2-Bike Carrier Options for 2012 Honda Civic to Transport Adult Bike Equipped with Child Seat

Question:

I am going to purchase a bike rack for my Honda 2013 civic. 2 questions: 1. I have a Bell cocoon babyseat on the back of one bike and I need to carry 2 bicycles on the bike rack. What is the best bicycle rack for this scenario? 2. I see hitch racks. Is this really an option for my civic because if so I will get a hitch installed. Thank you for your time and expertise.

asked by: Tain G

Expert Reply:

In general a hitch-mount bike rack offers some compelling advantages over a trunk-mount type. These include the fact that with a hitch installed on your car you can also use other hitch-mount items such as a hitch cargo carrier. Also, hitch-mount racks do not place any weight load on a car's thin sheet metal, glass or plastic trim components. This rack type also gives you more options in the platform style of carrier which supports the bikes at their wheels.

For a hitch, you can choose the Curt # 11391 that has a 1-1/4" opening and a 200-pound tongue weight or the EcoHitch # 306-X7235 that has a 2" opening and a 300-pound tongue weight.

You can then choose a bike carrier to fit your hitch. A link to all 2-bike Class I racks is included also. these will all fit the Curt hitch, and many will fit both. A cost-effective option is the Malone Runway # MPG2149 which is a platform style rack with plenty of room for the child seat thanks to its 8-1/4-inches of clearance from the hitch pin hole. You can add an anti-rattle hitch lock # MPG2174 and bike cable lock # e98891 to secure the carrier and your bikes. This rack weighs 32 pounds. This choice with fit the EcoHitch or the Curt.

I recommend the EcoHitch # 306-X7235, because it will give you many more options with the 2" opening.