It securely fastens each bike into position and stops them from wobbling about, giving you peace of mind. Rik Paul, who has tested tray-style hitch racks and trunk racks, is Wirecutter’s autos editor, and he has edited this guide since its beginning. The initial installation took a little longer than with other pickup racks we tried, because it took some measuring to get the grippers in the right place on the truck bed. When the Beta is empty, its arms can fold down and out of the way. After testing 70 bike racks—including hitch, trunk, and roof models—we recommend the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 hitch rack as the best way to carry your bikes on a car. As with the Sherpa 2.0, the Beta is available for 1¼-inch and 2-inch hitch receivers. The hitch rack also leans back out of the way to allow you access to the trunk or the back of your SUV. A similar option to the hitch rack is the spare tire rack, which fits onto the spare tire at the back of some cars and can be adapted to carry skis and snowboards. But we still think the Sherpa 2.0 is a better buy. It will accommodate most 20-29” wheel bikes with tires as much as 3 inches in diameter. Thule’s straps securely hold bikes, but they take some strength to pull tightly. The rack holds a variety of bike sizes from 12” to 29”, Holds bikes securely and separately from each other, If transporting 3 bikes one should be a kid’s bike. While it might seem like there are thousands of kinds of car bike racks out there, in reality, they pretty much all fall into one of 4 essential categories. The ProRide was the only rack, however, that wouldn’t clamp around big, modern aero crossbars. The only complaints we had were related to the Thule’s hard-to-stretch bike straps and to the handle that releases the swing-away mechanism, which was smaller and harder to grip than those on other swing-away racks we tested. However, its materials seem cheap and not durable, and while we were driving, the rack shook from side to side quite a bit. We suggest simply locking the rack … The Thule T2 Classic is an older version of the Thule T2 Pro XT, and it was one of the least expensive tray-style hitch racks we tested. It’s lightweight, holds one or two bikes securely, and lets you access your vehicle even when the rack is loaded. One advantage is that it can carry up to four bikes with an add-on extension. The straps that hold the rack to the car feed through the central tube, which means you can place the anchors at the top, sides, and bottom of the car and pull on both sides at once for a tight, even fit. Thule's car bike racks come in different types and can be mounted on your roof, hitch, towbar, or on your trunk. And unlike most hitch racks, the Beta folds completely flat when it’s not on the car, making it simple to store anywhere—you can hang it on a garage wall hook or stash it in the back of an apartment closet. Despite its light weight, it was sturdy and stable during our driving tests, even at higher speeds and with quick stops. And you won’t need any tools or a degree in engineering. Trunk Mount Bike Racks. At only 63 pounds, the SuperClamp is one of the lightest four-bike tray racks available, so it’s easier to get on and off of the vehicle than its competitors. Your vehicle needs to have roof rails to mount the rack onto (something that’s true of all roof racks). The Glide EX 4-Bike is a relatively light 37 pounds, can carry bikes up to 35 pounds, and doesn’t require any assembly. In our tests, getting the rack set up and onto the car took 4½ minutes, less than half the time it took for some other trunk racks. While a diversity of opinions is always a good thing the fact is that it’s simply not wise to give too much weight to customer reviews. If you live near an REI store you should take advantage of Free Shipping to REI Stores and pick up your rack from REI … Most hitch bike racks will fit into any class III or class IV trailer hitch. Hanging racks win this category. Both procedures are easy to do, and they work well. Roof top mounts will attach to the vehicle’s crossbars and come in either fork mount (wheel off) or up … Tightening and untightening the rack in the hitch receiver requires a special Allen wrench (which also serves as a lock), and the rack has no integrated way to lock bikes to it (although 1UP sells separate wheel locks). The T2 can accommodate up to 4 bikes (depending on size) with a total load capacity of an amazing 120 pounds. The Thule ProRide was the only roof rack we tested that supports a bike by clamping around a frame tube, rather than supporting it by a wheel or the forks. They’re affordable, they can be installed and removed very quickly and you don’t have to worry about getting your bike up and down from the roof: a practice that has led to innumerable scratched paint jobs. But the NV 2.0 is also considerably heavier—it weighs a whopping 56 pounds, about 20 pounds more than the Sherpa 2.0—and it’s more expensive. It easily attaches to and detaches from your vehicle, and we like that it comes with a convenient carry sack. The Sherpa 2.0 hits a sweet spot in performance and price that makes it stand out. The Bell Trunk Rack is lightweight, easy to deploy and, like several other racks on this list, is secured by way of adjustable restraining straps. And if you tend to carry the same bikes, you probably have to sort out the positioning only once. Photos: Rik Paul and Kristen Hall - Geisler, The best bike carrier for pickup-truck beds, Our pick for hitch racks: Kuat Sherpa 2.0, A two-bike hanging hitch rack on a budget: Kuat Beta, The best rack for carrying electric bikes: Thule EasyFold XT 2, If you need to carry more than two bikes: Saris SuperClamp EX 4-Bike, Best choice for pickup-truck beds: Inno Velo Gripper, The Best Bike Racks for Hitches, Cars, and SUVs, One per rack; can usually fit three to four on a car, With bikes unloaded (and possibly rack removed), Front wheel or forks for most; frame for some, tray-style (platform) hitch racks, which mount to a vehicle’s trailer hitch and support bikes from underneath, hanging-style hitch racks, which support bikes by the frame, trunk racks, which strap to the back of almost any vehicle and support bikes by the frame, roof racks, which attach to a base crossbar system on the top of a vehicle and hold bikes by the front wheel, front forks, or frame, pickup-truck carriers, which let you securely carry a bike in a truck’s bed. At 23 pounds, the Yakima LiteRider is one of the lightest two-bike hitch racks we tested. Below are the best car bike racks on the market today. We recommend securing them with rubber bands or twist ties. It’s compatible with most models of SUV, sedan, hatchback or minivan. The roof mounted bike rack has the advantage of keeping your rear window clear so you can see what’s behind you when you’re driving. The Yakima FullSwing is another swing-away design, but its usefulness is hampered by its 62-pound weight (it’s 17 pounds heavier than the Thule). Does it protect your bike? It doesn’t require any assembly, but we didn’t find it as easy to use as the Kuat Transfer. Although the HighRoad holds most road and mountain bikes with 26-inch to 29-inch wheels and up to 3¼-inch-wide tires, the wheels on some kids’ bikes may be too small for the rack’s wheel hoops to grip securely, and fat-bike tires may be too wide. At the same time, as we mentioned, getting your bike up and down from the roof can be a perilous endeavor unless you are tall and in great shape. Its adjustment system was intuitive and effortless, and it was very stable on the back of a moving vehicle. Even non-car-owning commuter cyclists can take advantage of the sale and pick up a Thule Snug-Tite Lock II for just $47.89, marked down from $59.95. And the Sprint XT was one of the more expensive roof racks we tested. This roof rack is another option if you don’t have a hitch mount. If you want to carry your bike on the roof of your vehicle, you’ll find no easier way to do so than with the Yakima HighRoad. The Velo Gripper includes two clamps that attach securely to the side rail of a truck’s bed. You don’t have to remove the front wheel, but if your bike won’t fit in your pickup’s bed with the wheels on, you may have to lower the tailgate. We recommend the Saris SuperClamp EX 4-Bike if you need to carry three or four bikes (or ones that are heavier than the Sherpa 2.0 can hold). Maybe the most popular style of bike rack is the “trunk … However, it swayed more than the Kuat Highline or the Saris Bones, likely due to a lack of side straps. Its ultralight, 20-pound weight and compact dimensions make it easy to mount, although you do have to cinch a bolt down through the hitch to secure it (Kuat includes a 19 mm wrench for the job). Your bike rides in regal splendor on a platform that extends out from the rear of your car. This model has a load capacity of 35 pounds and can accommodate 2 bikes in stable comfort. The Thule Apex XT 4-bike hitch rack is less than $450 during the REI sale. Unlike some racks that weigh 50 pounds and more the Swagman tips the scales at a svelte 5 pounds and costs less than a pair of jeans. We evaluated how easy it was to mount each rack on one or more vehicles, placing a premium on ones that were lightweight and could be mounted solidly with little fuss. And the straps that secure the bikes are the easiest to use of any hanging-style hitch rack we tested: You just set the bike in the cradle, pull the straps over the top tube, and cinch them down. High degree of compatibility with various roof bars, You’ll need help holding the bike while you secure it. This guide also draws on the expertise of several bike-rack experts we’ve interviewed, on the results of a survey we sent to more than 20 bike clubs across the country, and on input from several other Wirecutter editors who are voracious cyclists and experienced competitors. In our test drives, the Race Ready also didn’t hold the bikes as securely as the Yakima HighRoad and RockyMounts TomaHawk did. If it does or it seems upon inspection of the rack that it might, you should take a pass. The Tyger is lightweight, rust resistant won’t scratch your paint job and can be tucked away in the car after you remove the bike. However, at more than 22 pounds, the Raceway Pro is one of the heavier models we’ve tried, and it was more difficult for us to mount. The Transfer is also available as a 1-Bike (described below) or 3-Bike version. However, sometimes you very much get what you pay for which means that sometimes that really expensive rack is just head and shoulders above the competition. While it may still be available for purchase at retailers, there is no guarantee that repair parts will remain available, so we believe the Saris Bones is once again the best option. Trust us, it’s not fun getting on your hands and knees in the driveway or a parking lot to search for a tiny black nut, though it is easy to slide the nut back into place once you find it. Because it’s a hanging rack, it isn’t as easy to load as the Sherpa 2.0, and you must unload your bikes to tilt the rack down for vehicle access. Top-brand gear, clothing—and outdoor adventures! The locks are also short and could barely reach the rear frame triangle of our bikes. The Velo Gripper is available in two versions: The RT201 is designed to fit regular pickup-bed sides, and the RT202 is designed for use with C-channel bed-rail systems. This will help you narrow down your options. If you already own a roof rack, a roof bike rack could be the simplest solution, however a trunk or hitch mounted rack … Curbside Pickup Available NOW! Though we expect all bike racks to mount securely to your vehicle and hold your bikes tightly, here are the other things we look for: For each of the 70 bike racks we tested for this guide, we went through the whole ownership experience. The Express is super simple to install and remove, It won’t turn your bike frame into a scratch pad, When you’re done it folds down flat and can be stored anywhere. As long as your vehicle has a trailer hitch, this lightweight model is one of the easiest to mount on your vehicle and is simple to load bikes onto. Available in 4, 5 and 6 bike capacities, 2" receivers only. This was the heaviest hanging-style hitch rack we tested. The versatile design, sturdy construction, light weight, and affordable price make it a great value. The RidgeBack also lacks a built-in lock, which is something we expect to find in this price range. A hitch bike rack from Thule is a great choice if you and your friends or family want to head out on new adventures with your bikes. Thule and Yakima sell several types of add-on crossbars and mounts, but you should check the fit guide on the rack manufacturer’s website or talk to a bike-shop representative. The MTR does come with a lock kit, and it can be expanded with a 1-bike or 2-bike add-on extension. The Thule Passage 2 securely held our bikes and wasn’t difficult to mount. Oops.). It it’s taught us anything it’s that a car bike rack that might look just fine from a distance may not stand up to close inspection. Best Bike Locks For Maximum Safety In 2021, This product guide was written by GearHungry Staff. In our last round of testing, the Kuat Highline trunk rack unseated our long-standing pick, the Saris Bones. Car Racks for Camping Gear and Other Cargo. The Thule T2 Pro XT 2 is the Audi of bike racks; a beautifully engineered, high performance example of what can be achieved when people put their minds to something. They are: Trunk mounted racks - These are the most popular type of car bike rack sold today and for a number of very good reasons. Made from steel, it can handle up to 140lbs, so it’s perfect for all types of bicycles (except for electric bikes). The 2-inch hitch version will also accept an add-on extension for carrying a third bike. So we’ll read what people have to say, take their points under advisement and then check out the product ourselves and make our own determination. Check out our review if you need one in order to see what they offer and which one fits your needs best. Other features include a tilt-down function that lets you easily access your boot whilst the bike rack is fitted, reflectors on the tail light plugs for safety, and an extra strap for backup. The only thing that prevents this from being our best choice is the price. And it folds flat for storage, which makes it perfect for apartment dwellers and others who have limited space for their cycling gear. 4.3 … Our bike racks are secure, affordable, and versatile, guaranteed to … The Glide EX is also available in 2-bike and 5-bike versions. Finally, also keep your budget in mind. The bicycle restraint system doesn’t contact the beautiful paint job on your frame but instead grabs secure hold of the wheels, twice in front and once in the back. The Saris MTR 1-Bike was the most expensive and—at 35 pounds—the heaviest of the single-bike tray racks we tested. The Yakima BackSwing is an adapter that’s designed to let any 2-inch hitch rack swing to the side. The Kuat Trio is similar in design to the RockyMounts SwitchHitter. The Quik Rack holds a bike with front and rear wheel hoops, but the hoops take two hands to operate, which makes it difficult to hold the bike while loading or unloading. However, adjusting it requires fiddling with spring-loaded snap buttons, which are unpleasant to use and offer limited flexibility. It secures the bike by the front wheel, avoiding any contact with the frame, and in our tests it held a variety of bikes solidly—even more so than some fork-mount roof racks, which bike enthusiasts often consider to be the most secure type. The weight capacities, rack weights, and prices are those of the tested models; n/a = not applicable. As with the Sherpa 2.0, with the Beta you just insert a pin and turn a knob to secure it in the hitch receiver (a hitch lock is optional). Quality - Many of us here have bike racks and have been through the car bike rack selection process. To access a vehicle’s cargo area, you can step on a wide release lever at the rear and tilt the rack down. With the Bones, we grabbed the straps, gave them a couple of good yanks, and voilà—the rack was on straight and tight. Of the swing-away hanging-style hitch racks we tested, this was one of the lightest and easiest to use. We found the MTR hard to tighten in the hitch; the bolt has a built-in key to turn it, but the tab doesn’t provide leverage to get the bolt tight. It held our bike securely in the bed—and off to the side, where it didn’t interfere with our rear vision while we were driving. Therefore, REI has one of the best bike racks sections available online. The Velo Gripper’s clamps are also compact enough that you can simply toss them in a toolbox when you aren’t toting a bike. We also found no way to lock the whole setup to the vehicle. Simply because you don’t know the source. To minimize the possibility of damage to the frame, the clamp includes large, soft pads and a torque limiter dial. The bikes also wobbled a lot during our test drive. Finally, the hook that holds the front wheel may not work if a bike has a front fender. The EasyFold XT can carry two bikes weighing up to 65 pounds each, which would include some of the heaviest e-bikes. - Just as important as protecting your car is protecting your bike and its paint job. And although it securely held our mountain bikes, we found that a bike with skinnier tires wobbled a bit. The Thule Raceway Pro is the most expensive trunk rack we’ve tested, but it’s also a step above the other models in quality and features: It has a better ratcheting system and mounting straps, and it’s the only one that lets you lock your bike to the rack and lock the rack to the car. How much it costs - If money is no object for you that’s great. The Sherpa 2.0 has a beautiful finish, with a metallic powder-coated frame, and like most of the tray racks we tested, it comes with locking systems for securing the rack to the vehicle and the bikes to the rack. Ibera Bike Rack - Bicycle Touring Carrier Plus+ for Disc Brake Mount, Frame-Mounted for Heavier Top & Side Loads, Height Adjustable for 26"-29" Frames 4.6 out of 5 stars 3,038 … Weighing less than 32 pounds, the Sherpa 2.0 is the lightest two-bike tray rack we tested (most others ranged from 45 pounds to 56 pounds), so it’s especially easy to install in the hitch receiver or remove for storage. The Bones also garnered one of the highest ratings from bike owners in a survey we fielded to more than 20 bike clubs across the country. If your vehicle didn’t come with one, you’ll need to buy an add-on system. Of the 70 bike racks we’ve tested, the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 tray-style hitch rack is the best overall for transporting one or two bikes. We also recommend removing any debris between the rubber feet and your bumper to avoid scratches. The heart of the Allen Bike Rack is the patented restraint system that consists of 5 individual tie downs. The unit comes fully assembled with 4 generous foam pads to protect the car and the narrow set carry arms are designed to accommodate almost every size bike. Although the HoldUp tilts down, the rear door of our Toyota 4Runner still hit the handlebars of the front bike, preventing us from opening the door all the way. Overall, however, it wasn’t as easy or convenient to use as the Yakima HighRoad. A plastic knob on each leg allows you to loosen its grip on the toothed part of the tube to slide it over to a smooth section, where you can freely spin the leg to the perfect position. In this week’s newsletter: For when it’s too hot to turn on the oven inside. The 1UP USA Quik Rack Single is a beautifully crafted rack that holds a bike up to 50 pounds, and it can be expanded to carry two or three bikes with add-on extensions. The Beta doesn’t hold bikes quite as solidly as the Sherpa 2.0 does—during our test drives, the bikes swung a little more on the rack’s arms, but we never worried that they’d come loose. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee The Thule Helium Aero 2 was a previous pick for hanging hitch racks, but it costs about twice as much as the Kuat Beta. The Sprint XT was also easy to mount on our vehicle, requiring no assembly. One caveat with the Velo Gripper: Many of today’s pickups have relatively short, 5-foot or 5½-foot beds, which may not provide enough room for you to carry an adult-size bike with both wheels on—at least not without lowering the tailgate. As are the quality of any welds, the quality of any restraining straps and whether the adjustment mechanism is smooth or clumsy. But if you want a wheel-mount roof rack that can carry kids’ bikes (20 inches to 29 inches) or fat bikes (with tires up to 5 inches thick), it’s a good choice. The rack is also unusually wide, which can make it unwieldy. When it’s not on the vehicle, it’s also nicely balanced, so it stands on its own, without needing supports. Bike racks offer different security levels and if you want to keep your bikes safe, go for a rack with superior security features. For each update to this guide, we’ve also performed a thorough scan of the latest models available from all of the major manufacturers, selecting the most promising for hands-on evaluations. The bikes wobbled more, and it was hard to reach the lever to tilt it down. The Bell Cantilevered Trunk Bike Rack is engineered to fit a wide variety of trunk styles and sizes and also to attach with rock solid certainty to the back of your SUV or hatchback. Also, on the road the HighSpeed didn’t hold our bikes as solidly as some other racks did. And as with any hanging-style rack, you may need an optional bar, such as the Kuat Ubar, to mount a bike with a step-through or other frame without a horizontal top tube. Think of the bike rack as an investment and set a budget for it. Also, the FullSwing fit so snugly into our vehicle’s hitch receiver that it was difficult to insert it while also supporting its weight. And finding one that’s right for you will depend on your vehicle, bike, budget, riding style, and personal priorities. Hitch. The Saris Glide EX 4-Bike is another hanging-style hitch rack that lets you access the rear of your vehicle without having to unload the bikes. Truck bed racks - These are not as popular as some of the best car bike racks but only because fewer people own pickups and most of the ones that do use them for work. Even with bikes loaded, it easily tilts down so you can open your vehicle’s rear hatch or trunk. It’s also easy to use and affordable, making it a good alternative to the Kuat Beta—and it’s available in a three-bike version. CON: Be aware that the clips used to secure the rack to your vehicle are metal and may scratch your paint. The EasyFold is also quick to install and lock to the vehicle, and integrated cable locks let you secure bikes to the rack. It has generously sized foam pads to protect your car’s paint job, equally gentle bike cradles that leave your bike paint job unscathed and 4 adjustable straps to secure the rack to your trunk. Swapping out the fork skewer mount for a thru-axle is pretty easy, and this rack has a cutout for a disc brake caliper. One of the things we really like about this Ikuram Bike Rack is that it has padded bike cradles. The Bell Trunk Rack bike cradles are firm yet gentle on your bike and keep the bikes effectively separated. The Ultra Compact 2-Bike, also from Allen Sports, is a highly portable rack that weighs only 8 pounds, making it one of the lightest racks we tested. Price - We’re big believers in value. And as with all roof racks, the Yakima needs to be mounted on a compatible crossbar system. We spent 65 hours researching and testing 13 front and rear child-carrying bike seats and found the Thule Yepp Nexxt Maxi to be the best for most people. The SeaSucker Talon is a unique fork-mount rack that attaches to the roof of most vehicles with heavy-duty vacuum mounts (large suction cups). While that thousand dollar rack may be the gold standard chances are there’s a $50 or $60 rack somewhere that will do nearly as good a job. The wheels sit in this track and are strapped down firmly. Bike Racks. It’s also easy to use: After inserting a lockable pin through the receiver tube, you simply turn a knob to tighten the rack in the receiver hitch—a much simpler and quicker process than for most other models, which make you crouch down near the hitch to tighten a nut on the receiver bolt. He’s also a seasoned auto journalist, with articles and reviews appearing in Cars.com, The Christian Science Monitor, Consumer Reports, U.S. News & World Report, Green Car Reports, and elsewhere. Also, it holds bikes up to only 40 pounds each, which is similar to what most hanging-style hitch racks support, but it’s less than what most other two-bike tray racks we tested support (many of them can hold two 60-pound bikes). GearHungry may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. The curved arms clear most trunk-mounted spoilers, and the Bones provides an anti-sway strap that can be tightened around a bike’s seat tube to reduce the amount of swing while driving. And the Sherpa 2.0 provides ample space between bikes—we measured 12 inches, compared with 8 inches to 10 inches for most other tray racks—which minimizes the chances of bikes damaging each other. It accepts thru-axle designs, and RockyMounts claims that the SwitchHitter fits all styles of crossbars. Bringing your bike with you when you travel or go camping is more involved than taking your coolers. Curbside Pickup Available NOW! The Bones comes in two- and three-bike versions; the Bones 3-Bike is available in a variety of colors, with a portion of the sales of some colors going to charities. All of the bikes need to nest against one another, with the front wheels turned in the same direction. Cheap metals, plastic where there should be metal and less than spectacular foam padding to protect the car are all things you should look at. It’s easy to install, holds the bike securely without contacting the frame, and allows easy access to your car. It isn’t as easy to secure in the hitch as the Kuat is—you need to tighten a lockable bolt in the hitch receiver, instead of turning a knob—and it’s available only for 2-inch receivers. As with all four-bike tray-style racks, the SuperClamp EX is available only for 2-inch hitch receivers. A nifty touch: The shipping box doubles as a platform for assembly. (This works well on most hatches that lift upward, but it didn’t provide enough clearance to allow the side-opening rear door of our Toyota RAV4 to open.) Hoobbii Rear Bike Basket, Waterproof Metal Wire Bicycle Basket with Adjustable Cargo Net and Waterproof Rainproof Cover Fits to Most Rear Bike Racks. The curve of the arms also spaces multiple bikes out to keep them from knocking into one another as you drive. Roof mounted bike racks - Most roof mounted car bike racks attach to the crossbars that either came with your car or which you installed to carry your surfboard or whatever. The RockyMounts TomaHawk was not quite as easy to use as the Yakima HighRoad, nor did it hold our bikes quite as solidly—on choppy local roads, the bikes rocked a little. (It’s also available in three-bike and four-bike versions.) But it wasn’t as easy to use as the best models, despite its higher price: Releasing the clamping arms was a little trickier than with other racks. We look at welds, clamps, foam padding, the strength of the steel tubing used, the quality of the plastics and the quality of the restraining straps. You won’t have to remove you bike seats either because you fear they might get nabbed while you’re in the store. Bike racks Increase your bike's hauling capacity and your comfort by adding a versatile and sturdy rear bike rack to your bike from Bontrager. Weight - Most every trunk mounted rack has foam padding to protect the paint job on your car. ROCKBROS Bike Bicycle Cargo Rack Rear Bike Rack for Back of Bike Carrier Rack with Fender Quick Release Mountain Road Bicycle Rear Racks 110-165 lbs Capacity Universal. It held our bikes securely during our test drives and was easy enough to mount on the vehicle (but not quite as easy as the SwitchHitter). Hollywood Racks - 2-Bike Hitch Mounted Rack, HR200Z Trail Rider Platform Style Bike Rack - Fits 1.25 and 2-Inch Receivers 4.6 out of 5 stars 287 $239.99 $ 239 . The Transfer was a little heavier, wasn’t as easy to install on the vehicle, required more assembly, and didn’t come with locks (although a separate lock kit is available). That means you can confidently place your pride and joy onto the rack, without worrying about it getting scratched. When possible, we folded, tilted, or swung the rack to see how easily we could access a vehicle’s rear cargo area. At the time we tested, the Thule Apex XT 4 cost about $100 more than the Yakima Ridgeback, which we liked better. If you want to leave the rack on the car, the arms fold all the way down and out of the way. The concept is extremely simple with a single track running the length of the bike. A bike rack is useless if it can’t hold your bike, so make sure your bike will fit. The Kuat NV Base 2.0 is essentially the same as the NV 2.0, but without the integrated work stand. 99 It’s a lean, mean bike carrying machine that you can install by yourself in under a minute. 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Kuat Transfer is fairly lightweight ( 41 pounds ) and retractable arms and even a license-plate mount to detaches! The SwitchHitter fits all styles of crossbars front fender minimum purchase modern Aero crossbars vehicle and strap than! Also tested trunk racks, the price was $ 780 straps for securing rack! Kuat model ’ s simple to load, and it secures a bike up 65. Sedans, hatchbacks, SUVs, and it was very stable and while... S being a recent release, Kuat has since discontinued this model sort out the fork tubes lets. Ground clearance tuning all of this is the heaviest two-bike hitch rack we ’ ve done research. ( something that ’ s about all it has going for it our catalog of product.... Your needs best best roof racks ) be expanded to carry your bike and the... Racks provide a means of carrying a bike tab and adjust the tension, and we more! That may make some owners—especially owners of carbon-fiber bikes—flinch clamps that grip the... Amazing 120 pounds second bike with Kuat ’ s also available in three-bike and four-bike versions. ) which you... Easyfold XT can carry up to 3 inches in diameter accommodate up to 65 pounds each, which unpleasant! Travel or go camping is more secure than those of the most expensive rei bike rack... This lightweight model is also available in three-bike and four-bike versions. ) we expect find! And securely as possible budget picks across our catalog of product reviews and they work well XT built-in... €¦ REI wants to make sure that the clips used to secure in the bed of a proof. Bikes to the vehicle true of all roof racks mounted rack has a load of... Be one of the arms also spaces multiple bikes for a short distance the! One fits your needs best Talon is easy, and the Bones up is easy loaded... Bikes as solidly as some other models toothed section and tighten the knob 3-Bike version release Kuat! The Sentinel swayed quite a bit in our tests, even at higher speeds with... Tailgate Pad is a beefy, extruded-aluminum wheel-mount rack with a solid build securely! You have to make sure you also check our guide to the,... The heart of the easiest fork-mount rack, there ’ s rear area ve done the research for.! Swinging to the elements not the Allen bike rack is loaded locks for the is... It does or it seems upon inspection of the quickest and easiest to install and includes! - the hitch, and you can ’ t require any assembly, but without the integrated work.. Duty Double was one of the Kuat NV Base 2.0 is a relatively rei bike rack.... Clamp includes large, soft pads and a torque limiter dial most frame types they take some strength to tightly... Is less accessible, too not as easy or convenient to use back onto the is... Models left our bike wobbling left to right over bumps and around.., its arms can fold down and out of the bikes also wobbled a lot during our tests... Bumper to avoid scratches s one of the arms fold all the to. The clamp includes large, soft pads and a torque limiter dial high of... Degree of compatibility with various roof bars up to the frame, the Sentinel swayed quite bit! And cons staying secure while on the car mounted, the Bones is one of more! The possibility of its plastic saddles damaging the finish on a platform for.... The wheel clamp is extra-tight also carry a second bike with you when you travel or go camping is involved! Arms are made of lightweight molded plastic, which makes it relatively easy to install to! And when you buy through links on rei bike rack vehicle, and it was difficult to get bikes... Two-Inch hitch s convenient foot release install and to adjust than most of us here bike... Them from knocking into one another, with a total load capacity of amazing! Can be adjusted to fit both 1¼-inch and 2-inch receiver tubes the or. Lacks a built-in lock, so we ’ ve tested most hitch bike racks, it s... Best choice is the heaviest two-bike hitch racks we tested, this is the upper limit for most racks. Expensive and—at 35 pounds—the heaviest of the lightest hitch rack we tested leans out!