Recommendations on How to Carry 3 Bikes on a 2009 Honda Civic and 2011 Hyundai Elantra  

Question:

Helpful Expert Reply:

Although there is not a hitch available that will allow you to carry three bikes with your 2009 Honda Civic or 2011 Hyundai Elantra, I have another option for you. The Thule Archway Bike Carrier, # TH9010XT, will mount to the trunk of both the Civic and the Elantra and allow you to carry three bikes.

If you plan on carrying women's, children's or alternative framed bikes, I recommend an adapter bar like the Swagman Easy-Out, # 64005. This bar attaches between the seat post and the handlebar stem and allows the bike to be carried more evenly in the carrier while providing more ground clearance.

I have attached a couple videos for you to check out.

The hitches that are available for the Civic and the Elantra are all Class I. The hitch and bike rack manufacturers all agree that no more than two bikes should be carried on a bike rack used in a Class I hitch. The weight of the additional bikes can be a problem, but the greater issue is that when additional bikes are placed in the rack, the load is moved away from the receiver tube. As the distance becomes greater, so does the amount of leverage applied to the receiver and the attachment points between the vehicle and the hitch. Excessive leverage can damage the hitch or result in the failure of the attachment points between the hitch and vehicle, resulting in the loss of the load.

expert reply by: Leah S

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