Is the Hitch Mount Bike Rack Right For My Car?

Jan 24th, 2010 | By coolbiking | Category: Bike Parts Accessories

By Gary Frangs

There seems to be a trend to get a hitch mount bike rack as against the trunk mount or roof top bike rack these days. But, this doesn’t mean that this bicycle carrier is the right one for you or your car. Fitting this bike rack to some vehicles is like trying to mix oil and water. The two just do not go together. This article will be broken down into the types of cars that people have and how they will be suited to this kind of carrier.

Smaller Cars
You have to think about how many bikes you want to carry. Carrying four or five bikes on a hitch receiver on a small car, is going to add a heck of a lot of weight to the back of the car. You might find yourself running out of steam on the up hills. I have seen some really fancy looking sports cars with a platform style hitch mount, and it didn’t look too bulky or weird. Certainly beats putting the bike inside the car.
SUV’s and Larger Vehicles
These vehicles are a lot heavier and designed to carry heavier loads. If you want to carry five bikes, and are traveling over some rough terrain, then make sure you put some extra padding between the rack and your car. Also if you really need to have regular access to the back this is where you may have to pay extra for a bicycle carrier that swings away from the car, allowing you access. But, be careful with these models. Some swing away and some can be lowered. If you are trying to lower the rack with all the bikes still loaded, it just won’t happen! So if you are the type of person who wants to keep the rack on without always carrying bikes, then the lowering option is fine, but if you want to get into and out of the back, while you have five bikes loaded up, then I would go for the swing away.
Vehicles With a Spare Tire
Now if you have a spare tire to deal with, the hitch mount bike rack is still a great option and better than just mounting your bikes to the tire itself. But if you wanting to get into the back of your car, make sure you get this rack only if you have a hatch style rear door. Some models fit a side hinged rear door, but if you are going to try to open it while the rack is attached, then don’t even try. It is just not an option.
Benefits of a Hitch Mount Bike Rack
It’s secure. You can easily lock your bikes onto the rack and not have to worry about someone stealing your bike or your rack (along with the bikes!) It’s stable. Extra straps come with the steel arms which let you tie the bikes down and back onto the car. It’s sturdy. No rattling or shaking and great if you are driving on rougher terrain.

I hate to admit but I made the mistake of buying the wrong bike rack for my car the first time round. To save yourself running into similar problems, make sure you properly research hitch mount bike rack models. Read all the fine print.

Trailer Hitch Mounted Bike Rack Comparison

–About–

By Gary Frangs – http://bikeracks-forcars.com.

Source: Cool Biking Zone – Your source for great cycling, sports and fitness articles!

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