Options for Carrying Two Bikes with 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee  

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Expert Reply:

There are two options for carrying bikes on the rear of your 2003 Grand Cherokee, a trunk mount and a hitch mounted option.

The trunk mount would attach to the liftgate of the vehicle. Of the various trunk mounted options that are available for your Grand Cherokee (see link), I would recommend the Thule OutWay, part # TH45JV. While most trunk mounted bike racks use 6 straps that need to be adjusted each time the rack is installed or removed, the OutWay uses only 2 rubber coated straps that take seconds to install or remove. This rack comes with locks for both the rack and the bikes to deter theft.

Installing a hitch like the Curt Class III, part # 13051 would not only provide an attachment point for a bike rack, but would also allow you to use other hitch mounted accessories like a cargo carrier or tow a trailer if you should need to. The Swagman Titan, part # S63400 would be a good rack choice. The Titan provides an integrated cable lock to deter theft and anti-sway cradles that prevent the bikes from swaying back and forth and hitting each other or the rear of the vehicle.

To carry women's bikes or bikes with sharply angled top tubes or step-through frames, using a frame adapter like part # TH982XT is recommended. The adapter spans the distance between the seat post and the handle bar gooseneck, and provides a level attachment point to the bike rack so the bike has greater ground clearance and is not carried at an angle.

expert reply by: Mike L

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