Bike Rack that Allows Full Cargo Area Access of 2010 Toyota RAV4 Sport

Question:

Hello, I have a 2010 Toyota Rav4 Sport, so no spare tire. My rear door swings open from left to right. I would like to buy a bike rack for at least 2 bikes maybe 4 that allows me to have access to the back of car. Ive been looking at the Yakima Full Swing racks, but after reading, I would prefer to have a platform based system for the safety of the bikes we have very expensive bikes!, plus it seems for those racks I would have to additionally purchase the top tube adapters which can add another $150. However, the platform systems that swing down, may not give me enough clearance to open door? Do you have any recommendations?

asked by: Brianne

Expert Reply:

If the rear door of your RAV4 swung upwards, finding a platform bike rack that tilted away enough for the rear door to open fully would be easy. However, since it swings to the side going with a swinging bike rack like the Yakima # Y02465 FullSwing will be your only alternative if you're wanting unencumbered access to the cargo area of your vehicle.

By going with the Swagman adapter bar # 64005 (which is actually easier to use than the Yakima adapter bar) you'll save quite a bit of money. For full cargo area access, this is going to be your best bet.

If having a platform rack is more important to you than the cargo area access, a rack like the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE 4 bike rack # HR1400Z could be a good choice for you. The rear 2 bike portion of the rack is removable, for when you only need to carry two bikes.

expert reply by: Mike L