Thule Bike Rack 2020
Table of Contents
Bringing your bike on a trip or camping is more complicated than taking your coolers. You must make sure that the carrier you use is compatible with your bike and that it will not damage your car, SUV or any other vehicle during the process. Because not all bike carriers are universal (and even some of those who claim not to be universal), finding the right bike carrier can be difficult. So we did the research for you. Below you will find the best bike racks for cars on the market today.
1 DELUXE TRUNK MOUNTED BIKE RACK
Some bike racks seem large enough to carry the space shuttle. Not the luxury Allen Sports luxury bike rack mounted on the trunk, however. It is a light and nasty bicycle transport machine that you can install yourself in less than a minute. And you won’t need any tools or an engineering degree. It is compatible with most SUV models, sedans, sedans, hatchbacks or vans.
The heart of the Allen Bike Rack is the patented restraint system which consists of 5 individual lashing straps. All you do is place the luggage rack on the trunk, attach the two upper straps, then the lower strap and finally the two side retaining straps. Pull it out and you’re ready to go. The unit comes fully assembled with 4 generous foam pads to protect the car and the narrow support arms are designed to fit almost any size of bike. Don’t forget to also bring your bike lock, so that you can secure your bike wherever you go.
2 Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Rack
The Thule T2 Pro XT 2 is the Audi of bicycle racks; a great example of what you can accomplish when people put their minds to something. The only thing that keeps it from being our best choice is the price. But if you don’t mind dropping more on your bike carrier than what you spent on your bike, then the T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Rack should be on your shopping list. Your bike rides in royal splendor on a platform that extends from the back of your car.
The support itself never comes into contact with the paint on your vehicle and does not cling to the frame of your bike and does not scratch it. The emphasis is rather on immobilizing the motorcycle through the wheels. The T2 can accommodate up to 4 bikes (depending on size) with a total load capacity of 120 pounds. Easy to install and use. Also check out our guide to the best roof racks.
3 Retrospec Lenox Car Hitch Mount Bike Rack with 2-Inch Receiver; 2 Bicycle Carrier
Critical Cycles addresses the problem of safe and efficient transport of your bike without damaging it or damaging your vehicle in a new way. Their solution is to convert your trailer hitch into a Lenox hitch mount bike carrier. These are the kinds of things we like to see off the beaten track and the results speak for themselves.
The Lenox attaches to any Class III or IV trailer hitch in approximately 10 minutes. The set weighs less than 25 pounds, but can hold up to 140 pounds. The stainless steel components are designed to exacting tolerances, so there is no rattling and the bracket tilts outward to give you access to the back of your vehicle. Holds up to 4 bikes on the double reinforced support. Prepare your camping tent and hit the road!
4 Saris Bones Three Bike Trunk Mounted Rack – 801
Like the Allen Sports bike rack profiled above the Saris Bones 801 3-Bike Trunk Mounted Rack bike rack installs in about a minute using a series of retaining straps. Unlike the Allen Sports Rack, the Saris Bones 801 pivots in the center. This allows it to adapt more easily to SUVs and other vehicles with more or less flat backs.
The 801 has injection molded feet made from 100% recycled materials, a breathtaking arched design, a futuristic and practical design and the possibility of carrying 3 bikes. Once the retaining straps are tightened, the 801 shrouds are in place, just like your bikes. The Saris is available in a variety of colors to match your car and weighs just 11 pounds. It also makes a perfect gift for mountain bikers.
5 Thule Upride Roof Bike Rack
The Thule UpRide universal bike carrier is an ingenious and lightweight roof bike carrier that installs in minutes and is as safe for your car as it is for your bike. It can accommodate most 20-29 “wheeled bikes with tires up to 3 inches in diameter. It is a universal bike carrier in that it fits almost all types of private vehicles, from sedans to SUVs to hybrid vehicles.
The bicycle restraint system does not come into contact with the beautiful paint of your frame, but grips the wheels, twice at the front and once The icing on the cake is the integrated cable bike lock that ensures that if you have to stop in the store, your bike is always there when you get out.
6 Hollywood Racks Express Trunk Mounted Bike Rack
The Hollywood Racks Express bike carrier mounted in the trunk adapts to the curves of the back of your car and is held in place thanks to a set of adjustable retaining straps. It is provided with generously sized foam pads to protect the paint in your car, equally soft bicycle cradles that leave the paint on your bike unharmed and with 4 adjustable straps to fix the support to your trunk.
This model has a load capacity of 35 pounds and can accommodate 2 bikes in stable comfort. L’Express will leave your bike, car and bank account intact and provide years of reliable service. Our guide to the best rooftop cargo boxes offers other great products like this, so take a look.
7 Tyger Auto TG-RK1B204B Deluxe Black 1-Bike Trunk Mount Bicycle Carrier Rack
The Tyger Auto Deluxe 1 Bike Trunk Mount is compatible with the full range of domestic vehicles and installs in approximately one minute. It does a better job than most other vehicles by adapting to the more or less vertical rear of the SUV, but it is not afraid of other styles of vehicles either.
The Tyger is lightweight, rust resistant, will not scratch your paint and can be stored in the car once you have removed the bike. Everything from the 4 retaining straps to the bike cradles is simple and solid, and the mount is covered by a manufacturer’s limited lifetime warranty.
Buyer’s Guide to a Car Bike Rack
How we choose our car selection the best car bike carriers
Here are some of the items we took into consideration when selecting car bike racks for this list.
Brand – Although the brand alone is not always representative of the quality companies that have been making shelving for decades, they probably have a pretty good idea of what they are doing. That said, there are so many young designers, engineers and owners of talented start-ups today that we are not closing the door on any potential source of a good quality rack.
Critics – The Internet is a hive of opinion and everyone is wondering about this or that product or that. While a diversity of opinions is always a good thing, the fact is that it is simply not wise to give too much weight to customer feedback. Simply because you don’t know the source. So we will read what people have to say, take their points into consideration, then check the product ourselves and make our own decision.
Quality – Many of us here have bicycle racks and have gone through the process of selecting bicycle racks for cars. He taught us that a car bike rack that, when viewed from a distance, may not withstand close inspection. We look at the welds, the cable ties, the foam padding, the strength of the steel tubes used, the quality of the plastics and the quality of the restraint straps. We look at the fasteners that secure these straps to the trunk or to the bumper and we look at how the bike sits in the support both alone and when there are several bikes on it. All of these, and many more, are indicators of quality.
Price – We believe in value a lot. If a shelf of a thousand dollars is good, but there is one at 1 / 10th the price which is almost as good, it is much better, and we will take it every time. However, sometimes you get what you pay for, which means that sometimes this very expensive rack is just head and shoulders above the competition.
Features to look for in bike racks
Does it protect your vehicle? – The litmus test of a bicycle carrier is whether any of its components scratch or damage your vehicle while you are traveling. If this is the case or if it appears after inspection of the rack that it could be, you should take a pass.
Does it protect your bike? – Just as important as protecting your car is protecting your bike and its paint. If the clamps holding the bicycle embrace elements of the frame, these clamps must be lined with a flexible material which has no chance of scratching your bicycle. If the clamps are not made of a scratch-resistant material, you should look for another support.
Weight – Most luggage racks mounted on the trunk have foam padding to protect your car’s paintwork. But if the luggage rack is too heavy, you run the risk of putting a discreet (or less discreet) bump in your trunk when the luggage rack is fully loaded with bikes. Thus, the lighter the support, the better for the units mounted on the trunk.
Adaptability – Not all supports are suitable for all passenger vehicles. However, we have a predilection for those who will adapt to as many of them as possible. Even something as seemingly specialized as the Lenox Hitch Mount Bike Rack will fit any type of car that has a Class III or IV trailer hitch. In fact, it is therefore quite adaptable.
Overall construction – The rack must be well designed, well constructed and able to withstand the elements. 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. Just like the quality of the welds, the quality of the retaining straps and whether the adjustment mechanism is smooth or clumsy.
How much does it cost – If money isn’t a problem for you, it’s great. Most of us mortals don’t have $ 1,000 to put on a bike rack. While this thousand dollar rack may be the gold standard, chances are there is a $ 50 or $ 60 rack somewhere that will do the job almost as well.
Types of car bike racks
While it might seem that there are thousands of kinds of car bike racks out there, in reality, they pretty much all fall into one of 4 essential categories. They are :
Trunk Mounted Bike Racks – This is the most popular type of bike rack sold today and for a number of very good reasons. 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 countless striped paint jobs. Trunk mounted bike racks can be stored in the house or in the trunk until you need them and are usually pre-assembled and ready to go. The only real downside to this type of mount is that bikes can lock your rear view mirror or get stolen if you don’t use a bicycle lock.
Roof Mounted Bike Racks – Most roof mounted bike racks attach to the cross bars that came with your car or that you installed to carry your surfboard or the like. Some are pre-assembled while others require a little work. The advantage of the roof-mounted bike rack is that it keeps your rear window clear so you can see what’s behind you while driving. Some also have a bicycle lock. You won’t have to remove your bicycle seats either because you fear they will get pinched while you are in the store. At the same time, as we mentioned, getting your bike up and down from the roof can be a perilous endeavor unless you’re tall and in good shape.
Hitch Mounted Bike Carrier – The hitch mounted bike carrier is a relatively new invention. It uses your existing trailer hook and turns it into a bike carrier, i.e. it plugs directly into the receiving end of your trailer hook and uses it to create a stable platform for store your bikes. This type of rack is very sturdy and can usually hold 140 pounds or more of bicycles without sweating. It also keeps your bikes away from the car, so there’s no risk of accidentally scratching the paint. The hitch mount also tilts back to give you access to the trunk or the back of your SUV. Most bike racks fit any Class III or IV trailer hitch.
Truck Bed Racks – These are not as popular as some of the best car bike racks but only because fewer people own vans and most of them use them for work. The truck tipper bike rack can still be handy, especially when you want to transport multiple bikes. They sit forward of the truck platform so that the bikes have the added security of being both on the rack and in the truck platform.
