I have a bike, and I want to take it with me. However, not inside the vehicle (takes up way too much space). That means, it has to go behind the back of the van.
However, I don't like the bike racks that get mounted to the back doors, since they put a lot of strain on the doors, maybe even damaging them, and usually keep you from opening the window(s).
There's two more options that don't keep you from opening the doors (which is important to me):
- racks that attach to the chassis and swing away, like the Sawiko Agito Top
- those that attach to the tow hitch and slide or fold away to the back and/or the floor, like the Atera Strada DL 3
Actually, from what I've read online, the DL 3 is indeed the only tow hitch rack that allows you to still open the back doors.
Since the swinging ones cost about € 1,500, I'd most likely go for the sliding DL 3, which is less than € 500. However, I need to check the maximum load on my (removable) tow hitch first. Also, the DL 3 is designed to hold 3 bikes. If you want to open the doors, the frontmost bike needs to be removed first. Since I'm just one guy (occasionally accompanied by another person), that isn't a problem; however, it feels strange to carry around a three-bike rack and never putting more than two bikes on it.
Moreover, any bike rack will make your car longer and less efficient. That's why I haven't ruled out exchanging my current bike for a folding one and carrying it inside the van after all.