What kind of bike rack?

[HokieRunner]

If you're doing mostly local trips with no more than 2 bikes, I'll 2nd the interior bike rack. Works great and you can leave your bike in there w/ no worries!

Interior bike rack

 

[Atrox Caeda]

I've done both... if you are lifted, hitch. If not, it doesn't really matter. Keep in mind you may forget about bikes on top of your car if you have a garage. Also that if you have a really nice bike and someone rearends you with them on a hitch mount that sucks too. Lifting a 30lb MTB is different than lifting an 18lb Roadie. My $.02 is that you probably will spend more for roof mounting than if you just went with a hitch mount.

 

[Chuckles89]

Get a hitch rack- they are easy to put on, adjustable, and look good.
Make sure to get a tray rack vs the hanging style. The hanging style ones are very rough on bikes. The are constantly being banged up together.

I would recommend a Thule or Sportsworks tray hitch rack.

My .02¢

 

[bgibbs11]

Make sure to get a tray rack vs the hanging style. The hanging style ones are very rough on bikes. The are constantly being banged up together.

I have a Thule Vertex hanging hitch rack. If you get a nice enough hanging rack you don't have the issue of bikes hitting each other. My rack came with stabilizers for both bikes and a strap to wrap through the wheels to keep the front from turning left/right and hitting the other bikes. Tray may be nicer and "sturdier" but there is certainly nothing wrong with hanging. I think hanging is way more convenient if you're going to leave it on there. Just get one that folds down like mine so you can open the liftgate. I personally love it and have taken my bikes 100s of miles without any problems. For me, a tray is just to big and bulky.

I can also fold it down carefully with the bikes still on it if I really need to get the rear hatch open.

My $.02

 

[dhalsey]

Www.1upusa.com

 

[Trialsmaster2]

We have had a North Shore Racks NSR-4 for a couple of years now. Love that rack! Don't have any pics of it on the 4Runner yet (only bought it a couple days ago...haha). Here are a couple photos of it mounted to our little turbo diesel Mitsubishi Delica 4x4 van.

 

[Dude1394]

What if you are also pulling a popup? Boat, etc.

 

[paddlenbike]

I have both.

Roof rack advantages:
- Not in the way of the rear hatch
- Rack always there and ready for use
- I feel it is more secure theft-wise. It's hard to get up there to cut locks

Hitch rack advantages:
- Much easier to load/unload, especially if lifted
- Better gas mileage
- You don't have to think about height clearances
- I can pull in my garage with bikes loaded

Ultimately, if you can run them inside like others have suggested, that is best. When my inside is full I am using the hitch rack more and more.

 

[gogetter]

Hitch

I think it depends on what kind of bike you have. If you have a road bike and can take the front wheel off and just fork it, roof is probably okay. If you have a mountain or hybrid and need to put the whole bike on the roof, it's probably far easier to just hitch it, right?

I've also found that my bikes stay cleaner and don't get all of the bug guts on them if I hitch them instead of on the roof. Added plus.

 

[mswscco]

What if you are also pulling a popup? Boat, etc.

I use one of these:

Roadmaster Dual Hitch Receiver Adapter, 4" Drop/Rise Roadmaster Accessories and Parts RM-077-4

May need an extension depending on what your pulling to make sure there is enough clearance for a tight turn.

 

[jglenn6]

I'd go with the hitch rack personally.

 

[Dayyou]

Hitch racks can be nice due to their ability to be completely disassembled

 

[StephenHaze]

I use a custom interior rack like others have posted before the ride (when the bike is in the parking lot while I'm at work all day). After I ride, I put the muddy bike on the roof rack. Works well for me and I think the roof rack looks cool.

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[Knight-Errant]

I used to have a bike roof rack on the 4runner and then I switched to a hitch. Low branches are a problem on the back roads, and so having bikes on the roof was problematic. I also had to carry around a stool to be able to get them on the roof, which was just one more thing to constantly carry. Roof racks look cooler, but for ease of use, I think a hitch rack is the way to go.

 

[Pdft-T4R]

My preferences are
1) inside
2) on the roof
3) on the hitch
So I'm using a hitch rack. Because my recumbent and the "old guy " bike won't fit inside. And it's much more difficult using a roof rack now.
My 1UP rack works very well.

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[bradhannon]

Gobi rack

Has anyone seen or tried to fork mount to a gobi ladder?
Similar to this?


At first i was skeptical but he has loved it.

 

[DavidR1]

1Up USA makes the best racks.

 

[BlackCloud]

I prefer not to have my bike covered in bug guts so I use a hitch rack. For those worried about getting rear-ended; I would much rather have someone destroy my bike then the rear or my vehicle.

 

[Bodhi327]

Had both

I find the hitch just easier. There’s a double hitch insert so I can carry the bikes and tow a laser sailboat. Then the roof is free for gear.

 

[trey99ek]

I have both. I use anroof rack for longer trips or when u take my dog. I use the hitch rack for short trips.

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