[john trials]

Information for anyone considering a hitch mounted bike rack:

I just installed a Draw-Tite hitch on my Fit. I used a Thule 1-1/4" four-bike trailer hitch rack to carry two bikes.

I just completed a 1100 mile trip. The hitch worked flawlessly. Having the bikes back there was great (although they do get in the way of the hatch...that's my only complaint). The bikes even stayed fairly dry during a rainy section of the trip.

I went 1100 miles with 4 people in the car, AC on most of the time, with two bikes on the hitch mount...average MPG: 34.5 I doubt I'd get that kind of mileage with the bikes up on the roof.

Also, with my wife's 96 Civic sedan, the same bike rack scrapes on the driveway (at the bottom of the hill, where the driveway meets the road). With the Fit, the bike rack is about 3-4" off the ground at the same place on the driveway. Much more ground clearance under the hitch rack! This is due to the length of the Civic's trunk versus the Fit's short rear-overhang hatch...the Fit really doesn't have that much more ground clearance than the Civic.