Deciding whether to transport e-bike on 2016 Subaru Impreza or 2020 Toyota Camry.. recommended hitch and bike carrier setup

[Logwog]

I just purchased a gazelle ultimate C8 step-through bike that weighs 53 pounds with the battery on. 28” tires. I’d like to get a two bike rack for my car (Probably 1ebike and 1 regular bike).

I’m trying to decide whether to have a bike carrier installed on our 2016 Subaru Impreza hatchback or a 2020 Toyota Camry, in terms of which will carry the load better, be easier to access the trunk, install, etc.

I’m looking at the Thule easy fold XT as the carrier. For the Subaru, it looks like a Curtis hitch is recommended. Not sure yet about Camry.

The Thule bike carrier will accommodate both one and a half inch and 2 inch hitch. I have no idea which is better to have! Also, as this is a step through bike model, do I need any crossbar to secure the bike onto the rack?

This is a totally new area for me, and I am not really sure which factors to base my buying decisions on. Any recommendations will be much appreciated!!!

Thx.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Can't help with hitch size or car choice, but I can vouch for the rack itself.

Nice piece of engineering — light but strong, and the ramp is a back-saver. Plenty sturdy enough for our two 65 lb step-thrus on our 2" hitch. Securing one bike with the 2 clamp arms is easy. The somewhat outside-the-box solution I found for securing both feels reliable but has yet to face a really bumpy road.

In choosing the car, keep in mind that the loaded rack can be tipped away from the car. Not enough to fully open the hatch on my Jeep Grand Cherokee, as I recall, but still enough to be useful.

Good luck.

 

[harryS]

Etrailer.com only shows a Class 1 hitch for the Camry, but sells a Class 1, Class 2, or Class 3 for the Suburu, I would suggest the latter if you're carrying bikes. You get a higher tongue weight rating for the Class 2 and 3. They rate a Class 1 as good for 200 lbs, but that is right at the end. They're talking about the weight of a trailer right at the hitch, When you put weight out on the end of a 2 foot arm, as you do with a bike rack, the lever effect increases the effective load. Anyway, I suggest a Class 3 hitch. It's 2: but the bike carriers provide sleeves that allow 1-1/4" arms to fit.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Personally, I'd go with a class 3 hitch mounted on your Subaru, if you plan on carrying at least one heavy ebike (and the rack isn't light either).
I'm surprised a class 3 hitch is not available for the Camry, as I was able to purchase a class 3 hitch for my wife's Honda Fit, which is considerably smaller than the Camry.

 

[gromike]

Well, all I knew of trailer hitches was 2 inch receiver, or the smaller one. So thanks Curt for the edumacation.
Yeah, I'd get the Class 3, 2 inch receiver hitch, but that would depend on the car on how it's attached. I would think a Class 2 hitch would be sufficient for 2 moderate weight ebikes, but I would try to get the sturdiest hitch possible, and that depends on how it's connected to the vehicle, and the quality of the installation.

 

[Ender]

I got this rack from 1up:

2" Heavy Duty

1up-usa.com

Can't recommend it highly enough. Strong, easy to use, easy to add to. I got a single with an add on in case I'm transporting two bikes.

 

[Logwog]

Thank you all for the info!

 

[Doggyman1202]

I got this rack from 1up:

View attachment 178052

2" Heavy Duty

1up-usa.com

Can't recommend it highly enough. Strong, easy to use, easy to add to. I got a single with an add on in case I'm transporting two bikes.

I think "single with an add on" is the way to go. I wish I configured mine that way. (I bought the double but only transport two bikes about 10-20 percent of the time).

My only real complaint about the rack is that the gold knob does not stay securely locked closed. Presumably, it loosens from road vibration, and I learned this the hard way. At first I thought it was "pilot error" on my part, but the knob has loosened on more than one occasion when I was absolutely positive I closed it securely. I was thinking of adding a drop of Locktite Blue to the knob but I'm afraid that might create the opposite problem. Has anyone else here encountered this loosening knob issue?

 

[Ender]

I think "single with an add on" is the way to go. I wish I configured mine that way. (I bought the double but only transport two bikes about 10-20 percent of the time).

My only real complaint about the rack is that the gold knob does not stay securely locked closed. Presumably, it loosens from road vibration, and I learned this the hard way. At first I thought it was "pilot error" on my part, but the knob has loosened on more than one occasion when I was absolutely positive I closed it securely. I was thinking of adding a drop of Locktite Blue to the knob but I'm afraid that might create the opposite problem. Has anyone else here encountered this loosening knob issue?

I never bother tightening that knob. Everything stays in place fine.

 

[Logwog]

I didn’t even know that ‘single with an add-on’ was an option. And like you, only hauling 2 bikes only occasionally. Thanks very much for the info!

 

[Doggyman1202]

I never bother tightening that knob. Everything stays in place fine.

I have not been so lucky. First time the rack dropped was a lesson learned about tightening the knob. No harm done. I monitored the knob and noticed it did not stay locked in place after a bit of travel even without a bike onboard. The next time the rack dropped was on the interstate at 70MPH. Yikes! The only damage to the bike was a cracked mirror, so I consider myself fortunate in that regard. Going forward I will have to check to make certain the folded down rack is grabbing 100%. I am replacing the gold knob under warranty. 1Up acknowledged this as a rare occurrence, so my thanks to their support team.

As to the original poster question...I suspect the Subaru Impreza has higher ground clearance than your Toyota Camry but not certain. In any case, that should be the determining factor.