Cyclists: Need a secure bike rack that fits on a Toyota Echo.

[fuzzybabybunny]

Any recommendations on a good bike rack? I'm thinking about getting a trailer hitch put on my Echo (any idea how to do this?) because the trailer hitch racks seem much more sturdier than the typical trunk racks.

I'm really interested in security. The bike rack should lock to the car. The bikes should lock to the bike rack. This is why I don't want a trunk rack because those rely on cloth straps that can more or less be cut and your whole entire rack + bikes can be carried away in less than a minute.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Your best bet will be to get a roof rack system, Thule or Yakima.

 

[d33pt]

Check out the saris bones rack. it's a trunk rack, but really sturdy. we've put 3 bikes on there with no problems. The straps have a lifetime warranty, so if you see them fraying, just get them replaced. If the straps are in good shape, there's no way they're going to break.

 

[BoomerD]

U-Haul can install the hitch for you, presuming one is available for that car. Once you get the hitch,
http://www.autoanything.com/bike-racks/20A10040A1.aspx

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Damn, these roof racks are expensive... flippin' thing's about the price of my bike

 

[thedarkwolf]

Roof racks just look like a PITA compared to hitch racks to me plus they destroy your gas mileage. I just had my welder buddy make my hitch rack for me but I'd get one like this this if I were buying one. Mines the standard kind that holds the bikes by the top tube. The swagman style just looks more secure and the bikes wont be scratching each other all the time.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm really liking the hitch mounted racks because I agree that the roof racks look like a PITA, decrease gas mileage, and run the risk of driving into low hanging objects.

How much should it cost to get a hitch and weld it to the car? From U-Haul, the hitch is around $150 and it doesn't look like it needs any kind of welding. What size hitch should I get?

The Swagman style looks really nice, but how secure is it? Can I lock the bikes to the rack, and lock the rack to the trailer hitch?

 

[BoomerD]

You probably won't have too many size options to fit that car. I REALLY don't think you'll need a class III hitch...

Best bet is to find the bike rack you like, then get the hitch size that matches. SHOULD be 1-1/4" , but there MAY be a 1" version for your car, and that'd be plenty for what you want...if you can find a bike rack to fit it.

Doing some googling, it looks like they're all 1-1/4" class 1 receivers. That leaves your options wide open.
If you're mechanically inclined and have the tools, you can install most hitches yourself, but if not, get it professionally installed for your safety.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Thanks for the info. I'm completely new to this hitch stuff. I checked out hitches, and I can get one for $140 (1.25", class 1). This is a bolt-on hitch. My car has two spots on the underside that can take tow cables. The trailer hitch will basically be installed in the place of these tow loops. My question is, considering that the trailer hitch is simply a bolt on / bolt off thing, would it be easy for anyone with a ratchet to take off the hitch and everything attached to it all in one go? The instructions say installation of the hitch is 15 minutes... I'd imagine de-installation would be just as quick, if not quicker.

 

[BoomerD]

That's always possible. When I used to install my hitches, I used to dab a bit of welding rod on the threads so it couldn't be removed quickly and easily. Easy enough to deal with at home with the right tools, but nothing someone could deal with in a parking lot somewhere. I've also completely welded the nuts/bolts. You never really want to weld to the frame, as that can cause damage to the tempering of the frame, but there's lots of other ways to properly secure the hitch.

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Damn, these roof racks are expensive... flippin' thing's about the price of my bike

Yup, a good roof rack is expensive. You can get them used for cheaper. Rack will lock to car, bike to rack. A determined thief will still get the bike though, given a little time.

You've ID-ed the big drawbacks to roof racks: reduction in fuel economy and some people drive into their garage with their bikes on the car. No one I know with a roof rack (including me - I've had one for about eight years now) has complained that they're a PITA. I find them handy. Use the base rack for bikes, snowboard, and strapping a christmas tree or other large objects

Still, sounds like you've decided to go with a hitch rack, which is a fine choice.

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Thanks for the info. I'm completely new to this hitch stuff. I checked out hitches, and I can get one for $140 (1.25", class 1). This is a bolt-on hitch. My car has two spots on the underside that can take tow cables. The trailer hitch will basically be installed in the place of these tow loops. My question is, considering that the trailer hitch is simply a bolt on / bolt off thing, would it be easy for anyone with a ratchet to take off the hitch and everything attached to it all in one go? The instructions say installation of the hitch is 15 minutes... I'd imagine de-installation would be just as quick, if not quicker.

Yeah, with your size car I'd expect no more than a 1.25" hitch. You'll be able to install a hitch rack for at least two bikes to that. For security, you'll want to use normal locks like you would if you were locking your bike on the street. Most people with hitch racks use a good cable lock and run it through the frame of their car, so removing the hitch or not makes no difference. Still, a cable lock isn't a high level of security. It's more to (hopefully) slow down a thief than stop them, and used for short periods of time. For example, when getting lunch at a restaurant, after a ride.

Here's a bike transport/bike rack forum that should have more info for you:
http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=126

Edit:
Oh, and if you get a hitch rack, ones that are similar to this one (mentioned above):
http://www.amazon.com/Swagman-...ref=pd_sbs_sg_title_32
Are easy to load and unload bikes.

The ones like this, where the bikes hang from the top tubes, take longer and are more of a PITA to load and unload:
http://www.autoanything.com/bike-racks/69A3105A0A0.aspx

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Thanks for all the help.

Does brand really matter? I'm looking for the Swagman design, but unfortunately the $100 model mentioned above is 2 inch and my hitch is only going to be 1.25 inch. Their 1.25 inch version is OOS. I know there are 1.25 to 2 inch adapters, but they are already around $30... There's a $160 Swagman style rack from Hollywood Racks. Then there are some from Xport. Any brand preference?

BTW, I had no idea that people actually lock the bikes to the frame of the CAR. That has got to be a mightly long cable lock then, right?

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Thanks for all the help.

Does brand really matter? I'm looking for the Swagman design, but unfortunately the $100 model mentioned above is 2 inch and my hitch is only going to be 1.25 inch. Their 1.25 inch version is OOS. I know there are 1.25 to 2 inch adapters, but they are already around $30... There's a $160 Swagman style rack from Hollywood Racks. Then there are some from Xport. Any brand preference?

That link to the forum in my previous post may give better brand preference. I don't own a hitch rack, so only have experience using the racks of others. The sum total of my experience was in my prior post.

Adapters should probably be avoided. There's some sway with a rack already, and adapters will add more slop to the system.

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
BTW, I had no idea that people actually lock the bikes to the frame of the CAR. That has got to be a mightly long cable lock then, right?

Yeah, goes down under the car and back. I personally wouldn't bother and would just lock it to the hitch rack. Quicker to cut the cable/bust the u-lock than remove the hitch, so I don't think locking it to the car really adds any security. Nothing will keep the thieves out for long anyway. Locks just make you a bit less of an easy target. Edit: I would lock the bikes to the car if the hitch rack weren't locked to the hitch.

 

[Dirigible]

I just read your OP again. Others may know more about hitch racks than I do, but they've never seemed to be super secure. They're easy and convenient compared to a trunk rack, don't mess up the paint, and allow you to get into your trunk. If security is really the only thing you're worried about, you may just want to see if you can lock your bike to your car, stick with a trunk rack, and save your money.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Well, got the hitch and Swagman rack installed and it's great! The hitch and rack actually don't use a hitch pin. Rather, it uses a nut, so I simply tighten it and there's absolutely no wobble at all. There is also a place on the hitch where I can hook my bike cable into, so now my bike can be locked directly to the hitch. Definitely not a permanent solution as the hitch itself is only attached by nuts, but it should be good enough for when I go eat.

Ordering the hitch was a pain in the ass.

U-haul was out of stock for two weeks.
Ordered from retailer 1 who stated my hitch would ship out either the 19th or 20th. I wait until the 21st and there's no shipping info. Call retailer 1 and they say my item is actually a special order and on backorder for 21 days from the manufacturer (they are a dropshipper). I tell them to put in a cancellation request.
Because I need this by Friday (today), I order from retailer 2, making sure that they had it in stock and everything, and paid for express shipping. Guess what I receive the next day? The hitch from retailer 1. The day after that I get the hitch from retailer 2. I just shipped back the hitch from retailer 1 and had to pay $30 in shipping costs, and I'm gonna try and get that reimbursed... grrrr...

 

[axelfox]

Check out Saris (either trunk or hitch). A lot of people like them.

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Well, got the hitch and Swagman rack installed and it's great! The hitch and rack actually don't use a hitch pin. Rather, it uses a nut, so I simply tighten it and there's absolutely no wobble at all. There is also a place on the hitch where I can hook my bike cable into, so now my bike can be locked directly to the hitch. Definitely not a permanent solution as the hitch itself is only attached by nuts, but it should be good enough for when I go eat.

Ordering the hitch was a pain in the ass.

U-haul was out of stock for two weeks.
Ordered from retailer 1 who stated my hitch would ship out either the 19th or 20th. I wait until the 21st and there's no shipping info. Call retailer 1 and they say my item is actually a special order and on backorder for 21 days from the manufacturer (they are a dropshipper). I tell them to put in a cancellation request.
Because I need this by Friday (today), I order from retailer 2, making sure that they had it in stock and everything, and paid for express shipping. Guess what I receive the next day? The hitch from retailer 1. The day after that I get the hitch from retailer 2. I just shipped back the hitch from retailer 1 and had to pay $30 in shipping costs, and I'm gonna try and get that reimbursed... grrrr...

Excellent! This rack'll be a lot more convenient than your trunk rack.

Sucks on the retailer mistakes.

 

[BoomerD]

I'd have called retailer #1 and made them provide return shipping before sending it back...provided that you cancelled the order before it shipped. If not, then sadly, you have to eat it.