Bicycle Roof Rack and Gas Mileage.

[Cosmo]

The 2014 Forester averages 30 – 33mpg on the highway.
Towing I average 25mpg in reasonable terrain

With 2 bicycles on a roof rack I averaged 20mpg on a 1000 mile trip (500 each direction) last week.

Will have to make more room in the car next trip!

-Cosmo

[daveesl77]

Yep, the airflow interruption of bikes primarily on the roof, but also off the trunk, can cause a substantial drop in mpg. Seems weird but absolutely true.

dave

[Cosmo]

I found this on the web

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news ... /index.htm

-Cosmo

[booyah]

So I've never really put bikes on top of the car, always seemed like such a reach. I usually put them on the back, or inside, but I favor hatch backs so they generally ride in the existing low pressure zone if they are on the back. I have noticed the hit my car takes from a kayak on top, a 3-4mpg drop on average, and thats from a very streamlined sea kayak.

If I lost more MPG from the bike rack than I did from the teardrop, you better believe those things would be riding inside, or I'd be looking at a folding bike more seriously

[KennethW]

I should really look at building foam wedges at the front and back of my roof mount solar panel,

[lrrowe]

I should really look at building foam wedges at the front and back of my roof mount solar panel,

Had the same thought, but with aluminum instead. Hmmmm, I wonder about foam? I will be watching should you make some.