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I have a Thule 'hitch mount' carrier. They come in a variety of sizes. It works very well however it limits access to the rear door when the carrier is attached. Personally, I think the hitch mounts are more convenient than the roof mount carriers. www.thule.com
Definitely go hitch mount. I have the Thule Trailblazer and it is great! Holds 4-bikes snuggly and It is a swing-away, so you can easily open the back door. A little pricy (MSRP $400), but all the swing-aways are pretty expensive. This one should last you forever, though. I also have the ski/snowboard attachement for winter.
The hitch mount is the way to go. I have the Hollywood Road Runner that holds 4 bikes and it works great. I really like the bottom anti-sway tie-down bar so the bike wheels do not move and hit the back door or the other bikes. They also have one model, the swing away 4, that swings away from the door so you can still get access to the back cargo area. Here is the web link: http://www.hollywoodracks.com/4&5.htm#hr400
Currently I carry my bikes on the roof with the Yakima system. It is hard to get the bikes up there because of the height of the GX. I am in the process of getting a Yakima hitch mount bike rack. Either the FullSwing 4 or the Hitchfork.
For those who do have a hitch bike carrier... How well will these work for 2 beach cruisers? Im most concerned with the handle bars hitting the rear. I could always wrap the ends of the bars. One of the bikes is really heavy with a springer fork so its also a little longer.
No more fixed gear bikes for me just beach cruisin with the fam and the baby in her bike trailer.
I buy a lot through sewell but they dont have the one i think i'll need. I am leaning on one that secures with the tires locked in. The frames are wide and thick so i dont think the racks were the bikes hang from will work.
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Got my answer Thule 990xt doubletrack (for beach cruisers) or the Thule 917xtr T2 (for non traditional frames)
Having a GX with the swing out barn door, makes it difficult to select a hitch mount bike rack. I just sold my sold my Yakima SwingDaddy, and replaced it with the 1Up 2 bike rack (with +1 +1 options). This rack one over the Kuat because the pivot point clears the rear door without a drop adapter.
KUAT NV. FInd a store that carries them, and compare for yourself. This is the mac daddy of bike racks, but it's extremely well engineered. I almost bought a Thule, then the shop sponsored rider showed me his Kuat rack and all the advantages it had over the Thule and Yakima. Plus, it looks stellar, has integrated bike locks, and best of all: an integrated bike stand so you can work on your rig right off the back of the car.
I have to say that the Kuat NV was one of my top 2 choices. One of the sexiest looking racks out there.
I spoke with the folks at Kuat at length.
Here are a couple of reasons why I didn't buy the Kuat NV.
1. The height of the pivot point will not allow the rear door to fully open, even when the rack is unloaded. The only option to resolve this is with a drop hitch adapter, which then negated the built in hitch stabilizer.
2. In the size of the rack with the add-on is massive. It covers almost the full width and height of the GX.
3. Where do you store this rack when not on the vehicle.
4. Does not revert to a 2 bike configuration easily and not recommended.
5. The built in stand is nice, but many owners are using it. It does not lock into the rack assembly, so most of the time it's in the trunk or left at home.
If you only need a 2 bike carrier and you want a great looking rack, I would highly recommend the Kuat NV. If you need to carry 3-4 bikes, I would consider other options,
A friend of mine is on his second Kuat, and after seeing the 1Up, he is selling the Kuat.
For some reason, my Kuat sits below my door when I pivot the rack in the down position. I think this may be because I have KDSS, and that comes with a lower hitch possibly? My hitch is visible below my bumper. I passed a similar GX today that I couldn't see the hitch assembly.
The bike stand piece just stays on my rack, secured at the end of it. Maybe that's the wrong term for it. It's the part of the rack at the end that can be used to hold the bike in the air by the seat post so you can do maintenance and fixes on the bike while out at the trail, etc.
The rack is very big, and takes up some room in our garage when not on the truck, but that's why I made sure to get a third garage. Can never have enough room.
I'll have to check out the 1up because it does look more compact, but I'm thinking I will never wear out the NV.
IanB2, Yes and No. The 1UP rack will tip down and away from the door. Depending on which bike is mounted closest to the door, I can open the door enough to get access to a cooler or other gear. It is a bear to lift with 4 bikes loaded. The bonus for me is that I can run this rack in a 2, 3 or 4 bike configuration and it takes about 5 minutes to change it around.
07-27-04, 10:54 AM
I have the Hollywood Road Runner that holds 4 bikes and it works great. I really like the bottom anti-sway tie-down bar so the bike wheels do not move and hit the back door or the other bikes. They also have one model, the swing away 4, that swings away from the door so you can still get access to the back cargo area. Here is the web link: http://www.hollywoodracks.com/4&5.htm#hr400
Carrying 4 bikes with 1Up
