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Hitch-Mount Racks and Trunk Mount Racks: Which one is for you?

So you have decided to purchase a bicycle mount carrier for your car, but you not sure what your options are? Choosing the wrong bicycle rack can cost you not only financially, but also can be even dangerous for your vehicle (for example, choosing a trunk mount when your vehicle has a spare tire that will interfere with the rack).

To answer this question, you need to ask yourself the following questions first:

• How do you intend to use the bike rack?
• What is bike capacity do you intend to transport?
• Are you renting, leasing/own the vehicle in question?
• What is your price range?
• How important is security to you?
• Do you have back problems and are you able to lift the bike above your head
• Are the bikes in question non-standard frames, e.g. tandem bikes?
• Does the vehicle have a spoiler or rear-mounted spare tire that might obstruct certain bike racks?
• Does the vehicle have a tow hitch or roof-mounted rack?

These questions are important because you need to choose the best possible bicycle rack for your car. With so many types of racks, you need to know what exactly is available and how they stack up.

What is a Hitch Mount Rack?

Vehicle hitch mount bike racks (also known as rear mount bike carriers) are suited for vehicles with a trailer hitch receiver, as they are mounted securely around the hitch to carry the load of the bicycle(s) at the rear of the vehicle.

Some hitch mounts may also fit on the trailer ball adaptor, while other hitch mounts are mounted on the receiver. One may also ask, how will I be able to open my vehicle’s trunk if I have several bikes loaded onto the hitch mount?. Well, there are several design options available that allow you to gain access to your vehicle’s trunk: namely a fold-down option or a swing-away option.

Bicycle hitch mounts come in 3 classifications, namely:
Class I: these hitches have a 1.25-inch opening and are designed for most cars and some SUVs.
Class II: these hitches have a 2-inch opening and are designed for pickup trucks and SUVs
Class III: these hitch mounts are not adaptable to most cars & therefore we will not discuss them in this article

The biggest factor in choosing the hitch size is based on the number of bikes you will want to transport. Class I hitch mounts usually can carry up to 3 bikes max. while Class II can carry up to 6 bikes.

Hitch-Mount Rack Advantages

1. Easy to install
2. Easy to secure bikes into place
3. No possibility of scratching or denting the vehicle
4. The swing-out arm allows for easy access to the trunk without having to completely uninstall the unit from the trunk
5. Locking hitch for anti-theft
6. Some hitch mounts have a capacity of up to 6 bikes
7. There is no need to remove the front wheel of your bike to mount them.
8. They are easy to install. All you need is to slide it in the hitch.
9. There is less chance to scratch your car’s paint when you mount your bikes.
10. It is easy to secure and lift your bikes in place.

Hitch-Mount Rack Disadvantages

1. Expensive
2. May require drilling on the vehicle to secure hitch on the vehicle
3. Smaller vehicles may not be suitable for these
4. Can obstruct your license plates
5. Can damage your bicycle(s) if you are hit from the back, or you reverse into an obstruction
6. Can not be used on certain cars which are not designed for towing
7. Some hitch mount models do not have a swing-away feature, therefore your trunk may be blocked
8. May require drilling holes on a vehicle to install the hitch mount
9. If you have back pain, this can be a problem as you will be required to lift your bike to latch it on the hitch mount’s frame.
10. Some hitches require you to drill holes in your car’s chassis or cut the rear fascia
11. You may need an extra attachment to support odd framed bikes
12. It’s difficult to lock your bikes in the rack
13. It is not the best bike rack for tandem bikes
14. Some bike rack models do not have car rear lift gate access. You may find bike racks that could do the job, but are expensive.
15. You may have the additional expense of a trailer hitch if your car or truck does not have one
16. You may need to put paddings between bikes to avoid banging into each other that would cause scratches to your bikes.

Best Hitch-Mount Racks Recommendations:

Swagman XC2 Hitch Mount Bike Rack , Black, 2-Inch Receiver	Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Racks for 2 in. Hitch	Kuat Racks Sherpa 2.0-2 Bike Rack
Color: Black Vehicle Service Type: Bicycle Material: Steel Brand: Swagman Item Dimensions LxWxH: 5 x 34 x 11 inches Item Weight: 12.7 Kilograms	Color: Black Vehicle Service Type: Bicycle Material: Steel Brand: Allen Sports Item Dimensions LxWxH: 26 x 14.2 x 3.5 inches Item Weight: 26 Pounds	Color: Black Metallic/Gray Anodize Material: Aluminum Brand: Kuat Item Dimensions LxWxH: 45 x 15 x 12 inches Item Weight: 32 Pounds Is Foldable: Yes
Shop now at Amazon.com	Shop now at Amazon.com	Shop now at Amazon.com
Thule T2 Pro XT/XTR Hitch Bike Rack	YAKIMA - HoldUp EVO 1 1/4" Hitch Mounted Tray Bike Rack, 2 Bike Capacity	Tyger Auto TG-RK3B101S 3-Bike Hitch Mount Bicycle Carrier Rack
Color: Black Material: Alloy Brand: Thule Item Dimensions LxWxH: 54 x 15 x 43 inches Item Weight: 0.01 Ounces Is Foldable: Yes Load Capacity: 60 Pounds	Color Black Brand: YAKIMA Item Dimensions LxWxH: 38.75 x 21.37 x 15.12 inches Item Weight: 50.63 Pounds	Vehicle Service Type: Bicycle Material: Alloy Steel Brand: Tyger Auto Item Dimensions LxWxH: 83 x 10 x 6 inches Item Weight: 20 Pounds Folding: No Mounting Type: Strap
Shop now at Amazon.com	Shop now at Amazon.com	Shop now at Amazon.com

What is a Trunk Mount Rack?

Hollywood Racks Trunk Mount Rack Hitch Mount Racks vs. Trunk Mount Racks: Which one is for you? If your interest is to simply carry your bikes, then a trunk mount rack is your best option as they are affordable and easy to use. At the basic level, you simply use a few straps and no-scratch hooks to fasten the mount onto your vehicle’s trunk or cargo door and quickly fasten your bike(s) securely, and off you go.

on the trunk mount itself, the straps are attached to the frame of the mount and the no-scratch hooks are fastened onto the vehicle’s trunk (or hatchback) while the rest of the mounting frame is resting on or near the top end of the bumper or just below the vehicle’s license plates. The bicycle’s frame rests on plastic-coated support arms of the mount (some mounts have padded frames to cushion the bikes and to prevent the bike or carrier frame from making a scratch or dent on the vehicle). While hitch mount carriers can carry more bicycles, most trunk-mount carriers allow a maximum of 3 bikes to be carried.

Trunk-Mount Rack Advantages

1. Easy to remove & store when not in use
2. Cost-effective and versatile
3. Easy to use and adjustable for any vehicle including a sedan, hatchback, SUV, minivan, or truck tailgate due to its adjustable straps
4. Lightweight
5. Great for rental vehicles as you just simply mount on the vehicle

Trunk-Mount Rack Disadvantages

1. The combined weight of bikes and rack rest on the vehicle can cause damage to paint or cause dents (padded mounts help resolve this)
2. Straps can become loose or tear or can cut
3. A vehicle with spoilers can become a nuisance, thus causing safety concerns
4. Not recommended if you have a rear-mounted spare tire that could interfere
5. Bike security itself may be an issue, therefore you need to think about how to securely fasten your bikes from theft (some trunk mounts come with anti-theft security
6. You cannot open the trunk while having the bike trunk mount strapped on
7. Can obstruct your vehicle license plates
8. The drivers rearview can be blocked
9. If you have back pain, this can be a problem as you will be required to lift your bike to latch it on the trunk mounts frame
10. Capacity for your bike is limited to 4 bikes; therefore, if you have more bikes, then trunk-mount racks are not recommended

Best Trunk-Mount Rack Recommendations

SportRack Pursuit Anti-Sway Trunk Mount Bike Rack	Hollywood Racks Over-The-Top Trunk Mounted Bike Rack	Hollywood Racks F4 Heavy Duty 4-Bike Trunk Mount Rack, Black
Color * Vehicle Service Type: Passenger Car Material: Rubber Brand: SportRack Item Dimensions LxWxH: 30.5 x 5.25 x 20.5 inches Item Weight: 11.6 Pounds Load Capacity: 35 Pounds Mounting Type: Strap	Color: Gray Vehicle Service Type: SUV, Hatchback Material: Steel Brand: Hollywood Racks Item Dimensions LxWxH: 19.8 x 10.2 x 33.3 inches Item Weight: 21 Pounds Is Foldable: Yes Load Capacity: 35 Pounds Mounting Type: Strap	Color: Black Vehicle Service Type:: SUV, Bicycle Material: Steel ;aluminum Brand: Hollywood Racks Item Dimensions LxWxH: 21.4 x 6.3 x 31.7 inches Item Weight: 17 Pounds Is Foldable: Yes Load Capacity: 35 Pounds
Shop now at Amazon.com	Shop now at Amazon.com	Shop now at Amazon.com
YAKIMA Fullback Trunk Mount Bike Rack	Hollywood Racks Baja Trunk Mounted Bike Rack	Saris Bones Car Trunk Bike Rack, 2 and 3 Bike Options
Color: Unset Vehicle Service Type: Passenger Car Brand: YAKIMA Item Dimensions LxWxH: 3.94 x 0.79 x 3.94 inches Item Weight: 21 Pounds Is Foldable: No	Color: Gray Material: Steel ;aluminum Brand Hollywood Racks Item Dimensions LxWxH: 18 x 8.75 x 10.75 inches Item Weight: 12 Pounds Load Capacity: 35 Pounds Mounting Type:: Strap	Color: Black Material Composite Brand: Saris Item Dimensions LxWxH: 30 x 8 x 30 inches Item Weight: 4 Kilograms Is Foldable: No Load Capacity: 35 Pounds
Shop now at Amazon.com	Shop now at Amazon.com	Shop now at Amazon.com

Conclusion

So as you can see, several factors can influence your decision to choose either a bike hitch mount rack or a bike trunk mount rack. If price is paramount to you, then a trunk mount rack is the obvious choice, however, you must know the limitations as mentioned above. If you are planning to travel with over three bikes, then a hitch mount is certainly your best option. Overall, it all depends on your liking, however, armed with this information, I hope your questions and doubts have been answered, and you have a more definitive idea of which hitch mount you will choose.

Thanks for visiting BEST HITCH BIKE RACKS 2021, we hope we helped you with your quest for the best hitch bike rack!

Please go through the Performance Bike shop for reviews of the product to gain more insight into the product. You can also buy this bike carrier directly from the official product website. You can also buy this bike carrier directly from the official product website.

View more BIKE RACKS on Amazon.com, many best choices for you.

About Post Author

Performance Bike

It is all about bike, mini bike, Dirt Bikes, Electric bikes, Exercise Bikes, Folding Bikes, Hitch Bike Rack, Mountain Bikes to recomemend for everyone.

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https://performancecyclery.com/

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