Easy bike racks for cars
Bike racks are a handy piece of equipment but they require basic skills in mechanics for installation and usage. You no longer have to split hairs to decode the nut and bolt mechanics of your bike rack every time you install it on the car. A user-friendly rack should be easy to load, unload and allow access to rear cargo. Here is the shortlist of best-ranked bike racks rated highly for ease of use and simple installation. These ‘easy to use bike racks’ in no way make a compromise with standards for safety or sturdiness. Their easy installation and usage techniques reduce the chance of mistakes by the users. These listed racks are designed specifically to keep them user friendly despite an array of features that make them versatile, safe, efficient, noiseless and handy for long and rugged road trips.
It can be a task to haul bikes on the car over long distances especially when a load of bikes is heavy and roads are not that smooth. Some bike racks are easy to install but loading them may take a while, others provide extra safety but restrict the access to rear cargo. A few require you to remove the front wheel of the bike or in some cases the rack may obstruct the number plate on the car.
The bike rack is an external attachment to the car and to keep it safe and stable with its load becomes all-important while you are on the move. A loosely fitted rack will wobble, make jarring noises and could trigger a mishap on the highway. A poorly fitted rack could rob the peace of mind of the car driver. It would dampen your grand outing plans.
Let's have a look at the best easy bike racks for cars
Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Racks for 2 in. Hitch
Best Overall
- Best all round
Pros
- Quick and easy installation
- Flexible folding carry arms
Cons
Allen Sports Deluxe Trunk Mount 3-Bike Carrier
Budget option
- Cheap
- Does a great job all round
Pros
- Fit for an adult bike as well as ladies and kids
Cons
- Not fit for women and child bikes
KAC Overdrive Sports K2 2” Hitch Mounted Rack 2-Bike Platform Style Carrier for Standard
Premium option
- Fits all types of hitches
Pros
- Locking hitch pin
- Quick release tilting lever
Cons
- Cannot install on a fifth wheel
A suitable bike rack for your car will ensure ease and safety throughout the transportation. The best-fit bike racks should be easy to install and operate. It should be efficient, noiseless and cut out every possibility of misadventure. Bike racks that allow access to rear cargo and are easy to store are most preferred. Loosely fit bike racks and failure of equipment could cost dearly in repairs and rob the fun out of the game.
There are a variety of bike racks available in the market and some are better for you than others. The racks can be trunk-mounted, hitch mounted or roof-mounted. The one best for you depends on the type of car, kind of bike, and number of bikes you wish to carry. A mountain bike or e-bike demands a rack with a high loading capacity. An off-road drive requires a strong rack preferable a hitch rack. Some bikes cannot be fitted on certain racks. Some racks need adapters to haul the bikes meant for kids as they are built to fit a generic sized bike.
Bike riders need to get well acquainted with the installation process and usage of the rack when they purchase a new one. A thorough understanding of what is best for you will pay you back handsomely and give you peace of mind. Here are a few bike racks that are highly rated for being user friendly as they are easy to install, operate and use.
Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Racks for 2 in. Hitch
Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch rack is a heavy-duty carrier that scores high for its basic and hassles free installation. This ‘one for all’ rack makes life easy for families as well as cycling enthusiasts on cycling trips. This four-bike carrier can be installed in a few minutes. It may seem difficult to believe but it doesn’t take more than a few attempts to achieve it. All this deluxe rack needs for the complete installation in a car is three bolts on a 2” hitch. Do it and you are good to go.
Allen sports is strong enough to carry a load up to 140 lbs. This load capacity makes it a blessing for community bike riders and families. It can carry a kid-size mountain bike as well as an adult bike with equal care and efficiency. The unique 22” carry arms in the rack accommodate a wide range of frame sizes and designs. Surely kids love this equipment as it opens up the scope of vacations to a new level.
This rack is apt for class III and IV hitch vehicles to carry four bikes to a destination of liking. Allen’s patented tow-down cradle systems keep all bikes intact and safe while you are on the move. It is equipped with a no-wobble bolt inside the hitch to keep the rack from unnecessary movements.
Surprisingly, Allen Sport’s design allows access to rear cargo all the time; with or without a load of bikes on the rack. The rack tilts backwards and folds out of the way for accessibility to the rear of the vehicle. It is not required to remove the bikes from this rack which is quite bothersome in several other racks.
The foldable arms make this rack easy equipment to store. The black coated finish on this rack makes it look good on any kind of vehicle.
Allen Sports Deluxe Trunk Mount 3-Bike Carrier
The Allen Sports 103DN Deluxe Three Bike Carrier has a patented design popular for its super easy, quick and complete installation. The rack is made to fit most adult size bikes as well as women and children’s bikes. It is suited to most versions of sedans, SUVs, hatchbacks and minivans. It is a versatile and universal fit rack.
The company Allen Sports has patented its single configuration design that goes with most of the vehicles. The installation procedure is basic and ensures no hassle for the rider. The dimension of 103 DN Deluxe is 28.35 x 14.17 x 4.33 inches but it’s a folding rack that can be stored in compact space. Allen Sports specializes in making bike racks and bike-related accessories. The rack has a special padded frame to keep bikes away from the vehicle. It protects the bike and car from scratches during travel. This allows much-needed peace of mind for the car owners as the damage due to scratches is a big concern while driving on bad roads with the load.
Allen Sports 103 DN Deluxe has a side strap for exceptional lateral stability when you are on those bumpy roads. These are apart from the top and bottom straps that are well placed to tie down the bikes safely. The patented tie-down straps individually secure each bike and cut the nagging wobbling on the way. The tie-downs can be rotated to the fixed position on the carry arm to ensure a tight hold on a wide range of bikes.
Allen has used high-quality components to withstand the punishing usage during transportation.
It has a narrow set of carrying arms that accommodates bicycles of most sizes and frames. The rack comes with a lifetime warranty from Allen.
KAC Overdrive Sports K2 2” Hitch Mounted Rack 2-Bike Platform Style Carrier for Standard
Feature-packed KAC Overdrive Sports K2 bike rack is ideal for most cars and bikes, even e-bikes. The design of this hitch-mounted rack is well thought to keep it user friendly. Even though it is a universal fit, versatile, silent, safe and secure bike rack, it still is easy to use and easy to install equipment. The user-friendly factor of this rack drives its popularity among professional as well as amateur bike riders.
If two bikes are enough for you, this bike rack is a great deal. The load capacity of 120 lbs allows this rack to carry up to two-fat tyre bikes. And it does it most efficiently. It has a 5” tray to perfectly hold the wheels of the bike which is good for standard, mountain bike or high-end e-bike. This rugged 5” wide steel tray has knobs to adjust the sliding wheel holder and it can load axle to axle wheelbase up to 54”. This feature makes it fit for almost all bikes.
Its quick-release smart tilt allows the entire rack to drop away from the vehicle with the bikes to access the rear side of a car with minimum effort. With a push of a button, you can fold the centre post and hook arms when the rack is not in use. You do not have to unassembled the rack while parking your vehicle in your garage as the entire rack can be fold.
With this rack, a buyer doesn’t need to spend on much else like additional safety straps, bungee straps or other tools. To keep the installation process basic, the rack maker delivers most of its parts pre-assembled. A simple instructions manual makes its installation basic and carefree. Safety straps are part of the rack and good to keep the load steady and sturdy.
Heavy bikes demand extra stability while being transported over long and bumpy roads. KAC has put a patented anti-wobble system in this rack for maximum stability of the bikes. The anti-wobble system is fully engaged just by inserting a lock hitch pin. The rack is designed with adjustable padded hook arms along with a heavy-duty tire cradle which gives complete protection from damage to the bikes.
The makers of this rack have made an effort to make it a safe product for travelling. It has rear night reflectors to make your night driving safe with the rear load. It has a lock and key features against bike theft.
Conclusion
An expensive and feature-rich bike rack will be a liability on the road if it’s not user-friendly. A simple mechanical task gone wrong could become daunting when you are outdoors. The bike rack needs to be safe, strong and efficient. Above all, they should be easy to install and easy to use. A hassle-free bike rack will accentuate the thrill of bike riding manifold.