Subaru Outback Forums banner

Deciding between hitch mount bike rack or Yakima roof rack...

4K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  PittCaleb 
#1 ·
The age old Subaru OB dilemma for those with the OEM folding factory rack! I previously owned a 2012 OB and had a Torklift EcoHotch installed and used a Kuat NV hitch-mounted bike rack. Rack was great but was pretty darn heavy, was a slight inconvenience when I had the dog back in the cargo area on trips, and would almost always scrape the bike rack when turning into driveways and have to be VERY careful when traveling down trails heading to trailheads off-road when carrying bikes, etc.

Recently picked up a new 2017 OB and I'm considering getting the Yakima Landing Pad 15, towers and round bars instead of going with a hitch this time. I want to be able to accommodate a Skybox 16 and carry 2 bikes. I'd really only need the rack a couple times a year at most. It would get rid of the clearance issues I was having with the hitch-mounted rack and also mean easy access to the cargo area for gear, the dog, etc. I could also just go with a Skybox 12, but even with that setup I could only get one bike tray up on the roof with the smaller cargo box. Downsides to the bikes on the roof would be most likely a greater hit in fuel efficiency compared to a hitch mounted rack. I'm 6'2" tall, so getting the bikes on and off the roof wouldn't be an issue, and if I went this route I'd most likely go with the Yakima Frontloader and just sell the Kuat NV that I currently have.

Opinions and experiences appreciated. Thanks!
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Not a fan actually. Over $600 for the two bike hitch mounted rack in black is ridiculous. I already have the NV, so if I went the hitch mounted route, I'd just use the Kuat that I already have. or just sell the Kuat and go with the roof rack options.
 
#5 ·
My 2cents,
I have them both, roof and rear bumper hitch, both thule, tried others as well( friends setups).
I can say I am glad I went the hitch route, I am 5'7" and hate having to hookup the bike on top of the car, even 6plus guys hate having to put a bike, especially DOWNHILL rigs on top of my Baja.
Now I just flip the rear hitch out of the way when I do not need it and just flip it down and lock the bike in, with Thules lock system, and drive away.
SAVES ON FUEL!
A couple of notes;
you are going to hate the guy that rides your bumper in traffic when you have your bikes mounted on the back, especially if you have a very expensive bike/s mounted on it.
Its easier for thieves to get to, roofs are just ridiculous for thieves.
Remembering it there when parking.
Hope this helps.
oh yeah, one more thing the hitch removes much faster, however they can get up there in weight so pick a brand thats fairly light and secure.
 
#8 ·
I think you understand the pros and cons of each pretty well.

The trays are easier to load and unload, but on road trips I find they are a little bit of a pain because they (and the bikes) are in the way of rear gate access.

I went with a hitch rack because I am often transporting a single bike, and using a single tray 1UP rack, it does not block the rear hatch when folded up. Thus I can just leave it on all the time and it is never in the way.

If i did not have such an option, I think I would have gone with a roof rack IF I was also getting something like the Landing Pads and longer/stronger bars.
 
#9 ·
I am also thinking about which to get. I think I will go with the hitch carrier for a few reasons. 1. I hate the thought of scratching the roof or door trying to get the bikes down from the roof. 2. I have a receiver on my F150 so I would be able to mount the bikes on either the OB or my truck. 3. Gas mileage would be better on the hitch.
 
#10 ·
I think another thing to consider is how weird the added height of aftermarket bars look on the Outback. Personally I don't like how high they sit. I would imagine they are pretty noisy too. I'd def go with hitch mount rack and box on top.

I actually had my Fat bike fall off the roof and scratch the crap out of my FXT. This pushed me towards the 1UP setup. Another cool feature of the 1Up, is that you can buy just a single bike carrier, and add on units for when you are carrying more bikes. I really like the clean look of the single carrier. Also you don't have move the rack when opening the rear gate (only when you have 2 or more add ons attached). We have 1 single on both cars, and switch the add on back and forth depending what vehicle we take. Just food for thought. And they don't weigh 75 lbs. Go with the 2" version and there is barely any sway at 75mph on the highway. Pretty sturdy and overbuilt IMO.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Sell the Kuat as they have really good resale value (assuming you didn't sticker bomb it, and scrape it up too badly). Use the money towards the 1Up. Having a hitch on the car has other uses besides holding a bike rack. And with the 1Up, you'll have a way better departure angle like others have said. But I realize that I'm really good at spending other peoples money, so if the 1Up isn't an option than oh well.

Bikes on the top decrease gas mileage, increase wind noise, and subject your bikes to the elements much more than having them tucked behind the car. A lot of people can remember to not pull their car in to the garage with the bikes on, but not everyone remembers to avoid fast food drive throughs and low hanging branches. And if you only put the bikes on a couple times a year, then the odds of you forgetting about your height restrictions are not good. I'm 6'1" and the idea of lifting my bikes (even my 24lb XC hard tail) up on top of the OB sounds horrible, especially after a long ride.

Bikes on the back have a negative effect on gas mileage, minimal wind noise, and the bikes are tucked behind the vehicle not getting blasted by rain, snow, or worse...bugs. You can also see your bikes in the rear view mirror as you drive so you can keep an eye on them. Security to me is about the same between roof racks and hitch racks if you're doing it right. And the trays can act as a makeshift bike work stand (especially the Kuat). If it wasn't for the tongue weight limit, you could almost wheelie the bike on to the hitch rack. Also, the Kuat has a really nice latch for lowering it to access the lift gate even with the bikes on.

Each method is a compromise. I love my hitch rack.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sbpark
#12 ·
For local trails the generic hitch tray style rack is my top choice. For long road trips fork mount roof trays with my 30inch wide roof box between them on 54inch bars. I like the bikes up where I can see them ie secured when we stop for a bite. Also they arent low hanging targets for vehicles to clip in parking lots. Plus we have a 4x6 camp trailer. The roof set up is a pretty solid 5mpg hit at 70mph but under 65 its minimal.
 
#14 ·
I hadn't thought about better visibility of the bikes when parked. That's spot on. I always have to park in a spot where I can see the rack from the building. Lots of backing in to front parking spots ;) With the bikes up top you don't even need to be able to see your car, just your bikes towering over the crowd. I'd still hate having to hoist them up there.
 
#13 ·
For those of you with the Kuat on a 2015-2017, with the hatch open on the OB without hitting the Kuat when it's in it's folded up position with no bikes? It just barely cleared the bike rack in this position on my 2012, but not sure if it will on the 2016.
 
#15 ·
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top