2004 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible Turbo Hitch and Bike Rack Recommendation

Question:

Hi Everybody! I am looking for a bicycle rack for the above car. Some of your QandA answers seem to be in conflict with your Is it compatible with your car?inch button. One answer says a trunk rack would work for the VW New Beetle 2004 Convertible Turbo, the compatibility says excluding convertiblesinch or excluding Turbo or Turbo S I live on a steep hill by the coast and want a bike rack simply to carry my bike a 1/2 mile down and much more importantly back up the hill my climbing days are behind me!. I also have a Kent tandem bike that would like to do the same with. This would be a short distance on side streets. I could jerry-rig the tandem onto the rack if necessary. What is the best setup for me? Thanks in advance for your response!

asked by: Bill M

Expert Reply:

Because your 2004 VW new Beetle is a convertible, you cannot add a trunk mount bike rack because the rack will not be able to safely secure to the rear of the vehicle. If you want to carry bikes on the vehicle then you will need to install a trailer hitch like # 24679. I have included links to the installation instructions and a video showing a typical installation.

For a bike rack, I recommend the Titan, # S63400. This is a 2 bike rack (the most that the Class I hitch can hold). It features anti-sway cradles, the ability to tilt away from the vehicle, and an integrated cable lock. I have included some links on the bike rack as well.

There isn't a way to really carry a tandem bike with a Class I hitch since they don't have the capacity.

expert reply by: Jameson C