Bike rack for sedan that are economical, but solid.

[m@Robertson]

I think the $350 price is very reasonable. A lot better than $850.
I am intrigued by this rack because of the ramp. It looks easy to mount the e bike in it and to take it down. Very important to me.
Looks like it was made with more in of a dirt bike kind of usage, which doesn't matter to me.
I wonder if the aluminum will work well.

It is a motorcycle rack. Thats why it can handle 400 lbs and thats why its soooo good of a fit for an ebike: In a world where you are used to seeing racks that can barely handle your bike, this one was built to handle much, much more.

The aluminum works great. The center support is steel and the rest is welded alloy (the steel versions use simple bolts as crossbars) and the rack is at least (depends on the rack) 10 lbs lighter than the steelies. I have no problem grabbing two of the crossbars as handles and guiding the unit onto my hitch mount. BTW the alloy unit comes with a hitch tightener which is essential as otherwise the rack will rock and bang around. So there's an extra $20 you don't have to spend.

As for the ramp, the one that usually comes with it is about 4 feet long and it can be a challenge to roll a heavy bike up it. But the 6-footer makes it much easier. Your bike almost certainly has a 6 km/h walk-assist setting where you press and hold a button and the bike powers forward at walking speed. I use that to help. As the bike gets onto the platform, you throw one come-along over the center of the frame and cinch down - right where you are standing so it is convenient - just enough to hold it steady while you go and use at least two more come-alongs to hold down the rear and the front. Its a good idea to use loop straps on the bars to hold them down and keep the bike from being able to sway.

You can do it all with three straps. And as you can see here it will hold very large bikes. This was the first trip home for this bike from the storage crate, prior to its electrification.

 

[pawtoki]

I also use these Curt straps with my Swagman rack. Mine attach to the roof carrier on my car and lower the weight load on the hitch, which is really the limiting factor, not the strength of the rack. Swagman sells wider baskets for my rack which enable fat tire bikes, and there are no 35 pound fat tire bikes.

Amazon.com

WHAT, you are going to lift an e-bike over your head to the top of a vehicle. I wish I was still young, not that I could have done it then. Tilting ramps is all I'm able to do and all I would look at!

 

[pawtoki]

I think that we are seeing inflated pricing due to the effect that Covid has had on manufacturing..Look at the crazy increase in auto pricing.

Are you rolling the bike up that? I'd prefer a smoother ramp and not have to fight the open spaces or having to lock the rear wheel and try to raise the front and set it down between the spacers, then lift the rear end. Just what I'm physically capable of and will to do frequently.

 

[lchupito]

I'm looking for an e-bike and a e-bike rack. Have a sedan, so I found out that I would need to add a hitch to my auto before getting a e-bike rack.
A shock for me is the cost of the racks. There is the Thule rack that is about $850 that all e-bike and hitch stores sell here in Denver.
Are there e-bike racks that are lower in cost and still good enough? It would be just for one bike and I don't expect long drives of more than an hour with it.
I didn't get my e-bike yet, but it will be a step through.
Thank you in advance.
Jon

Hi Jon,
We just purchased a trunk mount e-bike for many style of cars..
It is called Peruzzo Pure Instinct Platform Trunk mount E- Bike rack. We are selling it, only used once.
I imported the rack from Italy on August 2, 2021..
because I can not put a hitch on my Civic,
( according to our hitch installer, who said the weight of the two e-bikes would push the limit)
Can not purchase the rack from a USA company..
Sits too high on my 2011 Honda civic to be convient for me to lift the bikes to load..
This is not a normal regular platform rack, it is a Heavy Duty rack, total carring weight is 45 kg (99 pounds total for two e-bikes)
For many types of vehicles..

https://www.peruzzosrl.com/en-gb/bike-carriers/rear-bike-carrier/rear-bike-carrier-pure-instinct-2-bikes.

Paid $500. to import..
Comes with extra long heavy duty grab arm , and two extra bike platfrom extenders for longer e-bikes...
We are in New Jersey. also have a folding motorcycle ramp that we are selling..
Larry

 

[harryS]

Pawtoki, the straps clip to the top of the hatchback and are tied to the bikes under tension. With seat/battery off, the one bike still is 10 pounds over the 35 pound limit, but I believe the straps reduce the weight seen both on the rack and on the tongue. And if the rack failed, the bikes would still dangle from the straps.

I took the 20" fat tire bike up to NE Wisconsin, hoping to ride it on wet sands of Lake Michigan. Water was too high by us, but I did get a short ride. Those pebbles are bad news. First and last car trip for this heavy porker bike. While it was good for the beach, not so good for the country roads.

 

[kwalk]

There are a lot of options sold on Amazon. I bought this for $400:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D94B52G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This brand, KAC, makes a single bike version for reasonable $$ but currently out of stock.

 

[pawtoki]

There are a lot of options sold on Amazon. I bought this for $400:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D94B52G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This brand, KAC, makes a single bike version for reasonable $$ but currently out of stock.

& after dangling on the pavement for several hundred yards, what shape will they be in? Have you ever drove over or backed over something that doesn't clear the ground clearance your vehicle. Look at the angle of pavement contact from the cars tires to the bottom of your carrier/tires. I have bent rims before pulling into a parking lot on cost effective low riding carriers.

My bike is almost knee high above the road with my set-up. It supports 400 lbs and cost $450.

 

[pawtoki]

It is a motorcycle rack. Thats why it can handle 400 lbs and thats why its soooo good of a fit for an ebike: In a world where you are used to seeing racks that can barely handle your bike, this one was built to handle much, much more.

The aluminum works great. The center support is steel and the rest is welded alloy (the steel versions use simple bolts as crossbars) and the rack is at least (depends on the rack) 10 lbs lighter than the steelies. I have no problem grabbing two of the crossbars as handles and guiding the unit onto my hitch mount. BTW the alloy unit comes with a hitch tightener which is essential as otherwise the rack will rock and bang around. So there's an extra $20 you don't have to spend.

As for the ramp, the one that usually comes with it is about 4 feet long and it can be a challenge to roll a heavy bike up it. But the 6-footer makes it much easier. Your bike almost certainly has a 6 km/h walk-assist setting where you press and hold a button and the bike powers forward at walking speed. I use that to help. As the bike gets onto the platform, you throw one come-along over the center of the frame and cinch down - right where you are standing so it is convenient - just enough to hold it steady while you go and use at least two more come-alongs to hold down the rear and the front. Its a good idea to use loop straps on the bars to hold them down and keep the bike from being able to sway.

You can do it all with three straps. And as you can see here it will hold very large bikes. This was the first trip home for this bike from the storage crate, prior to its electrification.
View attachment 94876

Excellent looking set up. I added a 10" riser to my 2" receiver to get better ground clearance. I like your set-up. I would add LED strip lights on each side on your ramp. Even if you are allowed 3 feet without being required to flag or light. Being seen in this game is very important. The hitch safe I added is a good place to leave keys while you are on your ride.

 

[kwalk]

Assume you're referring to harryS rig in his/her picture? It does seem low to the ground to potentially scrape pavement.
Or are you referring to the KAC rack I linked? - kwalk

 

[pawtoki]

Assume you're referring to harryS rig in his/her picture? It does seem low to the ground to potentially scrape pavement.
Or are you referring to the KAC rack I linked? - kwalk

Yes, Harry's rig, it's hard to tell how low the bottom of the attachment is from that angle. I had to add a 4" riser to get enough clearance before I would use mine! It is a very solid rig. Overkill, but on a recent 1800 mile road trip in June it was fantastic. I rode five rails to trails paths for 210 miles. No cover, didn't remove battery (after first day on the road), or contents of the trunk and it stayed on the rack at hotel parking lots (I used a cheap evening cover at nights). Two solid days of torrential rains and had no problems. I have a way to attach a swegman rack to the Tilt-A-Rack for my wife's bike to tag along

 

[m@Robertson]

Excellent looking set up. I added a 4" riser to my 2" receiver to get better ground clearance. I like your set-up. I would add LED strip lights on each side on your ramp. Even if you are allowed 3 feet without being required to flag or light. Being seen in this game is very important.

You can't see it in that picture but I also have a 4" riser on my setup. I wholeheartedly agree with what you were saying about @harryS ' setup being so low to the ground. Been there and done that and you REALLY want to move that hitch up higher.

On the lights, my hitch is actually a factory option so I have a plug for trailer lights. I need to look into that. Especially since I am transporting one of my cargo bikes about 170 miles next week.

 

[harryS]

Those are light bikes in that pic. We drove out West with two heavier bikes, three people and a dogger in the car, and the rear end was 2" lower at the tires. I had a padlock/chain wrapped around the rack/hitch. After 1000 miles it fell off.

Sure wish I still had my Honda Pilot. We drove that to Alaska and on the Moki Dugway in Utah.