MPG w/ Roof box & Or Bike Racks..

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
that is interesting - i haven't noticed much of a MPG decline on my corolla with my bike rack. the only time i do notice when i really burn through gas is when i drive with a lead foot.

i have to track mileage for work, and i actually just figured out what i have been getting MPG-wise this morning - about 34 mpg. i think sticker said 35 mpg, so it looks like i lose 1 mpg due to driving with my rack on. i think i can deal with that.
 

ellbiddy

Active Member
I just did a 200 mile round trip to scranton with a bike on my hitch and managed an average of 29.4 MPG with my SUV, 4 cylinder CRV all the room AND gas :cool:
 

Glancing Aft

Active Member
I am actually most surprised with their results with tire air pressure.

I also think that the effects a roof rack/box has on your car has a lot to do with the horse power of the engine. The smaller the engine the more it has to work to cut through the air, and thus the greater effect on your fuel economy. My old civic with it's tiny 115hp engine would drop from 36 mpg to 31ish with the rack on.
 

MTB Aussie

Member
I am actually most surprised with their results with tire air pressure.

I also think that the effects a roof rack/box has on your car has a lot to do with the horse power of the engine. The smaller the engine the more it has to work to cut through the air, and thus the greater effect on your fuel economy. My old civic with it's tiny 115hp engine would drop from 36 mpg to 31ish with the rack on.
I think the power of the engine has little impact to MPG when performing the same amount of work. The drag to push through the air is the same regardless of your engine power. You can see this by looking how close the MPG on large SUV's are regardless of the engine. I used to get roughly the same MPG in my 5.3L Envoy as a buddy got in his six cylinder version of the same truck. Engines were doing the same amount of work so used the same amount of fuel on the highway.
 

tonyride

Don't piss off the red guy
I take the roof rack off my car during winter months mostly because I don't like to keep it on my car all year round. I just took them off this past weekend and I'm now using a trunk mounted rack as I don't ride as often in the colder months. The Thule trunk mounted rack is pretty easy to put on and take off when I need it.

As for fuel economy, my car's trip computer has been registering 30.5 to 33.5 mpg on my Accord with the roof rack on the car. I'll see after a few tankfuls if I notice any significant increase now that the roof rack is off.
 
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MixMastaMM

Team Bulldog Rider
Notice they only talk about a roof tob box. Not a bike carrier or ski carrier. The box is enclosed and somewhat aerodynamic. Everything else on a roof rack is not smooth and has a lot of places for the air to get caught up on. Not smooth = more drag = more energy required to move down the road at high speeds.
 

Shaggz

A strong 7
I take the roof rack off my car during winter months mostly because I don't like to keep it on my car all year round. I just took them off this past weekend and I'm now using a trunk mounted rack as I don't ride as often in the colder months. The Thule trunk mounted rack is pretty easy to put on and take off when I need it.

As for fuel economy, my car's trip computer has been registering 30.5 to 33.5 mpg on my Accord with the roof rack on the car. I'll see after a few tankfuls if I notice any significant increase now that the roof rack is off.
Tony, what year is your Accord? I can't break 26 on mine :confused:
 

743power

Shop: Bicycle Pro
Shop Keep
i didnt click the link, i thinmk ive read that article before though.

In my fit, with mixed driving, I usually get around 33mpg with an empty roofrack. With 2 bikes on the roof, usually around 31-32. Not much of a difference. With no roofrack at all, I only get 1mpg more.
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
Tony, what year is your Accord? I can't break 26 on mine :confused:

4 or 6 cyl? check your tire pressure and air filter. I get around 24-25 on my 92 4 cyl accord w/ 235k and I beat on it pretty good. If you've got a 4 cyl you should be doing better!
 

Shaggz

A strong 7
'04 4cyl, 76K. i have a roof rack w/two trays, not sure if that makes much of a difference. i'm pretty good w/filter changes and tire pressure :hmmm: I average 24-26.5 depending on how much biking I do :rolleyes:
 

gtluke

The Moped
i have one of those 4cyl small japanese cars so i can only get 19mpg, bike on top, highway, windows up or down or city driving. doesn't matter, i get 19mpg no matter what.
my gas guzzling 22 year old american v8 ponycar has gotten 32mpg loaded to the gills with camping equipment.
torque + heavily overdriven 5th gear = win
:D
-luke-
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
I switched to a hitch and noticed my gas mileage doesn't change with or without bikes and/or the rack on the car. I haven't had a roof rack on this car because they don't offer one, so I can't compare, but I'd like to believe having the bikes tucked behind the car out of the wind makes a difference. Having said that, my car gets over 40mpg no matter what anyway so I guess it doesn't matter too much;)

-Jim.
 

ArmyOfNone

Well-Known Member
210 Mi round trip 15 gallons of gas. Bike on top of the roof with a pretty good avg speed on the roads.
 

pinkshirtphotos

Active Member
i get 25mpg driving most times. i get 30 if its all highway. i put bikes on the back and get better milages.... maybe because i dont romp on the gas as much. i drive a 2000 vw jetta with a vr6 and over 200k miles on it.

its a truck mount rack
 
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