Recommended Option for Carrying Two Bikes on 2012 Toyota Corolla  

Question:

Expert Reply:

You would indeed need to remove the bike rack in order to open the trunk. Having the rack in place would physically prevent the trunk from opening, if you were to partially undo the rack enough so the trunk would open, the extra weight of the rack could dent the trunk lid if you slammed the trunk, so it's best to simply remove the rack.

Because of this, if you DO use a trunk mounted rack you'll want to use one that installs and removes super quick and easy, like the Thule OutWay # TH45JV 2 bike rack. If you've ever seen how the usual trunk mount rack operates with the buckles and straps that you'll need to fool with, you'll be astounded at how easy the OutWay is to use. The Raceway uses only 2 rubber coated straps instead of the usual 4-6 of other carriers. This allows the carrier to be installed or removed in seconds.

A hitch mounted rack would certainly be another option. If you went that route, I'd recommend the Draw-Tite Class I hitch, part # 24913. Swagman makes a reasonably priced 2 bike rack, the Trailhead # S63360. You'll have no problem accessing the trunk once the bikes are removed, and the rack can tilt away from the vehicle once the bikes are removed for better trunk access. The hitch/bike rack combo would be less expensive than the Raceway trunk mount I recommended, plus you'd have the hitch to use as a mounting point for other hitch accessories like a cargo carrier, part # C18110.

expert reply by: Mike L

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