Bike Rack for Three Bikes and Cargo Box on Yakima JetStream Crossbars

Question:

I am looking for 3 bike racks. I have a RetraxPro XR with Yakima Jet Streams on my 2013 F150. I am looking to add a few things to it. We haul 3 bikes and I would like to find an affordable but secure rack the bikes. I also would love to be able to fit 3 bikes and a roofbox of some kind. Not sure if it is possible. The bikes are a 26 mountain bike, a 29 Surly Ogre, and a hybrid bike. What rack would you recommend and would it be possible to fit 3 bikes and a cargo box of some dimension on there?

asked by: Chad

Expert Reply:

You may be able to squeeze in three bike racks and a cargo box on the Yakima JetStream crossbars that are on your 2013 Ford F-150, it just depends on how long the crossbars are. Let's start with the bike rack first, and for your bikes I like the RockyMounts SwitchHitter LS Roof Bike Rack # RKY1270.

This is a fork-mounted rack that is among the most affordable options and will work with bikes that have a wheelbase of 34" - 48", and with wheels that are 20" - 29" in diameter and up to 3" wide. This rack will fit in the top channel of your JetStream bars so long as they are spaced out between 16" - 48".

Since these racks are just 5-1/4" wide, you should not have any problem fitting a cargo box on the rack. The Thule Pulse Alpine Rooftop Cargo Box # TH613 is just 25-1/2" wide and is an affordable option relative to other cargo boxes, though it holds less cargo than most, 11 cubic feet. It will fit crossbar spreads of 23-5/8" - 35-3/4".

A better option for carrying more gear - though boxes that hold more cargo do cost more - is the Thule Force XT Rooftop Cargo Box # TH6357B. This box has 16 cubic feet of cargo space, is 33" wide and needs a crossbar spread of 23-5/8" - 33".

I have added links to video reviews for you to check out as well of the bike rack and cargo boxes.

expert reply by: Kyle S