wnl256

Hi everyone! I'm getting ready to add a hitch to the back of my car specifically for a bike rack. Now I need to get the rack.

Any suggestions for a trailer hitch bike rack suitable for a road bike, max capacity 2? Preferably one that doesn't cost 300 bucks?

rseeker

I see these on craigslist often, like at least once a week. If I were buying I'd expect to get one used for $75. They seem pretty durable.

Iride01 

What kind of car? My son got a bike rack to use with his 2005 Jeep Liberty. Even with one of the receiver adapters to extend the rack back far enough to miss the spare tire mounted on the rear, and as well offset it to raise it higher, he still had to be careful about dragging the bike tires when transitioning from slopes to flats or vice versa. He now uses one that mounts to the spare tire mount, still allowing use of the spare tire, and holds the bikes much higher so dragging isn't an issue. As well, it's much steadier than the one mounted in the trailer hitch receiver.

If you are limited to using a rack that has to use your trailer hitch receiver, then maybe those that have a wheel rest under them as part of their scheme will provide more protection. His first rack, they simply hung from hooks through the tops of the wheels. Secure enough. Just no protection from user mistakes of going from flat to steep and forgetting the bikes.

biker128pedal

rumrunn6

lots of ppl like the tray style (a little more expensive maybe but several features & benefits worth considering). I'm still old school hanging bikes by their top tube, got a used one on CL for 2 bikes & a new one I forget where for 4 bikes. keep an eye on whether you get a 2" or 1 1/14" receiver

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/b...587107454.html

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/b...582186242.html

if you have any wiggle, either at the hitch rack elbow or at the hitch itself there are a cpl ways to stop it / minimize it such as screw-in style hitch pins & safety straps. some racks come with screw in pins, many do not. I added one to one rack, the other was all set. one needs straps (4 bikes) the other (2 bikes) does not. but they both use screw in pins

this old "Subaru" rack fits any 1 1/4" hitch. works great for 1 bike & OK for 2. it would better for 2 bikes with straight top tubes. Wifey's bike has a steep sloped top tube so I have to use the other rack if we go anywhere together








this shows how safety straps are used on my Swagman Titan

Ogsarg

Nashbar had their deluxe 2 bike rack on sale for $169.00 a few weeks ago so I ordered one. Just came this week and haven't opened the box yet. I know lots of people don't like anything touching the top tube but I figured I'd cut a piece of pipe insulation to slip over it.

https://www.bikenashbar.com/cycling/...bn-shdlx2-base

wnl256

Some great information here so far. Thanks everyone! To answer @Iride01, the car is (don't laugh) a Miata. I've tried putting a trunk mount rack on it and it ends up ruining the paint. I found a nice hitch designed specifically for the Miata that hides when you aren't using it. Obviously I'm never going to haul a trailer behind the car, but this seemed like the best way to put a bike rack on the back. It will be rather low to the ground, so I will have to be careful with steep hills. I was thinking that I wanted a tray-based one rather than hanging, specifically so that if anything scraped bottom it would be the rack and not the bike's wheels. Unfortunately those get pricey. I like the Nashbar rack, and it is still at a good price. I may also take a peek at Craig's list.

rumrunn6

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Bike-.../B202-114.html

Andrey

Second that. Have this bike rack for 3 bikes, very happy . It is also very stable and easy to store/remove.

DowneasTTer

I had a couple of different hitch racks in my Miata days (90 blue & 95 M-edition). Now I have only one make. Kuat. NOTHING touches the bike frame just the wheels. I have a couple of the Kuat NV's 1.25 racks for my Smart Fortwo and my Audi TT roadster and a 4 place NV 2" hitch rack for my motorhome (so I can take both our road and mtn bikes on trips. They are great racks and the company support is like no other. I have had all the rest over the past 40 years or so even had a custom hitch for my Jags back in the day but nothing comes close to a Kuat... good luck and enjoy top down fun to the trail head and back.

rvdv

Doc_Wui

I mounted a 1-1/4" hitch on my '94 miata. Used it with a inexpensive Bell hanging rack. Very sturdy for one bike.

We used to have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and later a Honda Pilot. I put a 2" hitch on the Jeep and U-Haul put one on the Honda. We used a 4-bike hanger rack. It must have weighed 50 pounds by itself. What I didn't like was mounting the accessory arm on my wife/daughters two bikes w/o top tubes. I figured the seat post would come loose and drop the bikes, so I would strap the frames to the rack too.

Now I use a swagman platform carrier on a 1-1/4" hitch on a Jetta. Not a good bike hauler. When packed with luggage and two bikes, the bottom of the hitch scrapes asphalt going into gas stations and up steeper hills.

Doug64

I have a Yakima Literider that works quite well.

It also makes a good work stand

MAK

Just an FYI...The Sportrack, Hollywood tray rack and the Performance tray rack (I used one for years) are pretty much the same. The only problem with tray racks are that if a car bumps it in a parking lot, you may need to bang it back into alignment. I kept a hammer in my trunk.

MAK

You didn't tell us what kind of bike you're transporting. Not sure if it's true but I've heard that carbon bikes should not be mounted on racks that support the top tube. I'm sure that someone will add a yes or nay to this.

Hondo Gravel

DougG

I just got a Saris SuperClamp EX for my new car, replacing an old Thule tray rack that was much bulkier and heavier to manage (the Saris is only 35 lbs). It's higher than the price range mentioned, but they have them on sale right now for about $380. Very well designed and will hold two bikes up to 60 lbs each (not a concern for me until my wife recently started talking about an eBike!).

themp

I use this one:

2-Bike Hitch Rack | Prorack

I paid 69 dollars three years ago, now 109 dollars. Not clear how to order this from the website other than calling. Amazon has it but it looks a little shady:

https://www.amazon.com/Prorack-80624.../dp/B00BQUK2QK

Dudelsack 

I bought a Hollywood rack a few years ago off of Amazon. It was under $200 if I recall and has taken a lot of neglect and held up well. Would recommend. Looks just like the sports rack above.

eja_ bottecchia

frogbiscuit

I found a Reese 4 bike rack in the Wal Mart clearance aisle for $40. Wouldn't hesitate to take it on a long trip, it's pretty solid.

Mainiac

" I figured I'd cut a piece of pipe insulation to slip over it."


Pipe insulation works like sandpaper.

Dchiefransom

I have an older Sportrider from Performance Bicycle, made for them by Hollywood. I put a ratcheting vertical pole on it because the hooks that just squeezed the square tube would slowly slip upward off the top tube as I drove over rough roads. I see that the one from Performance and Nashbar both have the ratcheting vertical pole on them. The Performance model is $149. It doesn't fold toward the car like the Nashbar rack, but it angles upward after it leaves the receiver. If I was looking for one today for a regular bike I'd get the Performance rack. With the 2" to 1 1/4" adapter from U-Haul my rack clears the spare tire on my Wrangler.

SylvainG

Here's the one I use:


(Picture taken from that link).

Holds two bikes by the wheels and frame. Doesn't care what kind of frame you have, it will hold it straight. By holding the wheels, there is zero chance of them rubbing against your car. Some folds so they can be left on the car when not in used. Some also has a lock on that sliding curved bar on top to prevent opportunistic theft.

volosong

Been using a hitch-mount Yakima rack for my Pinarello carbon bikes since 2012. Supports the bike by the top tube. I do wrap a folded up microfiber cloth around the contact points before attaching the securing rubber straps. No problems at all and the bikes seem fine. Furthest I've transported the bikes this way is from SoCal to North Idaho, about 1,200 miles one-way, over a two-day drive.

- - -

Bike weight 17 pounds, or somewhere around that. Supported at two contact points on the top tube. I would think the forces and stresses of a 215 pound rider on a frame is much, much more than a 17 pound suspended weight.