Looking for advice for getting a rack for a hatchback car. Quick search online shows I can get something that straps onto the back of the car. Not looking for anything really fancy, and would most likely hold just one bike at a time.
Have found this on ebay. Anyone had experience with something similar? Anything that I should be aware of when looking for a rack?
I bought one from the LBS for about $100. Holds three bikes, I’ve only used it with two but it works damn well. Have had my bike on the back for 450kms with no dramas, and have used it on a suzuki swift and a subaru forrester wagon.
Don’t know the brand, but all of those racks are pretty similar.
NB: just looked at that ebay one, and the only difference to mine is that mine has individual little rubber hook/loop things to hold the bikes onto the rack. I always use a couple of extra occy straps to be on the safe side…
Use extra protection wherever the frame contacts the rack. I had some rags tied on after some early scratching.
These racks can go for next to nothing used, as I found when selling ours.
Other tips are
Always put stuff in the boot before you tie the bike down.
Leave the tension straps attached when not in use so you just have to clip on and tighten up.
Make sure the device that holds the arms at correct angle is fully enganged before every trip.
Remove any holders for extra bikes you don’t need before you damage your frame on them.
have used similar super cheap and nasty version, worked fine even with heavy arse all mountain/DH MTB and mates lighter MTB strapped to it.
not much more to add, just make sure it is secured against upwards forces as well when fitting in case you hit any bumps
Wouldn’t be opposed to a roof rack, but probably going to get rid of my car in the next year. Also I can place it on the misses car as well, if need to be.
Hatch racks are fine, especially if you only use them once in a while. If I was driving to the mountains with an mtb every week i’d consider roofracks tho…
You would need a roof holder fairly far forward on the roof or the hatch could contact the tail of the alloy extrusion.
I had to cut mine shorter for our wagon.
The front was fixed so could not slide fwd and the actual roof racks were as for fwd as they could go given the spacing of roof rails.
I didn’t think mine was expensive - paid less than $200 about 10 years ago and i think they’re cheaper now. What it is is an excellent design, well made and very versatile - have used it with a 4wd/station wagon, coupe, hatchback sedan etc and have never felt worried about my bikes or car damage. And from time to time used one’s pop up on eBay.
The mounting pins for the roof rack will be forward making cutting the bike racks usually a non issue. I caved 2 years and finally got roof racks after having nothing other than the back of the hatch for transporting bikes, the baby seat made that more difficult!
On our golf 3 bikes easily fit on the roof, probably could have squeezed 4 in but opted for the smoother bars that curved up in line with the body rather than overhanging.
We’re looking at a new car (possibly a Skoda wagon), and the standard Skoda towbar can’t take the bike rack we use (and if we get an after market towbar we’ll have a square hole in the bumper). We’re looking at going down the roof rack path, but my wife wants to know how difficult it is to get bikes on and off of them. We’d probably get the ones where you leave your front wheel on. I’ve never used bike roof racks before.