How to Carry 4 Bikes on a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen

Question:

I have a 2011 Jetta Sportwagen that Im getting ready to buy a tow hitch and bike rack from you all. After doing a little research on your site, is it safe to conclude that there are no 4 bike racks that will work with the trailer hitches you guys sell? It seems like the max is only 2 bike carriers for the tow hitch racks? Is that a correct assessment? Is there no way to get 4 bikes on a tow hitch rack for my car?

asked by: Andrew L

Expert Reply:

All of the trailer hitches available for the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen are Class I rated trailer hitches. You are correct in your assessment that a Class I hitch can only carry a maximum of 2 bikes. The issue that you run into with a third or fourth bike is not just the weight of the bikes, but the distance that weight is placed from the trailer hitch. They put additional leverage on the hitch that it cannot support. It is similar to using a pipe extension on a wrench to break a rusty bolt.

To carry 4 bikes on your Jetta Sportwagen, your best and safest option would be to use a 2-bike hitch mount bike rack and carry the other two bikes on the roof.

If you are interested in this route, you will first want to install a hitch like the Curt Hitch, # C11474 and a 2-bike hitch mounted bike rack like the Hollywood Racks Trail Rider, # HR200Z. I strongly recommend platform-style bike racks because they are easy to load and provide 3 attachment points to secure the bike.

To carry two bikes on the roof, you will need a roof rack and roof mounted bike racks. If your Jetta Sportwagen does not have the factory crossbars, then you can add a set of crossbars using part # MPG201. I have also attached a link to all of the crossbar options for your vehicle for you to check out.

For roof mounted bike racks, my personal favorite roof mount bike racks are the RockyMounts bike racks like the TieRod, part # RKY1012. The RockyMounts bike racks are easy to use and they are the only brand that comes in several different colors. I have attached a link to all of our RockyMounts roof bike racks for you to check out.

I have attached a few review videos of the bike racks that I mentioned for you to check out as well.