A place for more technical discussions. Please make sure you post in the correct section on the site, this way it keeps the site tidy AND ensures you get a more relevant answer.
I have experience with all types of bicycle carriers on Jimnys 3 - roof mounted, tow bar mounted, spare wheel mounted.
Roof mounted is OK only if you are very very tall or if you carry TWO stools on which to climb when (dis)mounting the bicycle from the roof.
Spare wheel mounted is OK for one bicycle for on-road driving on smooth roads and asking for trouble with rear door hinges on any rough ground, including even coarse gravel.
Spare wheel mounted with two bicycles is asking for trouble even on smooth roads and I did not even try on rough roads.
Tow bar mounted is excellent apart for blocking the rear door and requiring additional license plates and rear lamps, as the bicycles obscure them.
I even used four bicycles mounted on a tow bar mounted bicycle carrier plus three passengers in the car + full roof box of bags. A diesel Jimny did not sweat a bit uphill on twisty mountain roads with just some stronger throttle. But no sudden steering wheel manovuers. I tried the same setup on a petrol Jimny later and I had to rev its tits out like an angry chainsaw on uphill twisty mountain roads.
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