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....