How to choose a bike rack
There are several types of bike racks for cars. Trunk mount, The ceiling mount, Spare wheel ride or Receiver hitch mount. Trunk mount car racks are the most common.
Trunk Mount Bike Rack Benefits
Trunk racks are usually cheaper than other types of racks.
Simple installation. Easy to store when not in use.
They are often ideal for transporting one or sometimes two bikes.
Disadvantages of trunk mount bike racks
If your car is dirty and you put a boot stand on it, the dirt under the roof rack legs will act like sandpaper and ruin the paint.
Some racks do not move the bike far enough away from the car for the bike to rub against the car.
You cannot attach the top rack straps to a glass window. If the rear window of your car opens and there is no metal attachment point above it, you cannot fit a roof rack. Some of the older Camaros, Firebirds, Toyota 4 Runners have this problem so it is necessary to use a receiver hitch carrier or a roof rack.
If your exhaust is pointing directly at your bike’s tires, it can overheat the tire and ruin it.
Many bike racks do not separate bikes well and the bikes will rub paint off each other.
You cannot access the rear of the vehicle when you have bikes in the bike rack.
Roof advantages Grids
The bicycles are well separated so that they do not rub against each other or against the car.
You can pull a trailer and the bikes will not be on the road.
The roof bars protect the finish of your car very well.
There are often many other accessories for transporting canoes, skis, snowboards, etc. to fit into the luggage rack.
Disadvantages of the roof Grids
People have been known to forget that bikes are on the roof and run into the garage. This is very difficult for the car, the bicycle and sometimes the garage.
Luggage racks are generally quite expensive. It will often cost more than $ 400 for a rack for two bikes.
Putting the bike on the roof can sometimes be a chore.
The added wind resistance of bicycles on the car will significantly affect gas mileage.
Installing a roof rack can be a daunting task.
Putting your bike on a roof rack can be difficult.
Advantages of the spare tire Grids
Sometimes they are the only roof rack that fits in the vehicle.
Disadvantages of the spare tire backstage
They do not fit in many cars.
Receiver hitch advantages Grids
Easy to install.
Less wind resistance than roof racks.
Bicycles are kept away from the car so they don’t rub against the car paint.
The rack only touches the car by sliding into the receiver and screwed or fixed to the receiver.
Receiver racks are easy to move from vehicle to vehicle as long as the vehicle is the correct receiver size. Take a look at me Tips page for hooking up the receiver.
Disadvantages of the receiver hitch Grids
If your vehicle doesn’t have a receiver, it usually costs about $ 200 or more to have a receiver fitted.
You cannot haul a trailer when the roof rack is in your car.
Like the luggage rack and spare tire rack, when the bikes are in the rack, it is often difficult to get into the rear of the car.