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Slowtwitch Forums: Triathlon Forum:
Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey?

plainsman

Oct 5, 08 19:58

Post #1 of 15 (283 views)

Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey?	Can't Post

I'm looking to rack the minivan. I know, with a van I could put bikes inside, but the roof rack adapters for child carriers are just so expensive!!! Seriously though, do any of you have a minivan with a roof system you just love? I'm all ears.

Life IS an endurance sport. Finish Well
www.fwe1.net

TriCeratops

Oct 5, 08 20:14

Post #2 of 15 (278 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I roll in the Odyssey with a Thule system up top (cross bars, clamps, and rack w/ fork clamp.) Also, there's enough room up there so I can put the cargo box up there with the bike as well. With three kids, there's never enough room inside the van for all the paraphernalia we travel with.

Mike Sparks

I have competed well, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

rroof

Oct 5, 08 20:20

Post #3 of 15 (274 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Just sold the wife's Odyssey Touring (for an Audi wagon) and we used the factory rack/bike carrier. It is made by Thule (the one that clamps the down tube). Very nice look/fit, but if you have an "aero" or wide downtube, it doesn't work well.

The real question is, why do you need the bike(s) on top? You can seriously fit a lot inside! Must be 6+ people in?
____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

plainsman

Oct 5, 08 20:25

Post #4 of 15 (273 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [rroof] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Inside = me, the wife, two kids each in car seats, + enough stuff to clothe them, feed them, change them, and entertain them when we get where we are going (did I mention the wagon and the double stroller?), then if there is any room left, my wife and I get a suit case - I would be doing well to fit two unicycles in there I think :).

Life IS an endurance sport. Finish Well
www.fwe1.net

(This post was edited by plainsman on Oct 5, 08 20:28)

Superman

Oct 5, 08 21:08

Post #5 of 15 (264 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I had a hitch put on mine. I'm going to get a hitch mount one of these days. I have a booster and 3 car seats in the back.

Tom Fort

Oct 5, 08 22:07

Post #6 of 15 (258 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [Superman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Same for me-- with three kids, the bikes go outside. I went to UHaul and put a hitch on and have liked it. I've tried carrying bikes on the roof, but it's a pain on a car that tall without enough clearance above the wheels to stand on them like on a 4x4.

thelunchbox

Oct 6, 08 4:49

Post #7 of 15 (230 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I do the opposite: gear on top in the Thule box, bike on the inside.

Two kids, car seats, etc... no room for it all.

david

Oct 6, 08 5:13

Post #8 of 15 (221 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

We have three kids and three car/booster seats. We have a Yakima kit that attaches very nicely to the roof rails - works well, but is high. We usually put a gear box up top and Mr Cervelo inside. We can very nicely pack 2 bikes behind the third row. Each family member gets one duffle bag to go in the gear box - so, five duffle/luggage bags + race bag goes up top. This works very well for us.

Best wishes,
david
www.daviddaggett.wordpress.com
David
Be satisfied with your very best, Never give up, Do unto others.... http://www.squidoo.com/daviddaggett/ (Includes My IM Blog ) http://www.lewisdaggett.com

Muh

Oct 6, 08 5:53

Post #9 of 15 (211 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I tried the roof top thing but found it hard to get the bike up top without risking dropping it and scratching the van. Went with the swingout hitch rack from Yakima. Best of both worlds, can get into back of van with bikes mounted and lots of room inside.

I have three kids in car seats and a dog - so definately no room inside.

"which is like watching one of your buddies announce that he's quitting booze and cigarettes, switching to a Vegan diet and training for triathalons ... but he's going to keep snorting heroin."

NamssoB

Oct 6, 08 6:35

Post #10 of 15 (192 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I have a rear hitch on mine also. MUCH easier getting bikes on and off than a rooftop system, plus it prevents you from ever doing the accidental "drive into the garage with your bikes on the roof" mistake. But if I'm driving solo to a race or ride, I'll throw it in the back. With Family, the hitch is the best bet. I have a 4-bike Yakima rack.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2009 Races:
TTT, Muncie Endurathon, IMMoo

mrtrik

Oct 6, 08 7:16

Post #11 of 15 (176 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I have a honda Pilot which has essential the same roof.

I went with thule with the fork mount racks. It works great. It is high up there (my 5'3" wife couldn't put the bikes up, but I have no problem at 6'2").

People and gear inside, bikes on top. Have had no problems. I figured out what I needed based on the Thule website, then bought the pieces from various places based on price. Amazon, rackwarehouse.com, and racks on craigslist...

Ended up paying <$300 for 2 bike setup when retail could have been $600+

Thule recommended the 58" Crossbars, which I got but they are way too long. I don't need an extra 6 inches of hang over on each side so I ended up taking like 10" off with a hacksaw. Now I notice all these other cars that took the recommended size too and have so much of the cross bar extending over the side of their car.

doug in co

Oct 6, 08 8:10

Post #12 of 15 (146 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

roof-mounted bike rack doesn't work well for wives and children.. with a hitch mount at the rear, everyone can get their own damn bike..
The Softride works well in my experience.
Roof racks are fine when it's just one or two bikes up there, but your kids will need their own ride soon enough. Getting four bikes up on the roof is no joke.

plainsman

Oct 6, 08 10:39

Post #13 of 15 (107 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [doug in co] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks to all for the helpful advice. I have a pretty good reach, and my bike has the funky shaped aero tubes, so a fork mounted rack works best for me. I went with the Thule 450 roof system from RackAttack which should be here by Wednesday. We'll see how it goes. Right now the van does not have a hitch, but we may get one down the road as the kids get older and we need to carry their bikes as well. If the wife and I do a weekend event as a getaway, then we will put the bikes inside, otherwise it looks like the roof will be the ticket for now.

Life IS an endurance sport. Finish Well
www.fwe1.net

Barry S.

Oct 6, 08 11:17

Post #14 of 15 (98 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

odyssey and 5 kids, so no interior room. I use the same rhode grear super shuttle rear mount that I put on the rear of my civic. Carries 2 bikes with ease and probably could squeeze 2 kids bike on if I had to. This isn't a hitch mount. It straps right onto the back with hooks to fit in the top, side and bottom of the rear gate. Never had a problem in 8 years with it. I don't have to remember there are bikes on the roof when going into the garage or another low clearance area. Plus it helps with the gas milage over a roof mount. They also make a shuttle 3 to carry 3 bikes and maybe a couple of little kids ones too.

good luck

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
Ferris Bueller

Tom Fort

Oct 6, 08 17:02

Post #15 of 15 (61 views)

Re: Anyone put a bike rack on a Honda Odyssey? [plainsman] [In reply to]	Can't Post

My hitch rack is a swing-out style. Realize that most bikes for young kids have weird top tube angles and lengths. Right now I uzually have the kids bikes behind the third row seats and the adult bikes on the hitch rack.