Bike Rack Recommendation for a 2011 Honda Civic EX-L  

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Expert Reply:

We have many bike rack options for your 2011 Honda Civic EX-L, however, you will first want to decide on what type of bike rack you prefer. There are three types of bike racks, trunk mount, hitch mount and roof mount.

A trunk mount bike rack like the Thule OutWay 2 Bike Rack, # TH45JV, will be the most cost effective option. This bike rack uses 2 retractable cables to attach to your trunk and can support two bikes up to 33 lbs each. I have attached the installation instructions and a demonstration video for you to check out as well as a link to all of the trunk mount bikes racks that will fit your Civic.

Your other two bike rack options, roof mount or hitch mount, will require the addition of a roof rack or trailer hitch to your Civic. While these options do require more of an investment, I would recommend them over a trunk mount option. Trunk mount bike racks are a very popular option to carry bikes, but they do have a greater potential to damage your vehicle because they are in constant contact with the vehicle. If they are overloaded or overtightened, they can create dents in the trunk or bumper. It is also important that you keep the pads of the bike rack and surface of the trunk clean to prevent scratches.

My recommendation would be to install a trailer hitch like the Curt Class I Trailer Hitch, # C11391, and use a hitch mount bike rack like the Swagman Trailhead 2 Bike Rack, # S63360. The Trailhead has a 3-inch rise in the shank for greater ground clearance and comes with many features such as anti-sway cradles and an anti-rattle hitch pin. I have attached videos and instructions for both the hitch and bike rack for you to check out. You would also need the stabilizer strap # 18050 to go with this setup. This is required by the Curt hitch.

The final option is a roof mount bike rack. For this option, you will need to add a roof rack to your Civic as well as two roof mount bike racks. There are many roof rack options available for your Civic so I attached a link to them for you to compare. If you would like a specific recommendation, just let me know. I have also attached a link to all of our roof mount bike racks.

If the bikes that you plan on carrying has angled or step-through frames and you will be using a trunk mount or hitch mount bike rack, I recommend picking up a bike adapter bar like part # TH982XT. Bikes with angled frames can be difficult to load on a bike rack and will cause ground clearance problems. This adapter will allow you to carry the bikes easily and safely.

expert reply by: John H

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