I think you need to know this. We selected allen sport bike rack not only because they are a well-known brand, but mainly because they have been designing and manufacturing these for more than 50 years.

It is Dick Allen that founded the company in his own garage even before I was born. And his first-ever rack was fairly simple, yet highly effective. Dick was an inventor. He managed to manufacture his first design using some electrical conduit material and an old fire hose. This may sound fairly basic, but in those days, I believe it was top notch. Obviously, today you have these racks manufactured with modern and well-tested materials.

I believe that you are like me. You want simplicity. Well, this is exactly what this product is all about. It is simple in design and yet very easy to use when you need it. You just need to slot the rack onto your trailer hitch. Note that you need a 2-inch hitch for it to work. Take your tape measure and check it out. This type of hitch is pretty standard nowadays, so I do not foresee you having any problem with it.

Now, that you’ve checked your hitch, and that it is the right one, you can safely stand the rack upright. It should take you 5 seconds to do this. Secure the rack with a bolt (provided with the device). That’s it. You’re done and ready to go.

The rack has two carry arms to ensure that you can easily secure your bikes. These are 22-inches in length. With this length, they are pretty well suited for even larger bike frames. What I really like about the arms is that they fold out of the way when you are done with your travel.

The rack is unique in the world as it has a patented tie-down system. And again, the people who have designed this Allen’s best hitch bike racks have thought of you. They know you are eager to fix your back on the rack and hit the road. As such, they made the tie-down system super easy to use. And on top of all of these things, they still managed to provide anti-wobble ties. Like this, you’ll be able to drive while your bikes at the back of the vehicle will not wobble creating a lot of noise.

The manufacturer has put a lot of effort to ensure the device is of high quality. For instance, the rack is made with sturdy steel. If you buy it, you’ll have a rack coated with black powder. Like this, you’ll have a product that will last. Allen’s sports are so confident about their product that they sell it with a lifetime warranty. You’ll definitely enjoy this rack as it is pretty well designed, made to last, simple to use and manufactured by a company you can trust.

By the way, by buying this rack, you’ll get a fantastic design with space for 4 bikes and a unique price tag of under than 100 bucks. If you are looking for value for money, then you have it with one.

Saris is another well-known brand that manufacturer top-notch bicycle racks for your vehicle. There are fierce competitors to the Allen Sports one. That’s why they are are the top of our list.

Their trademark is all about cutting edge design. And when it comes to car racks, we sometimes like to have something a little trendy. Think about it. I am sure you have a fantastic mountain bike. and your bike costs thousands of dollars. Would you really want to transport it on a cheap and cheerful rack that has no soul?

Or you want something a little trendy? I think you’d go for the trendy and you are right. The Saris Bones 2-Bike Trunk Rack is just fantastic. They are simply the cutting edge offer on the market when it comes to racks.

They are everything we all want in a rack. The Saris Bones 2-Bike Trunk Rack is probably the easiest rack you can have. It is easy to install, easy to adjust and easy to load your bike on it. Added to this the cutting edge design we spoke about, you have nothing to be worried about.

Probably the only downside that I can find for this product is that it is largely made of plastic. But the plastic quality is really good and strong, so again the manufacturer has taken care of that aspect. On the other side, the plastic ensures that you’ll have a fairly low rack’s weight. In fact, the rack weighs just about 10 pounds in total. I was taken back by the strength of plastic and lightness of the product.

Now, you’ll be amazed about the price tag too. It is just around 150 bucks. That’s not bad for a design type product and high-quality materials. If you are on a tight budget, you can always aim for a cheaper brand. By the way, the Saris Bones Trunk Rack that I am highlighting here is to load up two bikes. You can get the Sari Bones 3-bike rack one if you prefer.

To finish up with this rack, it is a well-designed product, light, and manufactured by one of the best companies in the market. Well worth the investment.

This is yet another great brand. Everyone that I know and that I speak to about this brand says that they have an outstanding pedigree. In fact, there are thousands of cyclists out there that have acquired the Thule T2 Pro XT2 Bike Rack. And they all recognize the Thule brand as a really good investment.

You need to note that the price for this rack is high. I would even go as far as expensive. You’ll cry when you know it. It is around 500 bucks. The final price depends on some of the offered options and the size you want. Now you understand why everyone says it is expensive, but it is a good investment. I think I can easily say that this is probably one of the most expensive racks.

Ok, it is expensive. But what a nice piece of kit this is. It is an extremely well-designed bike. Made and thought by people who understand the biking community. And the manufacturer knows this. That’s why he’s putting such a high price tag. You can’t avoid falling in love with the rack.

The Thule is nice, easy to attach and the good thing is that you do not need any tool for that. You can attach it on a 1.25 or 2-inch car tow hitch by hand. When you are done attaching the rack to your hitch, then it is a simple procedure to fix your bikes. And there is a good surprise with the rack too.

The designers have put together a simple hinged joint that leans outward. Like this, you have access to your trunk even when you have already loaded your bikes. This is pretty nit and quite unique in the rack industry. But this hinged joint allows you to fold up the rack easily out of your way when empty. This is brilliance at its optimum level.

This is a good example of a nice trunk-mounted rack. The rack is definitely better than any of the roof rack versions.  But even if it is better than the roof product, it takes the simplicity of any rack to the next level. You just need to slot your bikes at about a foot off the ground. Now, you set them on the nicely-designed ratchet arms. Finally, you lock your bikes and you are done. And they even added an integrated cable lock that you can use (and I advise you to do so) to lock your bikes to the rack. This adds an extra layer of security.

Let’s summarise this rack. It is expensive. And that’s a fact. But it is a rack that is easy to use, provides easy access to your truck even when your bikes are loaded, has a nice elegant design and full of useful features. You’ll love it no matter the price tag.

I am sure that you did like the fancy Thule Bike rack design. But when you’ll look at the Swagman XC Cross Country 2 Bike Hitch Mount Rack, you’ll understand what value for money means. The Swagman is a very basic, simple and easy to use a rack, with a cheap, cheap price as a bonus.

So, if you are looking for a cheap and cheerful solution, this one is definitely for you. To be more precise, the Thule is what I would call the Rolles-Royce of the car racks. And this model is more like a small car, that has all of the standard features of a car, but not a strong brand associated with it. Basically, this rack does the job without any fancy features.

For instance, you won’t find a hinge so that you can access your trunk. And you’ll definitely not be allowed to fold-up the rack on itself so that you can easily store your luggage. Basically, you get what you are paying for. A rack that will lift your bikes and that’s it really. And by the way, you’ll get a cable that will lock your bike and hold it into place for the time you are traveling. Do not worry, this cable will definitely secure your bikes. The only downside is that you need to buy it separately. It told you it was cheap, and this is the reason. It feels like you are buying a cheap airline ticket, where you have to pay extra to get a given sit. 🙂

Never mind, you’ll see that is very easy to use. You have one pair of ratchet arms that you can use to securely lock your bike during travel. The good news is that the Swagman rack accepts a pretty wide loading range. You can find different sizes with one of them able to accommodate up to 59cm frames. This product can also accept up to 35 pounds of load capacity per bike. This is much more than you need for the vast majority of bikes.

In summary, I like this rack because I can use it when I go for a day bike trail. If I need to travel far away for 6 to 8 hours drive and stay overnight, then I’ll use another type such as the Thule version. The Swagman rack is a simple, cheap, and fairly decent product.

This is a different hitch mounted type of rack. The company that manufactures these has a different philosophy to attach the bike. The Yakima ridgeback 4 bike hitch rack does not have a base mounted (i.e., there is nothing to put your bike wheels onto) carrying rack. Instead, this product has an extended arm where you can attach your bike tubes.

The Yakima rack shares some of the features of the two products discussed above. And again, it shares the most important feature, that is the ease of installing the device onto your car. What you need to do is to attach a SpeedKnob attaching point that is on your rack onto your car. You just need to insert the Knob onto your 1 and 1/4 or 2-inch hitch. And you’re done. It’s that simple.

There are many different Yakima models. And they all depend on the weight you need to carry.  You can find some racks that will carry 2, 3, 4 and finally 5 bikes. So, the Yakima is truly made for a family trip.

When you need to use them, you can easily load your bikes and secure them within minutes. There is a secure zip strip that you use to attach your bikes. An interesting development, which I am sure you’ll like, is the presence of anti-sway cradles. These are meant to avoid your bikes to knock on each other while you are driving.

You may have to outlay a couple of hundred dollars. The price all depends on the model you need. I feel that these are affordable and carry all of the different points that you may be looking for in a rack. Easy of use, light and not too expensive.

This is the second product from Allen Sports that we have selected for you. This is normal as Allen Sports are the leader in bicycle racks. And, I have to say that when I tried it, I found it really easy to use with a nice and flexible design. The interesting bit about this model is that it has been designed for people who do not have a hitch attach to their car. All of the other racks that I’ve discussed up to know must be attached to a hitch.

The good thing about this Allen Sports rack is that you can attach it to many different types of vehicles. You can attach it to Hatchbacks, Sedans and even to Minivan vehicles. That’s why I like its design. I can use it for my car, but also I can secure it onto my wife’s car. And even better, I can lend it to my friends without having to think if it’ll fit. And I tried it on and SUV vehicle, and it was easy to fit. So, it is a good multi-vehicle solution if you need one.

As I said, it is fairly easy to mount it onto your vehicle. And it is even easier to secure it using a simple set of straps. I have to say that you need a little bit of time to get used to the straps. But, when you are used to them, you’ll have no issue whatsoever to install the rack on any vehicle. What I like about this rack is that at all times the device rests onto the body of your car (without scratching it). If you buy it, you’ll find some paddings that are made to avoid any paint scratch.

Now, the way you tie your bike to the rack via the tube (and not the wheels). As per the previous model, you can buy different sizes. For example, you can buy the Allen Sports Deluxe Trunk for or 2, 3 or even 4 bikes. In conclusion, this rack is well designed to avoid scratches onto your vehicle. It is from a reputable and well-known brand whose sole job is to make bike racks. So you can buy with faith.

It is almost impossible to empower you with bike racks without having another Thule device. Like I have discussed two Allen Sports devices, the Thule equipment can be considered as the cream of cream of racks. They are simply top-notch, added with some nice design style. But this carrier is somehow different from the one we discussed above. In this model, your bike is secured via the top bar instead of the wheels.

So the design is completely different than the previous model, and less complicated too. Because it is of less complex nature, it is also cheaper. Obviously, you need to accept that you’ll not have all of the fancy features either, but then you still have a nice brand.

What you miss with this device is the complete hinged joint solution. It is a pity because I quite like the joint as it allows the rack to be moved out of the way from the trunk (so that you can access what’s in the trunk without having to remove the rack). The downside of the low price is that the device cannot be folded to the full. So, you get what you pay for. Your trunk will be a little harder to access, but how many times do you really need to access your trunk when you are traveling? That’s the question you need to answer.

If you feel that you’ll not need to access your trunk, then this device is definitely for you. However, if you need access to your trunk often, then you’d better get the above Thule model. The goods news, and like many of the Thule family of racks, you can buy these for 2, 4 or 5 bikes. So it is for you and your wife alone, or for the whole family.

The manufacturer has provided what they call Hold Fast Cradles used to secure the bike. You’ll have the locking cables provided with it when you purchase this model. The locking cables are really good to avoid your bikes being stolen by some unscrupulous thieve.

In summary, this rack is probably the most basic Thule model. However, I would not take anything away from it. It has all of the features you need to transport your bike from point A to point B without any issue. You just don’t have the nice features of the other Thule models. An excellent and high-quality model that has nothing to envy from other racks.

The Tyger racks and its associated brand are not that well known. I think people undermine them because they are a lot cheaper than the Thule and Allen Sports. It is like buying a standard car in comparison to a Ferrari. I need to say this. Yes, it is a simple, very basic, yet effective model. It does not share the brand recognition but does the job you need it to do. That is, it allows you to transport your bikes easily.

Note that the lower price tag does not mean that the rack is missing some of the features you are looking for in a rack. The device comes with really well-designed attaching points. And it is easy to secure your bikes onto it too. You have a really well-made hitch adaptor that you can use on most of the hitch receiver. For instance, you’ll find the 1.25 and the 2-inch hitch versions (which are the most common hitches available on the market).

I like the fact that it can carry up to 4 bikes. Note that you’ll have a hinge joint similar to the one you find on the Thule rack. What this means is that you’ll be able to access your trunk easily. So who said cheap was not great?

I agree that it lacks some of the nice features found in the premium models. However, if you are on a budget, then there is nothing wrong with this rack. By the way, you’ll get a free bike lock if you buy one of these. Not bad for a cheap rack.

You already read about Yakima above with a model that was nice and of good quality. But you have not heard of the Yakima Top Car Bike Rack yet. It is probably the penultimate product of all the time in terms of a bike carrier. This rack is definitely something with a little bit of touch, something different, something that you’d love to have. And the beauty of it is that it a simple rack that is mounted on top of your vehicle, on the roof.

It is very easy to use with an outstanding design. Obviously, there are advantages and disadvantages like any of the rack discussed in this bike rack review.

Let me tell you about this model. You’re is uniquely secured via a wheel hoop that you’ll find at the front. And you have a strapping device for your rear wheel too. So, you get two safe points to secure your precious and very expensive bike. The way Yakima engineers have designed this rack is to ensure that you can easily load up your bike on the roof of your car, but also that it has the most secure solution out of all of the racks available on the market.

Basically, with this solution, you can fix your bike and lock it in a matter of minutes. And I am not joking here. I timed it, and it literally took me and my partner just 9 minutes. Obviously, we are used to doing this. So, it may take you a little longer the first time you do it, but when you get the hang of it, then you’ll probably beat us.

The most important point here is about the environment. We are cyclists, so we should care about the environment. Because the bikes are installed on the roof, and that they are facing the direction of the car movement, they’ll impose very little drag friction. This means that you’ll minimize your fuel consumption. So, what you have lost as an initial investment for buying the Yakima rack, you’ll make the money back through fuel savings.

Upright holders that we shared with you above increases dramatically the drag friction. This means that you need to spend much more fuel to drive at the allowed speed limit. As such, you’ll consume more and spend more. So why not go for a better solution right at the beginning of your investment and ensure you have a lower environmental impact?

This solution is obviously really good for people like that do a lot of traveling (almost every weekend). If you are only traveling once a year, then maybe you should choose one of the above options.

If you buy the Yakima rooftop solution, you’ll acquire a very sleek and nice rack. And did I tell you that it is cheaper than the model we described above? Not by much, but I want to leave this nice surprise last so that you can check it out. The only downside is that it holds up only one bike. You guessed it, we use this only for me to go on a trail. My partner is not a big fan of bikes, but she likes hill walking. So she walks around, while I go cycling. We meet at the end of the day.

Finally, this rack is stylish and has that little thing that other bike racks do not have. You’ll enjoy it.

This is the third time we speak about Allen Sports here. As I said, they are the leader on the market. So there is no way we would avoid them. The last product we are going to describe is a little different than any of the product we ever discussed here. In fact, we would qualify it as being of an “oddity”, “weird” solution, that is effective.

What you’ll find is that we cannot qualify this product as a rack. Yes, it is a device that carries your bike when you travel in your car. But it is a solution to help you and your partner. If you look at our list, some of the solutions we highlighted were specifically designed for what I would call male bikes with a bar.

But what if you had a female bike to transport with you? You do not have a conventional top tube fixe on your bike. What do you do then? Same, what if you had a BMX type bike? In these cases, you may not use some of the models we described. If you have one of these models, then this product will solve your problem.

This product is not a rack. I repeat, it is not a rack. It is a simple device that hooks onto your bike frame and creates that missing top tube bar. I have to say that this is a very useful solution. By buying the Allen Sports Tension bar, you’ll be able to travel with any type of racks available on the market.

This is a very simple, yet cheap solution to the bike that does not have the top bar.