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151 Posts
Well, if there's one thing I do know it's bike racks! I've been an avid cyclist for the last 15 years and for the last 7 or so I've been schlepping bikes around in Integra GS-R. (It's my 'Ute substitute now that I have the new RSX)
The best solution, especially if you're only taking your bike, is to take off the wheel and put it inside. You get better gas mileage, better security, and a decent rack setup will cost you $400 minimum. I've had 3 bikes in the back of the Integra, but I'm betting you can only do 2 in the RSX as it's a little shorter/narrower.
The real downside with this approach is that you must be prepared for the interior plastic to get scraped up and the occasional accident when loading and unloading which will yield small dings in the metal around your hatch.
If you're going to go with a rack, I would do the roof version. Downside? Your gas mileage will go to shit. In my Integra GS-R I get like 32mpg with no rack, 28 or so with the rack and no bikes, and 22-24 if there are bikes up.
If you decide on the roof rack, get Yakima or Thule bars and towers after looking carefully at both and deciding which one has the best fitment for our cars. This means how it attaches. Because our cars have a short roofline, on my Integra Yakima's solution was awful. I had to use these extender bar things, my sunroof wouldn't open. All kinds of hassle. I don't know whether Thule is any better. This information is NOT easy to come by either. It is best to get on a bike forum and find someone who has one brand or the other on an RSX and ask them about it.
But, once you decide on the bars and towers I have very strong opinion about the bike attachments. You need to get this:
http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=8&sku=594
It's called the SideArm now, but Thule bought this technology from a company called Sportworks. This guy fits both Yak and Thule bars and is easily the fastest way to get your bike on and off of a car. You don't have to remove the wheel, it doesn't clamp to the frame like Yak's silly thing. I get to the ride and I'm usually standing around waiting for every one else because it took me 5 seconds to get my bike off and be ready to ride. Both my girlfriend and I have these on Yakima bars for our respective cars.
Downsides? The internal locking mechanism is a joke. Don't use it! I've thought about writing Thule and telling them to remove the feature or redesign it because I know I could get a locked bike off in under 10 seconds. The Sportworks version never had a lock and so people didn't get a false sense of security. Just carry a U-Lock and a cable.
Hedge: If you were willing to put a trailer hitch on your RSX, I'd do this:
http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=8&sku=916
It's what I recommend to everyone who owns a sport ute. Why? It has 2 SideArm guys on it and slides into the receiver. Super, super easy to use. This would solve your gas mileage problem and you'd never run the risk of hitting something low with your bikes up. But a hitch on an RSX? Gag me.
The best solution, especially if you're only taking your bike, is to take off the wheel and put it inside. You get better gas mileage, better security, and a decent rack setup will cost you $400 minimum. I've had 3 bikes in the back of the Integra, but I'm betting you can only do 2 in the RSX as it's a little shorter/narrower.
The real downside with this approach is that you must be prepared for the interior plastic to get scraped up and the occasional accident when loading and unloading which will yield small dings in the metal around your hatch.
If you're going to go with a rack, I would do the roof version. Downside? Your gas mileage will go to shit. In my Integra GS-R I get like 32mpg with no rack, 28 or so with the rack and no bikes, and 22-24 if there are bikes up.
If you decide on the roof rack, get Yakima or Thule bars and towers after looking carefully at both and deciding which one has the best fitment for our cars. This means how it attaches. Because our cars have a short roofline, on my Integra Yakima's solution was awful. I had to use these extender bar things, my sunroof wouldn't open. All kinds of hassle. I don't know whether Thule is any better. This information is NOT easy to come by either. It is best to get on a bike forum and find someone who has one brand or the other on an RSX and ask them about it.
But, once you decide on the bars and towers I have very strong opinion about the bike attachments. You need to get this:
http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=8&sku=594
It's called the SideArm now, but Thule bought this technology from a company called Sportworks. This guy fits both Yak and Thule bars and is easily the fastest way to get your bike on and off of a car. You don't have to remove the wheel, it doesn't clamp to the frame like Yak's silly thing. I get to the ride and I'm usually standing around waiting for every one else because it took me 5 seconds to get my bike off and be ready to ride. Both my girlfriend and I have these on Yakima bars for our respective cars.
Downsides? The internal locking mechanism is a joke. Don't use it! I've thought about writing Thule and telling them to remove the feature or redesign it because I know I could get a locked bike off in under 10 seconds. The Sportworks version never had a lock and so people didn't get a false sense of security. Just carry a U-Lock and a cable.
Hedge: If you were willing to put a trailer hitch on your RSX, I'd do this:
http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=8&sku=916
It's what I recommend to everyone who owns a sport ute. Why? It has 2 SideArm guys on it and slides into the receiver. Super, super easy to use. This would solve your gas mileage problem and you'd never run the risk of hitting something low with your bikes up. But a hitch on an RSX? Gag me.
