Subject:                               Time:12:23 PM
  OFFICE MEMO          RE> Bike Racks                         Date:5/3/96

Greetings

<Specifically, any clearance problems? (other than parking garages and
burger king drive thru), noise or drag??, trouble throwing your bikes up
there?

I have a Eurovan which I have put a bike rack, mounted on the top. It is a
Thule and I think it is really nice. I'm not sure what the height difference
is but I scrape the bottom of my garage door whenever I go in or out (just
barely, not enough to worry about). Haven't tried my luck in a parking
garage. There is an increase in wind noise but the EV is noisy enough anyway
that it is sort of a moot point. A fairing might improve the noise.

<trouble throwing your bikes up
there?

I am somewhat short, vertically challenged : ) (5'8") So I usually end up
scrambling around on top, which isn't that big a deal.

< One particular concern is the ability to
lock it

The Thule locks very easliy. One key locks the bike to the bike rack to the
support rack which is locked to the van.
I would personally recommend a top mount rack. It will be more secure than
one mounted on the front or back. It will also  give you the opportunity to
scrape your bike off the rack as you pull into your garage  (yes, I've done
it before                  
    : (

There you have it, hope it helped

Kevin
kevin.nugent@uchsc.edu  
'93 EV MV