Thule Trunk Mounted Bike Rack Options for a 2006 Honda Civic SI with Factory Rear Spoiler

Question:

I am looking for a bike rack for my 2006 Honda Civic Si, which has the standard OEM rear spoiler provided by Honda. I understand there was a similar question asked on etrailer.com which provided great solutions. However, I am a fan of THULE, and was wondering if any of there trunk mounted bike racks will work, particular favorite being the THULE RACEWAY. If none of their trunk mounted work, possibly another THULE product alternative? Thanks in advance, I see from the posts on etrailer.com that you have great customer service.

asked by: Andrew G

Expert Reply:

I spoke with my contact at Thule and they said the Thule Raceway Bike Rack, # TH9001, is designed to fit all models of the 2006 Honda Civic, but they have not tested this bike rack on the SI model with rear spoiler. Unfortunately we have not had a chance to test our bike racks on SI models with rear spoilers either. This bike rack may fit on your vehicle, however, I cannot give you a straight yes or no answer if it will fit. I can tell you that we have not had a complaint of a factory spoiler interfering with this bike rack.

You may want to take a look at the Thule Gateway 2 Bike Rack, # TH9006XT. Thule has not tested this bike rack on the SI models with the rear spoilers, but the Gateway bike rack was designed with a slightly higher arc than most trunk mounted bike racks to accommodate for OEM spoilers. I have attached installation instructions and review videos of both bike racks for you to check out.

Another option that you may be interested in is adding a trailer hitch and using a hitch mounted bike rack. I recommend hitch mounted bike racks over trunk mounted bike racks because there is no contact between your vehicle and a hitch mounted bike rack essentially eliminating the possibility of damage or paint scratching from the bike rack and it allows for easy access to your trunk with having to remove the bike rack. For your vehicle I recommend the Draw-Tite Sportframe Trailer Hitch, # 24763. I have attached an installation video and instructions for you to check out.

For a hitch mounted bike rack, I would recommend either the Thule Doubletrack Platform-Style bike rack, # TH990XT, or the Thule Vertex Bike Rack, # TH9028. These are two of our most popular Thule bike racks. I have attached installation instructions and review videos of these bike racks for you to check out as well.

If you plan on carrying any womens or childrens bikes, then I would recommend picking up the Thule Bike Adapter Bar, # TH982XT. Some small or angled bike frames can be difficult to load on a bike rack and this bar will allow you to load the bikes easily and safely.

expert reply by: John H