Hatchback bike racks

[brumby33]

I'm hoping to visit Grafton to see Mum in the next week or so and would love to take the Vivente but only have a Corolla Hatch. Was looking to get a set of those racks that strap on the rear of a hatch.
Does anyone use this type of rack and are they strong enough to hold a full touring bike?
I'm also thinking of taking my MTB to give to my 11 yr old Nephew as a gift.
So that'd be 2 bikes to carry all the way from Syd to Grafton and Inverell.
Also would such a rack scratch the heck out of the car's paint?

Cheers

Brumby33
(Dave)

[RonK]

I have used such a rack made by Thule, but only to carry carbon fibre bikes, not heavy steel ones. I always put duct tape over the paintwork where the rack contacted the car.
Nonetheless I almost lost one of the bikes once when one side came off - I don't recall how/why it happened but it did.
I never felt very confident about this type of rack and eventually had a tow bar fitted and got a tow bar mounted rack.
But it ought to be ok as long as you stop and check occasionally.

[g-boaf]

I'm hoping to visit Grafton to see Mum in the next week or so and would love to take the Vivente but only have a Corolla Hatch. Was looking to get a set of those racks that strap on the rear of a hatch.
Does anyone use this type of rack and are they strong enough to hold a full touring bike?
I'm also thinking of taking my MTB to give to my 11 yr old Nephew as a gift.
So that'd be 2 bikes to carry all the way from Syd to Grafton and Inverell.
Also would such a rack scratch the heck out of the car's paint?

Cheers

Brumby33
(Dave)

How large is that vivente, can you take the wheels off it? I've been in a corolla with two road bikes in the back seat (one was 54, the other 56cm) and enough supplies nearly to keep a small army going for a number of days.

The Corolla was surprising how much stuff it could fit.

[Usernoname]

I thought about trying one a while ago but there's a Hatch with rear strap on rack around the corner on my morning dog walk. Noticed the hatch door body had caved in/dented where the bottom of the rack sits. Good chance it will cause $$$ damage to your car.

[RonK]

These Saris Bones are highly regarded and very well priced at Pushys.

Saris Bones

[ColinOldnCranky]

I bought a Thule for my daughters small hyundaii and it works a treat. I recall there were two sizes for hatchbacks. And there was a lesser priced one which, from memory, was not as secure.

Anyway, we paid the bucks and it works well, is reasonably secure from theft and can be left on for a long as you like.

[ironhanglider]

I thought about trying one a while ago but there's a Hatch with rear strap on rack around the corner on my morning dog walk. Noticed the hatch door body had caved in/dented where the bottom of the rack sits. Good chance it will cause $$$ damage to your car.

Who says it was the rack that did it? Who says it was installed with any thought?

I have a strap on rack (Allen) that I've used on a sedan and two different hatches. Because the pads are squashy there is often a bit of movement. You may need to adjust the position of the rack to make sure that there is some support underneath the panel you are pressing against but that is just common sense surely.

I've carried two tandems with mine, and three bikes on other occasions, so the rack can certainly carry the load. However because there is inevitably some movement, make sure you put it onto a clean surface. Dirt in between the two surfaces will act like sandpaper in theory. I've always given the panel and the pad a wipe before putting it on, and never had a problem.

The other trap for young players is to make sure that the bikes don't obscure the number plate. The fee for acquiring a bike rake plate is about 1/10th the cost of the fine for an obscured plate, the problem is the lead time to acquire the plate.

Cheers,

Cameron

[brumby33]

Looks like I could be out of luck, I checked the Thule website and put down my car make and model and it doesn't have a rack that would suit my car.
Apparently hatchback racks will depend on the hatch and it could be that the rear window on the Corolla (well at least my 2014 model) maybe too small but it did say on the website that it depends on the shape of the Hatch door, the ones on the corolla doesn't seem to have the right shape...it is more vertical in angle & shape than say a Lancer or a Ford Focus etc.

When I picked up my previous Vivente L size bike, I drove down from Newcastle to Sydney in the Corolla, took the front wheel off and the bike fitted inside with both seats down and laying flat and it fitted with no problem only that i scratched the bumper getting it in, then we drove down to Costco at Casula and bought a trolly full of stuff and loaded it on top of and in around the bike and all was good...so Yeah G-Boaf...it's surprising how much stuff you can put in a Corolla so I think it may be the way i'll go with it. I might end up putting on a towbar just for a decent hitch rack eventually.

I don't think I like the idea of putting one bike on top of each other though, I suppose it could be done but I don't have anything thick enough to go between them to stop any rubbing etc....so one bike will have to stay home...so I reckon the Vivente wins.
There's lots of nice places to ride up Grafton way, even just in town but head out towards Lawrence along the river, catch a ferry (free) and head up through some of the small river villages towards Maclean, then there's the Old Grafton-Glen Innes road or the road out through to Logans Bridge where i used to go swimming as a young lad.....I've done some of these places on a motorcycle but not on a bicycle.

Thanks fellas for your answers....but I think I'll just wack it in the back of the car....OR.....I might take the Suzuki V-Strom and hit some trails on the way up......either way, I'd like to be on 2 wheels at least some of the way.

Cheers

brumby33

[Hergest]

Have a look at https://www.seasucker.com.au I've used one for 3 or 4 years now on my old 6 series BMW as there isn't a rack available. Easy to set up, rock solid in use. I've had it with single bikes, pairs of bikes and my bike and wife's trike on and never had a problem. Fits any vehicle.

[RobertL]

Nice 6 series coupe!