bike rack for a subaru

rskenny <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

i would like to know you thoughts on the best bike rack for my hep cat
just bought a new outback and have know idea on what type of rack to get
thanks

Kenny: We drive a 2000 Outback wagon and carry our Rans LWB V-2 on
Thule bars (you don't use/need the Subaru cross bars). For the LWB I
use a Tandem Topper which has a pivoting fork mount and, of course, a
long tray to handle the 72" wheelbase of the V-2. For a SWB bike -
recumbent or otherwise, we have a regular Thule fork mount with a
regular length wheel tray. I much prefer to carry the bikes on top of
the car: it keeps them out of the back draft of a station wagon and
makes access to the tailgate no problem. BTW, I mount the Tandem
Topper backwards so the long tray projects forward, allowing us to
open the tailgate w/o interference. Just one set of suggestions.
Bob Rogers, Rans V-2 & Screamer tandem + one BikeE.

Until two months ago, I had a Subaru Outback. I had a receiver hitch
put on, and got a Sportworks rack that takes a recumbent and a regular
bike. I loved it, as mounting a bent securely takes just seconds.
The rack has a suspension bar that holds the frame, with a rachet down
bar to provide additional support. I found roof racks to be
difficult to use with this vehicle because the roof clearance is high,
and its quite difficult to mount a weighty bicycle easily.

Be aware that the Subaru roof has a low weight limit, of I believe 100
lbs, including a rack. That may be one more reason to consider a
reciever hitch. I drove to Maine from Ohio, with two bikes on the
receiver hitch, a Yakima Road Warrior basket on top and a Rocket box
on top of that. That enabled me to carry lots of luggage and also
have a place to lie down comfortably in the car so we could drive for
hours.

Everything was great until my transmission started slipping, but that
had nothing to do with the bikes or the racks. It did mean that I had
to dump the car at a Maine Subaru dealer for nearly the whole week.

[email hidden] (Melanie) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Until two months ago, I had a Subaru Outback. I had a receiver hitch
put on, and got a Sportworks rack that takes a recumbent and a regular
bike. I loved it, as mounting a bent securely takes just seconds.
The rack has a suspension bar that holds the frame, with a rachet down
bar to provide additional support. I found roof racks to be
difficult to use with this vehicle because the roof clearance is high,
and its quite difficult to mount a weighty bicycle easily.

Be aware that the Subaru roof has a low weight limit, of I believe 100
lbs, including a rack. That may be one more reason to consider a
reciever hitch. I drove to Maine from Ohio, with two bikes on the
receiver hitch, a Yakima Road Warrior basket on top and a Rocket box
on top of that. That enabled me to carry lots of luggage and also
have a place to lie down comfortably in the car so we could drive for
hours.

Everything was great until my transmission started slipping, but that
had nothing to do with the bikes or the racks. It did mean that I had
to dump the car at a Maine Subaru dealer for nearly the whole week.

Additional info from Bob Rogers:
I mentioned using a Tandem Topper tandem rack. The car is a 2000
Outback wagon. This has a pivoting fork mount and is the perfect
item for a LWB recumbent (my Rans V-2 has a 72" wheelbase). I don't
believe LWB recumbents would fare too well being crosswise on a
receiver hitch.
As for the Subaru weight limit - I believe that only applies to the
Subaru cross bars, not the longitudinal roof rails themselves. We
exceed 100# by quite a bit on our trips back and forth from Seattle to
Palm Springs - w/the V-2, a tandem Screamer and a large Thule box -
filled to the brim. We've never had a problem. So - if you're
carrying a SWB, I concede that the hitch mount would work just fine.
OTOH, a LWB poses some additonal challenges. Bob Rogers

[email hidden] (Melanie) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Until two months ago, I had a Subaru Outback. I had a receiver hitch
put on, and got a Sportworks rack that takes a recumbent and a regular
bike. I loved it, as mounting a bent securely takes just seconds.
The rack has a suspension bar that holds the frame, with a rachet down
bar to provide additional support. I found roof racks to be
difficult to use with this vehicle because the roof clearance is high,
and its quite difficult to mount a weighty bicycle easily.

Be aware that the Subaru roof has a low weight limit, of I believe 100
lbs, including a rack. That may be one more reason to consider a
reciever hitch. I drove to Maine from Ohio, with two bikes on the
receiver hitch, a Yakima Road Warrior basket on top and a Rocket box
on top of that. That enabled me to carry lots of luggage and also
have a place to lie down comfortably in the car so we could drive for
hours.

Everything was great until my transmission started slipping, but that
had nothing to do with the bikes or the racks. It did mean that I had
to dump the car at a Maine Subaru dealer for nearly the whole week.

Additional info from Bob Rogers:
I mentioned using a Tandem Topper tandem rack. The car is a 2000
Outback wagon. This has a pivoting fork mount and is the perfect
item for a LWB recumbent (my Rans V-2 has a 72" wheelbase). I don't
believe LWB recumbents would fare too well being crosswise on a
receiver hitch.
As for the Subaru weight limit - I believe that only applies to the
Subaru cross bars, not the longitudinal roof rails themselves. We
exceed 100# by quite a bit on our trips back and forth from Seattle to
Palm Springs - w/the V-2, a tandem Screamer and a large Thule box -
filled to the brim. We've never had a problem. So - if you're
carrying a SWB, I concede that the hitch mount would work just fine.
OTOH, a LWB poses some additonal challenges. Bob Rogers

As for the Subaru weight limit, I think I probably exceeded it,
however the Subaru dealer cautioned me about the weight limit for the
roof itself, with the double sunroof, not the bars. He explained that
everything, rack, attachments and box must not exceed 100 lbs. Just
something to think about....