What type of bike rack should I get for my 2008 Honda Fit?

Question

I have never owned a bike rack, which has put me at a disadvantage of searching for one for the fit. I have seen some things online in forums, but nothing really thorough that lets me know it will fit okay on the honda fit.

Answer 1

There are lots of choices of bike rack types and each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. You really need to figure out what type of rack you want first, then find the rack that provides the best fit for your car. The basic choices are: roof top, trunk and hitch mounted.

A roof top rack is great if you are going to be carrying your bike around a lot. The great things about a roof rack is you install it and largely forget about it and it doesn't get in your way like a trunk or hitch mounted rack. Roof rack companies make a wide variety of mounts that can hold nearly any type of bike quite securely. As well, they make boxes, mounts for boats, unruly relatives etc. A roof top rack gives you lots of flexibility, but is the most expensive option, may need a fairing to reduce wind noise, and will reduce your gas mileage.

A trunk rack is inexpensive and great for occasional use. Just pull it out of the garage (or trunk), unfold, mount it, load your bikes and go. Impact on gas mileage will be less than a roof rack. On the downside, the straps and clips that affix the rack to your car are a real pain and will scratch your car's paint. Trunk racks are also prone to scratching and/or rubbing the paint on your bike. The straps will make a tremendous racket in the wind if they are slightly loose. Forget access to your trunk when bikes are loaded. Furthermore, it may be nearly impossible to mount certain types of bikes on some trunk racks, so be sure your bike fits on the rack before leaving the store.

A hitch rack is easy to mount and dismount. They can hold bikes quite securely, as well. Cost is between a roof rack and a trunk rack. Your car will have to have a receiver hitch. Most hitch racks fold down, somewhat out of your way, to give access to your trunk. Because the bikes are held low and largely out of the wind stream, impact on mileage is usually minimal.

My recommendation is to think about the type of rack you want first and study the literature at the websites of Thule, Yakima, and Saris. All three of these companies also provide fit information for a variety of vehicles.

For your information, I had great luck at our local REI. They really knew racks there.

Hope this helps you out.

Good luck!

Answer 2

If your bikes are full suspension, even the Saris Bones could be a problem, though it is a very nice trunk rack and I have put two Specialized Epics on one without too much trouble. My boyfriends Tracer won't fit on it, though, and it is a size medium. Another rack you might look for is the Yakima King Joe racks (2 or 3 bike versions). They are supposed to have narrower arms, but I have never tried one out. One thing you might consider is a frame adaptor that is made to create a "top tube" for the rack to attach to. The adaptor connects between the seat post and just under the handle bars, and then the adaptor goes over the bars of the bike rack. It makes the bike hang a little low, and you will want to bungee it down so it is not loose, but it will at least fit on your rack. For an example, see the XPORT Frame Adaptor at Performance. If you use one of these, make sure your seat post is very firmly in place!! Another option, though pricier, is to get a hitch mount rack or roof rack. The roof rack on an SUV might be a bit hard to reach, but a hitch mount with trays makes putting bikes on the car SO easy. And many SUVs come with the hitch already in place, so you just have to buy a rack. An example is the Saris Cycle-On rack. Other companies, including Thule and Yakima make similar ones. My boyfriend has a Cycle-On, so I can vouch that it is well made and very easy to use. I have a roof rack on my car with various Thule and Yakima trays to hold up to 4 bikes. Tray racks, whether roof or hitch mount, will hold any bike not matter what the frame style or wheel size (with the exception of tandems and recumbents, and maybe really small kids bikes)

Answer 3

You can get a trailer hitch for your Honda Fit. U-Haul sells one with a 1/25" receiver for $99 made by Curt Manufacturing and it works quite well. No modifications required to your car-- Bolt it on and go.

Once the hitch is installed, put on any Thule or Yakima rack with a 1.25" mount, and you can start lugging your bikes around with your Fit, no fuss no muss.

Good luck.

Answer 4

I'd look at the websites for Thule and Yakima racks. They have very good fit guides which tell you which products will fit your specific car. In some cases they even go down to trim level.

Answer 5

well its still 2007 and and nothing could fit your bike for 2008 model..LOL