No matter the time of year, road trips are a right of passage for many Australians. Regardless of best road bikes for beginners whether you’ve got the family in tow or are setting off on a solo adventure if you’re looking to fit in some riding on your next trip, a Car Bike Rack is an excellent and efficient way to take your ride with you. There are many different options on the market, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. This article will take you through the most popular options available and what to expect for your budget.
What is a Car Bike Rack?
Before we go into the different types of racks available, below is a brief summary of a car bike rack and its purpose.
Per the name, the primary intention is to serve as a method of transporting your bike or a number of bikes via your car. The racks are typically mounted to the vehicle directly or attached to an accessory such as roof racks or a tow bar/tow ball. While many different mounting options exist, bike racks will typically be mounted to the vehicle’s roof or rear. Which one is best suited for your needs comes down to the type of bike you’re looking to transport and what best suits your needs.
Alternatives
Aside from simply riding your bike to your destination, there are a number of alternatives to car bike racks that are suitable options.
If space isn’t an issue, you may be able to transport your bike inside your car. Some components of the bike may need to be removed or adjusted for the bike to fit in your vehicle, such as the wheels or your handlebars / seatpost. While this is convenient for solo travellers with an ample vehicle, that option may not be possible if you’re travelling with baggage or other people.
The other main alternative is packing up your bike in either a bike-specific bag or a bike box and sending your ride to your destination ahead of time. Regardless of what you plan to send your bike in, it’s worth ensuring that your ride is adequately protected inside your vessel of choice. While most bike bags will have padding strategically placed inside the bag itself, it’s worth investing in some foam or packing supplies as a form of both protection and cheap insurance to ensure your ride meets you at your destination in one piece.
Tow Ball & Tow Hitch Mount Racks
Tow ball mount car bike racks are a popular option for transporting bikes because they are relatively easy to install and use, and they do not require any modifications to the car. Some models are also able to tilt or fold down, allowing for easy access to the trunk or rear hatch of the car.
These racks attach to the tow ball hitch on the back of a vehicle, allowing you to transport one or more bicycles. The bikes are typically secured to the rack using straps or clamps, and the rack itself is attached to the tow ball using a bolt or quick-release mechanism.
Hitch mount racks work in the same way and are often the same design, albeit attached to the hitch receiver directly rather than sitting on the tow ball. It could be argued that hitch-mount receivers are more sturdy than tow ball racks due to the fact that the tow hitch receiver is connected directly to the frame of your vehicle, therefore, has a higher theoretical load-carrying weighting.
Generally, two different classifications of tow ball/hitch mount car bike racks are sold, with the key difference being their carrying capacity. Standard-duty car bike racks will carry a carrying capacity ranging from 15-25kg, while heavy-duty or E-Bike certified car bike racks will typically tout a higher figure of 50-60kg. For more information bout travelling with an e-bike or travelling with a mountain bike, check out our comprehensive guides!
Rooftop Bike Racks
As their name would suggest, rooftop bike racks are an excellent option for those wanting to or able to load their ride onto the roof of their car. The racks can be mounted either directly to the vehicle via specific mounts or, more commonly, attached to roof racks. One of the main benefits of rooftop bike racks is that they typically do not need to be removed from the vehicle when not in use, as they fold (mostly) flat when unloaded, making them great for those looking for a set-and-forget option. Another positive is that many racks available will allow users to mount their ride without any necessary disassembly.
Depending on the type of vehicle it’s fitted to, there are also a number of limiting factors associated with this style of rack. Lifting bikes up on the roof can be difficult if the vehicle has higher ground clearance, such as an SUV or similar. As such, it’s common to mostly see lighter-weight bikes mounted in this fashion, such as road or gravel bikes. Another limitation is that roof racks will typically have a lower load limit than tow ball or hitch-mount bike racks.
This figure is typically around 20kg, so if you’re looking to travel with a heavier bike such as an e-bike, we’d strongly recommend looking into a heavy-duty tow ball or hitch mount option. One final limiting factor is the overall height increase of your vehicle. There are numerous stories out there about bikes being driven into bridges, garage doors and parking garages for a reason. With a bike fitted, the average SUV or taller vehicle is now pushing 2.5-3m in overall height, so it’s worth taking into consideration.
When it comes to types of rooftop bike racks available, typically, there will be options that require no disassembly or options that require the front wheel to be removed. Racks that require the front wheel to be removed will have less wind resistance, be cheaper to road trip due to the fuel savings, and be less likely to suffer when dealing with clearance-limited situations like the garage doors eluded to above.
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