Solutions for Carrying Three Bikes on 2013 Honda Accord Sedan with Class I Trailer Hitch  

Question:

Expert Reply:

All the bike rack and hitch manufacturers agree that no more than 2 bikes should be carried in a bike rack used in a Class I hitch like what's on your Accord. This is mainly due to the low 200 lb tongue weight capacity of a Class I hitch, but the other issue is that a third bike placed on a rack would place the load too far away from the hitch which would exert more leverage on the hitch than the vehicle was designed to withstand. This leverage can bend the hitch or cause the attachment points between the hitch and vehicle to fail. Which would not be good.

Swagman makes an excellent product, the two bike version of their Trailhead # S63360 bike rack would work great.

Your best bet for carrying three bikes would be to use a trunk mounted rack like the Thule OutWay # TH56BV trunk mount 3-bike rack. The rack features a security strap that helps to secure the rack to the vehicle as well as an integrated cable lock to secure the bikes to the rack.

If you'll be transporting women's bikes or bikes with sharply-angled top tubes, you might also consider a frame adapter bar like part # 64005. The bar spans the distance between the handlebar gooseneck and the seat post, which provides a secondary attachment point for the bike rack. This allows the bike to be carried level, which maximizes ground clearance. I'll link you to a video showing how the adapter bar works.

expert reply by: Mike L

0