Carrying at Least 2 Mountain Bikes on a 2016 Mercedes Benz E400 Wagon  

Question:

Expert Reply:

I have a couple of solutions for you that take advantage of different systems to carry at least two mountain bikes on your 2016 Mercedes E400 Wagon. Unfortunately, there is not a hitch available for your E400 at this time.

Instead, I recommend a trunk or roof mounted solution for your bikes, as this provides the least invasive method of adding carriers.

For the trunk, I recommend the Yakima HangOut 2, part # Y02638 . This rack has anti-sway cradles, and includes all attachments and parts necessary to fit around the factory spoiler. It even includes glass hatch adapters that are required for its top straps to help protect your vehicle's rear trunk and better support the weight of your bikes.

If you'd rather go with the roof and have bikes with quick release front wheels, I recommend the SeaSucker MiniBomber 3 bike rack, part # 298-BB3008 . This innovative rack mounts to the top of your vehicle using vacuum cups, and allows up to three bikes to quickly mount to your roof. Additionally, since a roof rack isn't necessary and the installation is quick and easy, it doesn't change the look of your vehicle.

If you're interested in adding a roof rack, and along with it the added versatility and cargo space it can provide, you have a range of racks to pick, but I have two specific suggestions that fit with what you're looking to do.

First, the Yakima RailBar Crossbars, part # Y00434-2 for silver and part # Y00449-2 for black, add a sleek, factory look to your vehicle with t-channels for mounting a wider range of accessories. These are low profile, easy to install bars that are an all-in-one kit for easy installation. There is a lock kit available for these roof bars as part # Y07204 that is compatible with Yakima's Single Key System, letting you key-alike all of your Yakima accessories.

Conversely, if you'd rather have the absolute widest range of accessories and would like a little overhang on the vehicle, Thule's WingBar Evo kit is a great choice. This kit consists of:

Thule 47 inch WingBars, # TH711200 in silver or # TH711220 in black
Evo Raised Rail Feet, # TH710401

This rack is also quick to install, and allows for the same level of customization, but since it adds overhang, you can use various watersport carriers and have added tie-down points for cargo space. Additionally, the ends of the caps rotate away, making installation of T-Track accessories extremely easy. Thule's One-Key system locks are available for these bars, and you can use this system to key-alike all of your Thule accessories, as part # TH450800.

My favorite bike carriers tend to be wheel mounts, as you don't have to think about where to store the wheel of your bike in the car. I recommend the Thule UpRide, part # TH599000. You will obviously need one for each of your bikes.

This carrier has an easy to manage wheel clamp and integrated locks are available. If you decided to go with the Thule roof kit, you can instead buy a 8 cylinder One Key pack as part # TH588 , which will key alike the roof rack and two of these bike racks.

Another great option is the Yakima HighRoad, part # Y02114 . This is another wheel mount rack, however I like how quickly it mounts to your roof rack, with a locking hook and loop system that's fully integrated into the bottom of the rack. The wheel hoops are a little finicky but are still extremely easy to use, and if you have three of this rack on your roof, you'll find the fact that its wheel hoop folds down flat makes loading the center bike easier because you won't have to clear or correctly position the clamps facing like you do with the sidearm. It also is compatible with the Yakima SKS system, and if you go with the Yakima roof rack, you'll need an 8 pack as part # Y07208 for two racks.

For every one of these racks, I've included a video review so you can compare the racks features and ease of use and pick the solution that works best for your situation.

expert reply by: Jacob W

0