated!


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

I've had roof racks and currently have an excellent Saris Bones trunk rack. But by far, the best way of carrying bikes is inside a vehicle - which you can't do with your current vehicle. It sounds like you need to carry at least 4 bikes and I can't think of a very good way of doing that.


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## ParadigmDawg (Aug 2, 2012)

I like most people who have roof racks, have driven into the garage with the bikes on and ruined two bikes so I prefer hitch-mounted racks.

The best, by a long shot, in my opinion is the 1UP-USA. They are spendy but load/unload in 3 seconds and built like tanks. 

Here is 98 pages of reviews:

1up Quick Rack Quick Review.- Mtbr.com


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## jfaas (Jan 31, 2014)

I have a roof rack and a garage. I've heard the stories and seen the pictures...

Anyways, for a roof rack, throw $300 at the car first, then you start looking at how you want the bikes to mount. Hitch mount, usually you are finished before $300


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## marc7654 (Jun 24, 2014)

We've had the older style Thule where you just having the bikes on a bar from the top tube. They swing around and bang into each other. I'm not sure but I think newer styles work better. Last year we got a Saris Freedom rack that holds the wheels and down tube. The bikes don't bang into each other at all, they are very stable. I'm happy with that rack.

We have a 1" 1/4 hitch tube on our Subaru hatchback and I've been a bit concerned with its strength when we had our older heavy bikes on the rack. We've got carbon bikes now, half the weight from before, so I'm less concerned about bouncing weight on the hitch system. The weight of the rack its self is a potential issue too. Our old Thule is a big chunk of steel the Saris is steel too but not nearly as heavy.

If I needed to carry 4 bikes I would not want to hang them on the minimal hitch system we have. I think the tongue weight max is suppose to be 300 Lb. at most. 4 bouncing bikes on the back in a heavy rack could maybe be an issue. Other issues with the rear are the spray and grime from wet roads blasting the bikes and the fact you can't get into the rear hatch with the bikes on the rack.

If I was buying a new rack system today I'd go for the roof. The issue there is getting them up on the roof if you're shorter. If you need to remove the front wheels then you need space inside to keep them or another roof attachment for them. Roof systems also seem to be more pricy.


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## WheresWaldo (Nov 29, 2005)

Here is my first question every time someone came into the shop asking roof, trunk or hitch. _Does your significant other have the strength and size to place a bike on the roof of your vehicle?_ Then it's simple, the choice usually comes down to hitch or trunk. If all your bikes are adult size road bikes then the Bones 2 or 3 is great. It is the best selling trunk rack in the world. If you have bikes that include FS or aggressively sloped top tubes or children's or cruisers, etc. then the new type of hitch racks with the trays, such as the Saris Freedom, may be the right choice.


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## jfaas (Jan 31, 2014)

Is saris still making load bars? I've had two set in the past and they were fairly nice.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

TomSynnott said:


> I have used a toe bar bike rack before and it was *very unforgiving to the bikes..*. any advice / opinions appreciated!


What does that mean?

I use a Saris Bones. Never had a problem.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

WheresWaldo said:


> Here is my first question every time someone came into the shop asking roof, trunk or hitch. _Does your significant other have the strength and size to place a bike on the roof of your vehicle?_


^^^^^ This! It is for this reason that we have a hitch-mounted carrier (trunk is not an option with either of our cars).



TomSynnott said:


> Guys we only have a small hatch back, but expensive bikes plus kids bikes wondering what is the best to go for, Roof Racks or a Bike Rack on the toe bar? I have used a toe bar bike rack before and it was very unforgiving to the bikes... any advice / opinions appreciated!


Not sure what you mean by "toe bar", but I'll guess trailer hitch. If so, then you had a bad carrier. I have a Thule T2, and the only thing that get's touched on the bike are the tires. The standard is the 2-bike model, but it can be extended to 4 bikes. Many other like the 1UP carrier - same principle. Both are excellent carriers.

We had a recent discussion on hitch-mounted carriers here. You will find a number of recommendations in that thread.


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

ParadigmDawg said:


> I like most people who have roof racks, have driven into the garage with the bikes on and ruined two bikes so I prefer hitch-mounted racks.



I like most people who have hitch racks, have been rear ended with the bikes on and ruined two bikes so I prefer roof mounted racks. 




.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

I should mention that I have come to like the wheel loop hitch rack best.

Especially with ultra light carbon bike. I believe some warranties can be voided on carbon frames if dangled from the top tube, or at least have read that.

When we started having more carbon bikes than others, I decided this was a good idea.

I also keep my Scott on the inner loops when one bike is on the two position rack. With the prayer if I do get tagged in the back it might have that little better chance.


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## Cyclist69 (Apr 15, 2011)

I like platform style hitch racks. 

Really, if you have the correct hitch size. Then that would be the way to go. Roof racks are nice and if you don't care about tossing your bike on to the roof of your car after a long ride. You can safely mount a couple of bicycles there. 

However, if your entire family goes out for a daily ride. There are plenty of platform hitch racks that can accommodate up to four bicycles at a time. With a good platform hitch rack. No bicycles will come in contact with each other. Most newer platform racks don't even come in contact with the bicycles frame for mounting.

Anyway, that's my recommendation.

Good luck..


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## marc7654 (Jun 24, 2014)

Just for emphasis.

Saris, on their website, say not to use a Class 1 hitch with a couple of their 4 bike racks. Be sure your rack manufacturer says you can use their 4 bike carrier on a Class 1 hitch. Also note that the weight limit for your rack does not take into account the weight limit for your hitch.

FAQs - Saris

"1 ¼" hitches come in class 1 and class 2. Class 1 has a tongue weight rating of 200lbs and class 2 has a rating of 300lbs. You need a minimum 300 lb tongue weight rating, or class 2 hitch, to use to use the 4-bike Freedom or 4-bike Freedom SuperClamp racks."

They don't mention their other 4 bike hitch carriers but I wouldn't recommend any 4 bike carrier on a Class 1 hitch.


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## nsfbr (May 23, 2014)

I use a hitch rack. 2" receiver. I have two racks, an enormous Thule (5 bike capacity) and a Thule Helium Aero. (3 bikes) I love these things, although I don't use the big one very much at the moment as my kid spacing has the oldest two out of the house and the youngest two have them right at the transition between tiny balance bikes and small pedal bikes. 

I've not had any issues with the bikes swinging. There are seat tube brackets that reduce this, plus I use several short and long bungees when holding multiple bikes. For me, keeping the front wheel in line with bike and providing a bit more damping is the key there. 

I've had roof racks on two cars and really didn't like them. Between damaging one bike in a Mall parking lot and the wear and tear and struggles to get anything but a light road bike in place, I much rather deal with putting them on the rear. 

I bought a Saris Bones for my daughter. I thought it a good, cheap solution. I didn't like the abuse it gave the paint job anywhere anything touched, even with a constant wipe down prior to putting in place.


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## skinewmexico (Apr 19, 2010)

I'm really happy with my Kuat NV.


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

Some good answers here, but you really need a new vehicle.


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## ParadigmDawg (Aug 2, 2012)

MoPho said:


> I like most people who have hitch racks, have been rear ended with the bikes on and ruined two bikes so I prefer roof mounted racks.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How often do you get rearended without bike on your car? It doesn't/shouldn't change with bike on there.


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## Shuffleman (Sep 4, 2013)

Special Eyes said:


> Some good answers here, but you really need a new vehicle.


This is actually an interesting topic. I have a cheap Allan 3 bike hitch mount from Wally World. I have had it for years and only use it to take my bikes to the shop, which is 3 miles from the house. The thing scares me for HWY purposes.
My son is now old enough for MTB and he just got a new bike as did my wife. The rack will not hold 3mtbs or my son's 24". It can hold mine and my wife's but that is not ideal because the women's bike is rough to fit. I was thinking about getting a roof rack for my son's bike and just keeping the hitch mount rack for the others or getting a new hitch mount rack all together.
In the end, I have opted to go with a 4 bike platform rack instead. I simply can't justify the price for the 1up though. I do not go far or often with my bikes because of where we live. We are lucky in that. The price on the Nashbar Shadow is $199 plus a 17% discount. The Performance transit is $269 with a 20% discount.
Has anybody tried these? or would they go with the Roof rack instead.
I have ruled out the bar racks because I do not like my bikes to get scratched and dinged up. They simply do not fit 3-4 bikes with ease.
Any thoughts on these generic platform racks would be much appreciated.
Has anybody used


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## ljvb (Dec 10, 2014)

I would go with the roof racks. As has been said previously, 1 1/4 hitch, with rack and bikes is going to put too lateral stress on the tongue. Couple of bumps in the road and something bad will happen. 1 or 2 bikes is okay, anything more, no.

I prefer the roof racks anyways. For my car, I did not have a choice (they don't have receivers for my car anyways). I would also throw something like this on, especially if you are running DI2.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

ljvb said:


> 1 1/4 hitch, with rack and bikes is going to put too lateral stress on the tongue. Couple of bumps in the road and something bad will happen. 1 or 2 bikes is okay, anything more, no.


Just common sense and math. My Del Sol has 150lb tongue weight limit. Let us assume this is conservative.

Two zoot carbon bike and rack = less than 1/2 that, Lets say 1/2. Ad in one good hard bump that causes 1G and you are at tongue weight. 

This set up with two steel adventure or touring bikes and the rack, 2 Gs math tells us that hit is getting well over 150, more like 250lb even right?

My Scott @ 16 lb with all the crap on it alone I have no worries what so ever, honestly with two carbon bike I don't really. Rear end collisions with a roof rack like the one my wife's car got 10k damage may well have dislodged the entire system. maybe less damage, but who knows...


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## nsfbr (May 23, 2014)

As I said upthread, I use a 2" receiver. What I didn't say, but will now, is that I would never, under any circumstances on any car use a 1-1/4" one. That seems to be an invitation for disaster. And for what? It makes no sense to me that they even offer those things. 

For what it is worth, my two vehicles right now are a Honda odyssey and a Prius V. I've no concern about tongue weights with either, and I installed both hitches myself, about two hours each time. The hitch on the Prius V is a Torklift Stealth hitch, and is completely hidden from view except for the receiver. 

I also think the message from this thread is that we all have experience and preferences to share, what works for one, may not be the right choice for another. Get whatever you think will cause you the fewer excuses not to ride!


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

i use a hitch rack. 4-place top tube , 2" receiver on my Tundra and Pathfinder. We get dinged an extra $100 if we take the ferry off our island with roof rack - ouch.

but I see most MTB riders do this around here. Wonder why no roadies doing this


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## ParadigmDawg (Aug 2, 2012)

BCSaltchucker said:


> i use a hitch rack. 4-place top tube , 2" receiver on my Tundra and Pathfinder. We get dinged an extra $100 if we take the ferry off our island with roof rack - ouch.
> 
> but I see most MTB riders do this around here. Wonder why no roadies doing this


Being more of a mountain biker than a road biker; I would venture to say that's it because our MTB's hit the ground way more often than our road bikes. My MTB was ~ $8,000 and I don't think twice about it when it hits the ground. My road bike was ~ $5,000 and I would cry if it ever hit the ground.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

nsfbr said:


> As I said upthread, I use a 2" receiver. What I didn't say, but will now, is that I would never, under any circumstances on any car use a 1-1/4" one.


No, I hear ya!

Del Sol actually has no towing rating, you should not tow it. The only hitch available IS the smaller format. The hitch is pretty minimal, I added a piece of angle where it bolted to the bumper beam which should beef up any twist perpensity. Sure could not make is worse. 

I like a 2"receiver as well. The Equinox we have has a class three even though it can only tow 2klb with the AWD and 4 cylinder.  But the Nox does not get 39 MPG either...


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## skinewmexico (Apr 19, 2010)

BCSaltchucker said:


> i use a hitch rack. 4-place top tube , 2" receiver on my Tundra and Pathfinder. We get dinged an extra $100 if we take the ferry off our island with roof rack - ouch.
> 
> but I see most MTB riders do this around here. Wonder why no roadies doing this


I've got a buddy that does that all the time with his Madone 5.9, and Willier cross bike.


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## zero85ZEN (Oct 11, 2002)

I prefer roof racks to hitch or trunk mount. But, IMO, this trumps them all:


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## marc7654 (Jun 24, 2014)

zero85ZEN said:


> I prefer roof racks to hitch or trunk mount. But, IMO, this trumps them all:


OH I hate you. That's too sweet. You've completely messed up my plans for a 2016 Miata.


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

zero85ZEN said:


> I prefer roof racks to hitch or trunk mount. But, IMO, this trumps them all:



I do that as well, but often travel with a car load of camera gear so have to put the bike on the roof (rack added after this pic was taken)


Mazda5_3 by Morgan J Segal Photography, on Flickr


.


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## plag (Apr 30, 2007)

I miss my truck for this very reason. No i have a honda accord with a hitch i installed, works great. I use to wedge my bikes into the trunk but became a hassle taking wheels and seats off.


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

ParadigmDawg said:


> How often do you get rearended without bike on your car? It doesn't/shouldn't change with bike on there.



Actually, I was being facetious.... "most" people, as you claim, have not driven into the garage and ruined their bike. Roof racks have been used for decades and there are perhaps millions of them out there, if people were crashing into low hanging structures in droves they never would have become so popular. 
You only hear about random roof rack incidents because they are rather dramatic and people feel stupid and angry with themselves, so they talk about it more. 

On the other hand, rear end accidents are the most common kind of accident, the odds are not good and it's out of your control (not to mention blocking your brake lights with bikes doesn't help), even a light tap could destroy your bike. 
I've used a roof rack for nearly 20 years and never crashed into anything, but I have been rear ended 3 times. There are precautions you can take (not to mention apps now) to keep from driving into your garage with your bike on the roof, so unlike being rear ended you are at least in control of your destiny 


IMO



.


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## Shuffleman (Sep 4, 2013)

marc7654 said:


> OH I hate you. That's too sweet. You've completely messed up my plans for a 2016 Miata.


I saw a Miata with 2 bikes on it yesterday. Normally I would not pay attention to such a thing but it struck me as odd because the bikes dwarfed the car. They were both mtb's and they just looked huge on that car. I guess that you make do with what you have though.


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## marc7654 (Jun 24, 2014)

Shuffleman said:


> I saw a Miata with 2 bikes on it yesterday. Normally I would not pay attention to such a thing but it struck me as odd because the bikes dwarfed the car. They were both mtb's and they just looked huge on that car. I guess that you make do with what you have though.


I don't think anyone "officially" makes a Miata rack but there's a tone of solutions for that problem. Most of the trunk racks are a decent simple solutions for s single bike and probably 2. There's lots of complaints about scuffing paint though. You can put a 1 1/4" hitch on a Miata. A number of enthusiasts use the hitch to pull a small trailer of 4 race tires to the track. Same kind of thing could be used to hall bikes. A super light hitch mount rack would work for 1 bike. For 2 light weight bikes I'd want to add a stabilization strap from the trunk to the rack. I'd probably do that for even a single bike.

There's even a roof mount option for the hard top and if you have a roll bar/cage you have other options but then you can't put the top up.


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

When you're serious, you will eventually use one of these. Bikes stay inside and so can you. Anywhere. Any weather.

View attachment 304533


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## Shuffleman (Sep 4, 2013)

marc7654 said:


> I don't think anyone "officially" makes a Miata rack but there's a tone of solutions for that problem. Most of the trunk racks are a decent simple solutions for s single bike and probably 2. There's lots of complaints about scuffing paint though. You can put a 1 1/4" hitch on a Miata. A number of enthusiasts use the hitch to pull a small trailer of 4 race tires to the track. Same kind of thing could be used to hall bikes. A super light hitch mount rack would work for 1 bike. For 2 light weight bikes I'd want to add a stabilization strap from the trunk to the rack. I'd probably do that for even a single bike.
> 
> There's even a roof mount option for the hard top and if you have a roll bar/cage you have other options but then you can't put the top up.


I am buying a platform hitch mounted rack this week. I actually tried to get my wife to let me get a utility trailer instead. I even tried to rationalize that we could put the Xmass Tree and tow the golf card around on it. I thought that my logic was solid. The look that she gave me was a more definitive NO though. Oh well a platform rack it will be.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

Shuffleman said:


> I saw a Miata with 2 bikes on it yesterday. Normally I would not pay attention to such a thing but it struck me as odd because the bikes dwarfed the car.


When I have just the Scott Addict on my 20 year old Del Sol it dwarfs the car in value pretty much.


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## Cannot (Jun 27, 2012)

zero85ZEN said:


> I prefer roof racks to hitch or trunk mount. But, IMO, this trumps them all:


Never thought that way for minivan. I like it.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

Shuffleman said:


> I saw a Miata with 2 bikes on it yesterday. Normally I would not pay attention to such a thing but it struck me as odd because the bikes dwarfed the car. They were both mtb's and they just looked huge on that car. I guess that you make do with what you have though.


hey I used to put a trunk rack on my Miata like 16 years ago to go riding in North Vancouver. We'd put two freeride bikes on it! Mine with a 40lb 'DHRace' bike. That was kind of crazy.

best car I had for bikes was a 78 Volvo wagon I had back in 92 or so. We could put four XC racing bikes in teh back, wheels off, and four riders in comfort, all over 6' tall. The car was so old I didn't care about the chains being in contact with the carpet, LOL. Might buy myself a V70 to relive the experience.

One of my riding buddies built a bike rack to carry his road bike .. on his motorcycle. I don't think he used that much though.


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## bradkay (Nov 5, 2013)

ParadigmDawg said:


> How often do you get rearended without bike on your car? It doesn't/shouldn't change with bike on there.


I've been rear ended more often than I have driven my bikes into a low overhang - and I have been using roof racks for over 30 years. I have never driven into a garage, drive through, tree branch, etc with bikes on the roof in those 30 years.


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## Shuffleman (Sep 4, 2013)

bradkay said:


> I've been rear ended more often than I have driven my bikes into a low overhang - and I have been using roof racks for over 30 years. I have never driven into a garage, drive through, tree branch, etc with bikes on the roof in those 30 years.


LOL. I think that there is no one solution fits all when it comes to racks. I can see advantages and disadvantages to either. If I drove a Subaru or some small car, the roof racks would be great. Unfortunately for me, I drive a Toyota Sequoia which is much further off the ground. I am 6'2" so I am not vertically challenged but taking off my 30lb 29er would be a chore especially as I get older. My road bike would not be an issue though as is is much lighter. However, I rarely transport my road bike.
I will say that I just purchased the 4 Bike Performance Transit the other day. It is very heavy, as in 60+lbs. There really is no option that is ideal but thankfully there are many options that get the job done.


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## saukrateaz (Mar 21, 2012)

MoPho said:


> I like most people who have hitch racks, have been rear ended with the bikes on and ruined two bikes so I prefer roof mounted racks.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


In this case the other drivers insurance would cover the bike correct? 
I use a tow hitch rack. No issues and it holds the bikes firm.


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## ljvb (Dec 10, 2014)

Yes, but good luck proving the value of the bike, they will do everything in their power to go cheap on the bikes, ultimately you will get them replaced, but you will have to fight for it.


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## saukrateaz (Mar 21, 2012)

ljvb said:


> Yes, but good luck proving the value of the bike, they will do everything in their power to go cheap on the bikes, ultimately you will get them replaced, but you will have to fight for it.


no, proving replacement value is incredibly easy. If you dont have documentation for the cost and accessories then you can use bicyclebluebook for a round about cost. Not to mention most monufacturers or bike shops will give you official quotes to replace. Having worked in a bike shop for a few years back in the day we have had these situations come up fairly often and never has the customer had an issue with settlement.


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## Shegens (Sep 14, 2013)

I have a Saris Thelma 2 and it's perfect for normal weight bikes. The problem is that it has a 35lb weight limit for each bike. It works fine for my hybrid but my mountain bikes really push the weight limit. If I had read more about it I wouldn't have bought it because of the weight limit.

My granddaughter's MTB is 36lbs. and that's a pound over the limit. I carry it but I do it carefully and it rides by itself. My Specialized is not heavy but my Saris will not accept a tire/wheel larger than a 26" and it is a 27.5 so it doesn't fit.

If I ride alone I can put the Jynx or the hybrid in the back seat. I drive a full sized pickup truck extended cab and it fits fine with the back seat folded up. The bad side of that is that the front passenger seat has to be pulled forward and my granddaughter is almost 6 feet tall and doesn't have much room if she goes with me. 

If I have to carry three bikes it really gets interesting. I have one bike on the 2-bike Saris, one bike in the back seat of the truck, and the other bike in the bed of the truck. The bed of my truck has wall-to-wall carpet so they don't get scratched up but it's a real pain getting one in there and getting the lid to shut on the bed. When I haul all three bikes my daughter and granddaughter must drive themselves to wherever we are riding because my truck is pretty crowded!


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## lostPixels (Jun 12, 2012)

Just my 2 cents.

I had a Saris Bones trunk rack that was used to carry 1-3 bikes around, one being a skinny Scott Foil 15. The bikes were fine, but the trunk of both my car and my GF's car was damaged by the rack. When I bought my new car I vowed never to use a trunk rack again, and just recently placed an order for a Thule aeroblade roof rack with a bike carrier. I've heard that the roof mounts can also damage your car, so we'll see how it goes. I'm still a little peeved that they stopped making hatchback WRX's, because I just bought mine this year so the extra room in that model wasn't available.


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

saukrateaz said:


> In this case the other drivers insurance would cover the bike correct?
> I use a tow hitch rack. No issues and it holds the bikes firm.


What's your point? I never said that a hitch rack doesn't hold bikes firm, a roof rack does too. And in either case insurance will (hopefully) pay, but you're still out of a bike for a while (it took 4 months for my bike to show up), and for some it may be impossible to replace. It's possible the other driver doesn't have insurance too. 

Every time the roof vs hitch argument comes up, some people act like there is an epidemic of people crashing into things with bikes on their roof and that having a hitch rack is the end all solution but the fact is you're just trading one risk for another, except one you have control over and the other you don't.



And really, you came out of hibernation from 2012 just to respond to this with your first post? ut:





.


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## ParadigmDawg (Aug 2, 2012)

My car and rack changed colors...The Texas sun does some weird stuff to colors...

As you can see, I stuck with the 1UP, just a darker one.





Now it's all darker...


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## smardegain (Jun 28, 2015)

*In cargo area beats hitch or roof*



zero85ZEN said:


> I prefer roof racks to hitch or trunk mount. But, IMO, this trumps them all:


I agree, in cargo area works well for me. We fit 2 bikes on the angle with this sweet rack. In our venza, we have to put back seat down but in our expedition we keep middle row up.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

MoPho said:


> I like most people who have hitch racks, have been rear ended with the bikes on and ruined two bikes so I prefer roof mounted racks.


So now you, like most people with roof racks, are destined to drive into the garage and take out your bikes?

I believe those that have been rear ended with bikes on the back or have driven into a garage with bikes on the top are in the minority of cyclists who transport bikes by either method. I certainly hope so, anyway.


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## Ayers Garage (Apr 15, 2015)

If you're worried about driving into the garage and knocking the bikes off the car roof, just leave the garage remote inside your house when you leave so you're forced to manually walk inside and open the garage when you come back home.


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

looigi said:


> So now you, like most people with roof racks, are destined to drive into the garage and take out your bikes?
> 
> I believe those that have been rear ended with bikes on the back or have driven into a garage with bikes on the top are in the minority of cyclists who transport bikes by either method. I certainly hope so, anyway.



You should probably read the rest of my posts in this thread :wink:


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

Roof causes a huge hit in MPG....

Hitch rack it is and roof for backup (ie 4 people plus 4 bikes, and only a class 1 receiver is available on my car)


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## Herbie (Nov 12, 2010)

I've had both. Prefer hitch rack. I like the fact that I have one rack I can move between 3 cars. I don't really worry about being rear ended. I did drive into the garage once. It happens enough that several insurance companies changed their policy language so the bike is not covered. I would not buy either rack based on what might happen. Buy the one that works the best for your situation

This is almost like a campy vs. Shimano debate


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

Oh, I don't know ... unlike Campy vs Shimano, there are some real world practical differences!

I have both roof and hitch tray-style racks. I don't use either much anymore, as I have a truck w/ a tailgate pad that handles most bicycle transportation duties now. 

Hitch pros: less of a hit on mpg, easier to load, can keep an eye on the bikes, maybe a little more stable in higher winds (I broke a Thule big-mouth in some strong Wyoming cross-winds once), most work well with a variety of bikes (I can put just about any bike on the rack, from DH rig w/ 2.7 wide tires to 20" My Little Pony edition!). Cons: expensive, heavy to take on and off, interfere w/ backup systems on the car, lots of road grime on the bikes in bad weather, gets in the way of opening the hatch, doesn't work on all cars.

Roof pros: cheaper (if you have load bars in place already), simple, out of the way of the rear of the vehicle, don't need a hitch. Cons: real pain if you don't have factory load bars, huge mpg hit, harder to load due to height, may not handle as many different bikes, depending on type.

My preference is hitch tray-style.


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

tystevens said:


> Oh, I don't know ... unlike Campy vs Shimano, there are some real world practical differences!
> 
> I have both roof and hitch tray-style racks. I don't use either much anymore, as I have a truck w/ a tailgate pad that handles most bicycle transportation duties now.
> 
> ...



Other roof rack "Pros" you didn't mention are that you can adapt it for skis, surfboards, kayaks, cargo, and tie stuff to it.

I have not noticed much of a change in gas mileage on my car with the roof rack (even with bike), your mileage may vary


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## bradkay (Nov 5, 2013)

MoPho said:


> Other roof rack "Pros" you didn't mention are that you can adapt it for skis, surfboards, kayaks, cargo, and tie stuff to it.
> 
> *I have not noticed much of a change in gas mileage on my car with the roof rack (even with bike)*, your mileage may vary


Same here... with four bikes on the roof, I think that I had a 2mpg reduction - not enough for me to worry about.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

tystevens said:


> My preference is hitch tray-style.


I've seen an issue where a person got involved in a crash, and broke the fork.

this means roof racks are out as well as tray-style hitch racks. The hanging pedestal style was the way to carry the bike on the exterior.

I ran into a similar issue last night... a friend with a 1up, was trying to get his fatty tube to hold air so he can haul it home. If I had my hanging rack that day.... I would have loaned him my rack.


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## Herbie (Nov 12, 2010)

1. Both types of racks perform their function well, that is to carry bikes.

2. Which is best is simply a personal decision. 

3. People get overly zealous is justifying their preference. 

Sounds familiar to me.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Herbie said:


> 1. Both types of racks perform their function well, that is to carry bikes.
> 
> 2. Which is best is simply a personal decision.
> 
> ...


Sums it up well.


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## bradkay (Nov 5, 2013)

This photo shows a major reason why I don't use a rear mount rack (either a trailer hitch or strapped on one). I use the back end of my wagon as an extension of the camp - that "back porch" tent gives me an area to sit out of the sun and wind and yet have access to the gear stored in the back.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

robt57 said:


> I should mention that I have come to like the wheel loop hitch rack best.


I hate quoting myself. 

Today I modified the rack I mentioned to be less than 15 lbs in one bike mode. Makes for really easy popping in the trunk while out on the ride, safe from theft and part missing off it if left on.

Racks like this on eBay for 135.00, I got mine on Craigslist barely used for $65.00.

I replaced the ChroMo square tubes with some 6061 AL with .120" wall thickness. it cost about $25.00 in material with vinyl end caps. I could not find used AL for the task and had to pay new prices for the sq tube.

It was over 30 lb when I got it, and about 25 lb set up for one with the ChroMo bars and two of the 4 wheel loops and one Top Tube clamp removed. It takes like a minute to convert back to two bike mode.

Steel removed parts on ground. 1/2 hr. of work to make it ultra light. 

So, with my Scott Addict LTD on it and the rack together is under 30 lbs.


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