Bike rack and hitch success/joy/elation

I'll second all this. I ordered a hitch last year from them (for a Hyundai Sante Fe) and it bolted on pretty easily as well.

Rich

Thanks a lot! I cruised eTrailer's site and have it bookmarked for future purchases.

Cheers.

Glenn

I looked at Draw-Tite's hitches and I like that the hitch went above the exhaust to hide the hitch even more. Did the Hidden_Hitch drop below the exhaust?

Ken.

The Hidden Hitch is not terribly noticeable on the Outback. The bracket does drop below the exhaust, but it's thin and flat where it does. The hitch is recessed enough under the overhang of the bumper that it doesn't appear terribly noticeable unless you're looking for it.

And visually the black bracket that surves under teh exhaust isn't that noticeable either, since it's only ... oh, I'm guessing a 1/2" tall there.

-- Todd H.

Installing the hitch above the exhaust might require lowering the exhaust temporarily (it did in our case). In the case of our SanteFe, that required some big rubber grommet-type things to be pushed out of the brackets attached to the exhaust. It was more work to remove them then reinstall them, but neither was terribly difficult.

Yes the hidden hitch drops below but is not obtrusive. Plus hidden hitch includes drawbar while draw-tite did not. Draw tites drawbar sells for $20 while the hidden hitch was the same $$ as the drawtite.

Thanks all,

I have just purchased a pre owned 01 outback and was trying to figure the best way to get my bike on it. I was thinking hitch and then I was think roof. I still don't know, but I am looking. Does anyone know who makes a rack that just mounts right to the load bars?

Thanks,

Ken.

Try

I've used Yakima setups on both my 01 and 03 OBWs (and many other vehicles). I've always been very pleased with them. I use the Yakima towers that clamp to the stock Subaru side rails (not the cross rails) with Yakima crossbars. We regularly carry our tandem bike up top, and I've also used it with my kayak and canoe. No problems.

We have two Thule tandem racks on our 98 Outback, and it works the same way as the Yakima. I just need help hoisting the damn bike up there. I can get a single up no problem, but the tandem is too big/heavy/awkward for someone with spindly arms and of my height.

-- Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky Personal page:

Yakima sells a few models that will essentially mount right on the factory crossbars. The Raptors I have with MightyMounts 24H (one box per bike) work that way and they're pretty cool. The MightyMounts are just little plastic thingees that encircle the factory crossbar and give a base for the raptor's bolts to fasten onto.

The Raptor is not the only one of their mounts that can direct mount with a 24H MightMount.

Try Yakima's vehicle configurator, choose rooftop as your preferred style and go from there. They might try to get you to buy their crossbars and towers though, so stick to the options that only require MightyMounts.

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.

I made a Bike Rack for my Subaru Baja - it won't work for your Outbacks but I figure I'd post it anyway -

I disagree on the avoid hitch advice. I have both. Bikes don't sway or come close to rubbing on my Sportworks rack, though it's supporting them by the tires rather than the frames like most other hitch racks.

Roof racks are the best bang for the buck--you can get a good secure fit for a reasonable price. But...you have to get them up there which can be traumatic for some. And dear god don't forget about em when ya pull into the garage. :-)

The main problem with the hitch racks is price--A good wheel-supporting hitch rack (Saris or Thule/Sportworks) will run in the $300's new plus $140 for the hitch.

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.

I disagree as well. I have the rack below (supports bike by wheels) and it works very well. The bikes don't move at all. Plus, it holds bikes of all frame configurations equally well.

I agree that good hitch racks work great and many of them load and unload much faster and easier than roof racks. As to price, The last roof system I bought was about ten years ago and it cost me ~$300 for the whole thing (Thule) Recently I bought a Sportworks hitch rack for just a bit more, so I figure iwth ten years inflation it may even be cheaper. These things (good racks) last a long time. Ten years is not unreasonable so even at $300+ you are looking at less than a buck a month. Not much to my mind.

Correct.

It is.

Very true.

So long as you include cost as part of your definition of "best," tis true. Can't go too wrong either way really.

The interesting test for me is to find out how often I opt to put on the Sportworks rack in lieu of hoisting the bikes up to my "permanently installed for the summer "upright roof rack. That'll be the convenience test.... And for highway travel of any distance, I know I'll be gravitating to the sportworks as it's more solid.

More good news on the Sportworks rack on the Hidden Hitch: the hatch of the Outback does still clear even if both bikes are mounted on it.

-- Todd H.

NONE of the hitch racks that clamp the top tube load/unload faster than an upright roo rack when you take into account the locking and numerous bungee cords that go along with them. The sportworks may be different but at $300 plus hitch theyre quite steep compared to a $177 roof rack . If you can lift your bike to the roof a roof rack is the best by far!!!!! I couldnt drive through the drive through at McD's on Sat with mine and my gf's bike on top. I had to go inside (which was quicker anyway).

to a $177 roof rack

OK. but I specifically referenced the Sportworks which you admit is much faster than any roof rack. (at least any that I know of) It all comes down to what you prefer. There is no one answer for everyone.But for myself- and using the figures that youprovide and my estimate of ten years for a rack's life- the $133 comes out to a difference of $0.37 per month. So, for each of us we just need to decide if that difference is worth it to us. I have nothing against roof racks and used one happily for a decade. But now having tried the Sportworks hitch rack-I like it better and find it worth the price. The nice thing about this is that you can reach the opposite conclusion and we can both be right. I love win/wins!