Mazda5 Bike Rack Options

[David Wean[_2_]]

Our minivan is dying and we seem to be interested in a Mazda5 wagon.
But we want to be sure that we'll be able to carry our bikes on it.
(We use the rack several times a week, driving kids to school, and
riding the rest of the way to work, one of us meeting the other,
etc.)

We don't love roof racks (my wife is short, and I'm not terribly
strong.)

Mazda5 has some sort of air foil at the top of the hatch that Allen
Racks says would interfere. Mazda doesn't offer a hitch, and UHaul
only offers a class 1 1.25" (Allen specs its hitch racks for class 2,
or 2.0") hitch.

Does anyone have a 2006-9 Mazda5, and if so, what rack do you use?

Thanks!

[bluezfolk]

On Oct 22, 10:57*pm, David Wean > wrote:
> Our minivan is dying and we seem to be interested in a Mazda5 wagon.
> But we want to be sure that we'll be able to carry our bikes on it.
> (We use the rack several times a week, driving kids to school, and
> riding the rest of the way to work, one of us meeting the other,
> etc.)
>
> We don't love roof racks (my wife is short, and I'm not terribly
> strong.)
>
> Mazda5 has some sort of air foil at the top of the hatch that Allen
> Racks says would interfere. *Mazda doesn't offer a hitch, and UHaul
> only offers a class 1 1.25" (Allen specs its hitch racks for class 2,
> or 2.0") hitch.
>
> Does anyone have a 2006-9 Mazda5, and if so, what rack do you use?
>
> Thanks!

Have you checked out the Thule website yet? I had a problem finding a
rear rack for my Toyota RAV4, the only one I could use was the Thule
963 which mounted to the rear spare tire mounting bracket.

Eric

[SMS]

David Wean wrote:
> Our minivan is dying and we seem to be interested in a Mazda5 wagon.
> But we want to be sure that we'll be able to carry our bikes on it.
> (We use the rack several times a week, driving kids to school, and
> riding the rest of the way to work, one of us meeting the other,
> etc.)
>
> We don't love roof racks (my wife is short, and I'm not terribly
> strong.)
>
> Mazda5 has some sort of air foil at the top of the hatch that Allen
> Racks says would interfere. Mazda doesn't offer a hitch, and UHaul
> only offers a class 1 1.25" (Allen specs its hitch racks for class 2,
> or 2.0") hitch.
>
> Does anyone have a 2006-9 Mazda5, and if so, what rack do you use?
>
> Thanks!

Kudos for looking for racks _before_ you buy the vehicle!

You can't put a class 2 hitch on that vehicle, or on most frameless
unibody vehicles, though you could always use a 1.25" to 2" adapter as
long as you're not exceeding the tongue weight of the vehicle and hitch
(which Mazda doesn't specify).
"http://www.usa-trailer-hitches.com/products/Receiver_Hitch_Adapter,CTD185"

Funny that Mazda doesn't list a towing capacity for the Mazda 5 in the
U.S., but they do list it on the same vehicle sold in other countries.

Remember that the hitch is not attached to a frame, it's attached to the
sheet metal of the floor. It's not all that strong.

I did have a Thule 1.25" four bike rack for my old Honda CR-V, but I
don't know if they still make them.

Remember to remove the rack when not in use. I got rear-ended with the
rack on, on my CR-V. A seemingly minor impact but the bumper wasn't
doing anything since it was blocked by the rack. The rack transferred
the impact up through the floor and destroyed the floor of the vehicle.

[[email protected]]

On Oct 23, 10:56*am, SMS > wrote:
> David Wean wrote:
> > Our minivan is dying and we seem to be interested in a Mazda5 wagon.
> > But we want to be sure that we'll be able to carry our bikes on it.
> > (We use the rack several times a week, driving kids to school, and
> > riding the rest of the way to work, one of us meeting the other,
> > etc.)
>
> > We don't love roof racks (my wife is short, and I'm not terribly
> > strong.)
>
> > Mazda5 has some sort of air foil at the top of the hatch that Allen
> > Racks says would interfere. *Mazda doesn't offer a hitch, and UHaul
> > only offers a class 1 1.25" (Allen specs its hitch racks for class 2,
> > or 2.0") hitch.
>
> > Does anyone have a 2006-9 Mazda5, and if so, what rack do you use?
>
> > Thanks!
>
> Kudos for looking for racks _before_ you buy the vehicle!
>
> You can't put a class 2 hitch on that vehicle, or on most frameless
> unibody vehicles, though you could always use a 1.25" to 2" adapter as
> long as you're not exceeding the tongue weight of the vehicle and hitch
> (which Mazda doesn't specify).
> "http://www.usa-trailer-hitches.com/products/Receiver_Hitch_Adapter,CT..."
>
> Funny that Mazda doesn't list a towing capacity for the Mazda 5 in the
> U.S., but they do list it on the same vehicle sold in other countries.
>
> Remember that the hitch is not attached to a frame, it's attached to the
> sheet metal of the floor. It's not all that strong.
>
> I did have a Thule 1.25" four bike rack for my old Honda CR-V, but I
> don't know if they still make them.
>
> Remember to remove the rack when not in use. I got rear-ended with the
> rack on, on my CR-V. A seemingly minor impact but the bumper wasn't
> doing anything since it was blocked by the rack. The rack transferred
> the impact up through the floor and destroyed the floor of the vehicle.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

having a mazda 5 I too am very interested in the possibilities; and i
did not want a roof rack mostly because I am overly concerned of
something falling off on the highway. I have 3 kids, so that's 3 kid
seats there too and I did manage to put my road bike inside after
taking off the wheels, so if it is just you and your wife you should
be able to put both bikes inside as well, where it is safer from theft
at a road stop anywhere.

that's really useful info by the way SMS, thank you.

[DennisTheBald]

I don't think they make bike racks sturdy enough to carry any Mazda.
I think you would have better luck trying to tow it like a trailer as
it already has its own wheels.

[Tom Sherman[_2_]]

DennisTheBald wrote:
> I don't think they make bike racks sturdy enough to carry any Mazda.
> I think you would have better luck trying to tow it like a trailer as
> it already has its own wheels.

POTW!

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the precipitate.