I ride mountain bikes, allot, and often need to drive the bike to where I'm riding. On my previous car I had a rear hatch mounted exterior 3 bike rack, it will not work on the Fit due to the spoiler, the mini had a gap under the spoiler you could slide straps under.

So far, whats been working is removing the front wheel and moving the passenger seat forward several inches and laying the bike at an angle on its side with the front wheel laying with it in the back. This works fine but is pretty cumbersome and doesn't leave room for gear, etc. or a front seat passenger.

I'm going to play with a removable rack that would go full width of the car sitting just behind the front seats that would allow me to remove the front wheel and either drop or remove the seatpost and have the bike sitting upright from front to back with the front fork in a rack mount cradle adaptor.

I'll post pics up here when I get it done but it looks like we may be able to fit (2) bikes in the car like this and still have some room for gear and a front seat passenger. This solution would also be far more economical and secure than buying a trailer hitch for the Fit and a $300 or more hitch mount bike rack.

Anyone seen this done before? The bike would be sitting upright in the car similar to the yellow mountain bike shown in the Fit catalog I got when I bought the car last month.

 

Search for bike racks and you'll get quite a few hits. Lots of discussion on this from internal racks (which I made/use for 2 bikes), to hit/trunk mounted racks. I based mine on this, works great. Can carry 2 bikes and all gear, camping etc, for a weekend. Honda Fit Gallery - Homemade Bike Rack/IMG 2131 Good luck

 

I used to put mine across the back seat floor with the seats flipped up. Back it in through the passenger side back door, with the front wheel removed. Once in all the way, I had to turn the rear handlebars 180 degrees so the forks would clear the doorjamb, but it worked just fine.

Haven't tried to put the MTB in the back of the Scion, mainly because I've been lazy re: my MTB for the past 9-10 mos., and would usually go with a group and just toss it in the back of someone elses' pickup on the way to the trails.

 

I put my Gary Fisher Wahoo in on the passenger side standing up, front wheel removed, rear wheel to the passenger seat and bungee corded. When I ride with a friend and can't move the passenger seat up I place the forks closer to the middle of the rear and have the rear tires between the seats and the B pillar with a shirt around them to keep the seats from getting dirty. Granted with a passenger that does take up space but we usually stow our gear under the forks and frames and between the rear wheels.

 

You can get three full-suspension mountain bikes in the Fit and three passengers seated comfortably pretty easily. I wasn't sure if I could do it at first, but it can be done. Gear included. I didn't have to move the front seats at all, but we're all around average height (5'9" - 5'10") with medium sized bikes.

Specialized Pitch (wheels removed)
Specialized SX Trail (front wheel removed)
Trek Session 77 with a dual-crown fork (wheels removed)




If it's a hard-tail, it should be even easier unless you have 29ers.

 

Nice work there oDDical, I started doing layouts last night and will order the fork mounts to make an easy to install rake for when I need to carry 2 bikes.

 

You'll need to get two fork mounts. They are usually solid mounted to a truck bed or rails and clamp the forks with a quick release. The newer through axle forks take a more specific and $$$ type but they are available. Then get a 2 x 8 board and cut it almost to the width of the inside of the vehicle with the seats down. Remove the front wheels and lower the seats, (it helps to have an adjustable seat post). Place the board across the front behind the front seats. Then place both bikes inside with the forks on the board in order to determine where to place the fork mounts for the proper clearance for the bikes. After fastening the fork mounts to the board wrap the 2 x 8 with indoor/outdoor carpet or something similar and grippy to keep it from sliding around. It also helps to protect your interior as well. I bungy the front wheels alongside the rear of the bikes with a pad in between and I'm good to go!
If you have a larger, modern long travel bike you'll find it won't fit in the middle like the brochure picture, though you can make it work with some "adjustments." I fold the rear seats up as advertised and move the passenger seat forward to the stops and place the seat back upright. (I also place a cargo mat across the opening). With the front wheel removed and both rear passenger doors open I back it in from the right with the handlebars turned 90 degrees left. I slightly push the rear wheel out of the left side of the car and then turn the forks straight placing them against the passeger seat and the right side post. This puts the handlebars slightly across both front and rear right passenger openings. Now go to the left side and pick up on the rear wheel moving it over against the folded up seat as far as it will go. There is a natural trough that the wheel will rest in and the door will now shut. With the bike in this position there is now plenty of room for the front wheel next to the rear of the bike and my gearbag and camel back fit nicely under the downtube on the right. It sounds complicated but I can go from riding to driving in about 3 min.