Question about e-bikes and car racks

[Wasta]

I noticed, in the recent review of the Felt Sport E85-HP, that the bike might be hung on a hanging car rack. I've been told that e-bikes are generally not good candidates for these kinds of basic racks, but is there a weight where using a hanging car rack would be safe? Thanks.

 

[Seniorchief93]

I noticed, in the recent review of the Felt Sport E85-HP, that the bike might be hung on a hanging car rack. I've been told that e-bikes are generally not good candidates for these kinds of basic racks, but is there a weight where using a hanging car rack would be safe? Thanks.

I recently sold a Thule two bike rack as it had a 75lb limit Our two Raleighs are over 80 lbs loaded so l bought a 2" hitch mount for safety.

 

[Soarcj]

Hollywood makes a 2 bike rack for electric bikes 2 70lbs bikes

 

[Wasta]

I should have added that I only want to use a rack for a single bike.

 

[Andy_in_CA]

this is an interesting thread. I'm wondering if you can use a regular rack and just remove the battery and seat post if there is a quick release to lighten the load. then it should be a bit more on par with a regular bike... right?

 

[harryS]

I have used hanger racks for decades. In the 70's, they used c-clamps and bolted to (and sometimes bent) the bumpers of my cars. In the 90's, I started using hitch mount racks, 2" on a Jeep SUV and 1-1/4" on a tiny Miata. I carried one or two bikes many hundreds of miles on these racks. Those bikes were not lightweights either. They weighed 30-35 pounds. I still have some of them, so I know the weights.

As those hitch type hanger racks probably carried 70 pounds in their day, they could surely hold one 50 pound bike. However, some bikes aren't good for hanger racks. Step-thru and women's bikes that need a beam that hooks between the handlebars and seat are poor candidates for me. I don't trust the quick release seat clamps not to come loose and drop the bikes. Also, some of my racks had two arms, but one had a single arm with a clamp, and the bike had to balance on that one point. A bike with a hub motor would be unbalanced and stress the clamp.

It's mostly common sense though.. Am I going to hang a couple of thousand bucks worth of bike on those racks and maybe stress the frames, or do I want them sitting on their wheels? Wheels for me, even though most of my ebikes could be hung.

I ordered a platform rack. It looked secure and I didn't have to lift the bikes very far. Then drat, I found out almost every one of my bikes, even the older ones without motors and batteries, exceeded the 35 pound/bike weight limit on my 1-1/4" Swagman XTC2.

I think one can get by with a 1 1/4" hitch rack for one lighter ebike, but for heavier reliable carrying one needs a big car and a 2" rack.

 

[Wasta]

Thanks harryS, makes sense.

Even w/o the battery & seat, the lighter bikes are beyond the 35 lb threshold for a lot of the better hanging racks.
The possibility of losing the bike--or causing an accident--seems too risky to me.

 

[rich c]

I don't know, how close to the design limit do you want to get, when you hang a $4000 bike on it? Me? I want a LOT of safety factor. I haul mine in a van.

 

[McApple]

We use a platform rack with a 2" hitch mount for our 2 ebikes, it works very well on our Outback.

 

[opimax]

You may want to note that all individual components must be able to handle the larger weight ,not just total rack limit. The wheel trays , hangars , etc. , please don't become a moving land mine.