In order to make the best Bike Rack purchase it is important to be aware of a few key points from the get go. Learning about the many options you have at your fingertips will ensure you buy a bike rack that will suit your individual taste and one that will last you a lifetime. The best way to get started, establish where you want to carry your bikes - on top of your vehicle (roof mount) or behind it (rear mount).
Roof Mount Bike Racks are further categorized in to the means in which they attach to your bicycle. Fork Mount Bike Racks grip securely to the front forks of your bike after you have removed the front wheel. Frame Mount Bike Racks instead grab on to your bike's down tube, and do not require you to remove the front wheel. Finally, Tire Mount Bike Racks are the most versatile as they grab on to your bike's front wheel and are not influenced by bike sizes or disc brakes. If you happen to own a Recumbent Style Bike both Thule and Yakima make a specialty roof mount option as well. All roof mount bike racks can be locked with the purchase of an additional lock cylinder or a cable lock.
Rear Mount Bike Racks are also categorized in to different styles, but not how they hold on to the bicycle instead where they attach to your vehicle. Hitch Mount Bike Racks will allow you to carry from one to five bicycles depending on the class of receiver hitch you have installed on your vehicle. Trunk Mount Bike Racks will allow you to carry from one to three bikes and are attached to your vehicle with straps. Spare Tire Bike Racks carry from one to two bikes and mount to your vehicle by attaching to the rear spare tire if your vehicle happens to have one. Finally, Truck Bed Bike Racks allow you to carry your bicycles in the back of your truck without sacrificing the reasons you got a truck in the first place.
Roof Mount Bike Racks REQUIRE that your vehicle has a pre-existing rack system already in place either factory installed or, if your vehicle's roof is bare, one of our multipurpose base rack systems. To see what multipurpose base rack system options are available for your vehicle, check one of our Automated Roof Rack Fit Guides. Roof mount bike racks offer optimal flexibility by allowing you to easily mount to your vehicle's pre-existing factory crossbars or a multipurpose base rack system. They are great for maintaining access to your trunk or hatch, carrying more than one bike, and they allow you to utilize your roof space - you will be able to carry multiple accessories at the same time. With most roof mounted carriers you can fit 4 bikes by alternating the direction the bikes are facing (one bike forward, one bike backward, etc.). If you need more cargo room, you can mount a narrow cargo box on your roof rack and still have room for a bike or two. You have three main carrying options within the roof mount category: fork mount, frame mount, and tire mount. There are also now hybrid styles available giving you the best of each option.
Some important considerations:
Hitch Mount Bike Racks slide directly in to both 2 inch and 1.25 inch receiver hitches while offering similar performance to that of the roof rack options without the challenge of lifting your bike or bikes overhead. Hitch Mount Bike Racks are ideal for vehicles that already have a receiver hitch installed and allow you to access your bicycle(s) at a low level. Easy to install, easy to remove, and they can carry up to five bikes safely at a time. Hitch Mount Bike Racks drastically reduce wind resistance and most models can be adapted to become a ski and snowboard carrier for the off-season. Within the hitch mount bicycle rack category you have two carrying options, extending this categories already well covered versatility.
Post Style or Frame Mount carriers utilize arms and straps to securely wrap around various parts of your bike frame. Post Style Carriers allow you to carry between one and five bicycles depending on the size and weight rating of your receiver hitch. Some of the higher end models also swing out of the way providing you with complete rear of vehicle access, as well they have fold down arms to stow the rack away when it is not in use.
Platform Style carriers act as a roof mount bike rack with the ease of access of being behind your vehicle. Platform Style Bike Racks can transport between one and four bicycles (with the addition of a rack extension) regardless of the frame design, suspension, or wheel size. Some Platform Style Bike Carriers will tilt down to provide easier rear of vehicle access, as well as fold up for when they are not in use.
Trunk Mount Bike Racks hold between one and three bikes and attach to the rear of your vehicle with a series of straps, which if installed correctly are quite safe and will inflict no damage on your vehicle's finish. A benefit to the trunk mounts is that they fit a wide range of vehicles, so if you are thinking you may be buying a new car or changing vehicles in the near future, then a trunk mount bike rack may be for you. Some vehicles have a spoiler mounted on the trunk or back hatch, so be wary as the spoiler may interfere with the recommended mounting point on the vehicle. To add security to a trunk rack, pass a cable lock through the bikes and the vehicle's towing loop. Also to note, since some women's bikes do not have a horizontal cross tube to attach to, you might require a frame adapter or artificial cross tube. Most carriers can be left on when the trunk is opened, however the bikes must be removed to avoid damage and injury, therefore it is not a good idea to use a strap on carrier that has straps below the bumper as you will have to take all of that off before opening your trunk.
Just as the title suggests, Spare Tire Mount Bike Racks mount onto the spare tire, either by using specially fitted mounting plates that assure a secure attachment or by strapping to the actual spare tire itself. The arms on Spare Tire Mount Bike Racks typically fold down for when the rack is not in use, better yet they are easy to take off and small to store away. These carriers will hold between one and two bicycles and will adapt to off-center spare tires.
Truck Bed Bike Racks are super fast, super stable, and super easy to load. They are a great solution if your truck cab roof will not accommodate a top-of-vehicle solution. The limit on the bikes you can carry depends on the size of your truck's box. Truck Bed Bike Racks allow easy access to the tailgate of your vehicle and allow you to simultaneously carry multiple types of gear.
