[MENTION=71960]JohnMc[/MENTION] love the rock crawling with bikes attached. Have to bring the toys too!
I think I've finally found the right rack. It's from ISI in Australia. Very heavy-duty, and it holds the bikes high off the ground and snug in to the back end of the car. I was using a more conventional rack with two arms that stick out, but:
- newer bikes don't always have a once 'top tube' to hang from any more
- that style of rack chews up the bikes when driven on long bumpy dusty roads/trails
- that style also lets the bikes bang and chew on each other unless you're spending a silly amount of time adding extra straps and bungees to stop them
The new rack mostly holds them by the wheels, with a single padded hook holding the middle of the bike - quick to load. And the bikes don't touch each other or wiggle around. And if I tag a wall or ledge with the rack - the parts that will bend are cheap and easy to replace - the wheel tray and the crossbar they sit on - simple square tubing that is separate from the main part of the beam (slides through and is held with set screws).
This was the first year using it, it did *AWESOME*. Lots of moderate rated trails, a few difficult (such as Rose Garden Hill pictured above). I did actually bounce over and put the rack on a rock on a ledge further up, bent a wheel tray slightly, no damage to the bike (full suspension, so if a wheel gets pushed up, it's not a problem). I just bent it straight again by hand at the top.
It's all modular. I wish the hitch part had less drop to it (there are multiple choices on the height) but I had to clear the swingout. I clunked that pretty solidly in multiple places - but it's very hefty steel and no damage other than some missing powdercoat.
Bonus bike ride pic from "The Whole Enchilada' trail in Moab: