The Best Bike Racks for Your Car

Allen Sports Deluxe Two-Bike Trunk Mount Rack

Raising the bar

This rack's patented design increases lateral stability while providing firm attachment to your car.

Best Overall

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There’s a lot to love about this two-bike rack from Allen Sports. With a patented design that fits hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs, and minivans alike, it’s one of the most versatile bike racks on the market. It’s also very easy to configure, as it arrives fully assembled and installs in seconds. Side straps and lateral tie-downs create lateral stability and help secure your bikes firmly to the unit. In addition, the padded lower frame is designed to keep bikes away from the vehicle, preventing scratches and accidental dents.

Pros:

• 12″ arms accommodate a wide variety of bikes
• 115″ carry arms create greater bike compatibility
• Arrives fully assembled

Cons:

• 70 lb max capacity
• Carry hooks can scratch bike paint

Swagman XC2

Mount up

For those of us with trucks or RVs, this rack offers quick and easy assembly to get you to your favorite bike path fast.

Easiest Assembly

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Having a truck might sound convenient for hauling around bikes, but the last thing you want is to have your expensive mountain bike rattle around the bed of your truck, and strapping down a bike vertically in a truck bed is a pain. That’s why it’s great to have the Swagman XC2 Hitch Mount Bike Rack. In just a few quick minutes, the rack attaches to your towing hitch, providing mounting space for two bikes with wheel sizes between 20″ – 29″. An anti-wobble hitch device keeps your bikes stable, while a ½” locking hitch pin and security cable keep your precious cargo safe. The rack even folds into compact mode for convenient storage.

Pros:

• Available jumbo tire attachment
• Great for RVs, too
• Accommodates bike frames up to just over 22″

Cons:

• Instructions could be clearer
• Not the best choice for smaller bikes

Leader Accessories Hitch Mounted Bike Rack

Psyched to bike

This option is a perfect solution for SUV drivers and other hatchback owners who can't have their doors blocked by a bike rack.

Easiest To Mount

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Another hitch-style bike rack, this option from Leader Accessories has three killer features that make it a no-brainer for SUVs and hatchbacks. First, it’s maybe the easiest bike rack to mount that we’ve found — it secures to your trailer hitch safely and securely in a few quick steps. Second, you simply release a pin near the hitch, and the entire arm swings down, allowing easy access to your rear door. Finally, the carry arms on your rack can be easily folded down and out of the way when not in use, so there’s no need to disassemble the unit and put it away every time you use it.

Pros:

• Security straps to prevent wobbling
• Adjustable mounting saddles
• Available in blue or red

Cons:

• Plastic cradles, not metal
• No four-bike model

MaxxHaul Four-Bike Deluxe Hitch Mount

Fun for families

For families who enjoy hitting bike trails together, this four-bike mount gets you where you want to go.

Best For Families

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When it’s time to get the entire family on the road with their bikes, there’s the MaxxHaul Four-Bike Deluxe Hitch Mount. Touting a rigid, all-steel construction and a powdered coat finish to resist rust, it can safely handle the weight capacity of four bikes. Yes, it’s a hitch-mount-style bike rack, but it also features a swing-down arm to provide easy access to the rear of your car. The MaxxHaul features an adjustable bike cradle with hook and loop straps along with an improved support bracket, all of which prevent wobble and provide additional stability.

Pros:

• 150 lb distributed weight capacity
• Fits standard Class III and Class IV hitch receivers
• Padded bike cradle prevents scratches

Cons:

• Not for use on RVs, fifth wheels, or campers
• Not for bikes without crossbars

Swagman Standard Rooftop Bike Carrier

At the top of your game

When the rest of the space is taken, this carrier keeps your bikes secure on top of your car.

Best Rooftop Bike Rack

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If you like to bring your bike on vacation — or you’ve just run out of space everywhere else in and on the car — get the Swagman Standard Rooftop Bike Carrier. Each standard upright roof rack holds one bike with a maximum weight of 35 lbs. The 9 mm skewer secures the front fork on your bike to the rack, while a cam buckle strap latches down the rear wheel to the mounting tray. The Swagman Standard Rooftop Bike Carrier attaches to the crossbars of most car roofs, making it easy to install regardless of your vehicle’s model.

Pros:

• Fits up to 3″ crossbar widths (not included)
• Lightweight
• Durable steel construction

Cons:

• Takes 15 minutes to disassemble
• Not for through-axle mountain bikes

Frequently Asked Questions

Are my bikes safe from theft when attached to a bike rack?
Not necessarily. Though bike racks are designed to lock your bike in place, those locks are also made to be unlatched so you — or anyone else — can remove your bike. We advise that you purchase a padlock for each of your bikes if you plan on leaving them unattended on your car for any length of time.

Are bike racks heavy? It looks like they’re too big for my small car.
Actually, the bike racks we looked at average about 20 lbs and are typically constructed with lighter-weight materials. This means they’re certainly not too heavy for even the lightest cars, like smart cars and other compact, two-door models.

I like the convenience of hitch mounts, but I don’t have a trailer hitch on my car. Can I still use one?
If you get an adapter, it’s possible, but that still requires that you have a ball hitch attached (as opposed to a U-hitch). Hitch mounts are especially convenient for SUVs, trucks, and minivans — in other words, any car with a hatch-style door in the rear. But without a trailer hitch on your auto, you’ll need to get a roof mount or trunk mount bike rack instead.