- No matter if you're a mountain biker heading into the backcountry, a road biker commuting to a century ride, or you just want to transport a couple bikes from point A to point B, you'll need a reliable bike rack for your vehicle.
- The best bike racks securely hold your bike in place, avoid damaging both your bike and your car, and are easy to load and unload.
- Our top pick, the Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Rack, is a quality hitch-mounted rack that holds a variety of bike sizes and tire shapes, allows access to a vehicle's trunk or hatchback, and is incredibly durable.
Whether you're loading up your mountain bike to head to the trail, transporting your roadie to a race, or taking the entire family's commuters to a ride along a scenic route, a bike rack is an essential piece of equipment for any cyclist.
Being able to safely and securely carry your bike with you wherever you go truly opens up the possibilities of where and when you can ride. For that reason alone, having a bike rack at your disposal proves very handy.
What to keep in mind before buying
Having loaded and unloaded my fair share of just about every style of bike onto sedans, vans, trucks, and everything in between, I've learned many times that one bike rack does not fit all. Selecting the right rack requires research beyond just the type of riding you plan on doing. You'll want to consider your vehicle, how many bikes you plan on transporting, how much you want to spend, and your preferred style of rack itself.
Depending on how you answer the above considerations, expect to decide between these three separate styles of bike rack:
- Hitch rack: A hitch rack connects to your vehicle's trailer hitch for easy loading and unloading. This style of rack tends to limit rear visibility and weighs more than others, but it provides excellent carrying capacity and stability. Tray hitch racks are generally better than hanging hitch racks because they're easier to load and don't grip the bike frame, which is important if you're concerned about scratching your paint job.
- Trunk racks: This style connect to the trunk or hatch of your car using straps, buckles, and hooks. When firmly secured in place, they can be surprisingly stable, although they do hinder rear visibility and make it difficult to access the trunk. On the plus side, these racks are lightweight, affordable, and easy to use.
- Roof racks: Roof racks mount on top of your vehicle, meaning they don't inhibit sight lines nor do they prevent you from accessing the back. They can also be fairly versatile, making it easy to transport things like kayaks or stand-up paddle boards, too. The downside of a roof rack is that they tend to be expensive and loading bikes all the way up onto the rack can be a challenge, particularly for a solo rider.
While testing the best bike racks currently available, we examined options from some of the top brands like Thule, Yakima, and Kuat. Our guide features racks that are user-friendly, can fit an array of bike types, and will keep your car from getting scratched. We even included one that's easy on the wallet, too.
Here are the best bike racks you can buy:
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