[IH8Rice]

ive got a Ford Five Hundred and im getting new '09 Audi A4 soon and i need to find a hitch rack that sits high off the ground.
I have a thule hitching post on my Five Hundred, but it bottoms out all the time because the car sits low when loaded.
Do any of you know a rack that sits pretty high off the ground?

 

[mntbiker2]

buy a truck? suv?

 

[Da Peach]

Trunk rack? *shudder*

 

[IH8Rice]

buy a truck? suv?

i have a slammed pickup already but dont use it for riding.

my other cars are company cars, so i dont have a choice on cars

Trunk rack? *shudder*

i prefer to keep my bikes

 

[jonKranked]

...the car sits low when loaded....

unlike you, who falls over when loaded :biggrin:


so wait, they're onto you and you can no longer drive the company cars to platty? I wonder why

 

[IH8Rice]

unlike you, who falls over when loaded :biggrin:


so wait, they're onto you and you can no longer drive the company cars to platty? I wonder why

hey the weight i gained gains momentum when going...
they still dont know about my trips
the cars im asking about are company cars...hence why i need a hitch rack.
i have a roof rack system already, but prefer a hitch rack instead...especially since a bike fell off my roof once, and two DH bikes on the roof isnt the best

 

[jonKranked]

Just get a van and put the bikes inside.

 

[The DH]

I too plan on getting a hitch rack for an upcoming A4 purchase (B7 Avant) I've searched everywhere for hitch mount experience on the A4 but no go and at the very least I'll have S-line springs on it. :-x

I know Yakima has a pretty tall one, look into that.

 

[IH8Rice]

Just get a van and put the bikes inside.

my head hurts talking to you.
i dont have a choice of cars

 

[BigMike]

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

06 GLI set up, which should be very similar to the A4. It is a Swagman rack from Nashbar

It rubs if I pull out of my drive way, which has a pretty good angle to it if I have 2 bikes on it, and I do not take my time. Other than that, and the occasionaly rub from a dip or something and it is pretty solid.

 

[IH8Rice]

thats what i was looking for i think...does it go from 2" to 2"?

i was thinking of something like this or something similar with 2 90* bends in it, but i cant find that....whered you get that pic from? aluminumcarrier.com?

 

[syadasti]

If you are going with a tray style rack the Yakima Holdup probably has the most clearance - it bends up at a 90 degree angle from the receiver and its very compact.

Edit: Holdup is rated for up to 60 lbs/bike.

The heavy-duty construction of the HoldUp supports two bikes weighing up to 60 pounds each, plus two more bikes can be carried with optional HoldUp 2 Bike Add On - sold separately, for 2 inch hitches only. The HoldUp supports the bike in wheel cradles and it's stabilized with a front wheel ratcheting pivot arm with a hook. The wheel cradles fit just about any bicycle tire size, narrow 19mm road bike tires all the way up to 3 inch wide MTB tires and wheel sizes from BMX 20 inch up to 29er's 29 inch.

 

[IH8Rice]

06 GLI set up, which should be very similar to the A4. It is a Swagman rack from Nashbar

It rubs if I pull out of my drive way, which has a pretty good angle to it if I have 2 bikes on it, and I do not take my time. Other than that, and the occasionaly rub from a dip or something and it is pretty solid.

yeah but can it handle two DH bikes without sagging too much?

If you are going with a tray style rack the Yakima Holdup probably has the most clearance - it bends up at a 90 degree angle from the receiver and its very compact.

ill check that one out too.
thanks

 

[BigMike]

thats what i was looking for i think...does it go from 2" to 2"?

i was thinking of something like this or something similar with 2 90* bends in it, but i cant find that....whered you get that pic from? aluminumcarrier.com?

I got that from Aluminum Carrier, I figured you would have a 1-1/4" inch hitch on a sedan like that. Amazon has something that would work if you are going 2" to 2".

 

[IH8Rice]

no, i have 2" hitches...1 1/4" hitch racks are flimsy w/ two big bikes on it.
thanks

 

[BigMike]

no, i have 2" hitches...1 1/4" hitch racks are flimsy w/ two big bikes on it.
thanks

That's what you get for assuming, right?

 

[IH8Rice]

assumption is the mother of all f-ups....and .i do a lot of assumpting
whered you get that image from? i cant find it on their site

 

[The DH]

Ignore sesh!

 

[BigMike]

The Amazon one has a link in the post, the Aluminum Carrier one showed up in Google Images, now I can't find it on their site. Just google "hitch riser"

 

[IH8Rice]

yeah i couldnt find it on their site too...i found a bunch on amazon thatll work...now i just gotta wait for hitches for a '09 A4 to come out

 

[The DH]

Ok dude you do that.

 

[stevew]

06 GLI set up

I'm shocked you bought a volkswagen.

 

[Straya]

Check out North Shore Racks

and specifically this one

 

[IH8Rice]

interesting....now THAT looks flexy.
know anyone with one?

 

[The DH]

do do dododo oh word?

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

yeah but can it handle two DH bikes without sagging too much?

thanks

I have had my Demo 8 43lbs and a Morewood Shova LT (45lbs) on there at the same time without any issue.

 

[jonKranked]

Steve, just a thought, if you're looking for a 2" to 2" riser hitch mount, it might be worth looking into have a metal shop fab one for you. wouldn't be much work, you'd just have to tell them what the load would be and how much of a rise you'd want.

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

I'm shocked you bought a volkswagen.

You should have been shocked 2+ years ago? VW makes a decent product. However I will be trading it in soon.

 

[IH8Rice]

I have had my Demo 8 43lbs and a Morewood Shova LT (45lbs) on there at the same time without any issue.

now that i look at it, i think a buddy of mine has the 6bike version. when i saw his i had never seen a 6 bike carrier that holds the bikes vertical.

 

[Straya]

interesting....now THAT looks flexy.
know anyone with one?

Not that model, I know one bloke her in Vancouver with the 4 bike version and he raves about it. Puts 4 big bikes on no problems apparently.

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

now that i look at it, i think a buddy of mine has the 6bike version. when i saw his i had never seen a 6 bike carrier that holds the bikes vertical.

My bike rack does not hold them verticle like....

 

[narlus]

no, i have 2" hitches...1 1/4" hitch racks are flimsy w/ two big bikes on it.
thanks

i have a sportworks (now Thule) rack w/ an optional 'riser' to get around the clearance issue. i'll post a photo to show what i am talking about. i've loaded two DH bikes on it plenty of times. it's a 2" receiver.

 

[Jim Mac]

Dude, I have the Yakima Stickup on my Forester, inch and 1/4. Good ground clearance, tho the Forester is a bit higher than your car (but I'm never as high as you or Bunkers, except for that obscene phone call I gave ya last year!).

FYI - 2 dh bikes on the inch and 1/4 isn't bad or too flimsy - drove down to VA and back with no probs.

 

[IH8Rice]

i have a sportworks (now Thule) rack w/ an optional 'riser' to get around the clearance issue. i'll post a photo to show what i am talking about. i've loaded two DH bikes on it plenty of times. it's a 2" receiver.

yeah that would be great thanks

Dude, I have the Yakima Stickup on my Forester, inch and 1/4. Good ground clearance, tho the Forester is a bit higher than your car (but I'm never as high as you or Bunkers, except for that obscene phone call I gave ya last year!).

FYI - 2 dh bikes on the inch and 1/4 isn't bad or too flimsy - drove down to VA and back with no probs.

yeah but a 2" receiver is about the same price as a 1 1/4" so its kinda a no brainer to me. plus my current car has a 2" already on it.....and no, youll never been as high as me..haha

 

[Jim Mac]

Yakima racks (at least for 2008) are convertible between 2" and 1 1/4".

 

[IH8Rice]

My bike rack does not hold them verticle like....

the rack i was talking about holds the bikes vertical

 

[moff_quigley]

Audi A4 is a co. car? Business must be good.

 

[IH8Rice]

Audi A4 is a co. car? Business must be good.

negative on that one!
but a A4 is still a LOT cheaper to lease than a new Ford Taurus and Toyota Camry...or so they say...im not one to argue on something like that

 

[IH8Rice]

....when we have a country of whiners, consumer electronic products are the last thing people are apparently buying.
do your part people....spend money, i know i do!