Bike Racks - What Are My Choices? By Ken Geers Fall is on the way. A great time of year to get out and enjoy the colors of the season. Why not experience those colors with a family bike ride. Most areas have designated bike trails for riding enjoyment.
Assuming you have the bike and not the bike rack this information will give you an overview of what is available. There are hitch bike racks, ball mount bike racks, trunk mount and roof mount bike racks, and tire mount bike racks.. The bike rack that will make sense to you is the one that works for your vehicle.
The hitch mount bike rack requires a receiver hitch. Check to see if you have a receiver hitch. The receiver hitch will be either a 2" receiver or a 1.25" receiver. It is important to know this so that you choose the correct hitch mount bike rack for your vehicle. There are hitch mount racks that are available that will accommodate both receivers but check to make sure you are buying one of those or make sure to get the correct size for your receiver. Hitch mount carriers are available for up to five bikes and can be stationary or folding. The folding racks will give you access to the rear area.
Ball mount bike carriers require a tongue for your receiver and are mounted to that tongue by bolting the rack to the tongue. Some vehicles have a towing hole in the bumper and these racks can be bolted to that hole. Ball mount racks will carry up to 3 bikes.
Trunk mount racks will accommodate up to 3 bikes and are designed to mount to the trunk. The roof mount rack will handle one bike per tray. The roof carrier is the most difficult rack to access.
If you want to mount your rack to a spare tire check with the supplier to confirm the brand chosen works on your specific vehicle. There are some brands that will not work on certain vehicles.
Enjoy the ride! Bike rack reviews