Softride Access Dura Hitch Rack (courtesy, REI)

Do you have a question of your own?

Well, I hate the idea of anyone giving up their truck. But maybe it’s the best thing, given the price of fuel.

Most cars can take some kind of trailer hitch, so if you can do that, great. That’s because I think hitch racks are usually the best way to go. They’re easy to use, there’s no drama getting them on/off vehicle, and they come in a variety of configurations. Yakima’s DoubleDown four-bike rack ($229), for instance, holds four bikes in an easy-access upright mount. It’ll hold most any bike securely, and it tilts out of the way so you can get access to the car’s trunk.

Thule’s Ridgeline ($339) also can take four bikes, and it has a little wider swing on its arm for better back-of-car access. In between the two racks, price-wise, is Softride’s four-bike Access ($275), which actually is a really nice rack for the money.

The easiest hitch racks to manage are those that use a tray to hold the bike, such as the Saris Cycle-On ($360). It’s a two-bike rack that can accept a two-bike extension, although at that point you have a very long thing sticking out of the back of your car.

Saris also makes a pretty good three-bike trunk-mount rack called the Bones 3-Bike Trunk Rack. At $150, it’s very affordable, but in time it will leave some wear marks on your car, regardless of how careful you are.

So there you go. Thanks for writing!

The 2008 Summer Outside Buyer’s Guide is now online. From riding to trail-running to camping, get reviews of nearly 400 gear must-haves.

RECENT QUESTIONS Are old-school backpacks worth buying, or has technology advanced too much? How should I store my sleeping bag and tent for the winter? Is there a kids’ backpack that can grow with a child? I need a mammoth tent that’s durable and warm. Any ideas? Are hydration bladders more trouble than they’re worth? Search the Gear Guy

GEAR GUY FEATURES Check out the bio of Douglas Gantenbein, aka the Gear Guy. Readers' Mailbag: The Gear Guy digs into some of your more bizarre, obscure (and let’s face it, downright weird) posts from years gone by to see if he can make sense of it all, or if it’s just time to run up the white flag. Previous column: Beat the Cost of Gear. The Gear Guy reports from the 2005 Outdoor Retailer summer trade fair, with his rundown of ten products to watch in 2006, plus the inside scoop on what shook down at the bi-annual gearapalooza.

MORE GEAR The Outside Gear Blog 2005 Buyer's Guide State of the Art: 2005 Bikes