Best Bike Racks For Different Car Types with Prices and Links
Adding a bike rack to your vehicle should be simple: buy a rack, install it on your car, load up your bikes, and drive. However, finding the perfect rack for your vehicle and bike can be difficult, making it one of the trickiest purchases a biker can make. You can own a bike rack that isn’t precisely correct if careless. Even more challenging to take into account is bike compatibility. Some bike racks can’t fit children’s bicycles with wheels under 20 inches (although 12- and 16-inch bikes should be small enough to carry inside your car). Some bike racks can’t support road bikes, while others can’t support bikes with fat tires.
The Best Bike Racks For Cars
1. Thule T2 Pro XTR
Our preferred platform hitch rack is the Thule T2 Pro XTR, which was intelligently made to hold everything from 20′′ kids’ bikes to road bikes, 29ers, fat bikes, and even e-bikes. The T2 Pro XTR has enough separation between trays (12 inches) to keep bikes from colliding. Need to move some electric bikes? The Pro XTR is available for use and has a weight restriction of 60 lbs for each tray and 160 lbs overall. With your tools close at hand, you may adjust the tire trays from left to right by up to 4 inches to offset the bikes even if they first collide.
Practically nothing else you do with this rack will require your toolbox. Even installation requires no tools! Its foldable handle is simple to use and even simpler to reach. The rack at the back of the rack is simple to collapse when not in use and tilt down to open the hatch even when fully loaded. This rack has been used for years, and we don’t intend to stop using it. You can purchase it for$899.95 on REI.
2. RockyMounts SplitRail LS Hitch Rack
The majority of hitch racks are very similar to one another. The back wheel is held in place by a ratcheting strap, while the front wheel is clamped up and over by a bar. The RockyMounts SplitRail stands out because of its attention to the minor and not-so-little elements. It is nearly always necessary to raise and lower the rack to load bikes or to reach the back of the car, so having an easy-to-use handle for tilting the rack can make all the difference.
The SplitRail has one of the best; it is simple to use and functions well. Of course, loading bikes is also another essential consideration. By using tabs to keep the rear-wheel straps out of the way, the SplitRail aids in this endeavor. Although it seems unimportant, it works brilliantly. RockyMounts claims that although the rack can accommodate nearly all wheel sizes, including small, large, slim, and mid-fat, it cannot accommodate fully fat bikes. It costs $779.90.
3. Küat Sherpa 2.0
The Sherpa 2.0 excels because it strikes a sweet spot in terms of performance and cost. This inexpensive, lightweight two-bike variant mounts and stores on your car with less effort than many other tray racks. The low lift height of this rack makes loading bikes straightforward, and it is easier to attach to the hitch than most. The Sherpa 2.0 can accommodate most bike kinds (up to 40 pounds each). Even when it’s completely loaded, it tilts out of the way so you can get in your car, and when it’s not in use, it folds up small. And with its metallic powder-coated finish and anodized highlights, the Sherpa 2.0 looks terrific for riders who care about fashion. Versions that accommodate both 2-inch and 114-inch receiver tubes are available. It is available on Amazon for $629.
4. RockyMounts MonoRail
RockyMounts MonoRail is a brand-new hitch-mount rack that we think offers outstanding value. Although it is far less expensive than the most costly hitch racks, it offers comparable features and performance. The MonoRail holds the bike by the wheels, so there is no frame contact, like other excellent platform racks. With thoughtfully crafted wheel trays and ladder strap extenders that can accommodate everything from thin road tires to 5-inch fat bike behemoths, it offers a high degree of adaptability. The ease of use of this rack, which includes a one-handed tilt release mechanism at the end of the main support arm that can be utilized with bikes loaded, also impressed the testers. It has a long cable lock in the shape of a noose and a hitch pin lock that secure the rack and the bikes it holds. You can purchase it on Amazon for $539.95.
5. SeaSucker Komodo
The Komodo fastens to the roof of a car with four “vacuum cups” secured by continuously pressing the plunger on each side until the orange band isn’t noticeable. It is made to operate with either thru-axles or quick releases. Pull up on the tabs of each cup to release it and take the rack off. A benefit is that the rack can be attached to any surface where a vacuum seal can be achieved; in addition to the roof, other surfaces like the trunk and rear of van doors are acceptable.
SeaSucker asserts that it shouldn’t matter where you install the rack on your roof, but the business advises against attaching it to any region prone to flexing. Even though it doesn’t say to avoid placing the rack entirely on the sun or moonroof, you might want to at the very least secure the front cups to the metal area of your roof to prevent damaging the windows. However, the only two drawbacks are the cost and the inability to lock your bike to prevent theft. It costs $1,399.
6. Yakima FoldClick 2
The FolkClick 2 car bike rack from Yakima uses the towbar rather than the hitch receiver and has a remarkably high weight restriction. You can comfortably transport two e-bikes with room to spare. The rack weighs only 14kg and is quick and straightforward to install. However, the main selling point of this product is how quickly it can be folded away. It also has a ramp to help you load your bike. Its design includes two-wheel trays, arms, and clamps that attach to your bike’s frame. The design also has a locking mechanism for the rack itself and the bikes. You can purchase it for $949.