Recommended Bike Carrying Options for 2006 VW Jetta

Question:

I am an all mountain biker. Not as much a fan of the idea of adding a roof rack since they cut down on gas mileage and are always there. My bike weighs 36. Id like to be able to carry 2-3 bikes at a time. Do I have to do the hitch mounted receiver type and add that or does that Thule wheel holding trunk mounted one work for mtn bikes vs road bikes ?

asked by: Kurt

Expert Reply:

There are three primary ways of carrying bikes with your Jetta, with a hitch mounted rack, a trunk mounted rack or on the roof.

The hitch mounted option would require you to install a hitch first. For this, I would recommend the Curt Class I receiver, part # C11474. The primary drawback to the hitch mounted option is that both the bike rack and the hitch manufacturers all agree that bike racks installed in a Class I receiver should not carry more than two bikes. Any additional bikes added after the first two will apply too much leverage to the hitch and its attachment points. This additional leverage can damage the hitch and possibly cause the loss of the rack and the bikes during transport, which would certainly be a bad thing. Since the rear end of a Jetta has relatively little ground clearance, I would recommend a platform-type rack with an angled shank like the Swagman XTC, part # S64670.

A trunk mounted rack would allow you to carry up to three bikes. The Thule OutWay 3-bike model, part # TH56BV would work very well for your mountain bike. The rack can carry up to three bikes with a combined weight of up to 99 lbs. Instead of the 6 straps and buckles that need to be adjusted every time the rack is installed or removed, the OutWay uses 2 ratcheting straps that make the rack ridiculously easy to install and remove. Two of the cables are lockable, and the rack includes an integrated cable lock to deter theft.

And your remaining option, the roof mount. If you wanted to go the hitch or trunk mounted rack route, any additional bikes would need to be carried on the roof. An inexpensive roof rack could be installed using The SportRack # SR1010. Once the crossbars are in place, The Thule ProRide XT Roof Bike Rack # TH598004 could be attached to the roof rack. I realize you are not horribly excited by a roof carrying option, but for carrying more than two bikes with a hitch mount or more than three bikes with a trunk mount, it would be your best option for those additional bikes.

It looks like your best and most inexpensive method of carrying the maximum number of bikes with a single piece of equipment would be a 3-bike trunk mount rack.

I have linked you to the parts I have recommended. If available, I have also linked to product demonstration videos you might find helpful..