There are numerous methods to move bikes along with your car, however hitch bike racks are arguably the perfect. With so many fashions and types to select from, nevertheless, discovering the proper hitch rack in your wants and funds could be a problem. At Bikerumor, we’ve examined dozens of the perfect hitch racks in the marketplace to seek out the perfect methods to conveniently and safely transport your treasured bikes wherever you go.

Whether or not you’re doing mountain bike shuttles with an enormous crew, heading out on an informal journey or to a race, or loading up the household for a weekend trip, we’ve discovered the perfect choices out there in 2023. Our workforce assessed every mannequin’s ease of use, weight limits, versatility, security measures, and meeting, to offer you the small print it is advisable make a extra knowledgeable buy determination. 

Right here you’ll discover our high suggestions adopted by the perfect of the remaining that are all additionally nice merchandise worthy of consideration. In the event you’d like to match product specs you should definitely take a look at our comparability chart and check with our complete purchaser’s information and FAQ to assist reply any questions.

Editor’s Notice: This evaluate was up to date on Nov. 17, 2023, with the addition of the Thule Epos and 1Up Recon Rack to our product choice, make some modifications to our award winners, and to make sure the accuracy of the knowledge offered.

The Greatest Hitch Bike Racks of 2023

Better of the Relaxation

Hitch Bike Racks Comparability Chart

Why Ought to You Belief Bikerumor?

The workforce at Bikerumor is obsessive about all issues biking. We journey for work, enjoyable, health, coaching, racing, and commuting. We don’t simply write about bikes, they’re a driving pressure in our on a regular basis lives. Such as you, we frequently use our autos to move ourselves and our treasured bicycles, and hitch-mounted bike racks are our most popular manner to take action. 

For over a decade, we’ve been testing the newest bikes, applied sciences, elements, and equipment, together with bike racks. In that point, we’ve gotten our arms on nearly each bike rack in the marketplace whether or not for testing and evaluate or private use. We’re at all times looking for the perfect, most secure, and most safe technique to transport our bikes to the trailhead, for a weekend getaway, or to the subsequent race. In step with protecting bikes protected and safe, we’ve additionally totally examined and reviewed the perfect bike locks. We additionally worth our private security, which is why we’ve examined the greatest mountain bike helmets and the greatest highway bike helmets too.

Our editors have been testing biking gear for years and have developed a eager sense of what makes an amazing product. Every rack featured right here has been totally used and examined by one, or a number of members, of our workers to tease out the customarily delicate efficiency variations that separate the nice from the perfect. Actually, many of those fashions are our private racks which have seen a number of years of heavy use and abuse. Relaxation assured, we’ve our fingers on the heartbeat, and as new fashions hit the market, we’ll check these too, and preserve this evaluate as up-to-date as potential. We’re dedicated to serving to you discover the proper rack to satisfy your wants and funds.

Shopping for Recommendation: How you can Select a Hitch Bike Rack

There are various types of motorbike racks in the marketplace, however we really feel that hitch-mount racks are the easiest way to move your bikes. Hitch racks are available in a number of types, nevertheless, so that you’ll want to find out which is the best choice for the bikes you personal and the car you’ll apply it to. Right here we break down the principle variations between tray racks, vertical carry racks, and high tube hanging racks, in addition to different essential issues to contemplate when buying a hitch rack. 

Sorts of Hitch Mount Bike Racks

There are benefits and downsides to every sort of rack. Right here we’ll clarify the variations together with the professionals and cons related to every type.

Tray or Platform Hitch Bike Racks

Most of the time, we select the tray or platform type rack over the others as a result of their ease of use and bike attachment strategies. The bike’s tires relaxation on a tray or platform with arms that usually clamp down on the entrance wheel whereas the rear wheel is strapped into place. Some fashions use arms to seize each the entrance and rear wheels. Tray racks are essentially the most secure and safe. Some fashions permit for left-right changes so you may keep away from handlebar-to-seat interference between bikes. Critical cyclists usually select tray racks as a result of most designs maintain the bike with none body contact, serving to to maintain your journey in pristine situation.

PROS: Good tray racks usually maintain bikes with no body contact so that they gained’t scratch or rub on the paint. In addition they are likely to have more room between bikes, making it simpler to load larger bikes and fatter tires. They’re very versatile and most can maintain a variety of wheel sizes, tire widths, and varieties of bikes. Some have excessive weight limits making them appropriate for transporting heavy e-bikes. Low loading heights imply you don’t need to raise your bikes that top to get them on the rack.

CONS: Most tray racks can solely match 2 bikes (some can max out at 4 with add-ons). They’re usually fairly costly, and including a 2-bike extension to a 2-bike rack will increase the price much more. Tray racks are sometimes massive and heavy, making storage tougher in case you don’t simply go away them in your car.

Vertical Carry Hitch Bike Racks

What was as soon as a really area of interest type of rack is turning into extra frequent as extra manufacturers have began making racks that hold the bikes vertically. Historically, vertical carry hitch racks had been generally used for shuttling mountain bikes. Earlier fashions held bikes by the crown of a suspension fork. Extra just lately, this type of rack has grow to be extra versatile. Some new fashions function angled wheel baskets/trays that seize the entrance wheel whereas others help them by the handlebar. Vertical carry racks could be among the best to load, though it have to be performed in a particular order. Most fashions are supplied in a number of variations with carrying capacities usually various between 4 to six bikes. 

PROS: Able to carrying plenty of bikes. Comparatively fast and straightforward to load bikes. Usually no body contact. 

CONS: Cumbersome and really heavy. Troublesome to maneuver round and retailer when not in use. Bikes must be loaded and unloaded so as. Some designs are solely able to carrying mountain bikes with suspension forks. Most solely are available in a 2” receiver measurement.

High Tube Hanging Hitch Bike Racks

High tube hanging bike racks usually maintain your bike’s body by hanging the highest tube throughout two arms that stretch out from its help beam. You merely slide your bike over these arms, relaxation it on them, then strap it into place. Higher fashions have cradles and rubber or ratcheting ladder straps in addition to some methodology of stopping your bikes from swaying backwards and forwards. These racks are available in numerous sizes with carrying capacities ranging between 2 and 5 bikes. At Bikerumor, we personal and journey bikes that we care about, so that is our least favourite technique to transport bikes as a result of inherent downsides of the highest tube hold design.

PROS: Cheaper, simpler to retailer (particularly if the arms fold down), lighter weight.

CONS: Helps the bikes by the body and may harm the paint. Bikes usually make contact with one another. Non-traditional body shapes (like step-through frames), actually small (child’s) bikes, or full suspension mountain bikes could be laborious to suit, correctly safe, or require an adapter. Hanging racks are nowhere close to as secure or safe as tray racks. Decrease weight limits.

Product Concerns

Tray vs. Vertical Carry vs. High Tube Cling: Which is the perfect?

Choosing the proper type of rack will depend upon a number of components together with what number of and what sort of bikes it is advisable carry, how usually you plan to make use of it, and the way a lot you’re prepared to spend. Most of the time, we go for tray racks or vertical hanging racks as they’re the simplest to load, most secure and safe, and are much less more likely to harm the paint in your body. These are usually the costliest choices, nevertheless, so they might not make monetary sense for these on a funds or much less frequent rack customers. High tube hanging racks could be a greater possibility for many who solely use a motorcycle rack often or are much less involved with the looks of their bike’s body. 

How Many Bikes Do You Want To Carry?

It might appear apparent, however the variety of bikes you plan to hold when purchasing for a motorcycle rack. Many racks could be bought in various sizes/carrying capacities or extensions could be added on to deal with extra bikes. 

Most tray racks include house for 2 bikes, though some are supplied in single or three-bike configurations. Many producers supply add-ons for tray racks (relying on the mannequin) that may develop capability by one or two bikes. Tray rack add-ons can add considerably to the price of your rack system.

Vertical hanging racks are usually supplied in a number of sizes, often between 4 and 6 bikes. Whereas the upfront price of vertical hanging racks is substantial, it finally ends up being one of the vital cost-effective methods to move 4 to six bikes (some manufacturers go as much as 7) apart from a tailgate pad. 

High tube hanging racks are supplied in numerous sizes ranging between 2 and 5 bikes. 

How A lot Do Your Bikes Weigh?

The appearance of and proliferation of electrical bikes has made weight capability a typical concern for these trying into a brand new bike rack buy. Not all racks are created equal on this regard, so weight limits needs to be thought of primarily based on the bikes you plan to hold. With many e-MTBs and electrical bikes weighing within the neighborhood of fifty to 60 lbs, and typically extra, rack producers have been designing racks to deal with this new breed of bicycles. If you’re planning to move heavy e-bikes, you will need to get a rack that meets or exceeds the load of your bikes for security. The Thule Epos has the very best weight per bike capability of all of the fashions we examined at 75 lbs, adopted carefully by the Yakima StageTwo at 70 lbs. It needs to be famous that some racks are rated for RV and off-road use, though the load limits usually drop down barely in these purposes.

Loading Heavy Bikes

Heavyweight electrical bikes are harder to load, so some producers have responded with rack designs and equipment to assist make it simpler. Lifting a 60 lb bike up and into place on a tray rack is awkward and should even be inconceivable for these with restricted power or mobility. Many manufacturers now supply loading ramps that may be bought to permit customers to roll bikes up onto the trays of sure racks. A choose few racks even include this accent included, just like the Yakima OnRamp. Different racks, just like the Thule Epos, Yakima StageTwo, and the Kuat Piston Professional X, are suitable with aftermarket ramps, and the racks themselves have excessive weight limits to deal with these heavyweight rigs.

Bike Attachment Concerns

Relying on the kind of bikes you may have and the way a lot you care about your body’s end, the best way a rack secures the bike could also be an essential consideration. Trendy carbon fiber and aluminum bikes could be very costly, so the very last thing most individuals need to do is harm the paint or body materials whereas transporting their treasured rides. For that reason, high tube hanging racks ought to typically be prevented by these with costly carbon bikes since they carry bikes by the body. Restricted house between bikes additionally makes bike-on-bike contact tough to keep away from.

Tray Racks

Most tray racks, however not all, keep away from body contact by securing the bike with both a entrance wheel clamp and rear wheel ladder strap, or with twin clamp arms that sandwich the bike from each ends. Entrance wheel clamping fashions such because the Thule T2 Professional XTR, Rocky Mounts MonoRail, Kuat NV 2.0, and Yakima StageTwo have hook-shaped ratcheting arms that lock the entrance wheel down and a strap that holds the rear wheel tight in opposition to the tray. These fashions keep away from body contact, but it surely needs to be famous that the entrance wheel hook can doubtlessly make contact with the fork and go away abrasion marks over time, and the rear wheel strap can go away some minor scuffing in your rear rim. Twin clamp fashions just like the 1Up-USA Heavy Obligation Double, Kuat Piston Professional X, and Rocky Mounts GuideRail, maintain bikes by the tires, making it simple to keep away from any undesirable body, fork, and even rim contact.

Vertical Carry Racks

Vertical carry racks fluctuate in the best way they maintain bikes, with choices that help bikes by the fork’s crown, entrance wheel, or handlebar. Fashions with entrance wheel baskets/cradles, just like the VelociRAX and the 1Up Recon, make the least quantity of contact with the bike as they typically solely contact the entrance tire and have straps that maintain the rear wheels in place. Racks that carry bikes by the fork crown, just like the North Shore Racks and Yakima HangOver, have padded cradles that make direct contact with each the crown of your suspension fork and the underside of the pinnacle tube and have the potential to trigger abrasion marks in these areas. Vertical racks that help bikes by the handlebar are a bit extra versatile than the fork-carry fashions, however in addition they have the potential to trigger minor abrasion harm to your handlebar’s end.

What Sort of Bikes Do You Have?

Together with the quantity and weight of the bikes it is advisable transport is the varieties of bikes you may have. Whereas hitch racks are extremely versatile by way of bike match, not all will work with each bike. Some racks are designed to work with nearly any bike on the market and may help an enormous vary of wheel sizes, tire widths, and wheelbase lengths, whereas others are extra restricted. It is very important think about these components when looking for the rack that most accurately fits your wants and the bikes you’ll be transporting.

The character of tray rack designs means they’re among the many most versatile by way of bike match. Most work with various wheel sizes and tires starting from skinny highway bikes to mountain bike treads. Many fashions can match as much as 5-inch huge fatties, though some require fats bike kits. A limiting issue for some tray racks is wheelbase size, so select correctly when you have a brilliant lengthy downhill or enduro bikes.

Vertical carry racks fluctuate of their versatility relying on how they help the bike. Some fashions maintain the bike by the crown of the fork and solely work with mountain bikes with suspension forks. Fashions that use entrance wheel baskets or hold the bike by the handlebars work with a better number of bikes, together with these with inflexible forks or drop handlebars.

High tube hanging racks are the least versatile as a result of manner wherein they help the bikes. Grownup-size frames with straight high tubes work the perfect. Curved tubes, small frames, or full suspension bikes could also be tough or inconceivable to place correctly over the help arms. Most manufacturers make adapters to hold non-compatible frames.

What Measurement Is Your Hitch Receiver?

When ordering a motorcycle rack, it’s important to get one which matches the dimensions of the receiver in your car. Many autos, however definitely not all, include hitch receivers put in, so you should definitely double-check the dimensions. Will probably be both the bigger 2” or the smaller 1.25”. Can’t inform simply by trying? Merely measure the width of the receiver opening to seek out the dimensions. In the event you don’t have already got one, it’s potential to get one put in on most autos. Native auto outlets or U-haul areas can usually maintain it for you. In lots of instances, it’s also potential to do it your self, and trailer hitch kits can usually be discovered on-line to suit your yr, make, and mannequin of auto.

If getting a trailer hitch put in, the two” measurement is our suggestion as it’s typically stronger and may help extra weight. This makes it higher for transporting tray racks with add-ons, racks with swing-away attachments, or vertical hanging racks. The 1.25” measurement additionally works properly sufficient, however the weight ranking is mostly a bit decrease and a few racks are solely supplied within the 2” measurement. Adapters can be found to go between the 2 sizes, and a few racks even include adjustable receiver ends that may be switched between them.

Swing Away and Tilt Options

Most high quality tray racks have a tilt operate so you may fold it up when not in use, flat for transporting bikes, and tilt it down and away to entry the rear of the car. Some racks have handy tilt-release handles or foot pedals and could be tilted down even with bikes on the rack. Others have much less user-friendly launch mechanisms that require you to achieve below or round loaded bikes to tilt the rack. Most vertical and high tube hanging racks even have tilt options for simpler entry to the rear of the car.

Individuals who have camper vans, cabover campers, or just need huge open entry to the again of the car ought to think about racks that swing away or including a swing away/pivoting attachment to the rack of your alternative. This enables your complete rack to pivot out and to the aspect, making it simpler to open massive doorways or just get pleasure from unrestricted entry to your trunk (boot), truck mattress, or camper. A choose few racks include this function constructed into the design, just like the Rocky Mounts Backstage, however most main producers additionally make swing-away attachments. These attachments are usually solely out there within the 2” receiver measurement for racks that even have 2” receiver ends.

Car Clearance

The clearance between the rack, bikes, and your car is worthy of consideration. No one needs to have their rear window damaged by their handlebar whereas in transit or must loosen and switch their handlebar each time they load a motorcycle on the within tray. Some trailer hitches are mounted additional beneath the car, making the rack itself sit nearer to the rear bumper. Further components just like the type of auto and the design of the bumper and rear door additionally play a task. Some racks play good with nearly any car whereas others can have a tighter match that may trigger contact between handlebars and rear home windows or doorways. That is commonest with tray racks and autos with vertical rear doorways like campervans that may be extra problematic on this regard in comparison with these with sloping rear ends like station wagons and hatchbacks.

Most rack producers present technical specs or match guides on their web sites for reference. This hyperlink to Kuat’s Piston Professional X Match Information is an effective instance that offers you all of the measurements you want for that particular rack. Evaluating your measurements to the rack’s specs ought to offer you an concept of whether or not or not a rack will match. Nonetheless, that doesn’t at all times clear up the handlebar clearance subject, though that’s typically most prevalent with vertical rear doorways. In some instances, it could be essential to get a hitch extension to attain the correct clearance in your car. Luckily, most manufacturers supply hitch extensions as an aftermarket accent, a few of which additionally increase and decrease the peak of the rack. Vertical hanging racks often have fewer clearance points as they usually have an angle adjustment to place it correctly to keep away from any interference with the rear of the car.

Safety

Bikes could be very costly, so protecting them protected is a precedence for many customers. The very last thing anybody needs is to cease for a fast errand and discover their bike(s) stolen after they return. Many racks, however not all, include included security measures like cable locks built-in or semi-integrated into their design. Whereas these options are undoubtedly significantly better than nothing, they’re usually little greater than a theft deterrent. We at all times suggest including a beefy aftermarket lock to your rack for an added layer of safety and peace of thoughts. You may study extra in our evaluate of the perfect bike locks.

Racks are additionally pretty costly, so protecting them protected and safe can be essential. Luckily, most hitch racks include hitch pin locks or locking knobs to safe them to the car. Some require using particular safety allen keys to tighten or loosen them on the hitch. Hitch pin locks are pretty cheap, and an amazing addition to any rack that doesn’t already include one.

Meeting

While you buy a hitch bike rack from a brick-and-mortar retailer, they are going to usually assemble the rack for you and doubtlessly even enable you to set up it in your car. While you buy a rack on-line, it often arrives at your own home in a big field with some meeting required to arrange it to be used. The meeting course of varies between fashions and a few are extra concerned than others, however typically, it isn’t too tough. Most fashions include detailed directions and the instruments wanted to finish the steps within the course of. Usually you’ll find an tutorial meeting video (or scan a QR code) in case you desire to see it performed. We suggest following the directions precisely for the simplest and most streamlined meeting.

Storage

Whereas many individuals will select to go away their hitch rack on their autos always, most individuals will take it off seasonally or after they aren’t planning to make use of it for an prolonged interval. You’ll want someplace to maintain it, and most hitch racks are pretty cumbersome and take up a good quantity of house in your storage, shed, or storage location. That is very true of most vertical hanging and tray fashions, though a number of collapse to a smaller measurement to make storing them extra handy. Some firms make wall-mountable hitch docks that may maintain your rack up off the bottom to maintain issues tidier. High tube hanging racks are usually the simplest to retailer given their narrower collapsed dimensions.

Worth

There’s no denying that hitch bike racks are costly. Costs have been steadily growing and the highest-end fashions now high $1,000. Except you’re rolling in disposable revenue, that’s a tricky capsule to swallow for most individuals. Certain, dearer racks usually have fancy options and high-end finishes, however most individuals don’t want to spend that a lot to get a rack that will get the job performed.

Realistically, the least costly fashions we examined work almost in addition to the high-priced choices. All of them work higher than no rack in any respect. In fact, the value of some racks goes manner up when it is advisable add capability. Tray racks get rather more costly whenever you issue add-ons into the equation. These needing to hold many bikes without delay can be clever to take a look at the vertical hanging choices. Whereas the upfront price is pretty excessive, they price lower than some racks with add-ons for carrying 4 or extra bikes at a time.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions About Hitch Bike Racks

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