Bike racks. What do you use, and why?

[DaveMatthews]

What kind of bike racks do people like to use?
I've been using trunk style racks for 20+ years. I like the idea that I can install and remove without modifying my vehicle.
I also like that I can install it on other vehicles than mine.
I just got my new Saris Bones EX 3 bike rack today, and it's a massive improvement over the old/tired one I've had for 25 years or so.
It's rated for 105lbs so I'm good to go with my ebike and a buddy with his acoustic bike. The old unit was tenuous at best.

Others will of course extol the virtues of hitch or roof (not so much for ebikes I suspect), or other types I've missed.

Here's my new Saris...








Let's see what you've got!

 

[christob]

... I’ve always wondered about that... if the rack is for 3 bikes but the mfr says 35lbs each, what to make of putting a single heavier bike (say 50lbs) on it. Naturally, if there were ever to be any rack failure during a drive involving a bike heavier than 35 pounds, no chance of compensation or warranty coverage from the manufacture… “You exceeded the stated use and capacity of the rack.”
But in reality, is that rack “generally” able to safely carry the 50 pound bike?
Mostly I am curious, because my Prius doesn’t have a hitch, and can’t take the larger hitch installed, necessary for most, or all, of the hitch-mounted racks intended for heavier ebikes.

 

[DaveMatthews]

... I’ve always wondered about that... if the rack is for 3 bikes but the mfr says 35lbs each, what to make of putting a single heavier bike (say 50lbs) on it. Naturally, if there were ever to be any rack failure during a drive involving a bike heavier than 35 pounds, no chance of compensation or warranty coverage from the manufacture… “You exceeded the stated use and capacity of the rack.”
But in reality, is that rack “generally” able to safely carry the 50 pound bike?
Mostly I am curious, because my Prius doesn’t have a hitch, and can’t take the larger hitch installed, necessary for most, or all, of the hitch-mounted racks intended for heavier ebikes.

Excellent observation, and one I took into account as well.
My use case is for two bikes, and my ebike will always be the first one racked, and closest to the vehicle which always minimizes weight issues.
I know I'm "taking a chance" as it were regarding the 35lb per bike stat, but based on how this thing works, and how I've used previous devices I believe I'll be good to go.
It's built like a tank, and the bottom feet rest on the bumper. I went for a drive after install with the bike on, and purposely turned corners swiftly, and over speed bumps a little too fast. Works a treat!

What are you using now?

 

[J.R.]

There are a lot of people with this same situation. Heavy bike, small car without a hitch. Not everyone wants a hitch and many cars won't accept a hitch. Why then can't one of the rack companies offer a one bike strap on rack that'll hold an 85 pound bike? Or two 55 pound bikes? I see a lot of cars with one bike on a rack. Why are all these racks for 3 or 4 bikes at 35 pounds each? There's a big hole in the market.

 

[DaveMatthews]

There are a lot of people with this same situation. Heavy bike, small car without a hitch. Not everyone wants a hitch and many cars won't accept a hitch. Why then can't one of the rack companies offer a one bike strap on rack that'll hold an 85 pound bike? Or two 55 pound bikes? I see a lot of cars with one bike on a rack. Why are all these racks for 3 or 4 bikes at 35 pounds each? There's a big hole in the market.

Maybe it's tough to guarantee no damage to the vehicle at that weight?
Not sure.
That's why I went with the rack I got. It's overbuilt for my use case.

 

[christob]

What are you using now?

No rack at all currently... with the front tire removed, the bike just barely fits in the back of the Prius with rear seats folded down. Works, but definitely a bit of a hassle each time, and then not much room for luggage or anything else on a trip, etc. Fortunately, being single I don’t have to worry about say, the bike plus 1 - 3 passengers; it simply wouldn’t work! However, I have yet to drive anywhere for destination biking... basically if the bike is in the car, it is to take it to the LBS. But I can see a time when I might want to take the bike on a road trip or to a more remote biking route...

 

[iskjone]

I needed to transport two eBikes nearly 60 lbs each. I found Rola rack could easily handled the load. With two bikes and 100 lbs of hitch weight protruding 2 ft beyond the hitch pin puts 300+ lbs downforce. I see Vans and SUIV zipping along with multiple bikes attached with bungee cords using suction cup support via a glass window. I don't following behind for long when I see that.

 

[6zfshdb]

I don't know if this has any bearing on newer racks and newer vehicles or not but for what it's worth, here's an experience my brother and I had. 10 years ago, my brother hit a pothole and broke out the rear hatch window on his 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe. At the time, we were carrying our two 32# Trek MTB's on an old Thule strap on rack rated for three 30# bikes. The bikes were loaded in the two positions closest to the vehicle. The rack was supported by the bumper and rear window similar to the design of many racks today. Who knows why it happened. The window could have been defective or cracked to begin with.

Fortunately, this was one of the very few such incidents I've ever heard of. Window supported strap on racks wouldn't be on the market if this were a common occurrence. Unfortunately, they are the only option for some vehicles. Even so, we have both steered clear of this type of rack since that incident. He had a hitch installed on his new 2018 Hyundai and uses a Thule Helium rack to carry his bikes. I now carry my bikes in the bed of my pickup on a homemade rack.

 

[Afren]

I use Thule made specifically for carrying two ebikes with the combined weight of 135 lb. Expensive and not perfect but the best I could find to safely carry two heavy bikes securely. The concern should not necessarily be bikes coming off and getting damaged but the harm they're likely to cause others if that we're to happen esp if you're travelling with them at High speed. If you were to use inadequate and inappropriate bike carrier then you can be in a lot of trouble in the event of an accident and your insurance company may refuse to stand by you based on your negligence.

 

[ez3putt]

I use a motorcycle dirt bike rack. No such thing a overkill. My rack weighs 34 pounds and has a 400 pound weight limit. It does require a 2 inch Reese receiver. It has a detachable ramp, so no lifting the 63 lb bike. I can install the ramp and load the bike in less than ten minutes. The bike has traveled about 5000 miles on it since March of this year. The best part is that it costs less than $150.00.

 

[steve mercier]

Dave that rack looks more suitable than your previous rack for sure. I like the trailer hitch type (mine is a Saris Freedom 2) though so that nothing is touching the car at all. I had one like your previous type and found that the buckles on the straps scratched the paint and I don't like suction cups marks either.

 

[Alaskan]

I use the Thule Easfold XT2 . It has a 60kg capacity so it has enough weight rating for two substantial ebikes. It clamps on to the frame not the tires so it is much more secure and less potential for damage to a bike with fenders. Also it locks by disabling the knobs that tighten and loosen the frame clamps...much more secure than a light cable that comes on some others or the nothing that come on most. Although it comes with a folding ramp to make loading easier, I can still lift my bikes just fine so I don't use that feature. It also tilts back allowing for access to the rear hatch of my wagon.

 

[CSH]

We have Two ebikes, and
Until I get a bigger vehicle................ Here's my solution.

$19.95 per Day ......... It's cheaper then renting bikes at a destination (ie: Pedego).

Also, being that it would be rare enough that I would need to Transport them (ie: LBS for Maintenance).

Not to mention cheaper then putting a Hitch and Rack on my Old car for now.



I used to have a Full size Van (in the 80's) Great for Bikes, Loved that vehicle...................

Ooops ! Not that one

This One !

I could practically Ride my bikes right in to it............ Home on wheels.

Craig

 

[DaveMatthews]

Looks like hitch racks are most popular, and there are some really nice ones here!
Did about 70km round trip to Stanley Park in Vancouver. The rack performed extremely well, and is very solid. So far I really like it.

 

[HonoraryOrange]

I used the Saris EX-2. Fits down to 1 1/4" hitches which I needed because I had to use a factory tow hitch (which comes in that size). Carries 2 bikes up to 60lbs each, clamps on tires (very adjustable) and also has straps for the tires as well. It held my MASSIVE E-Lux Tahoe for hundreds of miles with no issues.

 

[jxenon54]

Are there any suggestions for transporting up to four (4) bikes (two ebikes and two regular) - aside from renting a van? The quikrack mach 2 looks cool, but it's probably expensive as hell and doesn't even seem to actually exist at this point. I do really like the potential modularity of it...

 

[DaveMatthews]

Are there any suggestions for transporting up to four (4) bikes (two ebikes and two regular) - aside from renting a van? The quikrack mach 2 looks cool, but it's probably expensive as hell and doesn't even seem to actually exist at this point. I do really like the potential modularity of it...

This one looks like 60lbs per bike, but a max of 160lbs.

Thule T2 Pro XTB 4 Bike Platform Rack - 2" Hitches - Tilting - Black Thule Hitch Bike Racks TH9

This platform-style rack holds bikes by the wheels with ratcheting hooks and sliding cradles - no frame contact. Front-mounted lever tilts rack with b

www.etrailer.com

 

[HonoraryOrange]

Are there any suggestions for transporting up to four (4) bikes (two ebikes and two regular) - aside from renting a van? The quikrack mach 2 looks cool, but it's probably expensive as hell and doesn't even seem to actually exist at this point. I do really like the potential modularity of it...

The Saris I mentioned has a 4 bike version https://www.saris.com/product/superclamp-ex-4 - Although it only comes in a 2" hitch version, and only holds 2 60lb bikes plus 2 35lb bikes, so if it is 4 very heavy e-bikes it might be too much. Though once you remove seats and batteries weights come down dramatically so it might work.

 

[vincent]

depending on the weight of the 4 bikes maybe the 1up racks, i have 1up and have been very pleased with it

pricey but worth the money to me

 

[Mtl_Biker]

@DaveMatthews - Nice looking rack. (I said that to a girl once, and she was offended. I wonder what that was about.) Do you think it might fit on a Fiat 500? (Girlfriend's car.) I've never seen that brand of rack before. Did you buy it in Canada? Expensive?

But I wanted to ask you about the rear fender you show in your first post. It looks like it clamps to the seat post? I've got a couple of bikes (non e) that I still use and they have no fenders. The kind of fender you show looks like it MIGHT work for me.

(A few weeks before getting my e-bike, I was commuting to work after an overnight rain. And one stretch of my route is along a path by a park. It looks like fine gravel on the path, but it must be some kind of mix, maybe even with some cement powder, and riding without fenders on that bike, I got the back of my shirt RUINED by the stuff. It doesn't wash out... I've tried super hot double wash, soaking in CLR, rubbing alcohol, and nothing gets that dirt out. I don't want to throw the shirt out because it's super bright yellow and helps make me visible in traffic, but I'm embarrassed if I have to stop somewhere and people see the dirty shirt. So, I've got to have fenders!)