There are three major types of bike racks for SUVs that are popular: trunk mount racks, hitch mount racks and rooftop racks. All of them have their pros and cons, and there are a few things you should consider before you decide to buy one.
Trunk Mount Racks
Trunk mount racks are usually the cheapest of the three. They are secured to the car by straps, which some might find a bit of a hassle to properly set up. Trunk mount racks are easy to store and don’t take up much place when not in use. One thing to look out for before you set up the rack is that there should be absolutely no dirt on the surface of the car under the rack feet, or it might ruin the paint.
Some of the disadvantages of trunk mount racks are: they don’t offer any protection against theft; once you install the rack, it might make it impossible for you to access the trunk; they are considered to be less secure than the other two alternatives and you might have to check the straps a few times on a longer trip.
This is the ideal choice for you if you don’t have much to spend on a bike rack; if you’re only going to use it occasionally; or if you plan to use the rack on just short trips.
Hitch Mount Racks
Receiver hitch bike rack are easy to operate and install. Most of the hitch racks were designed for 2-inch receivers, but some of them fit 1.25-inch receivers as well. They fit any vehicle that has the right size receiver. The good thing about the hitch mount rack is that the bikes are kept away from the car, so that they can’t damage the paint. Also, you can buy a locking hitch pin to lock the rack to the car, so that it cannot be stolen, and some models also allow you to lock the bikes to the rack.
Hitch mount racks are great for both long and short trips, and some of them are quite reasonably priced as well, though still a bit more expensive than trunk racks. For frequent use, this is one of the best types of bike racks for SUVs and you should definitely consider investing in a hitch mount rack, granted that your car does have a hitch receiver.
Roof Racks
Rooftop bike carriers attach to your car’s already existing roof rack and crossbars. If your vehicle doesn’t have them, then you have to have them installed first, and so the cost will be much higher. There are two types of rooftop bike racks for SUVs: fork-mount and upright carriers. A fork-mount carrier clamps onto the bike’s front-wheel fork, which means that you have to remove the front wheel and store it elsewhere. The upside is that this type of carrier can accommodate unique frame shapes. Upright carriers hold the bicycle by the frame, therefore you don’t have to remove the front wheel. The downside is that some unique frame shapes might not fit.
Comments