Bike Racks and Carriers

Where to carry the bikes

Each mounting location has a clear tradeoff. A hitch rack is the easiest to load and the kindest to the bikes and the paint, but it needs a receiver, blocks the tailgate unless it swings or tilts, and adds length behind the vehicle. A roof rack keeps the rear clear and the hitch free for a trailer, but you lift every bike overhead and the garage door becomes a hazard. A trunk or hatch rack with straps costs least and fits almost anything, yet it sits against the paint and carries fewer, lighter bikes. A spare tire rack, such as the Thule Spare Me, bolts around the rear mounted spare on a Wrangler or an older SUV and keeps the roof and hitch free, which suits Jeep owners well.

Hitch racks

The Thule Apex XT and Trimax Road-Max racks here are hanging style: bikes rest by their top tubes on two arms with cradles and straps. Hanging racks carry three to five bikes compactly and are light, but bikes can swing and touch, and frames with sloping or odd top tubes may need a frame adapter. Swing-away versions like the Apex XT Swing pivot the whole rack sideways so the tailgate opens with the bikes loaded. Check the receiver size, 1.25 or 2 inch, and whether the rack has an anti-wobble bolt or wedge that eliminates play at the hitch. Weight capacity per bike is usually around 35 to 40 pounds for hanging racks, which rules out heavy electric bikes.

Roof carriers

• Fork mount carriers like the Thule Prologue hold the bike by its fork with the front wheel removed. They are very secure and low profile, and this one takes standard 9 mm quick release axles, wheelbases to 48 inches and tires to 2.6 inches wide. Thru-axle forks need an adapter.
• Upright carriers like the Thule Proride clamp the frame or wheel with both wheels on, so nothing comes off the bike. Capacity here is 44 pounds per bike.
• Roof carriers need a crossbar system that fits your vehicle and is rated for the load; the carrier itself is only half the system. Count the roof's total load limit including the bars.

Trunk and spare tire racks

Strap racks such as the Thule Passage use six straps with hooks that fit the edges of a trunk lid or hatch, padded feet against the paint and cradles with anti-sway cages so bikes do not knock the vehicle. They fit most sedans and SUVs but not vehicles with a rear spoiler in the way or a spare on the back, and they cannot be locked to the vehicle in a meaningful way. Spare tire racks use the tire as the anchor, with an adapter plate for different bolt patterns and a locking cable included, and they clear a factory Wrangler bumper and tire carrier. Confirm your spare and carrier are rated for the extra weight, since aftermarket tailgate hinges on Jeeps are often already working hard.

Loading, locking and driving

Load the heaviest bike closest to the vehicle and alternate bikes facing opposite directions so handlebars do not fight. Strap down anything that can swing, including wheels on hanging racks. Lock the bikes to the rack and the rack to the vehicle; a hitch pin lock and a cable through the frames are the minimum. Check straps and the hitch connection at the first stop and every fuel stop. Keep lights and the license plate visible; some states require a plate relocation or auxiliary lights if the rack hides them. A loading ramp like the Thule EasyFold ramp makes rolling bikes onto a platform rack behind a tall SUV or van much easier.