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- 2012 Mazda 5 Sport
Any suggestions?
I too am looking for a hitch for the MZ5, but need a 2" receiver. Not to tow, but to hook up the various 2" receiver required items I have accumulated with the last SUV, Minivan, and RV we had. Anyone see one? I am not a fan of adapters.
Thanks for the replies. Can I assume that the Hidden Hitch or any other Class 1 hitch can accommodate many different bike racks and cargo boxes and/or fold-down cargo platforms?
I'm sure they make adapters for a 1.25 inch hitch receiver since so many of the racks and accessories are made to fit a 2 inch receiver. The following link on etrailers.com will give you some help. http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Hitch_Accessories-sf-Hitch_Adapter.aspx
I meet up with a guy who “had” a Mazda 5 and he said he had a Class 1 Hidden Hitch with a 1.25” 4 bike rack. He offered to sell the rack for $40, which I passed at the time b/c I was leaning towards roof top carriers. He said he carries 4 bikes fine BUT the key here is in the details which I did not ask. As you said, you have to understand what kind of bikes (err weight) one is carrying before jumping to conclusion that it is not doable or dangerous. Forget the word “bike” b/c I think people automatically jumps to four garbage adult bikes that weight a ton (figuratively). The issue here is simply weight and how far away it is from the pivot. If you are carrying light weight road/hybrid bikes or have kiddie bikes (some cheap kid bikes weight more than a quality adult bike!) AND drive passively, I don’t think it is a problem. I have two Jamis hybrids and do not foresee any issue carrying four of the same spec or mixing in one or two children’s bikes.There are several 4 bike racks designed to be used with a 1.25" hitch opening. I have a Thule 4 bike rack that is designed for 1.25" hitch (it also has an adapter/sleeve so it can be used on a 2" hitch). You need to remember that two hitch classes are made with the 1.25" opening - class I (200lbs tongue weight) and class II (350lbs tongue weight). Just because something fits, doesn't mean the sky is the limit. This is especially true when you consider bike and cargo racks because there is extreme torque placed on the hitch, specifically the receiver. It is not safe to load 4 bikes onto a rack with a class I hitch even though you might be at or below the 200lbs tongue weight. Curt actually mandates the use of a special strap that is designed to reduce bike rack movement/bouncing thereby reducing stress on the hitch.
There is not a bike rack manufacturer that endorses carrying more than two bikes on a class I hitch. Class II hitches on the other is no problem and can safely carry 4 bikes.
I fully understand that these are simply ratings and that any given product might have a higher breaking point. However, unless you're an engineer, I wouldn't be conducting load tests on the open road. There is a reason these ratings exist they are certainly not a "guideline" for dummies. Hitch load ratings should be respected to avoid failure. Minor variances may be fine, but its a risk the user takes.
That being said, I carry three bikes on our Mazda 5 and have never had a problem, but our bikes are lightweight aluminum and I load the heaviest closest to the vehicle.
I just installed the Hidden Hitch on my 2012 this PM. The hitch + wiring kit went on sale for $175 shipped on Ebay.