How To Choose The Ideal
Bike Rack For Your Vehicle

A good bike rack lets you take your bike to the trails, or roads that you like, which may not be close to home.

It would be great if we could ride right from home to the our favorite riding place. But, this is hardly ever the case.

You may be lucky enough to live in an area that is bicycle friendly and can ride every day without the need to transport your bike.

But, wouldn't it be nice to ride in new places? Or be able to meet your riding buddies at a central location for a fun group ride?

There are many types of bike racks to choose from ranging from a trunk mounted rack, a hitch mounted rack, a spare tire mounted rack, or a roof rack. One of these is sure to fit your needs.

Each type has their good and not so good features so you need to decide which one is the best choice for your needs.

The least expensive is the trunk mounted rack. They can be a pain to mount but are a, relatively, secure way to transport your bike and you don't need to lift your bike very high.

You need to be careful when parallel parking as it adds a few feet to the car's length. Also, there is more potential for occasional dings to the paint on your bike or your car.

There are several types of hitch mounted racks that are simple to mount and can carry up to four bikes. Of course, this requires a receiver hitch on your vehicle.

Some hitch racks can pivot downward to allow you to more easily load and unload your bikes with minimal lifting.

Like the trunk mount you need to take care when parallel parking due to the increased length of your vehicle.




If you have a SUV, or any vehicle with a spare tire mounted on the back, you have another option available to you in a spare tire mounted rack.

Again, the additional length must be considered when parking.

The roof racks are more expensive but have several advantages. The more common racks, from Yakima and Thule, have available locking adapters that are custom made for the specific vehicle.

The upside of roof racks is the firm hold on your bikes and the ability to lock them in place. And, there are no parking issues due to added length.

The downside is the added lifting especially with an SUV. Also you need to make sure you have enough clearance if you intend to garage your car with the bikes mounted. You may be OK with a car but not likely with an SUV.

The bikes are typically mounted with the front wheel removed and the front fork positioned in a quick release, but lockable, bracket but other clever designs are available as well.

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