WHICH KIND OF BIKE RACK IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

If you live in the city and have a smaller car, that doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on all the joys nature has to offer. One of the best, healthiest and most fun ways to experience nature is to get out of the city with your bikes and head to the mountains or other out-of-the-way paths.

The only problem is how to fit your bikes into your car. Don’t worry! That’s what a bike rack is for. We at Hitch City want to let you know how simple and easy it is to get a bike rack for any car, once you know which kind of rack is right for you. With a little research, you’ll be able to find the rack that’s right for your needs and there will be no more excuses for not getting out of the city. Although there are too many kinds of bike rack to list all of them, here are three of the most common categories you should know about:

HITCH MOUNTED RACKS

If your vehicle has a hitch, securing a bike rack there is also a great option. There are a couple different kinds of hitch racks. The 2 options available are: a hanging hitch bike rack or a platform bike rack. A hanging hitch bike rack secures your bikes safely on 2 arms. There are models that can carry up to 5 bikes. The only disadvantage of a hanging hitch bike rack is depending on your bikes, an additional adapter might be required. (Example = a kids bike will require an adapter in order to attach it to the arms on a hanging hitch bike rack.)

A platform bike rack won’t require an adapter since the bikes sit and are secured to the platform itself. The only disadvantage of a platform bike rack is the size of the rack. They’re bigger and sometimes heavier than a hanging hitch bike rack.

Both hitch mounted racks are popular options, but go for the bike rack that best suits your needs or situation.

ROOF RACKS

You’ve probably seen these on other cars when driving down the highway. A roof bike rack will require you install a series of bars on the roof of your car on which you can secure several bikes, if you don’t have them already. These kinds of racks are great for small cars. Depending on which model of car you have, you may have to install crossbars for the apparatus to be attached to your roof so this may be a better choice for people who intend on using their rack a lot. Since the crossbars are multipurpose and can also be used for cargo boxes, they may be a great resource for you. We should also mention that if you car is too tall, putting bikes on top of them might risk bumping into low-hanging tree branches and similar barriers.

TRUNK MOUNTED RACKS

Probably the quickest and most cost-effective option is the trunk mounted bike rack. These are a good option if your car doesn’t have a hitch. These racks are attached to your trunk by a series of secure straps. The drawbacks of a trunk mounted bike rack is that it prevents trunk access (unless the rack is removed) and secondly the contact it makes to the vehicle. Overtime the trunk mounted bike rack may damage the paint on the vehicle where the rack would be repetitively attached to. You may want to opt for one of the other two options, if the drawbacks of the trunk racks is an issue for you.

At Hitch City, we have many different kinds of bike rack, so you can be sure we’ll have the option that’s right for you. If you’re interested in finding out more about which bike rack is right for you, contact us today.