Bike rack... Roof mount or Hitch mount. Help me decide.

What type of bike rack?

  • Roof Rack

    Votes: 9 23.7%

  • Hitch mount

    Votes: 29 76.3%
  • Total voters
    38

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tcb

tcb

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I drive an '05 Subaru WRX. I no longer have my cruiser. I recently moved into a new house that is close to work, but miles from the trails... I need a bike rack like a crackhead needs a hit. Both options will cost about the same.

Option A: I've found a full yakima roof rack used. $200 with two bike trays on it. The draw backs are: I have to buy vehicle specific clips at $70~. I have to drive about 90 miles one way to pick it up. I'm not sure if my sunroof will still be operational, although I rarely use it any way. And finally, there's always the potential for dents in the roof and/or paint damage.

Option B: Order a U-Haul hitch receiver for $130 with free delivery and spend another $100 or so on a hitch mount bike rack. The drawbacks to this are: I plan on putting a new exhaust system on the car some day and I'm afraid that the hitch receiver might interfere with that project. I looked under the car yesterday and cant for the life of me figure out where it would bolt up, there may be some fabrication involved..:eek:. The third draw back is that I ride a huge bike and my car sits low... will I have to spend more money for one of the tray type hitch mount racks than one with the arms....

Aesthetically, I prefer the roof rack. Practicality wise, the hitch mount probably makes more sense. Steer me straight mudders.
 
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My first thought was hitch. But with the exhaust project coming, that is a big ???

If you can easily and repeatedly load and unload without any damage to the roof of the car, that is the way to go. It will look better, too. How heavy are these bikes? (I own an ancient anchor-like GT)

If I wasn't so out of shape, I would do the roof rack. But then again, since you ride, that probably isn't an issue. Plus, it could serve other purposes as well. I doubt you'll have much flak with the sunroof.
 
I've got both, and while I often use the roof rack, I voted for the hitch rack. It doesn't affect gas mileage, you can drive through, you don't have to take the wheels off, and you can't drive into the garage and f' stuff up. Less chance of paint damage, like you said, as well.
 
With Mtn bikes, I'd say use the hitch route. It's enough pain getting road/cross bikes on a roof-rack w/out scraping your roof at least once (trust me, it will happen at the most inopportune times when you don't think it will). I used to use a roof-rack, and there are a million things that can go wrong from ripping your bike off when you forget the bikes are up there to the forgetting of the clamps and watching your bikes tumble down the highway. The hitches make you weary about someone rear-ending you or backing up into somthing.
 
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Split decision so far with the limited sample size.... which is the exact same conclusion I've been running into. I think the roof rack for $200 is too good of a deal to pass up. They usually sell for $300+ used on Nasioc with the Subaru clips. So I could probably break even, worst case scenario, if I hated the roof rack.

One minute, I'm sold on the roof rack... the next I'm convinced that the hitch is the way to go. I can't make up my mind. Now I know what the :princess: feels like every time she walks into her closet.
 
We had roof racks on our WRX. It seemed better than some a-hole rear ending us and destroying the wife's Litespeed :eek:
 
carboncycles said:
Are you kidding me? That's when insurance comes into play and let's you upgrade to new gear :D
Click to expand...

lol, except this is a Titanium frame from 13 years ago, back when they were good :flipoff2:
 
Hitch is more practical but if you put a roof rack on a Subaru all you need to do is add a North Face fleece vest to be Colorado cool.

Or a Boulder fag, six of one.....
 
Hitch mount wins hands down. Get the Softride version that can hold4 bikes. It extends away with beatiful simplicity (think parallegrams), provides a small platform to sit on for shoe changing or to hold a beer. It also converts into a snowboard/ski holder or a kayak holder - all behind your car in the windshadow where it wont hurt MPG. Leaves your trunk/hatch available for the rest of your luggage. What could be better, I ask??? It even has an integrated lock, and anti=rattle tightener for zero slack.

DougM
 
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