By marc LeWinter on Sunday, August 12, 2001 - 06:36 am: Edit

any recomendations- thanks
Marc

By discoman on Sunday, August 12, 2001 - 04:09 pm: Edit

I don't recomend this method. There will be to much whieght and will damage door skin. Believe me Ive seen it ,so unless you like the local body guy and want to keep him in buisness go with a trailer hitch rack or if you can manage to heav your bikes on a roof mounted rack go with that. I have a thule rack and have mounted 5 bikes on it.

By Marc LeWinter on Sunday, August 12, 2001 - 05:18 pm: Edit

thanks for the heads up- i guess it makes more sense to spend a few extra bucks on the hitch
mount if the weight will mess up the body.
Marc

By Russ Perry on Monday, August 13, 2001 - 05:41 am: Edit

Another potential problem if you mount your bikes to the spare (at least with the DII)-

If you mount your bikes on the spare tire, you need to be careful if it rains - you might damage the motor for the rear wiper...

I took the family to the beach (Assateague) the other week. I used a "trunk mount" style bike rack from my old car to mount 3 bikes. I strapped it to the spare. We got some HEAVY rain on day 3. Turns out that the rear wiper on the DII engages automatically if you use your front wipers. The rear wiper couldn't clear the spare tire (the straps from the bike carrier were in the way). Drove that way for about 4 hours. Rear wiper still works, but for how long?!

Picking up some bike mounts for my Yakima rack before I try hauling bikes again!

By jay caragay (Jcaragay) on Tuesday, August 14, 2001 - 04:10 am: Edit

I use a Rhode Gear Tire Mounted Bike Rack for three bikes on my D1. I think it's great and better than a hitch mount because you can still pull a trailer or something while bringing your bikes.

I admit, I'm not too demanding on the rack - usually carrying around my ten year old Univega City Bike to some simple trails close to home. But I have never had a problem.

I don't get to use the bike as much as I should (in fact, I don't get to have a life as much as I should) but I don't really see how the bike can do much damage to the bodywork.

By Tate on Tuesday, August 14, 2001 - 10:37 am: Edit

A bit of trivia: Rhode Gear likes Rovers. If you look at the box for the spare tire mount, it's mounted on a disco. Just checked on the web, and it's on a D2 there. And on the box that my hitch mount came in, there was a drawing of the rack on a rangie classic. I like their racks--pretty well made and decently priced.

By discoman on Wednesday, August 15, 2001 - 12:15 pm: Edit

I mountian bike 2-3 times per week and when I first started I bought the spare tire mount because it was cheaper. After awhile the whieght of the bike and the constant bouncing of the truck does cause the door skin to fattige and the metal will actualy split. As for the picture, who wouldn't want a picture of a Disco on there product's box. Spend the cash and get the proper rack.

By Scott H on Wednesday, August 15, 2001 - 12:40 pm: Edit

I have an extra Thule hitch rack for 2 bikes, that works for tradational bikes (I have a funky frame on mine and it doesn't work that well.)

I'm in the bay area if your interested e-mail me.

I'ts this one

http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=8&sku=946


Scott H