All the information you need about bike racks in one place.
Or to find a bike rack for your specific vehicle, bikes, and needs click the Find Your Rack Button below.
The fact of the matter is, before you can start your bike ride you're going to have to get your bike to the trailhead. Since everyone's needs are unique, you're going to need a bike rack that fits your needs without compromise.
Rack Attack offers many different types of Bike Racks for your car. These include Roof Mount Bike Racks, Hitch Mount Bike Racks, Trunk Mount Bike Racks & Spare Tire Mount Bike Racks. We can help you decide which model will fit your lifestyle best by answering a few questions:
Once you have a firm understanding of what you want, continue reading to find the rack best suited to your needs.
All Roof Mount Bike Racks will REQUIRE your car to have a Base Roof Rack, which can be factory installed or aftermarket. Roof bike racks come in two styles: fork mount (front tire removed) or upright (front tire left on). There are several roof bike rack models available in each style, and almost all models have optional locks to keep your bike secure to the rack, and the rack secure to the vehicle. Here are some pros and cons of each style:
Roof Mount Bike Rack Pros
Roof Mount Bike Rack Cons
Fork Mount Pros
Fork Mount Cons
Upright Mount Pros
Upright Mount Cons
Hitch Mount Bike Racks REQUIRE that your vehicle already has a 1.25" or 2" receiver hitch installed. Hitch Mount Bike Racks can be a very convenient option, provided the hitch is capable of handling the load (if not, Rack Attack offers Trailer Hitches for most vehicles). We have two styles of hitch racks available: hanging and platform. Hanging racks sling the bikes by their frame and hold them in place with rubber or Velcro straps. With platform racks, the bike tires sit in a tray similar to a upright roof rack, and are held in place with a hooked arm over the frame or front tire. Most models have security features as standard or optional. Here are pros and cons of each style:
Hitch Mount Bike Rack Cons
Hanging Rack Pros
Hanging Rack Cons
Platform Rack Pros
Platform Rack Cons
Trunk Mount Bike Racks are the most basic way to carry bikes on most vehicles. This type of rack clamps to the vehicle with 4-6 rubber-dipped metal hooks, and has rubber or foam pads that press against the bumper, trunk or rear window for support. These racks tend to be less expensive than the other options, but the user must be cautious so as to not scratch the vehicle's finish during installation/removal.
Trunk Mount Bike Rack Pros
Trunk Mount Bike Rack Cons
Spare Tire Mount Bike Racks only come in 2-bike versions since the load is transmitted to the spare tire bracket. These racks feature locking systems to secure your bikes to the rack, as well as a lock to secure the rack to the tire. A simple twist of a knob will remove the rack when you are not using it, and they are reasonably compact for storage. It will be obvious if this is an option for you. However if you need to transport more than two bikes, we may be able to add a trailer hitch to your vehicle so you can use a hitch rack. This gets tricky because the rack must sit far back enough to clear the spare tire, so feel free to call us if you'd like more details about this option.