The 5 Best Hitch-Mounted Bike Racks

Hitch-mounted bicycle racks are quick to load, since there’s no will need to hoist your ride on to your car’s roof, and they have bikes by the wheels (not the body), minimizing potential for hurt in transit. There’s plenty of factors to look at when buying from the greatest solutions obtainable for transporting your wheels with relieve. Here’s 5 of the greatest new hitch-mounted bicycle racks on the sector.

Thule Helium

What It Is: A one- or two-bicycle rack that retains your bicycle(s) by the tires and doesn’t touch the bike’s body. The rack sits better than some other hitch racks. To safe a bicycle, aluminum arms fold in from possibly aspect and push down on to tire rubber. A button on the tackle of each and every arm releases that side of the rack when you’re completely ready to unload. Every single bicycle mount has an integrated theft-deterring cable lock. And, the rack is rapid and easy to mount to the auto.

Why We Appreciate It: Bikes are costly, building a system rack that doesn’t touch the body attractive. Also, for the reason that the rack closes from both of those sides, it will make offsetting bikes less complicated than on other racks. It folds down a single-handed for uncomplicated trunk entry. At 43 pounds, it is also a single of the lighter hitch racks readily available, although still durable and suited for tough highway driving. And, it is uncomplicated to assemble with bundled equipment.

Drawbacks: This rack suits limited to the car or truck, and in some situations, that in good shape may well was much too tight without having a hitch extender. Thule has a site page devoted to support identify if the rack will in shape your motor vehicle. I wasn’t ready to set up it on a Toyota Sienna minivan with out an extender, but it did suit on a Toyota RAV4 with the mounts restricted to the bumper. The rack carries two bikes, max—there’s not presently an option to increase it to three or 4 bikes. The rack just can’t carry bikes with wheels lesser than 26 inches. It’s also not rated for e-bikes. Max proposed fat for every bicycle is 37.5 lbs ..

Extras: Suitable with Thule’s Entry swingarm, which rotates the rack away from the trunk making obtain even less difficult. Also accessible in a single bicycle variation.

[$699 (two-bike rack), thule.com]

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Dovetail Ferst

What It Is: Made by an specialist in lean producing, this 12-pound (1 bike) to 14-pound (double) rack is the lightest hitch rack you can buy. The rack holds bikes by the crank—a bike carry procedure well-known with tour operators. A plastic assist at the leading of the crank boot flips to seat beautifully involving the non-driveside crank and the body. And a plastic sleeve inside of the boot protects carbon cranks as perfectly as aluminum ones from scratches. With the crank within the boot, a twist knob secures the bicycle. And a Velcro strap wraps the entrance wheel to a 50 %-tray for balance.

Why We Adore It: 1 of the most significant limitations to utilizing a hitch rack is the weight. This rack can be taken off the motor vehicle in a lot less than a moment with the incorporated applications, then picked up a single-handed and stashed on a shelf, in your trunk, or any place else. Mainly because Dovetail Ferst retains bikes by the cranks, it’s nearly universal. Set up was speedy and straightforward because there ended up several pieces. And although it doesn’t fold, in many months of use, that was not a hardship. With the rack mounted on a swing arm, I experienced entire trunk obtain.

Cons: Dovetail Ferst’s web page is in improvement, and it does not at the moment have the full selection of solutions, so connect with the corporation with queries, like which bottom bracket guidance (or supports) you require. The support that arrived with the rack was excellent for mountain bikes, but I required a various support for gravel bikes. Product sales are direct-to-customer only, so you just cannot wait around in a store and check out out this rack. No lock incorporated, however a Masterlock Python will both protected rack to hitch, and bikes to rack.

Extras: Coming soon—Dovetail’s maintenance kit that lets you harmony your bicycle by its base bracket with the entrance wheel secured for on-the-street bike cleaning and upkeep. Also coming quickly, trays for fats tire bikes, and Voile-model straps for people who do not believe in Velcro.

[$375 (two-bike rack), dovetailferst.com]

Kuat NV 2.

What It Is: An eye-catching, modern-day a single- or two-bicycle rack that converts to a 3- or 4-bike rack with the addition of excess mounts. Each mount can help a 60-pound bicycle, and the rack performs for bike wheels from 20 to 29 inches (20- and 24-inch bikes call for an adapter). Plus, Kuat has a very well imagined-out assortment of equipment to make working with and storing this rack consumer-friendly.

Why We Enjoy It: A lot of racks variety of glimpse the exact same. This just one is exclusive and instantly recognizable. Mainly because bicycle wheels relaxation on supports, not in trays, there is no have to have to swap trays if you decide to carry a body fat bike as a substitute of a street bicycle. The rack feels correctly sized for each individual bicycle. And it will come in two hues, a little something other racks never supply. The wheel supports are adjustable, so you can established it up to make positive bikes nest very well. Built-in locks are robust enough we experienced confidence leaving an costly bicycle secured only with the rack’s cable. A foot/hand lever lets you fold or lessen the rack a single-handed. We take pleasure in the lifetime guarantee, much too.

Downsides:  You either start with a two-bicycle rack and increase a person more mount or two. There is no foundation unit that lets you include a single to four mounts, indicating there’s no solitary bicycle alternative. The NV 2. is a beast at 56 pounds for the two-bicycle rack and 91 pounds for the four bike rack. Repositioning bike supports normally takes fiddling to get bikes to nest. The rack matches 2-inch receivers only.

Extras: This rack comes with two mounts that can be expanded to a few or four. The rack is available with or without an built-in bike stand. Kuat also sells the RackDock, a wall-mounted receiver that holds your rack for storage. Kuat’s HiLow Pro has an up-to-date hitch cam and redesigned lock. And Kuat’s swing absent is another way to get you house to get into your trunk.

[$689 (two-bike rack), kuatracks.com]

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Yakima HangOver

What It Is: A vertical hitch rack that hangs up to 6 bikes in about the identical room that a two bicycle tray rack requires up on your bumper. The rack arrives in four- and six-bike configurations. Bikes cling by the crown of their suspension forks. They are secured with a strap at the prime and a strap about the again wheel

Why We Adore It: Huge family members and mates who like to shuttle will value this rack. A foot-tilt lever lets you angle it absent from the auto for loading and for trunk entry. The rack has two mast heights, letting you to adjust it so the rear tires of the bikes on the rack keep crystal clear the floor, which is frequently an situation with this design and style of rack. Several racks carry 6 bikes. So, if you’re touring with a even bigger crew, this rack is a person of the ideal possibilities out there. A hitch lock is bundled. The fork cradle is padded so it will not scratch mountain bike stanchions. And the rack can deal with suspension bikes of most any wheelbase.

Negatives: We located it challenging to load, even with the rack decreased. It’s a cumbersome 77.65 lbs ., so hard to take care of off the vehicle. The HangOver is for suspension fork bikes only. The four bike rack just cannot be expanded to maintain 6 bikes. No cable locks are integrated.

Extras: Yakima can make masses of rack accessories. The four bike HangOver is appropriate with the company’s BackSwing.

[$599 (four-bike rack), yakima.com]

Lolo Racks Lolo Rack

What It Is: A weighty-obligation, vertical rack that suits practically any motor vehicle with a 2-inch hitch receiver, this Portland, OR-made rack holds bikes by their handlebars. It carried up to 220 pounds of bikes such as six mountain bikes, four highway bikes, little ones bikes and far more. And, it’s so burly, it feels like it’ll last a lifetime. The handlebar-keeping hooks are uncomplicated to go with a ratchet and a wrench, so switching the configuration as necessary is a no-brainer.

Why We Adore It: If you’re the dude who generally volunteers to drive your mates to the trailhead, or who shuttles your crew to a descent, this rack is for you. It is speedy to load, and it retains up to 250 lbs of bikes securely. Also, if you are the person who feels like other racks are flimsy, you have fulfilled your new bicycle carrier. Handlebars relaxation on angled, overbuilt hook mounts, then secure at the bar and at the back wheel with oversized bungies. Lolo Rack is manufactured from weighty-obligation metal, and it felt a lot more steady than any other rack we tested. With the rack on your car or truck, there are several selections for how you posture it, so this rack match cars that other racks did not. We analyzed it on a Toyota Sienna minivan, a Toyota RAV4 SUV, and on a F-350 truck with a camper in the mattress. Repositioning the rack to tilt even more absent from, or nearer to, the car demands transferring a one bolt. And, even with bikes loaded, the rack folded down and out of the way for trunk access. With a ratchet and a drill, it usually takes seconds to move handlebar mounts to accommodate bikes successfully. Lolo Racks are intended and created by Oregon riders. And they do an outstanding position boxing the rack compactly for delivery.

Disadvantages: It was more sophisticated to assemble this rack than other individuals we examined, and assembly expected a multitude of resources. It fits a 2-inch hitch receiver only. A 1.25-inch receiver can’t tackle the load. And if your auto rides very low, a vertical rack may perhaps not be the finest choice—bike wheels can from time to time bump the ground.

Extras: As an alternative of awkwardly storing this rack for winter, use it to haul skis and fats bikes at the exact time. Most ski racks can mount to the bottom of this rack to carry skis vertically. If you don’t bicycle or ski in winter, consider mounting this rack to your garage wall and storing bikes on the rack to lessen garage muddle. Lolo Rack sells DH-certain handlebar hooks for transporting dual crown fork bikes.

[$740, loloracks.com]

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