What Is the Best Bike Rack For My Car?
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Are you looking at bike racks, but don’t know which kind is best for your vehicle? Your worrying stops now! In this complete guide, you’ll be taken through the five types of bike racks for a car, SUV, pickup truck, or van.
Key Takeaways
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How Much Weight Can a Bike Rack Hold?
When choosing a bike rack, you’ll want a rack that can support your bike. Because bikes and e-bikes can weigh anywhere from 15-80 lbs, it’s important to research the weight capacity of the bike rack that you want. You can always find the total weight rating for the bike rack and how many pounds it can hold listed on the bike rack. Here are the average weights that each type of bike rack can hold:
- Receiver Hitch Bike Rack: 30-60 lbs per bike
- Hatch Mount Bike Rack: 30-45 lbs per bike
- Rooftop Bike Rack: 30-75 lbs per bike
- Tailgate Pad: N/A (Bikes are stowed in the truck bed)
- Truck Bed Bike Rack: N/A (Bikes are stowed in the truck bed)
Five Types of Bike Racks for a Car or Pickup Truck
- Receiver Hitch Bike Rack
- Hatch Mount Bike Rack
- Rooftop Bike Rack
- Tailgate Pad for Bikes
- Truck Bed Bike Rack
Receiver Hitch Bike Rack
If you are going to get a bike rack for your car, this is the one to choose. These bike racks are the best at keeping bikes away from the rear of the vehicle and are the easiest to load since the rack is lower to the ground. Plus, the rear of the vehicle is completely accessible with a swing-style rack.
While these bike racks tend to be higher in price, the convenience and quality of this style of racks are well worth it. You wouldn’t put your completely custom mountain bike, which you just spent thousands on to get all the features you want, on a budget bike rack, would you? High-quality bike racks are an investment, just like your bike. This rack is best for gas mileage and protects your bikes from road debris, such as rocks and bugs.
A receiver hitch bike rack also keeps the trunk and pickup bed clear for all the other camping supplies you may need on a road trip. Unlike a rooftop bike rack, this frees up the top of your vehicle for a rooftop cargo carrier that you can pack to extend the road trip!
Hitch-mounted bike racks have two main styles: tray-style bike racks and hanging bike racks. Tray-style bike racks have built-in cradles and ratcheting frame arms for added security. Hanging bike racks are more affordable and attach to the bike frame, and the bike “hangs” down.
The best hanging style bike rack is the Thule Apex XT. This bike rack comes with an anti-wobble knob that keeps noise down, a lever that allows the bike rack to pivot so you can still access your trunk, tailgate, or hatch, and it can fit both 1 ¼” and 2” hitch receivers.
The best tray-style bike rack is the Thule T2 Pro XTR. It comes with wheels that allow for easy assembly and disassembly when not in use. You can even tilt and lower the bike rack, so you still have complete access to your trunk, hatch, or tailgate. It also comes with an extension bike rack add-on to carry up to four bikes!
This bike rack is also great for accommodating the unique frames of mountain bikes.
Vehicles for which this bike rack style works best:
- Sedans
- Small SUVs
- Crossovers
- Minivans
- Large SUVs
- Pickup trucks
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Hatch Mount Bike Rack
Hatch mount, or trunk-mounted bike racks go on the rear of the vehicle and are mounted to the trunk or hatch using straps. Because of its smaller size, this bike rack is best if you’re planning to transport 1-2 bikes. However, it may not work if you have a wing or spoiler on your car.
An important thing to keep in mind with this style of bike rack is that you may not be able to use your trunk while it’s attached to your vehicle. These racks can also potentially damage paint and windows due to the pressure needed to secure them on the vehicle. Your bike may also damage the vehicle if it is too close to the car.
Vehicles for which this bike rack style works best:
- Sedans
- Small SUVs
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Rooftop Bike Rack
This kind of bike rack is attached to the roof rails of the vehicle, and most of the time, it requires the front wheel to be removed during transport or the bike to be loaded upside down. This bike rack is best for those who frequently access their trunk/hatch and are physically able to get a bike on top of their vehicle.
The issue with this bike rack is that your bikes are not protected from bugs and road debris. It’s also easy to forget your bike is on the roof and drive into a low clearance area, like a drive-thru or parking garage, which could result in serious damage to your bike.
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Vehicles for which this bike rack style works best:
- Sedans
Tailgate Pad for Bikes
If you own a pickup truck and are not planning on having items in your truck bed when traveling to your destination, a tailgate pad is for you. Installing a tailgate pad is easy, and you don’t have to worry about putting together metal components. A tailgate pad is also lighter than most bike racks and can be easily stowed in your truck when not in use.
Vehicles for which this bike rack style works best:
- Pickup trucks
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Truck Bed Bike Rack
This style of bike rack is best for those wanting to use their truck bed to its full potential. Some of these truck bed bike racks can even be DIYed with a PVC pipe. The biggest downside is that you lose nearly all space in the truck bed, especially if you have a dual-cab pickup truck.
Loading bikes onto this rack also requires two people if you don’t have a loading ramp, and bikes can be a hassle to get out of the bike rack, too.
Vehicles for which this bike rack style works best:
- Pickup trucks
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Pros: Does not extend the length of the vehicle at all
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How to Get a Trailer Hitch for a Bike Rack
If your car doesn’t have a trailer hitch, that isn’t a problem. Most vehicles allow for a trailer hitch to be bolted right to the vehicle frame, making a solid and dependable connection. To check if your vehicle can have a hitch installed, simply use the U-Haul hitch finder, where you’ll input your vehicle’s year, make, and model to see what trailer hitches will fit your vehicle best!
We will even install the trailer hitch — and all the complicated wiring that comes along with it — for you. Don’t think of a trailer hitch installation as another expense; think of it as an investment into making your vehicle more convenient and versatile while increasing resale value! You can also make a trailer hitch installation appointment via the U-Haul app with just one click, saving you time and effort.
Get your trailer hitch for a bike rack installed today!