Best car bicycle racks

Quick list 1. Best for ease of use 2. Best for bikes with fenders 3. Best rear wheel protection 4.

Bike racks are now one of the best selling motoring accessories, with the rise in popularity of biking and staycations both bring big demand for decent bike transport. But what rack should you choose? Bike racks can generally fix to the roof, the bootlid or a tow bar. Roof mounted is generally more affordable, is easy to store when not in use and can be fitted to most vehicles — although those with multiple or panoramic glass roofs may be difficult. But getting the bikes onto the roof rack can be really difficult, especially on tall SUVs or vans, and car parks with height barriers can also be a huge issue. Tow bar-mounted bike racks, in contrast, are a universal fit and, with the rack lower down the bikes are much easier to load. Even the age-old issues with boot access, and the racks being bulky and awkward to store, have largely been overcome.

Best car bicycle racks

When you need to carry your bike by car, you want to do it as easily and securely as possible. Of the tray-style hitch racks we tested, this is one of the easiest to install and use. This hanging-style, two-bike hitch rack costs less than our top pick. This rack is great for carrying bikes weighing up to 65 pounds. This upgraded model offers sturdy construction and light weight at an affordable price, making it a great value if your car can't accommodate a hitch mount. You have to lift your bike up higher to load it than with our top pick. This tray-style hitch rack is lighter than most similar models, easy to use, and reasonably priced for a four-bike rack. This one-bike roof rack is simple to install, allows easy access to your car, and holds a bike securely, with no frame contact. The best choice for carrying one bike in the bed of a pickup, this well-priced carrier has a simple design and is very portable. Your car might sit too low to fit a hitch mount, or your bike might be too heavy to lift onto a roof rack. Our chart shows the pros and cons of the different kinds of racks: tray hitch, hanging hitch, trunk, roof, and truck bed.

If your fleet includes road or gravel bikes, the cradles of this 6 bike hitch rack can be repositioned to just 4 to perfectly accommodate those dropper bars. Since the NSR holds the bike by the fork crown, it is not compatible with road bikes. After years of hauling our bikes on the Saris SuperClamp EX, best car bicycle racks, we still have conversations about how much we love this rack!

Are you looking for a new bike rack? We've spent the past six years purchasing and testing over three dozen models to bring you this evaluation of 17 of our favorite bike racks on the market today. We understand how difficult it can be to locate a rack that works for your bike, vehicle, and budget, so we're here to assist. For months, our bike-obsessed testers carried bikes on hitch, trunk, and roof-mount racks. We switched between cars, trucks, and SUVs, driving up dirt roads, down freeways, and parallel parking around town. We were impressed by how simple it was to load and unload our bikes and how securely they kept our prized possessions.

The best bike racks for cars help you to transport your bike or bikes further afield safely and securely. They're designed so that your bike is easy to mount and dismount and many bike racks for cars are not particularly difficult to attach and remove. You'll often need some separate components to mount them though. That might be a tow hitch, which needs to be fitted to your vehicle, or roof bars to attach the bike rack to. It's worth factoring these in when making a decision about the best bike rack for your needs, as they can add considerable expense above that of the rack itself. You also need to think about how easy it will be to mount a bike to your rack; a roof rack requires lifting your bike, which may be difficult with a heavier bike or an electric bike or if you've got an SUV or other taller vehicle. Mounting to the rear of the car may be easier, but you then need to think about whether your number plate and taillights are visible and there will be weight limits on how much you can carry. We've got more info further down on how to choose the best bike rack for your car and what you should think about when making a decision, but first here are our picks of the best bike racks that we've used and reviewed here at Cyclingnews.

Best car bicycle racks

Our car experts choose every product we feature. We may earn money from the links on this page. Whether you're a cycling enthusiast or just packing for a family vacation, loading and unloading bicycles from your car or truck is always a pain. Bike racks provide an elegant and simple solution to this problem and can even increase your bike-carrying capacity. There is a huge selection of bike carriers to choose from. The type of mount, the type of bike, the size of your bike's tires, the number of bikes you wish to carry, and your budget will all determine which rack is best for you. With such a wide variety of racks on the market, you can choose the one that best suits your practical and aesthetic needs. With so many options, as well as volumes of information to know when purchasing a rack, the Gear Team has stepped up to help you out. We've assembled a list not only of some of the best bike racks on the market but also some of the most crucial knowledge you'll need for purchasing and owning your perfect bike rack. So which type of car bike rack is perfect for you, your bikes, your vehicle, and your lifestyle?

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Best Hitch Bike Racks of The rack is available in versions for up to seven bikes. This includes material, design, and the linkages of any moving parts. We still have some gripes with the BackStage , though. If you are on a tighter budget, especially if you need to haul 3 or 4 bikes, hanging racks are your best bet. The oval bars are designed to cut through the air, reduce drag, and in the process cause less wind noise. Regardless, we believe the MonoRail is an excellent rack that outperforms its price. We recommend the Yakima HighRoad for anyone who knows they will need to remove their rack from their vehicle frequently. Both options held bikes securely in our drive-testing, though the MHS Duo feels more robust the bikes did not sway as much. When not in use, the rack can be folded up flush with the back of the car. Which will make grocery runs and the like a lot easier on a trip for example. There is zero frame contact from the rack though, so there's no need to worry about carbon tubes being damaged or crushed here. Bicycle frame type, wheel size, tire width, and accessories can present issues for some racks. Saris Modular Hitch System. The fork cradles are strong, and the rope rear-wheel fasteners are simple and far more durable than rubber or plastic ratchet systems.

Are you considering a hitch bike rack?

Josh Ross. Having spent time with both, there are two small details that I like about the Thule that gets them the nod. Kuat has also addressed this issue by offering an aftermarket ramp compatible with most of their hitch racks. You will need to add wheel strap extensions for the biggest sizes but they come in the box. The car's paintwork is protected by rubber tabs and the rack is designed to fold neatly into the boot when not in use. We also found that as long as we paid attention to cleaning dirt and grime off the ratcheting system after driving on dirty or dusty roads, trouble was eliminated. Tray-style hitch racks for single bikes. A more complete buying guide click to jump down is provided later in this review. Best for 12", 14", 16" bikes. Bikes with carbon frames should never be carried on a hanging rack!