Which Bike Rack and Carrier Is Best for Your Car and Your Lifestyle?
When it comes to biking, having the right bike racks and carriers is a necessity. While there are numerous ways to transport your bike, no two people will ever have the same preference. Some people enjoy bike rack roof systems. Other people who have more than one bike prefer hitch mounted bike racks. If you’re deciding which type of bike rack and carrier is best for you, keep in mind what fits your lifestyle and be sure to consider other things as well, such as storage space, ease of installation and purchase, and weight capacity.
How to Choose the Right Type of Bike Rack for Your Car?
With so many options on the market, it can be challenging to know which bike rack is best for your car and your lifestyle. The first step is determining which type of rack you need and how many bikes you want to carry. There are three main types of bike racks: trunk-mount racks, hitch-mount racks and roof-mounted racks. Each style has its own advantages and disadvantages.
To determine what kind of rack will work best for you, you’ll need to know the make, model and year of your vehicle. These models provide universal fit, but some trunk-mount models require an adapter (sold separately) for vehicles with a spoiler or that do not have a trunk lid. You’ll also want to consider how far away the vehicle’s license plate is from the rear hatch or trunk lid. If the bike rack obstructs access to the license plate, you will likely need a license plate relocation kit (sold separately).
Different Types of Bike Racks
Bike racks come in three basic styles: trunk-mount, hitch-mount, and roof-mounted. Each style has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Trunk-mount bike racks: These are the most common type of bike rack and attach to the back of your car’s trunk or hatchback with adjustable straps. Most bicycle models can be carried by trunk-mount racks, but they aren’t as convenient to load and unload as hitch-mount racks. Trunk bike racks tend to carry fewer bikes than hitch mounts, usually only two or three.
Hitch-mount bike racks: These attach to a vehicle’s trailer hitch and can carry more bicycles than other styles — up to five on some models. They’re also easier to load than trunk mounts because they’re higher off the ground. However, not all cars have trailer hitches, and installation can be difficult if you need to drill into your bumper or body panels. Hitch mounts are also heavy, so it’s often easier to leave them on your car rather than removing them when you’re not using them.
Roof-mounted bike racks: Roof-mounted bicycle carriers attach to a vehicle’s crossbars or raised side rails with clamps rather than straps. They’re often more expensive, since they’re not made for the rough treatment that a bike typically gets on the road. Some are designed to fit through a standard car door.
The Best Car Bike Rack – The Top a Few Options
The Thule 933 bike rack is the best option for a 2 bike hatchback rack. The Thule 933 fits hatchbacks, minivans and SUVs, so it will work with your vehicle. It has adjustable cradles that allow you to transport bikes of different sizes. The Thule 933 also has a tilt-down feature, so you can access your rear cargo area without having to remove the bikes.
The Yakima Standard Fork Mount Bike Rack is another great option if you want a more permanent solution to carrying bikes on your roof. It is compatible with all factory and aftermarket crossbars. The rack comes with everything you need including mounting hardware, keys and locks. The rack will hold any fork style bike, including fat tire mountain bikes.
If you are looking for an affordable option for a hitch mount bike rack, take a look at the Allen Sports Deluxe 3 Bike Trunk Rack. This rack will fit most sedans, hatchbacks and minivans and the no-wobble hitch bolt system keeps your bikes secure while in transit. You can choose to lock your bikes to the rack and the rack to your trunk or hitch receiver. This is a great option because it is inexpensive, lightweight and easy to install.
Final Thoughts
As we can see, there are plenty of options to decide from when it comes to bike racks and carriers. The market is saturated with these products, and each one has its own variation of features and price. If you were to rely on basic research alone, you would likely find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the number of products out there. However, this bike rack buyer’s guide was created with one purpose in mind—to help you narrow down your choices and make the selection process a little less stressful.
In the end, when selecting a carrier for your bike, it will come down to what works best for you and how you intend to use it. Additional features like ease of loading and locking are also important. We hope this blog has made your decision a little easier, but remember that the best carrier for one person may not be the best for another.