On Jan 23, 2008, at 4:36 PM, Frank Grunthaner wrote:

> Take Home Lesson: 30% fuel economy loss at average speed of 80 mph
> with
> mountain bike perpendicular to direction of propagation. Not a lot
> of surface area.
> Large effect.

Last spring we drove to Florida with a Radio Flyer wagon tied to the
roof luggage rack of our Ford Focus wagon (wanted something to haul
the kids and their toys, beach chairs, etc. back and forth to the
beach).  The impact on fuel economy was quite dramatic, in fact it
would have been cheaper to buy a wagon there and leave it than it was
to haul ours down there and back.  My guess is that it would be
better economy-wise to haul a small trailer than have anything on the
roof.

Allan