mindsquirt

I am in a real conundrum this very minute.

I bought a bike rack for my new car (see here), for about $75. It is the type that straps on to the trunk/hatch.

I imagine, over time, the bikes will eventually start to destroy the back of my car, due to them swinging around, etc.

The other 2 ways to go, is a roof rack system or the type that engages into a hitch. I am not real hot on the roof rack, due to the difficulty of getting bikes on and off the roof of my car. I also figure that sooner or later, I will forget the bikes are up there, and smash them into the top of my garage, or worse, through the drive-through of Dairy Queen.

The hitch is near-ideal for me, but much more expensive. I figure about $300, plus some more time to order the stuff and install a hitch on my car. It is easier to get bikes on and off, and easier to put and take off my car, plus it will protect my car from scratches and bike-shaped impressions.

If you haven't guessed it, my conundrum is that I cannot decide if I should take back the hatch-mounted rack that I have (thus eating some return shipping costs) and spring for the more expensive, but better mounting system using a hitch.

Here are some more things to consider that will muddy up the waters:

1) I still have a pickup truck, which I can use to transport the bikes where ever. I figure using my car with the hatchback-mounted bike transport system over my truck, will pay for the $75 cost of the rack THIS SUMMER. Whereas the hitch mounted will take 4 summers. This is if you only count me taking my bike to and from work.

2) The hatchback-mounted rack can also be used on my wife's car, should we want to use it.

3) I mostly mountainbike after work, in Batesville, which is about 20 miles from my home. I probably do it 2 times a week. I also want to start taking my bikes to new albany, where I would NOT want to drive my truck.

4) I am cheap, obsessive about purchases, and tend to suffer from a disproportionate amount of buyers remorse.

Any opinions on what I should do?