10 Best Bike Racks for Cars in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

Bicycling or biking is a popular American pastime with roughly 52.73 million participants ¹ in the United States. While it’s convenient to ride around in your neighborhood, the chances are that you like to hit the road to find new trails and areas to explore. That makes a bike rack an essential piece of equipment. After all, the last thing you want is to get chain grease or mud on your vehicle’s upholstery.

Our guide will tell you everything you need to know to make an informed choice. The design and technology of these products have changed, making it more challenging to get the best one. We’ve also thrown in reviews of some of our favorite racks.

A Quick Glance at Our Winners in 2024

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Rack	Folding arms Extra locking key Easy installation	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		Allen Sports Trunk-Mounted Bike Rack	Value-priced Lightweight Fully assembled	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		Thule EasyFold XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack	Sturdy Excellent load capacity Trunk access	CHECK PRICE
		Tyger TG-RK1B204B 1-Bike Trunk Mount	Excellent compatibility No-hassle limited lifetime warranty Lightweight	CHECK PRICE
		WEIZE Hitch Bike Rack	Sturdy Excellent weight capacity User-friendly design	CHECK PRICE

The 10 Best Bike Racks for Cars

1. Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Rack for Cars – Best Overall

The Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Rack ticks off many of the boxes we like to see in these products. Its ease of use tops the list, making it one of the best overall bike racks for cars. It is easy to install, which is certainly a plus. It’s well-made with a user-friendly design. The manufacturer even includes an extra key in case you lose it. The bike capacity is decent enough to hold all your family’s bikes. Overall, it is an excellent value for the price.

2. Allen Sports Trunk-Mounted Bike Rack– Best Value

The Allen Sports Trunk-Mounted Bike Rack is a great value for the price. It is lightweight yet securely holds up to 70 pounds. That makes it one of the best bike racks for cars for the money. It comes fully assembled, so you can use it as soon as it arrives. It is a versatile mount with a couple of ways to hold your bikes. You can’t beat the lifetime warranty the manufacturer gives this product. Sadly, it can scratch your vehicle.

3. Thule EasyFold XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack – Premium Choice

The Thule EasyFold XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack is a deluxe product with the added features we’re sure you’ll appreciate. It’s well-built and sturdy, as you’d expect at this price point. It has an excellent load capacity, which is a given. We like the attention to detail, such as being able to get into your trunk with it installed. The rack also has a limited lifetime warranty to seal the deal.

4. Tyger TG-RK1B204B 1-Bike Trunk Mount for Cars

The Tyger TG-RK1B204B 1-Bike Trunk Mount stands out with its versatile use and its lighter weight. You can mount it on your trunk with added protection to protect your car’s finish. Its capacity is impressive at 55 pounds. It’s easy to install, but unfortunately, it doesn’t feel secure at higher weights. Nevertheless, the manufacturer stands behind its product with a limited lifetime warranty.

5. WEIZE Hitch Bike Rack for Cars

The WEIZE Hitch Bike Rack has many features we like in these products. It’s sturdy and well-made to hold two bikes totaling 120 pounds. It is a hitch mount, which gives it added stability. The manufacturer has the end-user in mind with a foldable design for ease of use. The hitch tightener makes it easy to protect your ride with added protection against scratches and scraps. Our only issue was a sometime-wonky lock mechanism.

6. Vibrelli Electric Bike Hitch Rack

The Vibrelli Electric Bike Hitch Rack is a well-designed and made product that is sturdy. It can hold up to 130 pounds of bicycles with its hitch-mount design. It’s heavy but durable. It has a key lock to keep your ride secure and is foldable for easy storage between trips. It can easily accommodate fat-tire bikes or electric models. It’s spendy but worth the price for what you get.

7. YAKIMA Trunk Strap Bike Rack for Cars

The YAKIMA Trunk Strap Bike Rack isn’t cheap, but it’s worth a look for what you get for the price. It’s well-made and well-designed to protect your ride on the road. It comes fully assembled, which is always a plus in our book. It’s a trunk mount with all the goodies to make it a great fit with a user-friendly design. It also looks good, which is another perk for a utilitarian item.

8. KAC E2 Hitch Mounted Rack for Cars

The KAC E2 Hitch Mounted Rack is an easy-to-install product with a convenient hitch mount. The load capacity is decent with a well-made product that is user-friendly. It works great for regular bikes but isn’t a fit with fat-tire models. Nevertheless, it’s well-made and user-friendly on all scores with its easy installation and foldable design for convenient storage.

9. Saris Bike Rack for Cars

The Saris Bike Rack is about as simple as it gets for these types of products. However, don’t let that fact fool you. It gets the job done in style. We liked that it is a USA-made product with recycled materials. It is sturdy for lighter bikes. Unfortunately, it’s not fat-tire or electric-bike friendly. However, it includes padding to protect your ride from scratches.

10. MaxxHaul 50027 Hitch Mount Bike Rack

The MaxxHaul 50027 Hitch Mount Bike Rack stands out for its versatility in matching the bike with the mount. It’s affordable with features that are user-friendly, including its easy storage. It’s sturdy with a decent load capacity. It has a minimalist design to get the job done without extra clutter. It includes extra padding in all the right places to protect the finish on your bikes.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Bike Rack for your Car

A bike rack makes it easy to take your ride with you with minimal hassle. You’ll install it on the outside of your vehicle to save space inside. It’s a no-brainer to make it so convenient to bring it with you. You’ll find that many products go the extra mile with bells and whistles that touch on every aspect of using one. You may not need all of them. However, the things to consider include:

Mounting Weight

We think weight’s a vital consideration. It gives you an idea about a product’s durability and ease of installation. A rack that’s unwieldy makes it harder to put on your car without someone helping you. It’s something to keep on the front burner if you plan to leave it in place or take it off after every trip. We recommend thinking about how you plan to use the bike rack to steer you toward the best choice.

Mounting Location

The product’s weight will come into play with the mounting location. You’ll find racks you can install where your spare sits, on the truck, in a hitch, or on the roof. The site will affect your bottom line if you must get someone else to do the installation. Obviously, one requiring a hitch has the added cost of putting one on your car. That could add a few Cs to your final price.

We recommend also considering putting your bike into the rack. A roof model will require more effort and possibly a step stool to get it in place. Remember that some designs are permanent installations. That means getting on the road quicker whenever you get the itch to ride.

Material

The material directly impacts the durability and ease of installation. While you’ll probably ride only when the weather is favorable, we recommend preparing for the worst with a rack that is at least weather resistant or, preferably, waterproof. You’ll find products made of metal, alloy steel, composite, and aluminum. Additional materials include rubber and plastic.

We suggest checking for replacement parts with accessories that will like wear over time, such as straps. Anything exposed to the elements probably won’t last for the long haul. These types of items can render a bike rack useless if they bust with nothing to replace them.

Load Capacity

Load capacity goes hand in hand with the number of bikes you want to haul. Many models are lightweight to make them easier to ride. However, big-wheel bicycles and electric ones are considerably heavier. We recommend verifying the weight of your bike to make sure the rack can do the job. As you have probably surmised, it’s all about balance.

It’s worth mentioning that the electric bike model is projected to double by 2027 ² .

Other things we considered include a warranty, customer service, and assembly. We prefer manufacturers who believe in their products and are willing to back them up with a guarantee. Bike racks are usually hassle-free once you’ve used them for a while and have identified the obvious kinks. An easy and intuitive assembly always catches our attention. We don’t want to fight with a rack to get it in place.

Conclusion

After going through our reviews, the winner was the Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Rack. Its value is in its stellar design that holds up well for the long haul. The Allen Sports Trunk-Mounted Bike Rack was a surprise for the value it offers at an affordable price. It’s evident that you don’t have to break the bank to get a decent bike rack to do the job and keep your bike secure.

Featured Image Credit: FabrikaSimf, Shutterstock