With so many bike racks available, selecting the right bike rack for your car is not easy. We reviewed hundreds of bike racks for this article. Here are the 10 top rated bike racks for your car:
1) Yakima FullSwing Locking Bike Rack
Yakima FullSwing is also a hitch-mount premium bike rack that can easily carry 4 bikes.
You can easily swing the bike carrier (even after loading the bikes) – which gives you easy access to your car.
With just a single bolt, its assembly is a breeze. The SpeedKnob, which is tool-free, tightens and secures the rack to your vehicle.
The anti-sway cradles prevent bike-to-bike contact keeping your bikes safe and scratch-free.
Removable ZipStrips securely fasten your bikes to the rack. Two extra ZipStrips are included with the purchase.
It has received a rating of 4.4 stars out of 5. Read reviews by customers here.
Click here to check current price.
If you are looking for affordable mountain bikes, be sure to check out our guide to best cheap mountain bikes.
2) Saris Bones 2-Bike Rack
Saris Bones 2-Bike Trunk Rack is our top pick for this review.
It’s built with 100% recyclable, rust-proof materials. It very easy to install, and equally easy to adjust to ensure just the right fit for your bikes.
The ratchet straps keep your bike securely fastened to the rack arms. Anti-sways, bones and rubber feet protect your bikes from bumps and scratches during transport.
It’s arched. This arched design allows you to install this bike rack on practically any vehicle.
Because Saris Bones is a trunk-mounted bike rack, it’s very easy for you to load and unload your bikes.
Online customers have given it a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Read their reviews here.
Click here to compare bike racks and check prices.
3) Allen Sports Deluxe 2-Bike Rack
If you are looking for a simple, sturdy bike rack that gets the job done, Allen Sports is your bike rack.
Installation is pretty straightforward with single-configuration design and hassl-free setup. The rack ships fully assembled. You will have it mounted on your vehicle in seconds.
It holds two bikes and fits most sedans, hatchbacks, SUVs and minivans.
A patented individual tie-down system secures your bike in place and protects it during transport.
Online customers seem to love this bike rack, giving it awesome reviews. Read their reviews here.
Click here for current price.
4) Thule Sprint Fork Mount Carrier
If you’d rather carry your bikes on the roof of your car, Thule 528 Sprint Fork Mount Carrier is the best roof rack.
Installation is pretty straightforward, and tool-free, with the help of Thule’s Speed-Link mounting system.
To prevent over-tightening, the AcuTight Knob “clicks” when you’ve tightned the knob just right to securely fasten the bike to the rack.
The Road Dampening Technology helps absorb road shock and protects your bike from bumps and vibrations.
You can easily move the telescoping wheel tray in and out to securely hold the bike in place while giving you plenty of ground clearance.
As of this writing, there were only a few available in stock Online. Click here to check current price and availablitly for Thule 528.
5) Thule Helium Aero Hitch 3-Bike Carrier
Of all the hitch racks we’ve reviewed, Thule 9043 Helium Aero 3-Bike Hitch Carrier is my favorite.
It’s made of ultra-light Aluminum which makes it weight nearly half of the most other hitch racks.
Thule’s patented Hold Fast Cradles with RDT (Road Dampening Technology) absorb road shocks and keep the bikes secure on the rack. The no-sway cages prevent bike-to-bike contact.
Installation is easy with integrated locking cable and auto-attach lock knob which secure the bike to the bike rack and the bike rack to your car.
It’s carefully designed to give you maximum ground clearance.
Online Customers have given it a rating of 4.7 stars (out of 5). Click here to read customer reviews and check current price.
6) Inno Velo Gripper Bike Rack for Pickup Trucks
If you are like me and own a pickup, Inno Velo Gripper is the best bike rack for pickup trucks.
It’s carefully designed to not take away your truck’s bed space so that you have enough room for your other gears. It occupies less than 10 percent of the pickup truck bed space.
The installation is a breeze – you do not need any tools or drilling. It comes with two D-rings if you want to use the mounts to attach tie-down straps.
You do not need to go in the truck to mount your bikes – you can easily do it from the outside.
Over 100 Online customers have given it a rating of 4.3 stars. Read the customer reviews here.
Click here to check current sale price.
7) ProRack 2-Bike Hitch Platform
ProRack 2-Bike Hitch Platform can easily carry two bikes up to 40 pounds each.
It’s a durable rack that’s built from powder-coated steel.
The slide-and-adjust feature allows you to easily make adjustments for adults and kids bikes.
It fits 2 and 1-1-1/4-inch hitch receivers.
Over 200 customers have given it a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5.
Click here to read the reviews and check price.
8) Yakima DoubleDown 4-Bike Hitch Mount
Yakima DoubleDown is a hitch-mount rack that can handle upto four bikes.
Its SwitchBlade anti-sway cradle prevents bike-to-back contact. The arms of the bike rack are very narrow to accomodate most bike types.
The TriggerFingers system lets you easily fold the bike rack for storage.
It fits 2 and 1-1-1/4-inch hitch receivers.
Online customers have given it a rating of 4.1 stars out of 5 .
Click here to read the reviews and check price.
9) Swagman XTC Cross-Country 2-Bike Hitch Mount
Swagman XTC is a platform-style bike rack that can hold two bikes. It’s mounted to your hitch and fits 2 and 1.25-inch hitch receivers.
The anti-wobble hitch device keeps the bikes secure during your drive. ‘
You can fold the center arm down for easy access to the rear of your car.
The push arms allow easy adjustment of the bike rack. You can carry both bikes without removing the front wheels.
Over 300 customers have given it a rating of 4.4 stars (out of 5).
Click here to read customer reviews and check prices.
10) Pro-Series 63124 Eclipse 4-Bike Rack
The ’tilt’ feature of Pro-Series Eclipse Bike Rack Pro-Series Eclipse bike rack makes it amazingly convenient to unload your bikes and also gives you quick and easy access to the trunk. The hook and loop straps make the loading and unloading process much easier.
To protect your bike from bumps and scratches, the rack is encased in soft rubber cradles.
When you are done with the bike transportation, it conveniently folds for storage.
The reflector in the rear provides additional safety in the dark.
Online customers seem to love it – giving it an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars .
Click here to read customer reviews and check price.
Conclusion
In this article we have reviewed several top rated bike racks for cars – from roof racks to hitch and trunk or hatch mounted racks.
Our pick for The Best 4-Bike Rack is Yakima FullSwing Premium Locking 4-Bike Hitch Rack.
Yakima FullSwing FullSwing
- carry up to 4 bikes to your next adventure; fits traditional frame geometry bikes (slanted top tube bikes require the tubetop adapter, sold separately); 40 lbs. maximum weight per bike
- easily access gear in your vehicle’s trunk or hatch with the swing-away design (even with bikes loaded); zero-hassle zipstrips secure the bikes to the rack
- protect your bikes from dings and scratches with the fully padded arms; the arms also fold down when not in use for a lower profile
- quick and easy assembly and installation with tool-free locking speedknob; the autopin automatically positions and secures the rack to the hitch and receiver
- includes sks (same key system) locks to keep your bikes and racks protected from theft so you can adventure without worry
If you are looking for a simple 2-bike rack, our pick for The Best 2-Bike Rack is Saris Bones 2-Bike Trunk Rack. It’s a solid, durable, practical bike rack that you can use year round.
If, for some reason Saris Bones does not fit your needs, the information and reviews presented in this guide should help you analyze different models and their features to make the right choice for your needs. Happy biking!
Looking for the safest car seat for your child? Checkout our guide to the best convertible child car seat.
References
- Saris Bones 2-Bike Car Rack
- Allen Bike Carriers
- Thule Bike Carriers
- Yakima
- Prorack Gear
- Swagman
- Pro-Series Towing
Patrick Cooper
Patrick has over a decade’s experience writing about consumer electronics on the web. An avid traveller, he is the father of two adopted pitbulls and a greyhound. Cheif editor at WhatRocksAndWhatSucks.com, right now Patrick lives in Austin, TX. Reach him at patrick@wraws.com.