We recently bought bicycles and became bike people, so we have to take our bikes to trails in the GX470. We’ve tried a few different methods to move the bikes with the Lexus.

Inside the GX

This is my favorite, since the bikes are inside and safe, and it requires no extra parts. We have 2 bikes, so you just take the front wheel off each bike and then put the bike and the wheel inside. You have to push the middle row seats up, and the 3rd row can’t be installed (I sold mine anyways). I’ve seen some people mount a Quick Release Bike Fork or 2 to a 2x4 and place that inside the vechile, so that the bikse can’t move around. With 2 bikes in there, they don’t move much anyways. This method does use all of the interior space of the GX, so no passengers can fit, and it probably won’t work with 3 bikes or more.

Pros: Cheap, Safe, Easy

Cons: Uses all interior space, can only hold 2 bikes

Total cost: $0-40

Bike Rack

You can also mount a bike rack to the hitch, if you have one. I also tried this method, and it works when you need to keep stuff in the car. So a swing down bike rack, it will hold 2, 3, 4 bikes. But! The rear tailgate won’t open, since the GX has that swing out door. So the solution is to get a hitch extension. I tried a 12” hitch extension, which didn’t give enough clearance to open the door. Then I got a 18” hitch extension, which barely gives enough room to open, but it does.

So for this method, you actually need to buy a decent amount of stuff to mount it and keep it stable, if you want the rear door to open.

• Bike Hitch Rack - also use the included hitch stabilizer
• 18” Hitch Extender
• Anti Rattle Hitch Shim - put this between the extension and the bike rack to stabilize it

My wife rides a Cruiser style bike, which has very large cross bars. You use those cross bars to attach the bike to the bike rack. I found out about cross bar adaptors, for cruisers and similar bikes. It helps them sit on bike racks easier.

Even with all this hardware and stability, I didn’t love driving around with the bikes hanging off the back, but I never had an incident.

Pros: Keep interior empty

Cons: Bikes are outside, bikes move around on the rack

Total Cost: $100-150

1 Up Swing Out

This is the most recommended solution from GXOR, the 1UP Swing Out Bike Rack. This is a bottom tray bike holder that swings out, so you can still open the rear door. This was never a real possibility for us, due to the cost, but it looks like a great solution if you move your bikes often and need the interior available.

Pros: Keep interior empty, bikes are very stable

Cons: Money

Total Cost: $500+

On Top

You can mount them on top of your GX using the roof rails, but your vehicle will be so tall then. I don’t think I’d recommend this, and I haven’t seen anyone use this option.

All the Bikes

You could do what a GXOR member did and mount all the bikes