How to Transport 3 Bikes 1 E-Bike with a 2018 Subaru Outback Wagon

Question

Question:

Our family of three is looking for a rack that will carry three bikes. One bike is a Giant LaFree step through with fenders. The other two are normal mens bikes. Our car is a Subaru Outback with a 1 1/4 inch hitch. What rack do you recommend for our family? thank you.

asked by: Alyse P

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Expert Reply:

I do have a recommendation for you, but with your specific bike rack needs you don't be able to use your 1-1/4" trailer hitch on your 2018 Subaru Outback Wagon to carry all 3 bikes. Either the bike rack is way too heavy and requires a 2" receiver, like the Draw-Tite # 76227, or it doesn't have the attachment option you need, plus the weight capacity for your heavier bike.

For your application you'll need to use a hitch bike rack and a roof mounted bike rack. The hitch mount bike rack I recommend your 1-1/4" receiver is the Thule EasyFold XT # TH903202 which has a 65 lbs per bike capacity and comes with a loading ramp.

Then for a roof rack I recommend the Yakima CoreBar roof rack which includes parts # Y00421, # Y64AR, and # Y32CR if you have a Touring or parts # Y00421, # Y53TR, and # Y00241 if you don't have the Touring. This then allows you to use a roof mount bike rack like the high-end HighRoad # Y02114 (please see bike rack product pages for bike rack compatibility with your normal mens bike).

I have attached some review videos for you to check out.

expert reply by: Jon G

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Answer 1

I have a longer crossbar roof rack solution for your 2017 Subaru Outback Wagon Touring with flush rails but since the Evo Wingbars mounting slot on the bottom of the bar where it attaches to the feet of the rack is not very long a longer bar would…

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Answer 2

I reached out to Yakima and they told me that the Yakima ShowDown Kayak or SUP Carrier and Lift Assist with Tie-Downs #Y04081 will be just 9 inches above the roof rack on your 2020 Subaru Outback Touring. If you take a look at the accompanying photo…

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Answer 3

The Yakima ShowDown Kayak or SUP Carrier and Lift Assist part #Y04081 requires about 42" of crossbar space. Therefore, you'd wouldn't be able to realistically fit two side by side. I'd suggest using the etrailer J-Style Kayak Carrier…

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Answer 4

To fit two Thule Hullavators on the roof of your 2018 GMC Acadia with raised roof rails you'd need a longer crossbar setup which for that you'd want the Malone roof rack part #MPG216 which will give you 58 inch bars. Where it sounds like…

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Answer 5

The ShowDown part #Y04081 has the weight capacity and is wide enough to carry the kayaks you mentioned so it would work well. Then for a wider bar roof rack that fits your 2016 Ford Expedition EL the Thule Rack part numbers #TH711500 and #TH710401 is…

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Answer 6

The Yakima ShowDown Kayak or SUP Carrier #Y04081 requires at least 3-1/2 inches of crossbar overhang beyond the feet/towers for proper operation. If the existing 58 inch bars on your F-250 overhang by just 1/16 of an inch then you will need bars that…

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Answer 7

To install Thule's load-assist Hullavator kayak carrier #TH898 on a vehicle's roof rack the ends of the bars must extend out past the roof rack feet by at least 4-inches. You can see this requirement illustrated in the linked diagram. The…

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Answer 8

The Yakima ShowDown kayak carrier part #Y04081 can fit your 2014 Subaru Outback Wagon but would require an aftermarket roof rack as it won't fit the factory bars. So for that Yakima recommends the Jetstream bar roof rack #Y00425 and #Y33TR which…

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Answer 9

Since the Yakima Showdown part #Y04081 hangs over the crossbars quite a bit when installed and they are 42 inches long the best bar length for two of them would be 60 inch like you mentioned. So for that you'd want the #Y00426 if you had the…

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Answer 10

The best option to make loading kayaks on the roof of your 2019 Subaru Forester is going to be with an assisted kayak carrier like the Thule Hullavator part #TH898 which you'd load at waist height and then push the rack and kayak up onto the roof…

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Answer 11

In order for the Yakima #Y04081 ShowDown kayak carrier/load assist to be compatible, your crossbars would need to extend at least 3-1/2 inches past the outside edge of the roof rack foot as shown in the provided diagram. I looked at online photos of…

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Answer 12

The differences between the older Thule AeroBlade and the newer WingBar Evo crossbars have to do with the design, but fitment-wise they are the same. Since Thule has 47" bars listed as a fit for your 2019 Subaru Outback Wagon Touring and there…

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