mountn bkers pls. reply (need non roof mount rack)

[RollingR6]

I'm going to need a bike rack for my Jetta purdy soon and could use some advice on what to get in order to mount the bike to the rear. I've seen complaints of roof racks degrading MPG(also seems like a hassle)and would like to steer away from such. I will be getting a Reese hitch soon, so a rack that plugs in is an option. As always, any advice at all is appreciated. /images/graemlins/cool.gif
P.S. I'm probably going to get a Specialized Hardrock Pro (loved the disc brakes). It will be my first bike.

 

[Joe Fisher]

[ QUOTE ]
RollingR6 said:
I'm going to need a bike rack for my Jetta purdy soon and could use some advice on what to get in order to mount the bike to the rear. I've seen complaints of roof racks degrading MPG(also seems like a hassle)and would like to steer away from such. <SNIP>

[/ QUOTE ]

Just my $.02. I've been a bike rider for years (I ride a Kona Hot custom)
Sure, the mpg goes down with a roof rack, but one on the rear will cut it down also, just because it is less aerodynamic. Mind you, it might be less than a roof rack, but it will cut down on your mpg. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I wouldn't use a rear rack, I much prefer to keep my bike up high away from the crap on the road. I've seen bikes carried on the rear that have had tires burned by exhaust. This was a careless person though.

But I've never found a way to keep them from getting *covered* in crap. If you're driving somewhere in the rain, be prepared to spend a lot of time cleaning the drivetrain of your bike. /images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

As to a hassle with a roofrack. Takes 5, maybe 10 minutes to put it on or take it off. * I leave mine on most of the time, it's so damn useful*

When I bought a patio set, I couldn't fit the 36" diameter glass topped table in my wagon, so I just strapped it on my rack. Let's see you do *that* with a nitch mount. I carry long things on my rack, like skis, ladders, etc. Again, try that with a hitch or rear mounted rack. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Stealth TDI]

Hi,

I'll start by saying I've had roof racks and my current rear rack. I think roof racks are more functional AS RACKS. However, I chose the rear rack because I didn't want to deal with marring of the paint.

Here's my rack:

It can be removed in seconds by unlocking a single lock and removing ONE pin. Besides carrying what you see above, I carried a 6250-watt generator just before Hurricane Isabel. Then I carried a 5.5-hp Lawn Vacuum just after Isabel.

The pitfalls:

1) Scrapes in steep driveways (might not be an issue with dedicated bike racks)

2) Soot coverage. Short trips are not likely a problem. But long trips yield a coat of soot on the parts closest to the tailpipe.

3) A roof rack has more surface area. Therefore, a roof rack can carry two bikes AND a canopy filled with baggage.

The benefits:

1) Super-quick removal and installation, including the lock.

2) No high lifting - Imagine trying to get a generator or lawnmower to the roof alone. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

3) So, you mountain bike? I had enough of muddy bikes dripping on my car! My bikes drip on the pavement now.

4) Although my mileage suffers compared to no load at all, I can still stay in the low-to-mid 40s. I'm not sure what kind of mileage I'd get with a roof rack.

Some details regarding my rack can be found here. Scroll toward the bottom.

Good Luck with your decision...

Scott

 

[zaskar]

Joe Fisher, you should be riding a Fisher bike. But I don't blame you. KONA bikes are one of the best out there. I've been mountain biking for over 10 years and the roof rack is the only way to go. Very stable at highway speeds. I'v had my thule for a long time just recently changed the attachment to fit my disc brake. Sometimes when driving I forget the bikes are on top and no I have yet to drive into my garage with the bikes on top. Beenclose a few times though.

 

[streetsweeper]

I've used a Delta Hunch rack for years. Carries bike like a roof rack (facing forward) w/quick release fork mount. Mounts on trunk or hatch.

 

[Joe Fisher]

[ QUOTE ]
zaskar said:
Joe Fisher, you should be riding a Fisher bike.

[/ QUOTE ]

Except he spells it wrong. Fischer mountain bikes are spelled with a c. My name isn't. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[SputnikTDI]

As somone who works in the cycling industry (I'm a factory rep for a major bicycle company) I'll chime in here.

If your going to go "off the back" do it with a receiver hitch mount. It's easy to install, and the rack will never touch the paint. Make sure to spend the extra cash to purchase a model that features some sort of "anti-sway" mount to keep the bikes from swinging from front to back, damaging your car, or your bicycles.

Personaly, I drive over 30K miles a year, often with bicycles. I'm perfectly willing to take the millage hit for puting things up on the roof. I only install the rack when I'm carying two or more bikes, otherwise it goes inside the car with the wheels off. Up top, stick with fork mounts. They are by far the most stable.

As for which rack system I like best- Hands down, it's Yakima. Yakima's round bar handles the subtile curves of todays cars the Thule's square bars cant begin to address. It allows for easier instalitation of accessories and an over all better fit to the vehicle. I've sold both systems in the past and came to this conclusion after doing installs on over 100 vehicles.

Over and out!
~Sputnik

 

[RollingR6]

Ok, I've decided to pimp out the TDI with a Yakima roof rack. I'm going to try and get as many of the parts I can off of eBay to keep the cost down. I've got all the required part numbers thanks to the Yakima site. The only decision left is which bike mount to get. The fork mount style seem to be the way to go, but the differences in models seem subtle. Can you recommend a mount? Picked up my bike today by the way. It's an early release '04 Specialized Hardrock Comp. Your insight is greatly appreciated.

 

[KOMET155]

Congrats on your Hard Rock Comp.
I almost bought one, but fell prey to a Gary Fisher Tassajara '03 leftover. only $450.
So far, Ive been putting the bike (with front wheel still attached) in the trunk with the rear seats down. it fits. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[SputnikTDI]

Go with the viper or steel head if you want to be able to lock your bike to the roof. (all mounts can be locked, but these two lock the mount to the rack at the same time) or the BOA models if $$$ is tight, just don't leave your new rig ungarded.

One other thing, don't buy your Q-clips second hand. The clips also contain the soft rubber pad thats going to be in direct contact with the roof of your car. No need to scratch up your paint with some other guys dirt just to save a few bucks.

~Sputnik!

 

[LIVE4SPD]

I've used a Thule draw bar mounted rack for a long time. Here are my thoughts with that hitch:

Definately the way to go IMO. Never quite figured out why anyone would want to lift their filthy muddy bike on top of a car? /images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif Anyway the hitch mounted rack will probably knock off 5 MPG on the highway. I'd would only plan on 2 bikes on the back, 3 bikes starts to bounce a lot. YMMV

Also the antisway device is critical I think. Oh, and don't get the Thule rack, it is a POS. I've used mine for 3 years now but everything on the rack needs repair. Poor design to start with I think.

Good luck!

 

[alex wetmore]

My favorite mounts are those made by atoc (http://www.atoc.com) and ROcky Mounts (http://www.rockymounts.com). ATOC makes the most diverse set of roof rack mounts including tons of options for tandems and triplets and a new rack for bikes with fenders and front racks. ATOC also sells a locking skewer that works with almost any rack (I think Yakima and Thule have these too).

Rocky Mount racks are nicely made for the price and very affordable.

alex

 

[Superlite]

Ok, ok, before the flaming starts, "just in case" you'd still consider roof rack option this below makes mounting the bike on top a breeze.
I have a problem with the bikes sitting at the rear of the car, I can just imagine somebody ramming into my car from the back and smashing the bikes to eternal deformity.
Mileage? I don't really care I'm not bothered with that, so that's not a problem for me. Just have to remember the bikes are on the roof, it is a good idea to put a "post-it" note on the dash! You would be amazed how easy it is to forget... /images/graemlins/grin.gif
And it is true that rear mounted racks are more convenient and practical. But this Thule stuff is really good, I could say it's the best thing I bought for my bike. It just makes life so easier.

To hold tight to my KHS

This bike rack is full of neat features like the wheels fasteners, strong stuff

They are mounted on sliders you can adjust on the front and rear.

You can move this handle to clamp the downtube securely

Thule makes good stuff, it's swedish /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Oh yeah, sorry for the mud...

 

[Romi]

We have been running a Yakima rack for 11 years now, it has been on 3 different cars and it still works great. So I think I can vouch for Yakima's durability. The only thing we had to replace were the mounting clips, which of course vary from vehicle to vehicle. On the last vehicle ( our current Jetta), we also had to buy new towers because our old ones had become obsolete, we had the rack that long! I have had great customer service from Yakima on multiple occasions. Everytime I take it off I seem to lose at least one of the rubber feet and they have always replaced them free. We're running the Lockjaw bike mounts and Big Powder Hound snowboard racks with a wind deflector. With the rack on we average 36mpg combined driving with an Auto TDI, with it off we average 39mpg. So it does make a difference. It's supper easy to take off and put back on once you have it set up. Takes about 10 minutes with my wife helping to lift it all off. I really don't have a problem lifting our bikes up onto the roof, but then we don't have much mud here in NM /images/graemlins/grin.gif. I just prefer to have the bikes on the roof. I'd hate to be in a minor fender bender and ruin our bikes. We have the locking cores on everything and they all use the same key, this is really convenient and I would strongly recomend them. Unless of course you live somewhere where crime doesn't exist. /images/graemlins/wink.gif.

 

[GeWilli]

okay - here's my take:

background on me: worked at a Pro-shop in seattle for two summers way back BEFORE BioPace (some will get that) when we had what was known as a F-U-Brake on Mt Bikes....

then loads of collegiate cycling mechanic and hauling duty

then a gradschool working at (IMHO) the best shop in all of Michigan for 5+ years... been around, seen it all...

I have been and always will be a roof rack guy... Why? Goes back to June 1990... Drove down from Seattle to Ashland to attend UBI. Put my Raleigh Chill in my 1981 Diesel Rabbit (if anyone can hear anything after driving that distance non-stop in that car lemme know between turning the radio up loud enough to hear and the sound of the engine . . . took an hour or two for the ringing to stop).... on the way back I dropped someone off in Portland . . . we got a crappy back rack and well the wheels by the exhaust were BLACK /images/graemlins/laugh.gif nice and sooty! YUCK -

anyway - i've seen bikes bounce off the back of cars - seen bikes that have been run over from being on the back . . . Liek I said I'm a roof rack guy - have a THule roof rack for the car that I can put on the Golf in under 10 minutes taking my time...

--- If you are going hitch - Get a fork mounted rear reciever rack. OR there are those ones that the Transit busses use - I forget the brand but I sold a handful of them working here in the shop in Michigan... They are awesome -super stable and really easy to load... but with any of the hitch racks - get the ones like Stealth has... DO NOT get one that clamps on to the frame as the main attachment - use the wheels - or if the frame use it as a stability point . . . Is that confusing enough advice?

Personally I'd still go with a Roof rack unless you have other uses for the hitch....

 

[jackbombay]

[ QUOTE ]
GeWilli said:
okay - here's my take:

background on me: worked at a Pro-shop in seattle for two summers way back BEFORE BioPace (some will get that) when we had what was known as a F-U-Brake on Mt Bikes....


[/ QUOTE ]

Anyone that knows anything is still running Bio-space /images/graemlins/tongue.gif /images/graemlins/confused.gif (with the included aching knees) The guy I worked for called BS as soon as BP came out and 4-5 yeras later they were nothing but a rumor. In the bike shop I worked in as a kid we called it the I brake U brake we broked...

-Jack

 

[mtltdi]

I've got one of these...

I'd only put it on my golf if I could get a custom 2" receiver built for the car though. I won't trust it with the Hidden Hitch that I have on the car, the weight is just too much considering the flimsy mount that they designed...drilling the mount through the floor is not very confidence inspiring. Also, the rack is rock solid on a 2" receiver since it uses a large bolt with threads inside the end of the rack...eliminating any slop.

Two 50 lb downhill bikes, on a 40 lb rack, on the back of my golf would have it dragging it's tail down the road. /images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

 

[streetsweeper]

50 lb bikes? Do they have motors?

 

[crazy paul]

Hemmm..I am a serious week-end warrior, but rarely put the bike on the car as my back yard is a mountain bike heaven. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

However....from time to time I do releve family tensions by taking daughter and wife out and about. We use the Sport rack. I do not wish to promote one brand over another, but this type of bike carrier I do like. Easily mounted or dismounted, the bikes can also be put on without throwing your back out.... (for the over 40 group....you know...)

[image]http://65.110.12.167/showphoto.php?photo=4441&password=&sort=1&cat=500&page=1[/image]
Anyway, the only gripe I have is the slight side-to-side jogging these racks have when loaded given the slight clearance at the male/female joint of the hitch. One solution I have seen (and intend to implement) is drilling a hole in the bottom of the female assembly, welding a nut over the hole, and using the corresponding bolt to sinch up the slack.

 

[jackbombay]

[ QUOTE ]
jhahn said:
50 lb bikes? Do they have motors?

[/ QUOTE ]

For the most part the motor used is the one in the car or the drive terminal of a chairlift.

-Jack

 

[mtltdi]

Those chairlifts do come in handy at times. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif