Thule Gateway 9006XT
- Price: $199 for two bikes, $219 for three bikes
- Available at: SportChek, thule.com
Packing the bike for a road trip can be tricky. If your car has a trailer hitch, it's easy to slip on a low-priced hitch-mounted bike rack. Adding a hitch mount just to carry your bikes is expensive. To reduce costs, check out trunk mount racks such as the Thule Gateway 9006XT, which has options for two or three bikes.
Mounting the rack on the back of the car the first time is time consuming as you figure out the straps and how they securely clip into the frame of the car. A purposely rough test drive proved that the webbing and clamps were surprisingly sturdy. Neither bike shifted or rattled.
There are a few features on the Thule worth mentioning. The "Hold Fast Cradles" brace the seat tube to eliminate swaying motion of the bikes. And, the bikes are mounted far enough apart that they don't bump each or tangle pedals during the drive. However, there is no way to lock your bike and rack to the car – and getting into the trunk or hatch is impossible while the rack is in place.
Removing and storing the light-weight rack is a breeze.
A good idea is to wipe the car off where the foam covers on the crossbars touch the car on the trunk and the bumper to avoid dust and sand from grinding into your paint. Thule also sends little straps to tidy up the loose tethers so they don't flap in the breeze.
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