[dfinn]

I was thinking that we'd put a tow hitch reciever on the back of my GFs subaru wagon and carry the majority of our bikes (3) that way but it looks like that's going to be a PITA and expensive. A cheaper option that could work is are the racks that just attach to the back of the car. Can I trust my bikes safely on something like this to go from one side of the country to the other?

It will probably just be 2 bikes, there will be one mounted to my yakima king cobra on top of the car. All the bikes can't go on top because there's also a big cargo box for skis and snowboards and other assorted crap that will be up top.

Anybody own or use either of these?

 

[Wumpus]

I have a Thule one, but I've only ever put one bike on it. Check the straps at every stop to make sure they don't work loose. I wrapped the top straps around the rac frame to make sure that they didn't move.

I had an el cheapy tour de france special(the rack made it to the tour not me) until the f'in garbage men stole it that I put two bikes on a bunch. I tied them together with inner tubes at the points that they touched and never had a problem.

 

[Changleen]

I used to use one of those strappy ones and if you set them up properly they are strong as ****.

I've driven 1000's miles across Europe with my babies on the back, up and down mountains, 120mph on the Autobahn, all good. The thing to do is do it up tight, put your bikes on, and after a few miles (20 -30) take a break and retighten everything. You should be sweet for a thousand miles after that.