Will my bike rack reduce my gas mileage?

Question

I drive a civic hatchback, and I typically get 36- 40 mph on the highway. I will be making a cross country trip, and I want to bring my bicycle. If I put my bike on the rack on the back of my car (not a roof rack) will it greatly reduce my gas mileage?

Answer 1

it wont increase it a lot unless you are speeding :-) a bike rack only causes a little bit of drag. i would imagine that it would only go down 2mpg at the most

Answer 2

yes it will, however not nearly as much as the roof rack will... on back, 1-3 mpg... but you have to decide if it's worth it.

on long trips alone or with one friend, i'll often flip down the rear seat, take off the tires and seat and put the whole thing inside.  this increases security and reduces drag.

Answer 3

Yes the wind resistance will be greater.  Also cars are most efficient when driving at 55 mph

Answer 4

Your mileage will be reduced.  On the back is way better than on the roof, though.

I won't fault your plan at all - taking the bike means driving less.  You'll probably come out ahead spending some time on your bike, and you can enjoy the local scenery better that way.

Answer 5

You will add some wind resistance, but I don't believe you'll notice a huge difference in your gas mileage, maybe 1% or 2% . Not enough to loose any sleep over!

Answer 6

Yes it will by producing more drag but probly only like 2-6 mpg at most. Good luck

Answer 7

Yes, it will upset the airflow over your car and cause drag, meaning the engine has to work harder to fight the increased friction thus increasing fuel consumption.