Bike rack & hitch quandry

[skdavis]

I have a 2002 XC70 and I would like to use a bike carrier to carry at least two (maybe more) bicycles. I have learned that I can not attach a Thule bike carrier to the rear window like I did with my Explorer. I contacted my Volvo dealer and they said they can install a hitch (2" receiver). But, they will need to cut 3 to 4 inches out of my bumper. Concerned about this, I contacted Hitch-web.com and they can sell me a hidden hitch with a 1 & 1/4" receiver that does not entail cutting the bumper.

Here are my questions:
1) will all 2" receivers require a hole to be cut in the bumper?
2) do I need a 2" receiver to support the weight of more than two bikes?
3) does anyone know of a hitch installer in the New York City area if I decide to go with the hidden hitch (and probably limit myself to carrying two bikes)?

Thanks so much for any help/insight to my problem.

[KnowItAll]

SKDAVIS,

Hey!....Are you sold on a hitch mounted rack?
In my experence they are a drag. First and foremost they stick out WAY far behind the vehicle( have you seen one on a xc? )and being in NYC it's gotta suck to park w/it on car.
Second, the cost is pretty high, installing a hitch and buying the bike mount.
You already have half of what you need up on your roof having euro rails.
All you need are cross bars volvo or thule and the bike rack itself.Also now volvo is giving cash back for certain accessories, Bike racks & cross bars too! Call your volvo dealer's parts dept and they have the paperwork to get the refund I THINK it is good until Aug 16th not sure.
Any way .....just my 70 cents......Cheers!

[dlr97]

This is the Volvo 2" receiver:

file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/DAVE/LOCALS%7E1/TEMP/moz-screenshot.jpg

It integrates well with the bumper; the 'cut' is just in plastic and probably takes 5 min. with the right tool; it allows the hitch to hang only 1" below the bumper. If you did not cut anything, you would loose 2" minimum at the bumper.

This is the hitch with my bike rack (2-bike):
file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/DAVE/LOCALS%7E1/TEMP/moz-screenshot-1.jpg

I would imagine that a 2" hitch would be highly advised for a 4-bike carrier. Better check total weight on hitch. Also with a bike rack and 4 bikes there is a substantial lever arm on the hitch. With two bikes on my hitch plus luggage and two people there is a bit less stability in crosswinds (I think), although I have only one trip like that to judge.

Maybe consider carrying two bikes on the roof plus two on the hitch?

Cheers,
Dave

[skdavis]

Thank you for your message. I am a female and although I work out, I don't feel I have the height or the strength to manage lifting my bike up to and down from a roof rack without damaging the car. In addition, I park my car in the garage in my apartment building and I do not have the necessary clearance to put a bike on the roof; I'd have to do it in the street and sometimes I come home late at night after biking near the beaches. I would not feel safe fiddling around trying to get the bike off the rack. Still, thank you for your suggestions.

[skdavis]

Thank you for your time. How can I view your photos? Upon reading the specs that the local Volvo dealer faxed me, it stated that the license plate will have to be "relocated". I don't understand why since it is attached to my back door (hatch). Was your license plate moved? Also, they mentioned that I will need an intermediary piece that goes between the receiver and a bike rack. Was this the case for you? Thank you so much for your help.

[KazDog]

My 2002 Volvo Accessories catalog shows an interior bike holder.
http://www.volvocars.us/Showroom/XC70/Specifications/OptionsAccessories/

[skdavis]

Thank you for your message. I will explore the interior bike holder as a possible alternative to a rear bike rack. Again, thanks!

[slowflyer]

If you decide against the interior mount:

Member Saabstory had a good post with pictures of an install of a Draw-Tite hitch. Since you have checked the same place he bought it, you probably have seen it. The hitch is just below the bumper cover.

The install is pretty easy. By the way, I found the same hitch at a much lower price at etrailer.com.

[dlr97]

Thank you for your message. I am a female and although I work out, I don't feel I have the height or the strength to manage lifting my bike up to and down from a roof rack without damaging the car. In addition, I park my car in the garage in my apartment building and I do not have the necessary clearance to put a bike on the roof; I'd have to do it in the street and sometimes
I also like the Volvo hitch because it does not compromise rear ground clearance much. If that is not an issue, then the aftermarket hitches are very nice also and much less expensive. The license plate does NOT have to be moved in my area (CA, USA), in practice at least. State laws may say the plate needs to be visible and it may be partially blocked by a rear bike rack, but I've never seen anyone in this state with a relocated plate, and I have never been stopped in many years of using a rear bike rack.

I like rear hitch bike racks because of height issue (car will not go in my garage with bikes on the roof), the bikes are not exposed to the airstream directly, and they are quicker to get bikes loaded. The types of rear racks that clamp on the bike tires are VERY quick loading compared to the less-expensive frame-hanging rear racks.

I have this rack: very nice and exceptional quality. Expensive, but we plan to use it many years and with future vehicles we may own:
http://www.1upusa.com/1upusarackhome.htm

Cheers, Dave

[AWD*V70XC]

I like my hitch setup the way it is and it was for one reason only that I decided to have the visible one installed as against the hidden one, which I prefer.

The reason for the standout one was for the fact that if I get rear-ended I hope the ball will take a lot of the impact on collision. It has helped in the parking lot when people cannot guage the distance they are from me and have had some 'nudges' stopped by the ball and not the fender, maybe saving some paintwork.

I am not going to post my bike carrier again but if you want, you can see it in my gallery. I have tried to show how versitile it is whne loaded and when not in use it can be stored on the boot with the cargo cover expanded.

[geo]

Hi,
just a thought from us in Europe where fuel prices are still a lot higher than the states.
The Aero-dynamic drag of the rear /hitch mounted bike racks and bikes are far in excess of putting bikes upright on the roof, and no obscured rear views, or masked rear lights to worry over.
You do have to look out for tree branches, car park height barriers and other height restrictions though.

[Prepo]

I have a 2-bike rear carrier and it does NOT obscure the rear vision. Having had a roof mounted bike smashing against a motel reception overhead structure, I will never use a roof top arrangement again! My carrier swings out of the way to open the rear door. Aerodynamics - I would like to see the authority for the statement that the roof top carrier will give better gas consumption. Sounds a non issue to me.

[skdavis]

Thanks again for responding again. I went to the Volvo dealer today and saw first hand how their bike rack works using the base unit (a pneumonic device that allows one to use a foot pedal to raise and lower the rack to gain access to the hatch) and the four bike carrier. The setup is pricey but after mulling everything over, talking to Thule, and getting input from this site, I decided to go with the Volvo dealer package. I will also be able to take advantage of the accessory rebate that is currently being offered (thanks to a member of this site who informed me about the accessories sale). Thanks to everybody who contributed to helping me with this very minor dilemma.

[newv70xcmom]

What is the sale? Must have missed that one

[hunterxc]

I just acquired a 2004 XC 70 and am going to have the trailer hitch with the advanced bike rack installed on Wed. What sold me was more than one friend forgetting about the bikes on the rack and smashing into an overhead garage door. I only laughed because it is exactly what I would do. Also, the rack moves to allow access to the back. They sold all three pieces with installation for $450.

[skdavis]

Actually, it is a rebate on accessories. You buy from Volvo and they give you a form to complete and mail.

[skdavis]

Good for you!

My setup is costing me around $950, minus a $125 accessories rebate. I tried every angle to get a quality hitch and bike rack but could not pull it together in time for a Vermont trip next week. My goal was to buy a 2" receiver from a reputable website, have it shipped to a body shop for installation, and buy the Thule base unit (pneumonic action) and bike rack from the web or a retailer.

I was unable to find a place in NYC who has experience installing hitches (and who would even agree to install a hitch). I was also not able to find the bike rack setup sold by Volvo either through the web or in a retail store.

The good news is that I really like the Volvo package so I took a deep breath, imagined biking the hills of Vermont, and then handed them my credit card....

[Art]

Actually, it is a rebate on accessories. You buy from Volvo and they give you a form to complete and mail.

Here's the online version of that accessory rebate form (http://www.volvopartsworld.com/images07/FallAccy2004SS.pdf) that skdavis was referring to. :)

[kersti]

Just be aware that Volvo Rebate system is known for non responsiveness. I bought several accessories last summer and out of $55 I have received $20. I have been trying to get the other $35 by repeated calls and faxes of my receipts with Volvo Customer service ever since. I am still waiting.

Unhappy rebate customer,

Kersti

[kersti]

Dave,
I am interested in the 1upUSA bike carrier system. Is this one that a women can handle easily and if you have to get into the trunk, how easy is it to unload bikes to get into the trunk?? I liked the ones that swing to the side but the hitch is very heavy and I could not handle it myself. Is this hitch easy for one person to attach. I have smallish dogs jumping in and out of my trunk and I would probably not want to leave it on all the time.

I appreciate any help.

Kersti

[John@CdnRockies]

I have been impressed with the quality of Volvo accessory parts.

We opted for a Volvo hitch after a local competitor extolled the robustness of their product. It proved tight and solid while towing a 2,500 pound trailer through the Rocky mountains a few weeks ago.

The overhead aero-styled bars for our XC70 have also proven firm and easy to install. No hint of wobble at highway speeds when mated to a large Packasport.

Price-wise Volvo tends to be a bit higher than the independents but well worth the extra 10-15% imo.

[dlr97]

Here's the online version of that accessory rebate form (http://www.volvopartsworld.com/images07/FallAccy2004SS.pdf) that skdavis was referring to. :)
Excellent; I was unaware of the rebate offer!

I am surprised by the post that bikes on the roof have less drag than on a back hitch mount. Doesn't change my opinion, however. The increase in gas usage at 75 mph (120 kph) cruising speed is no more than 10% with my hitch mount loaded with two bikes (measured on my first trip) compared to no hitch. However the bikes are still protected from direct impact of stones and insects, low clearance accidents, and they are very quickly removed for riding!

Cheers,
Dave

[dlr97]

Dave,
I am interested in the 1upUSA bike carrier system. Is this one that a women can handle easily and if you have to get into the trunk, how easy is it to unload bikes to get into the trunk?? I liked the ones that swing to the side but the hitch is very heavy and I could not handle it myself. Is this hitch easy for one person to attach. I have smallish dogs jumping in and out of my trunk and I would probably not want to leave it on all the time.

Kersti
This carrier (empty) I would guess is about 35 pounds, and compact so it fits in the luggage area easily when removed. It is not a problem for me right now (I'm weak from a year of cancer therapy, and am 5'8", 150 lb., 58 years old). Use your legs, back straight, when lifting the carrier.

To install a folded carrier, you need to lift it upside down and temporarily insert the tongue in the 2" receiver to hold the weight. Then fold out the tire supports, carefully pull the carrier out of the receiver, rotate 180 degrees, and put it back in. Lock in with the locking pin special tool (prevents theft and stabilizes the rack). The bike tire support section rotates down for tailgate access and up against the tailgate very easily with no bikes attached (10 seconds). However bikes must be removed to open the tailgate. Loading two bikes takes about 10 min. the first time, and as you learn how to do it, maybe 5 min. I use a separate strap on each front tire-to-carrier wheel support just to be safe. You may have to adjust bike seat height to clear the handlebars of the other bike. Lock on the two bikes with one standard bike lock and cable if you are leaving the car parked with bikes on it.

We carried a dog also while carrying the bikes on our first trip with this setup. Much easier to put down a tarp, fold one or both of the back seats and let the dog go in and out from a middle side door. We put up the luggage screen at the front attachment points so the dog is confined behind the front seats. Also put luggage in/out the side doors this way rather than removing the bikes if you need to get things out quickly.

Cheers,
Dave

[kersti]

Thanks for the quick response.

Why is it that you have to put the carrier in upside down to begin with? Wouldn't the closed carrier be in the correct position?

Kersti

[dlr97]

Why is it that you have to put the carrier in upside down to begin with? Wouldn't the closed carrier be in the correct position?
Kersti
Kersti, notice the 2nd group of pictures of the fully folded carrier on lower right of the 1upusa web site:
http://www.1upusa.com/1upusarackhome.htm

When fully folded for off-car storage, the tire supports of the carrier are ABOVE and extend forward of the receiver bar, so they would hit the bumper before the receiver engages the hitch if not unfolded first or put in the hitch upside down. It is possible to unfold them with the carrier on the ground also, but it is a bit more awkward this way. They suggest the upside-down method in their manual. Of course you could store the carrier (outside the car) with the arms open also if you have the space.

Cheers,
Dave

[AWD*V70XC]

There appears to be a lot of 'hot air' about two forms of bike carrier, with a little about a third option. There is no mention of a fourth option.

Option 1

This option has the bike(s) mounted on the roof of the car. There are two ways of doing this. One option is the air/pneumatic assisted cycle lift. Although relatively easy to use in the correct fashion there can be problems that have been described in this thread. The system is only easy to use if you know how to use it correctly, otherwise you can cause yourself and your car some degree of injury. The second method of roof mounting is the conventional way of having support racks attached to your cross bars, then you will have to manually lift the bikes onto and off the roof. Both these methods are fine if you are sure of your head clearance. Apart from damage to the object you hit, you will certainly write off the bikes and could cause servere damage to your roof structure of the car. This damage could result in you 'tearing' off the roof rails if your speed was fast enough.

Option 2

This option has the bike(s) mounted inside the car and works best with a long cargo area or an estate car (like our XC's). The problems with this set up are; you are limited to carrying two bikes and two people (as the bikes will take up the entire cargo area and therefore there will be no room for any other passengers and little room for securing animals in pens). You are more than likely going to find that you will have to remove both wheels to get the bike to sit 'under' the roof line, especially if you have a metal cargo gate/grill tucked into the roof area. There will also be problems loading and securing the bike(s) as you will have to make several visits to the front of the area via the back passenger doors to secure the bikes in place. A problem with this could be an insecure bike could break free from it restraints and tear some fabric or worse break a window in the event of an accident.

Option 3

This option has the bike(s) mounted on the tow hitch. There are several methods of attaching your carrier, either by inserting the carrier into the hitch rail and securing it by pins or mounting directly onto the ball. The carrier that mounts directly onto the ball is not unlike attaching a trailer. You place the carrier over the ball and snap the 'locking' handle in place. This takes seconds and will be in the locked position until you want to remove it in which case you will have to unlock it and remove. The beauty of this piece of equipment is the fact the when fully loaded you can 'tilt' the carrier to access the cargo area without obstruction from the bikes. The Thule model I have comes complete with a new lighting bar, licence plate and electrical lead for the lights. Because it is connected to the electrics it works like having a trailer attached and you will have the double action of the lights on the dash to inform you that the lights are working correctly. The bikes are held within the outside edge of the body and therefore, wheels sticking out, obscuring vision from the side mirrors is not a problem. Likewise your vision thru the bike frames from the center mirror does not restrict your rearward vision either. The only drawback is the fact that when going over bumps/ramps etc there is a possibility that you might ground the carrier, but this would only occur when travelling at speed.

http://www.xc70.com/pics/albums/userpics/normal_Copy%20of%20P1010179.JPGhttp://www.xc70.com/pics/albums/userpics/normal_Copy%20of%20P1010185.JPG

Option 4

This option has not been discussed at all. This option is for people you do not have or intent on installing a tow hitch. The carrier is 'held' onto the back door by means of tie straps at all edges. This is the same as having the hitch mounted option but in my opinion this could lead to undue pressure/weight being placed against the rear door glass which could cause a breakage. The bike(s) should be held high enough on this carrier not to warrant the addition of a new licence plate or lights on the rear edge. There is also no real way of securing this as the straps can be removed when not in use by anyone and the opening of the door would also be prevented because of the amount of pressure/weight the bike(s) would have on the glass when the door is fully opened.

These are the only places that you can attach a bike to your car, short of putting a trailer behind. The brand that Volvo use is Thule and since they are made in the USA and most of the prices are between $100 - $200 I would have thought that a Thule product would be the way to go. Even if you are recieving a rebate, this comes nowhere near the price that Thule charge you in the first place. The model I have shows you the carrier mounted on the rear of a XC70 on the box. Sometimes saving money can pay, I object paying Volvo to put their prices up by X% just to have the VOLVO name enblazened over it.

I think a look over the Thule site would enlighten you as to the options I have described and you will also find prices there as well.
Thule US site (http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/default.asp)
Thule rest of the World site (http://www.thule.com/)

I have not found any problems with my unit, either using it, storing it in the car when not in use or storing it at home. It is rugged, light and very compact when not in use.

[skdavis]

Thank you for your thoroughness regarding carrying bikes with the XC. Option #1 & #2 would not work for me (clearance issues for #1 and space issues for #2). I tried option #4 with a wonderful Thule rack I had used on my Explorer. The aerodynamic design of the XC as compared to the Explorer made it very difficult to attach the rack as seen in the picture. The clips would get bent, poke up, and I was afraid that I was going to damage the car. So, option #3 was the best for me (minus the tow ball). I selected the bike rack sold by Volvo (not sold anywhere else) because it was so similar to my old Thule rack which I liked plus it uses a pneumonic device that allows one to raise and lower the rake with the bikes attached (as does yours). That unit (minus the rebate) will cost me just under $400 (in addition to having a 2" receiver hitch installed). I have to say that I when I bought the XC, I just assumed that I could use the same Thule rack that I had used on my Explorer (attaching it to the hatch). Alas, that was not the case.

[hunterxc]

I had the hitch, accessory base unit and Thule 4 bike rack installed today by the dealer 3 days after I took delivery. It looks great but I haven't had time to test it out. I will post a pic. when I get a chance.





2004 XC 70 Black/Graphite, Navi., premium, touring package, bi-xenon, Xenia wheels, HU803

[hunterxc]

Well I had a few minutes and took a look at the rack and I have discovered a problem. The accessory base unit is so close to the bumper that when the lever is depressed to pull the rack forward out of the way to open the taligate it touches the bumper, and you guessed it, it slightly scratched the bumper. It is slight but noticible to me because the 70 is only 3 days old. :eek: Back to the dealer tomorrow for some solution that I hope does not result in a roof bike rack. Now I have a hitch that probably won't get much use. Any ideas.

[skdavis]

HunterXC - I just had the hitch, base unit, and bike rack installed today at Volvo on my 2002 XC. I told the service people about your experience and they could not understand how that happened. I have a lot of room between the lever and the bumper - when the rack is both raised and lowered. Your hitch may not be installed as far to the rear as possible.

I absolutely love the bike rack and base unit. It works like a dream.
Also, someone earlier mentioned a hatch bike rack as a possibility. I contacted Thule and they said that they do not have hatch racks for the Volvo XC and they do not recommend using a rack on the hatch of this car.

[hunterxc]

skdavis, thanks for the reply. I am in a quandry as my dealer insists they have the right part and they are now saying they want to either see if they have room to move the hitch out more from under the bumper (the washers are eliptical and there is a little room or reinstall the hitch to bring it out about 1/2 inch. I am not too happy about the reinstall. They said they have not had this trouble with other XC70 rack installs. I have attached pics. How does it compare to yours. What am I missing? Can you take any pics. I would like to see them. Thanks for your help.

[skdavis]

HunterXC, here are the pics I just took. I had the installation done at Englewood Volvo in NJ. I'll bet that the guys that installed your hitch did not take the base unit into consideration and installed the hitch too far forward.

[hunterxc]

thanks again skdavis,

Too far forward seems to be exactly what they did. I didn't even want to put it on for the pics. but your pics are clear enough. I will print yours and bring them to the dealer so he can see how it is supposed to be done. It looks like the parts are the same so they did get that right. My appointment is for next Thursday so I will let you know how it goes.

[skdavis]

You may want to have your dealer call Englewood Volvo and talk to the service guys. They will remember the woman (me) who came in and stated your problem. Jon, the service person I worked with, joined me in the showroom to examine the model and then worked with the guys who did the actual installation to insure that I would not have the same experience as you. I think that the goal of your installers was to have the hitch as unobtrusive as possible which turns out to be a hinderance to the operation of the base unit. A little bit of tunnel vision going on, especially if they knew that you wanted to use the hitch in conjunction with the base unit and bike rack. Good luck.

[hunterxc]

Good advice, I'll take it. My dealer has internet access. I will show him the thread.

[budrichard]

I have a 2003 XC70 with Volvo 2" hitch. No problems, no cuts seen and no license plate relocating. The hitch accessories are works of engineering art. My 99XC has a DrawTite 1&1/4" hitch and the hitch is too low.
If you are transporting a single bike and two people, fold the rear seats down and carry the bike inside the vehicle. It is also possible to fit 3 people in the car and still carry a bike inside by only using one rear seat. The only thing I carry on top anymore is kayaks or canoes. The rest goes on the rear hitch or inside the vehicle. -Dick

[skdavis]

Thanks for your message. I was not sure what to do as you can tell by my original message. I now feel comfortable with my choice (even though it seems somewhat expensive). I was most concerned about the safety and soundness of the rack and hitch as well as ease of use.

[ebiggs264]

I've used a Yakima on the back door of the Volvo carrying a single bike. Didn't seem to fall off or do any damage. I drove from Phila suburbs to NJ beaches and back. It was tricky mounting because I had to place the clips between the door and body with the door closed "one click." Once I had the clips in position, I had to give the door a good shove to latch it all the way.

I have seen roof racks that swing out and/or down using pistons to allow easy lifting of the bike on and off the roof. This would help you get the bike on/off the car quickly and easily. Yakima has one called the Sidewinder fork mounted bike rack for about $325. Don't know about the other manufacturers (Thule, etc.)

Or you could buy a lighter bike...or lift more weights... :)

[hunterxc]

skdavis thanks for all of your help. After three trips to the dealer, misordered parts and a slightly scratched bumper they finally got it installed. I showed them skdavis pictures on line and they still had a hard time getting the fact that they had installed the wrong hitch. When they finally understood the error of their ways and after I bet the parts guy a beer that the problem was the hitch, the parts were ordered and they installed the right hitch and to my surprise they even installed a new rear bumper without my even asking. The scratch was minor and it was barely visible after they put some armour all type product on it. When I thanked them they said that they understood that I just got the car and that it should be perfect. I have never had a dealer go out of their way without some pushing on my part.

[sha4990]

We recently got a bike rack. Looked at the roof ones but bike shop said the wind resistence and hitting the bike on a low clearance garage ect made us opt for the hitch mount. Not to mention I did not want to put scratches on the paint with a dropped bike.

We had the dealer install the 2 inch receiver where they cut part of the plastic bumper, I cost more but you can hardly tell a hitch is there. We got the Yakima 4 bike carrier at REI, the dealer will try to sell you their carrier, but it is more expensive. Overall the rear carying system costs more but for loading/unloading the bikes and ease of use we like it better. I have not heard of having to move the license plates. Hope this helps. :)

[sha4990]

I just got a rear hitch mount placed on the car. The dealer tried to sell me the bike carrier also. I got a yakima 4 bike carrier at REI which fits into the receiver and it has its own tilt feature, this cost much less than the dealer stuff. Let me know and I can send pictures. :)

[hunterxc]

Let's see a pic. I got the Volvo system and it included a Thule rack.

[Sasquatch]

I have one of those shelf racks from camping, and it holds 3 bikes easily. I will probably have a tow hitch put in for the boat and for the rack. I might also go with the roof bike rack, so I can put "stuff" out back and bikes up top. What's a good roof rack for bikes? I don't mind cutting some plastic in the bumper for a hitch, and would gladly accept that if it means a better hitch (weight distributing).

Thanks.

[Artz]

Here are some pics of the volvo hitch - you cannot see the cutout unless you look from underneath.
http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4839

We are real happy with it. We use it with a thule hitch which we already had before buying the car. The receiver hitch has 2 layers of steel for extra strength.

[dtlayman]

We have the Volvo pet enclosure that fits in the rear of the Volvo. It is great for our large collie because it keeps him safe while luggage is loaded on the other side. We are looking at the different hitch mounted racks and we want to make sure the one we get allows us to open the hatch, the gate to the pet enclosure, and let our dog jump out. We are wondering if the Volvo unit that tilts is the way to go or should we go with the Thule or Yakima models that have the ability to swing to the side?

[rkestner]

There appears to be a lot of 'hot air' about two forms of bike carrier, with a little about a third option. There is no mention of a fourth option.

Option 1

This option has the bike(s) mounted on the roof of the car. There are two ways of doing this. One option is the air/pneumatic assisted cycle lift. Although relatively easy to use in the correct fashion there can be problems that have been described in this thread. The system is only easy to use if you know how to use it correctly, otherwise you can cause yourself and your car some degree of injury. The second method of roof mounting is the conventional way of having support racks attached to your cross bars, then you will have to manually lift the bikes onto and off the roof. Both these methods are fine if you are sure of your head clearance. Apart from damage to the object you hit, you will certainly write off the bikes and could cause servere damage to your roof structure of the car. This damage could result in you 'tearing' off the roof rails if your speed was fast enough.

Option 2

This option has the bike(s) mounted inside the car and works best with a long cargo area or an estate car (like our XC's). The problems with this set up are; you are limited to carrying two bikes and two people (as the bikes will take up the entire cargo area and therefore there will be no room for any other passengers and little room for securing animals in pens). You are more than likely going to find that you will have to remove both wheels to get the bike to sit 'under' the roof line, especially if you have a metal cargo gate/grill tucked into the roof area. There will also be problems loading and securing the bike(s) as you will have to make several visits to the front of the area via the back passenger doors to secure the bikes in place. A problem with this could be an insecure bike could break free from it restraints and tear some fabric or worse break a window in the event of an accident.

Option 3

This option has the bike(s) mounted on the tow hitch. There are several methods of attaching your carrier, either by inserting the carrier into the hitch rail and securing it by pins or mounting directly onto the ball. The carrier that mounts directly onto the ball is not unlike attaching a trailer. You place the carrier over the ball and snap the 'locking' handle in place. This takes seconds and will be in the locked position until you want to remove it in which case you will have to unlock it and remove. The beauty of this piece of equipment is the fact the when fully loaded you can 'tilt' the carrier to access the cargo area without obstruction from the bikes. The Thule model I have comes complete with a new lighting bar, licence plate and electrical lead for the lights. Because it is connected to the electrics it works like having a trailer attached and you will have the double action of the lights on the dash to inform you that the lights are working correctly. The bikes are held within the outside edge of the body and therefore, wheels sticking out, obscuring vision from the side mirrors is not a problem. Likewise your vision thru the bike frames from the center mirror does not restrict your rearward vision either. The only drawback is the fact that when going over bumps/ramps etc there is a possibility that you might ground the carrier, but this would only occur when travelling at speed.

http://www.xc70.com/pics/albums/userpics/normal_Copy%20of%20P1010179.JPGhttp://www.xc70.com/pics/albums/userpics/normal_Copy%20of%20P1010185.JPG

Option 4

This option has not been discussed at all. This option is for people you do not have or intent on installing a tow hitch. The carrier is 'held' onto the back door by means of tie straps at all edges. This is the same as having the hitch mounted option but in my opinion this could lead to undue pressure/weight being placed against the rear door glass which could cause a breakage. The bike(s) should be held high enough on this carrier not to warrant the addition of a new licence plate or lights on the rear edge. There is also no real way of securing this as the straps can be removed when not in use by anyone and the opening of the door would also be prevented because of the amount of pressure/weight the bike(s) would have on the glass when the door is fully opened.

These are the only places that you can attach a bike to your car, short of putting a trailer behind. The brand that Volvo use is Thule and since they are made in the USA and most of the prices are between $100 - $200 I would have thought that a Thule product would be the way to go. Even if you are recieving a rebate, this comes nowhere near the price that Thule charge you in the first place. The model I have shows you the carrier mounted on the rear of a XC70 on the box. Sometimes saving money can pay, I object paying Volvo to put their prices up by X% just to have the VOLVO name enblazened over it.

I think a look over the Thule site would enlighten you as to the options I have described and you will also find prices there as well.
Thule US site (http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/default.asp)
Thule rest of the World site (http://www.thule.com/)

I have not found any problems with my unit, either using it, storing it in the car when not in use or storing it at home. It is rugged, light and very compact when not in use.


OPTION: buy some bikefridays. fold'em and throw 'em in the back end
OPTION: get the trailer hitch and pull a small trailer with the bikes.
OPTION: don't ride bikes.

sorry, but being an 'out of the box' creative thinker, i feel compelled to examine all the possibilities? there are probably a couple of more ideas too.

i have tried all the options, and the easiest, most convenient for me is the roof rack, fork mount (NOT with profile bars). next best is the bikefridays.

rich kestner

[Sasquatch]

I have one like this:

http://www.rhodegear.com/images/products/speedster-3.jpg

[dtlayman]

The Volvo tilt feature sounds great. I am unaware of Thule racks or Yakima racks that have the tilt feature that the Volvo unit has, but maybe the tilt feature is more luxury than we need.

Also, I am wondering if the Volvo unit comes with a lock system and the nice stabilizers that the upper end Thule and Yakima racks.

Thanks for the information and pictures that others have already provided.

We are hoping to make a decision before the rebate ends on Sept 30.

[kat]

I have a 3 bike hitch Thule unit and it tilts when needed. By the way the Volvo hitch units I have seen have been rebranded Thule units.

[dtlayman]

We didn't purchase the bike rack a couple of years ago because we decided that we wouldn't need it enough until our little guy started riding himself.

Now that a couple of years have passed, I thought I should ask to see if there is any new advice related to hitch mounted bike racks. We would be looking at a 4 bike carrier - probably Thule, Yakima, or Volvo model. I noticed that REI has a sale on their carriers. I think the Thule model that swings out of the way purchased at REI right now would be almost a couple hundred less than the Volvo model if I am looking at this correctly.

Also, we already have the hitch installed, although I didn't install any special wiring etc for lights? Is this needed when you install one of these hitch mounted carriers?

Thanks.