8 Best Bike Racks For Hitches - Mountain Bikes Ride (2024)

Transportation of a mountain bike is always something we need to keep in mind. While the bike itself is meant to be ridden, many trails are far away from your local neighborhood. The best bike racks for hitches make it possible to transport your bike. These have numerous safety features that also keep the bike securely locked.

While there are many different bike racks one can choose from, only a few of them are worth considering. Yes, there are a few important features one needs to look at, but the top brands speak for themselves. In the following article, we will dive deeper and look at some of the best bike racks for hitches and how you could go about finding them.

Best Bike Racks On The Market Today

Before we reveal some of the key features and how we went about selecting these bike racks, we have selected eight of the top options. These bike racks are almost universal and should work with any car hitch. Now, you can take your mountain bike experience to the next level and transport your bike to some of the top trails in the US.

Top Pick: INNO INH110 Tire Hold Hitch-Mount

The INNO INH110 Tire Hold Hitch Mount is one of the top options for those flying solo. It mounts to almost any hitch, including the 1.25 or 2-inch hitches. The rack is designed to easily clip into your hitch and it has a folding feature that locks the tires in place. Once they have been locked, it is much harder to remove the bike.

However, the rack makes it onto our list due to the functionality. When the rack is not in use, it becomes almost invisible. The folding feature will allow it to fold close to your car and you need to be close to see it. The installation is very easy and the rack will offer you peace of mind while you are transporting your mountain bike.

Pros:

• Security: One of the main features is security and the bike will be securely locked in place when traveling.
• Low-profile: As mentioned, one does not even see the rack when it is not in use and should be easy to remove.
• Easy Installation: You don’t need a ton of resources if you want to mount the unit and it should take a little time.

Cons:

• Only One Bike: The only downside to the rack is that it only holds enough capacity to carry one of the top mountain bikes.

Best 2-Bike Hitch: Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Rack

Thule is one of the leading brands when it comes to mountain bike racks. The Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Rack is specifically designed for two mountain bikes and features an aesthetic design that will also look good when it is used. As mentioned, the rack can comfortably carry two bikes with tires sizes ranging from 20 to 29-inches.

The rack also features a slide-away feature that enables you to open the rear of your vehicle. The tilt feature can even work when you have a bike attached to the unit. The auto-attach feature is one of the best on the market today, which means you don’t need to worry about special tools when attaching the rack to the hitch of your vehicle.

Pros:

• Tilt Feature: The tilt features means that the user will always have access to the rear of their vehicle.
• Fat Tire Bikes: Due to the large nature of the design, it will also work well with your fat tire mountain bikes.
• No Frame Contact: Since the hitch does not have any frame contact, it will protect the value and frame of the bike.

Cons:

• Price: The only downside is the price and you might have noticed that Thule is one of the most expensive brands.

Best Tool-Free Bike Rack: Kuat Racks Sherpa 2.0-2 Bike Rack

The Kuat Racks Sherpa 2.0-2 Bike Rack is very similar to the Thule. However, it is slightly lighter but still does not require any tools when you are mounting the unit. It is made from lightweight aluminum, but can still hold an overall weight capacity of 40-pounds. As you might have noticed, it is designed to hold 2 bikes of various sizes.

The design has been specifically made to not only protect the frames of your bikes but the car as well. Regardless of your driving route, you won’t have to deal with the frames bumping into the rear of your car. The manufacturer has an additional add-on that can be attached to the frame if you want to carry 4 bikes.

Pros:

• Lightweight: Compared to some of the other bike racks, it features a lightweight frame to reduce strain on your hitch.
• Easy Installation: Like many of the others, the hitch does not take too long to install and should be done without any special tools.
• Add-On: If you want to carry more than 4 bikes, you can make use of the add-on to add 2 spaces.

Cons:

• Weight Capacity: One of the downsides is the weight capacity and it is worth noting the rack only carries around 40-pounds.

Best 4-Bike Hitch Rack: YAKIMA RidgeBack Tilt-Away Hitch Bike Rack

Carrying 4 bikes can often be a pain and it forces people to buy bigger and more expensive hitch racks. However, the YAKIMA RidgeBack Tilt-Away Hitch Bike Rack is one of the top options on the market today and it has an element of simplicity to it. The SpeedKnob features mean that you have the same tool-free installation as many of the others.

Overall, the rack is lightweight and made from durable aluminum. There is a generous space between each of the mounting points to ensure that the bikes never really touch. Once the bikes are mounted, the security feature will lock them in place. You will need a lot of time if you are to loosen the bikes before use.

Pros:

• 4-Bikes: It is often hard to find some of the high-end hitches that will allow you to carry 4 or more bikes.
• Lightweight: At only 35-pounds, it is one of the lightest options that are very easy to set up and use.
• Bottle Opener: If you want to indulge in those post-race celebrations, the bottle opener can be very useful.

Cons:

• Frame Adapter: You do not get the frame adapter with the hitch and you might need to settle for buying it separately.

Best Hanging Bike Rack: Thule Apex XT Bike Hitch Rack

For many people, the hanging bike rack is one of the easiest to use and it is very easy to mount your bikes. The Thule Apex XT Bike Hitch Rack is one of the most useful hanging bike racks and it can carry up to 4 of your mountain bikes. The bikes are evenly spread and you don’t run the risk of them bumping into one another. And again, Thule makes some of the best bike racks for hitches available on the market.

Additionally, the manufacturer has ensured that there is sufficient padding for the frame. The padding will ensure that your bikes do not bump into one another, but it also keeps the frames protected from any damage. The overall weight capacity might be low for 4 bikes, but 130-pounds will work with most modern bikes.

Pros:

• Reliable Brand: Hailing from Sweden, Thule is one of the leading brands when it comes to these accessories.
• Easy Installation: Like all the other Thule racks, the installation should be smooth and very easy for beginners.
• Lightweight: As you might have guessed, it is one of the lighter options and compatible with almost every hitch size.

Cons:

• Price: Once again, you will notice that the racks from these high-end brands tend to be very expensive.

Budget Rack for 4 Bikes: Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Racks

If you don’t have a ton of funds to spend, you might want to consider the Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Rack. It is one of the easiest to assemble and you will only need to fasten 4 bolts if you are to fully assemble the unit. It worth it with most 2-inch hitches and there are no adapters or additional features you need to buy separately.

Once you have the hitch mounted, it features a swing that goes down when the rack is in your way. You can use the swing feature to access your gear and move it about. Unfortunately, the rack does not have any security features. However, the affordable price means you can add a lock to the unit as needed.

Pros:

• Access To Gear: Due to the swing feature, you will still have excellent access to your gear and it should not be in your way.
• Assembly: The rack is one of the easiest to assemble, even beating out some of the cheaper mountain bikes.
• Price: One of the main reasons we have included the rack is the price. It is one of the most affordable options on the market today.

Cons:

• No Security: Unfortunately, the rack does not have any security features to keep your bike safe when mounted.

Best Budget Bike Rack: Retrospec Bike Hitch Mount Rack

If you have to spend a lot of funds on your mountain bike accessories, you might not have the funds available for an expensive hitch mount. However, the Retrospec Bike Hitch Mount Rack is the ultimate budget option and it can hold 2 mountain bikes. The unit is durable and can hold up to 70-pounds of weight.

Much like the other bike racks, it is very fluid to assemble and once you have it assembled, the unit should not take too long to set up. It is made from durable alloy steel and will clip your bikes in place to serve as a security feature. However, the price is one of the main reasons we have opted to include it on the list.

Pros:

• Setup: Much like the others, it should not take too long for one to set up the unit and have it ready for use.
• Capacity: Compared to some of the other 2-bike mounting racks, this one has the best weight capacity.
• Price: As we have mentioned, the budget price is one of the main reasons we have decided to include it.

Cons:

• Loose: One of the downsides is the bikes tend to swing freely, which might be a bit dangerous for many users.

Best Electric Bike Rack: YAKIMA OnRamp Hitch Rack

While not everyone uses an electric bike, they are some of the heavier bikes on the market today. Picking one up is very frustrating and you often need some assistance. However, the YAKIMA OnRamp Hitch Rack features a roll-out ramp. The ramp means that you can simply drive your bike onto the hitch and secure it.

The unit can carry up to two bikes and has an overall weight capacity of 122-pounds. This makes it one of the most durable racks when we consider the overall weight of the bikes. A cable lock has been integrated, which means that your bikes will be secured to the hitch and it reduces the risk of potential theft when transporting.

Pros:

• Ramp Design: The ramp design means you can simply drive the bike onto the hitch for easy mounting.
• Weight Capacity: At 66-pounds per bike, it has one of the heaviest weight capacities per bike on the market today.
• Security: The traditional cable lock system will ensure that your bike is fastened and secured in place.

Cons:

• Price: Unfortunately, it is also one of the most expensive options on the market today, but worth it.

Key Features To Look For When Buying The Best Bike Racks For Hitches

Having seen some of the best options on the market today, you should be ready to find one for yourself. However, there are many more options available and to buy these, you need to understand what to look for. In the following section, we will dive a bit deeper into the features. Here is our small buyer’s guide for selecting the best bike racks for hitches:

Weight Limit

Every bike will weigh a certain amount and whether you choose the best mountain bike or any of the budget options, you need to keep this in mind. When selecting the best bike rack, you will need to make sure that it can accommodate your bike. This means looking at the total weight and making sure the rack can sustain it.

Overall Construction

We did not place as much emphasis on the materials as we usually do. However, the materials are also important and you would want something durable that can take a lot of punishment. While alloy steel is often the material of choice, it can be heavy. The lighter aluminum might be a great option to keep the weight down.

Security Features

Lastly, the bikes need to be secured and id you don’t want someone stealing the bikes while you are transporting them. It is important to keep the security features in mind. There are clip locks and cable locks to choose from. However, you should have at least one method of securing the bike to the bike rack before transporting them.

Wrap-Up

The best bike racks for hitches will give you an alternative means to transport your bike. These are tried and tested and they can offer a lot of durability and value for your money. We would recommend them for the protection and the way they can make your life easier.

A good bike rack will keep your bikes secure and safe while transporting them. We hope this list of the best bike racks for hitches helps you.

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