Any ideas on the best 4 bike hitch rack??? Or best value???
Probably I'll want one that folds out or down. but maybe I could
live without the fold out/down. What do you think??

Folding may be overrated, because you have to remove the bikes from the rack to fold one down.

Anyway, the best value is almost certainly the Performance XPORT Freeloader (of which I have one). Go to www.performancebike.com and look it up. $80. Impossible to beat. Very simple, solid, works great. No guaranteed-to-slip rubber "control blocks" or complicated anti-sway mumbo jumbo, just welded-on plate that holds the bikes, very little to break or malfunction.

Of course the design of the bikes you are planning to carry may impact what rack will work properly, as well as other considerations such as where you drive, whether you need an integrated lock, etc. My friend has a Yakima Bighorn and a Thule something-or-other (both 1-1/4" 4-bike racks) and does not like either of them for varying reasons. My big gripe with those complicated racks is getting the attachment devices to jam inside the bike frame and attach properly, and #2 gripe list for me are these kinds of parts that break, wear out easily, or don't hold on properly... so I went for the simplicity and predictability in favor of the frills.

Now if I could just figure out a really GOOD way to carry bikes on my Miata... THAT'S a challenge.

Thanks krash. I thought those folding thing-a-ma-jiggers were overrated.
There are supposed to be some that will fold down with the bikes on, but
even if i want to get the dog out of the back, he can come out of the side
door. As far as the Miata, if you put a hitch on it, you can get a lightweight
trailer and attach bikes on trailer. I do just that. The problem is the wife
gets "All Freaked Out" driving with a trailer, and she has trouble hooking it
up. So the rack might be just for her, or if it works well I'll use it too. We've
been places & rented bikes & it's often disaster. Breakdowns, no availability
and no proper sizes. So we want to take 3 mnt bikes & 1 trailer bike.
Pretty heavy (probably 150 lb with rack) but the E seems to handle me sitting on the edge of the tailgate & I'm 240#. So I think it should handle
that much rearward weight without too much degradation of handling.
CHEERS

Folding may be overrated, because you have to remove the bikes from the rack to fold one down.

I do not need to remove my bikes in order to tilt /fold back my rack. Also ,living day in & day out with a fixed (non tilting rack ) is foolish. Unless you remove your carrier every time after use. . I have a "GRABER" rack & although it handles 4 bikes I never carry more than three. Carrying 4 bikes just beats the hell out of your paint job & cables.

I tilt back my rack to load my first bike inside the upright , than load two bikes in the three bike arm on the rear.

Graber uses a drift pin to keep the upright bar stabilized .When not carrying bikes I leave this pin removed & dampen the pivot pin & the rack tilts back with just a firm pull. Nothing more to do .. :wink:

I like my softride folding rack. Bike stays upright when it folds. Can be seen in action, though not close up, in this thread:

http://elementownersclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9689

-brendan

I have a fold down style Reese that holds 4 bikes. I bought it at Mills Fleet Farm (Minnesota) for $99. What is really cool about it is that you can stick a trailer ball on the aft end and then attach a trailer. I used it with my Popup camper and it worked great. Even made the trailer easier to back up.

Not the cheapest but by far the best is made by Sportworks. Very easy to use. They also make the Transport series in a heavy duty version for DH bikes (which my friend has) and it will fit huge tires, 3.0s. Best quality I have found, also easiest to use.
http://www.sportworks.com/sttra.asp

Does the tailgait go down completely with the sportworks bike rack on. Thanks.

Brendan is out of town I think but I will answer that the Softride he has does allow the tailgate to go down all the way.

check out these notes about choosing a hitch mounted bike rack.

http://www.cracksandracks.com/pag-fit-installation-tips-29.html#swingaway

Brendan is out of town I think but I will answer that the Softride he has does allow the tailgate to go down all the way.

More importantly, the Softride allows the tailgate to go down all the way without having to remove the bikes* from the rack!

-brendan

* or the car-b-q!

I've got the Thule folding 4-biker and it works well for me. 2" receiver hitch.

Brendan-
Is your Softride rack the DX Sport Rack or the Pull-Pin Rack? Would you recommend one over the other? Also, have you had any problems with the bikes/rack rubbing against the painted surfaces of your E?

Brendan-
Is your Softride rack the DX Sport Rack or the Pull-Pin Rack? Would you recommend one over the other? Also, have you had any problems with the bikes/rack rubbing against the painted surfaces of your E?

Mine's a pull-pin: I believe when they stopped production of the pull-pin racks, for the new foot-release rack, they had a firesale to retailers, which is why they were so cheap for so long. The one caveat of the pull-pin rack is that it takes effort to release it, and it's possible (but unlikely) to dislodge the pin, cotter pins and spring if you don't have the pin pulled out all the way when opening. The newer foot-release rack looks more fool-proof and more convenient, but it was twice the price.

No problem with rubbing: the bikes are very far from the body. If you lower the rack all the way, the bottom rear door opens all the way and clears the rack. Make sure you lower the rack all the way though, because if you don't, the rear door can strike the rack (but it does so with the door's rubber seal/gasket, so damage is often avoided).

-brendan

Thanks!!!! Brendan

Oh, by the way... do you have the stock Honda 1.25" hitch or a 2" ?
If a 2", what brand?


I haven't actually started looking, yet...'too lazy. My a#* still thinks it's the Holiday season.:)

http://www.cracksandracks.com/pag-fit-installation-tips-29.html?#bikeracks

this link has some good information about which rack to buy.

a good fold down rack from thule like the expressway or hitching post are good racks for the element, because they would likely enable you to open the lift gate without having to activate the rack.

the best swingout rack by far is the yakima fullswing 4. no other rack fits as many bike frames, or carries a bike nicer than this rack. the swingout design is flawless, and the quick cam lever is unparallelled.

this is why cracks & racks sells both yakima and thule!

www.cracksandracks.com