Bike Rack Recommendations for a 2015 Toyota Sienna
Question:
I am brand new to the world of bike racks, so this may be a silly question, but here goes. Once you install this bike rack, will you always have the lower horizontal bar and then the tall vertical bar sticking out of the back of your vehicle? I understand that the upper horizontal bar does fold down. Does this mean that you can never, ever again simply open the rear door of the van via the button at the drivers seat, without first going out to tilt the bike rack down and out of the way of the rear door? If so, this type of bike rack will not work for our family. Is there a type of bike rack we can buy that will stay out of the way when not in use? Thanks so much!
asked by: Kathryn
Expert Reply:
With any trailer hitch mounted bike rack you will have to go back and do something with it prior to opening the rear hatch on your 2015 Toyota Sienna. Some racks tilt, some can swing off to the side, some will just have to be removed. But they all have one thing in common and that is that they will have to be manually manipulated in some way so you can open the rear hatch.
Thule and Yakima used to make racks that had a base part that fit in the hitch and then separate parts that could mount to those bases so you would essentially have a bike rack that was 2 parts. But those do not exist anymore.
One option would be a platform style rack such as # HR1400Z (2 inch hitch receiver opening only) so that when no bikes are on it the center masts can be left folded down allowing you to open the rear hatch. But a 4-bike platform rack can be costly and they are heavy.
What I recommend is a very light 4-bike rack that is easy to handle so that getting out of the vehicle to use it isn't too much of a chore such as the Saris Bones # SA884 which weighs just 22 pounds empty. Of course with any rack, when it is not being used, it is recommended to remove the rack from the hitch anyway so all of this could be a moot point! You wouldn't want to leave the rack in permanently because over time corrosion could cause the bike rack shank to fuse to the inside of the hitch receiver.
Products Referenced in This Question
Saris Bones Hitch Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
- Hitch Bike Racks
- Hanging Rack
- Folding Rack
- Tilt-Away Rack
- Frame Mount
- Locks Not Included
- 4 Bikes
- Class 2
- Class 3
- Fits 1-1/4 Inch Hitch
- Fits 2 Inch Hitch
- Fits 1-1/4 and 2 Inch Hitch
- Saris
more information >
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
- Hitch Bike Racks
- Platform Rack
- Folding Rack
- Tilt-Away Rack
- Frame Mount
- Bike and Hitch Lock
- 4 Bikes
- Class 3
- Fits 2 Inch Hitch
- Heavy Bikes
- Hollywood Racks
more information >
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