How To Buy Bike Racks For Cars

If you’re a biking enthusiast who owns a car at the same time then it is safe to assume that you have at some point considered getting one of those bike racks for cars.

The reason for this is simple enough, owning one of those bike racks for cars would mean that you can now bring your bike with you on road trips to see different places you’d normally have a hard time reaching with just a bike.

The beauty of owning a bike is that you can further explore places you’re currently visiting faster than you would when you just go strolling.

Another good reason for owning bike racks for cars is that you can bring your family, friends, or that special someone with you together with their bikes to explore new places with the best company you could possibly have.

Here are the things that you need to consider when you are in the market for bike racks for your vehicle.

How many bikes are you going to bring with you? 

This is an important question to answer since you may want to bring more than one bike with you. Bike racks can carry one or as many as four bikes or if you are planning to carry more than that you may consider getting yourself another bike rack for your vehicle that is if there is still a place in your car where a bike rack can be attached.

What type of bike rack are you planning to buy?

The next consideration is the type of bike rack you will want to get for yourself. There are three types of bike racks:

a) Trunk or Rear Strap-On Bike Racks

These are cheap and are easy to mount bike racks for cars because often they will just be attached via straps and hooks to the trunk or the rear of your car. This is a great choice if you don’t own the vehicle or if you change vehicles often plus they can be easily stored in the trunk of your car if not in use or if you have a small car.

The downside of this bike rack is that every time you will need to open the trunk or the rear door of your vehicle, you will have to remove the rack first.

b) Roof Mounted Bike Racks

These are attached to a vehicle’s crossbars or roof rack that is if your vehicle is an SUV, a minivan, or a station wagon. If it’s not, many roof mounted bike racks have mounting feet and clips that will be attached to your vehicle.

If you use this type of bike rack you will also need to decide on which method you will need to mount your bike. If you opt for the fork-mount carrier, you will have to remove the front wheel of the bike which makes the bike lighter and easier to handle and if you opt for the upright mounts, you need not remove the front wheel but it can’t accommodate bikes with unique frames.

These give you the advantage of using a rack that prevents your bike/s to get in your line of vision however since these bike racks are permanent, you should have a professional do the installation for you to avoid damaging your car.

c) Bike Racks Mounted To Trailer Hitch

These are the most durable bike tracks since they are likely made of metal since they are to be attached to the trailer hitch. Of course you will not be able to use such if your car has no trailer hitch in the first place.

The negative aspect is that they you will have difficulty to attach or detach such bike rack. Also storage becomes a problem since they are made of solid material and is not foldable.

What is your budget?

When you are in the market for bike racks for cars, you must also consider your budget along with your needs. For instance, if you opt for the roof mounted bike rack, you will need to buy the crossbars if your vehicle doesn’t have one which will cost you more money.

Now that you are armed with the correct information on how to buy bike racks for cars you are ready to go out and make a good buying decision.