Getting hitched - for a bike rack

[Learner]

Short version:
What are your suggestions for a 1 or 2-bike hitch-mounted bike carrier that stores easily inside the van when not in use, without impacting storage space too much?

Long version:
So, this may seem like a bit of overkill, but I'm trying to come up with a good (flexible) option for transportation.  We currently have a 2011 Sienna with a hitch installed.  I have a 4-bike carrier, which I tend to only use for long trips when we're taking 4 bikes.

The use case I'm trying to solve is local transportation.  I normally bike to work.  Sometimes it would be very convenient if I could toss the bike on the back of the van for 1-way transport (normally drop-off, but sometimes pick-up).  To this end, I'd like to have a carrier option for just my bike that I can easily put on / take off as the need arises.  When not in use, I would store the carrier in the back of the van (tucked in somewhere) so it would be readily available.  I would prefer to avoid the option of keeping a carrier on the back of the van all the time because of the impact on maneuvering.  In a given month, this scenario probably comes up 5-10 times.

Facepunch option is of course to suck it up and just bike into the office when we get back from wherever we're going (it just kills a lot of time, especially in the common scenario where my wife is passing by with the van already).

[dycker1978]

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/sportrack-4-bike-tilting-platform-hitch-rack-0401109p.html#.VUjIGf50zcs

I got something like this.  I found mine used on craigs list.  Mine is for two bikes not 4... but same design.  Super easy to put on and take off vehicle, even easier to use.

[Learner]

Just thought of another factor - locking would be required.  Normally transportation would be point-to-point, but sometimes we would leave home, go to A and stay a while, and then pass by work on the way to B before home.

Dycker, thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

[dycker1978]

It locks too!  It locks to the vehicle and the bikes lock in it.

[KCM5]

Do you guys use the van for more than three people? If not, you could remove the extra seats and slide the bike right in. Vans are awesome like that.

[Learner]

3 kids under 3 in car seats, that was the go-to plan when it was only 2.

[Thegoblinchief]

3 kids under 3 in car seats, that was the go-to plan when it was only 2.

Either all 3 in back row (what we do) and remove both captains chairs or 2 in back, one in middle. Remove one captain chair from middle. Basically all bikes should fit easily in that empty space with the front wheel pulled off.

Or if you have a newer van with the fold down rear seats, fold down one half and put the bike through from the rear.

[Zman]

https://www.seasucker.com/    have you seen that one?

[spokey doke]

Not very mustachian, but the best hitch mount bike rack, and one that happens to be both very light weight, secure, and collapsable, is from 1up USA.  It comes with just one tray and you can add/remove additional trays as needed...but it is a bit spend