I am working on a tight budget as always but I've been over weight for a long time and trying to change that, I made a personal goal to get a bicycle at 300 lbs and since starting in June 2014 I've gone from 349 to 298lbs. Now I am getting ready for spring and getting back into cycling which I haven't done regularly in over 10 years. I don't want to ride just locally, I want to go to different venues to motivate me to keep pushing myself and throwing a muddy bike in my Jeep is fine but the 16 mpg isn't, and a muddy bike will not be going into my new mirage.
So my options. A rear single bike carrier $45 from amazon.
Allen Sports Aluminum Folding 1-Bike Rack
Or a curt hitch 130 + hitch bike rack $30 both on ebay. ($160 total ouch!)
Last a used roof rack, I found this one
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/pts/4872847728.html
for $100 which would allow me to have another future goal of getting a kayak when I get to 220lbs (maybe by next black friday would be helpful for my budget)
I like the hitch because as soon as my warranty expires I'll do as I wish with my Mirage including towing small trailers, and for now I can use a cheap aluminum cargo hitch extension for extra cargo. I don't like that it blocks the license plate, the cost, installation.
The trunk rack seems like the logical choice for now because it is cheap, wont cause much wind drag hurting mpgs, 3 lbs, easy installation. I don't like that it keeps bikes so close to the bodywork, limited to only one purpose, could potentially cause damage to the body work, potentially difficult to load the bike.
The roof rack looks cool and has lots of extra purposes, the roof storage carriers, long light objects, future kayak can be transported maybe even skies, bike expansion available, easy to install, easy to remove and resell. The mpg loss is a concern but I am not sure how much it will take away, the cost is a bit high but does offer a lot of usefulness for the price, the loading of bikes might be difficult, I've never used a roof bike carrier.
Anybody have any advise?
Thank you