In the last post we took a look at roof mounted bicycle carriers for cars and the advantages and disadvantages associated with them. This post takes a similar approach and takes a look at the pros and cons of rear mounted bike carriers for cars. A lot of people own SUVS and off-road based vehicle which mean that the height of the roof makes it very difficult to lift and secure the bike in place. Therefore many people opt for bike racks that fit to the rear of their vehicles. There tends to be two types of rear mounted bike racks for cars; there are the type that fit on to the hitch or tow bar (Yakima bike racks almost exclusively do this type) and those that hook on the boot lid.
The Pros of Rear Mounted Bike Carriers for Cars
Ease of Use: The biggest advantage of bicycle carriers for cars that fit to the rear of the vehicle is access. The bike rack is usually at waist height and this means that you do not have to lift the bicycle or bicycles very far to get it on the rack. This makes many rear mounted bike racks suitable to be used by every one.
Access at a Cost: Hitch mounted racks – like many bike racks for SUVs – if you buy a good model will feature a swivel model so that you can easily pivot the rack loaded with bicycles out of the way to gain access to the boot of your vehicle.
Cost: Rear mounted bike carriers can be a lot cheaper than roof mounted systems – particularly if you do not already own roof bars. You can but a complete system that is specific to your vehicle for very little money.
Ease of Installation: A rear mounted bike carrier is also much easier to install and remove than roof mounted systems. The problem with roof mounted systems – like many of the thule bike racks – is that many people will leave the roof bars on their cars all of the time because they are so fiddly to remove. You may say so what? But actually keeping the roof bars on your vehicle when they are not needed increases fuel consumption and therefore has a negative effect on the environment. Something like a Saris bike rack is easily removed when it is not needed.
The Cons of Rear Mounted Bike Carriers for Cars
Restricted Visibility: Unfortunately there are many disadvantages to rear mounted bike carriers for cars and the first of which is the restriction on visibility out of the rear windscreen. Pulling out on to road can be extremely difficult with a bike on the back of your vehicle – the more bikes that you are carrying the worse that it becomes.
Restricted Access: Many of the cheaper hitch based bike carriers will not feature a swing out system and therefore when it is loaded up with bikes it is almost impossible to get access to the rear of your vehicle. The type that hook on the lid of your boot offer no hope at all of giving you any access, so if you are planning a long road trip you had better make sure you have everything you need in the cabin.
Cost: Rear mounted bicycle carrier can be incredibly expensive especially if you opt for the type that swing out of the way allowing you access to the rear of your vehicle.
Additional Lighting Board Needed: If you are in the UK and you buy a rack that when bikes are on it you number plate and lights are obscured you will need to but a lighting board. This adds yet more cost to the overall cost of carrying bikes on your car – you will of course also have to get the electrics installed.
The Conclusion
If you own an SUV or any other type of vehicle with a high roof the chances are that you will not be able to easily access a roof mounted system. If this is the case spend as much as you can on a rack so that it features a ‘swing out the way’ system so you can gain access to the contents of your boot. Also, try to find a rack that positions the bicycle not directly in your line of site so that your rear view visibility is not impaired too much.
