Carrying Bikes on a 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited  

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Expert Reply:

The best bike rack is the one that's best for you. A lot of which is determined by how many and what kind of bikes you're going to be carrying. As well as how often you're going to be hauling the bikes.

Overall, in my opinion, a hitch mount bike rack is the best way to go; however if you need to carry more than two bikes it isn't going to work for you because the only hitches that are designed for your 2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid are Class I receivers which are only able to carry up to two bikes. If two bikes is all you need to carry then I recommend adding the Draw-Tite trailer hitch receiver, part # 24965, along with a bike rack to fit like the Kuat Transfer, part # KU74FR.

If you need to carry more than two bikes then the most economical route is a trunk mount rack. This is also a great choice if you don't use the rack very often because it's the least permanent option. A great choice is the Yakima FullBack, part # Y02633, because it's confirmed to fit your Hyundai, can carry up to three bikes, and has locks for the bikes. The downside to trunk mount racks is since they are actually being mounted on the vehicle they can potentially scratch or damage paint. Especially if you're using them for long periods of time or on a regular basis. So, in my opinion, maybe not the best for you and you're brand new car.

A roof rack is the most permanent of the three but can also be the most versatile. It has the potential of being used for other things and is also basically out of the way when you're not using it. Hitch mount and trunk mount racks need to go somewhere unless you're going to leave them on the back of the car all the time. Another benefit of a roof rack is you may be able to carry more bikes. You're limited by how much weight the vehicle's roof can handle (I recommend researching your vehicle to find out) and how much space is across the bars. Their downsides tend to be the cost and the fact that you have lug your bikes on and off the top of the car. If you choose a roof rack I recommend the Yakima CoreBar system: 60 inch crossbars # Y00422, BaseLine towers # Y28TR, and BaseClips # Y06137 and # Y06127.

Then once the rack is installed you add bike carriers to it, like the RockyMounts TomaHawk # RKY1222. The TomaHawk fits a vareity of bikes and it holds them by the wheels so you don't have to remove the front wheel.

If you can get back to me with the number of bikes and what kind they are I can make a more specific recommendation for you. Knowing things like whether the bikes are women's or children's bikes, the tire size and weight, or even the color can be helpful. Okay maybe not the color but everything else can factor in.

expert reply by: Charles S

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