The sleek lines and innovative spirit of the Tesla Model 3 make it a natural companion for adventure. But when the call of the open road whispers of two wheels under you, you need a reliable and sturdy bike rack to carry your trusty bicycle. With a plethora of bike rack options on the market, choosing the right one can be a daunting task. This comprehensive guide unveils our top picks in the Tesla Model 3 bike rack arena, each equipped to meet specific needs.
Other features: Strap mounting, can fit vehicles with spoilers, provides 6.5″ of space between bikes
The Saris Bones EX 3-Bike rack is our editor’s choice for the best bike rack for Tesla Model 3 owners. The bike rack is easy to attach, does not require a hitch installation, and can hold up to three bikes. Best of all, the trunk mount design fits perfectly even on cars with added spoilers. The premium bike hold downs ensure that your bicycles are securely attached to the rack, making it perfect for road trips. It is also made from 100% recyclable plastic and supports up to 35 lbs per bike. Best of all, the innovative arc-based design separates bikes on different levels, providing an astounding 6.5″ of space between bikes!
This is quite unusual when compared to other bike racks on the market as it has the largest vehicle compatibility of any trunk rack out there. You name it, and this will likely fit with no trouble at all. It’s also unusual as it is the best model for carrying three bikes. Most alternatives carry 2 or 4 bikes at once.
Other: Fits 1.25″ and 2″ receivers, includes a smart foot pedal tilt
The Thule EasyFold XT 2 bike rack impressed us with its unique and sturdy design, which allows you to carry e-bikes and heavy mountain bikes as well as smaller bicycles. Regardless of your type of bike, this easy-to-use rack would come in handy.
If this is your first time owning a bike rack, the EasyFold XT 2 is highly recommended. It can be folded into a compact design for better aerodynamics and less drag, and even includes a carry-on handle for storage and mobility. It is also easy to mount and secure your bikes on this rack. A 2-inch or 1.25-inch receiver would need to be installed on your Tesla Model 3 in order to use this bike rack.
Other features: One-Year Warranty
This innovative suction cup bike rack from ROCKBROS is great for new all-glass roof vehicles like the Tesla Model 3. It does not require installing drag inducing crossbars or an aftermarket trailer hitch, for a very easy and straight-forward on/off for your Tesla. The aluminum alloy body is sturdy enough to hold your bike, while rubber suckers protect your car from scratches. The suction cup system is a very easy operation, quick release clamp for the front fork installing. It only takes you a few minutes to install it following the instructions or the installation video.
Other features: Limited-Lifetime Warranty by Yakima
The YAKIMA HighSpeed is a premium fork mount bike rack that is great for Tesla Model 3 owners. The low-profile HighSpeed is streamlined, strong, and versatile and easily transports mountain, road, and fat-tire bikes. The sleek and stylish HighSpeed tray was designed for maximum hatch & trunk clearance.
This rack can fit almost any road or mountain bikes and up to 5″ fat-tire bikes. Works with both quick release (9 mm) and thru-axle bikes (12 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm). The low profile tray minimizes hatch interference while the tool-free, universal mounting hardware fits most roof crossbars.
Crossbars are required and the spread must be between 18″ and 37″; Fits Yakima round, square, factory, or aerodynamic bars; T-Slot compatible with SmarT-Slot conversion kit (sold separately). SKS (Same Key System) locks (sold separately) can also be added to the included TailWhip cable lock for maximum safety & security.
Hitch mount racks are a common choice for the Model 3’s cousin – the Tesla Model Y, and we completely understand why. When using a hitch bike rack, the Model Y typically has better range efficiency and aerodynamics, plus you’re less likely to strain your back because you don’t need to lift the bikes very high. Moreover, there are two styles of hitch mounted bike racks: hanging and platform. Hanging cradle-style racks are lightweight and affordable, but they are not really sturdy, and bikes can swing and wobble if not set correctly. Platform-style racks keep bikes in place more securely, preventing damage but they usually weigh more.
A roof rack is convenient – it does not interfere with the operation of the hatch at all. A hitch rack is efficient – it does not effect range as much as the roof rack, by a large amount. Meanwhile, a roof rack is inefficient – it incurs a 5-12% drain on range without any bikes at all, and up to a 50% reduction in range with two bikes up top. And a hitch rack is annoying – having the hitch permanently installed gets in the way of using the Model Y’s cargo space.
This report from Electrek.co for a Model Y shows a range hit with the bike racks, getting 339Wh/mi (estimated range of 240 miles – a 24% hit). This other report with a Model Y shows a range hit of 264 Wh/mi without bikes to 311Wh/mi with two bikes – 18%. This report shows an increase of 50-100 Kwh consumption with a 4 bike hitch setup.
This Tesla Motors Club report with a Model 3 finds a significant range hit – 280 Wh/mi without a rack and 391 Wh/mi with a rack – a 29% hit in range. But the Model 3 – as a sedan – will naturally have more of an impact from a hitch rack than the Model Y. The Model Y displaces more air from the car itself, so more of the hitch rack is in the draft area for the car.
25% seems like an appropriate hit for a loaded hitch mounted bike rack which is much better than roof mounted counterparts.
A roof rack rails alone incur a 5% range hit. Adding two bike racks increase that to 12%. This happens even without any bikes on the car -the hardware itself carries a reasonable cost.
This TMC post shows a 47% decrease in efficiency with two bikes on a roof rack (348Wh/mi on a Model 3). The same poster reported a ~40% reduction in efficiency with a 3 bike hitch setup (280 vs 391 Wh/mi on a Model 3).
This post shows a 33% loss of range with four bikes on the roof of a Model S.
Another post in that thread shows a 25-30% reduction in range with three mountain bikes (no front wheels).
Unlike a hitch rack, there’s not any reason to believe that the Model Y will have a different aerodynamic response than the Model 3 for a roof rack. So, expecting a 40-50% range reduction for two bikes mounted via a roof rack seems about right. Roof racks may cost slightly less, but you’re going to take a pretty big additional hit to your range and efficiency.
You can solve the ‘convenience’ bit for hitch racks using something like a Kuat Pivot or Rakattach Swing, but that adds 35-40lbs to the system, which may put you over the limit. Removing bike racks (or the roof rails entirely) is quite inconvenient, and the entire point is having a bike carrying system on the car at all times that is not inconvenient for other use of the car (such as getting groceries). The hitch itself costs $1000 from the factory, while the roof rack is $500. A nice bike carrier for the roof is $200-250, while a decent 2 bike hitch is $400-750, so the carriers end up costing nearly the same (depending on features).
The Model 3 does not come standard with a hitch installed, which means having to install or have one installed if you prefer this setup – making things a bit tricker than just loading up a roof rack. It also means you may have less clearance between the rack and the back of the car – so you need to double and triple measure to ensure you have enough space between the hitch rack and the trunk to open & access the rear of the vehicle. Two key questions: How easy to install the hitch on the car? How easy to tilt the rack so you can access the rear/trunk area?
Once you’re on the “two systems” train, you want to consider keys. If you’re just running a hitch rack, this is easy – just use whatever keys come with the hitch! But if you’re running the roof rails and a roof rack, then you’ve got at least key for the rails, and those are Yakima’s SKS system. If you get RockyMounts Tomahawks for the roof and a Kuat NV 2.0 for the rear, that’s three sets of keys you’ll need for all the locks. No fun. Sticking with all Yakima stuff means you can have a single key and be fine. You may also choose not to worry about this at all, since cable locks are notoriously easy to cut.
Not only want your bikes securely fastened but also locked with keys so that no one could thieve them. That’s why we recommend you pay extra attention to whether a bike rack has not only straps and tightening knobs but also security cables, locks, and keys.
Of course, you want the installation of a bike rack to be a breeze. Look for bike racks with clear step-by-step instructions and all the necessary hardware or tools. You can also ask for help at your local bike shop if you want so.
Our Editor’s Choice is the Saris Bones Car Bike Rack which has a sturdy construction and can hold multiple bikes making it a nice bargain for couples. It also fits well on the Tesla Model 3 and requires no aftermarket hitch installed to use. It fits most bikes and comes fully assembled out of the box for top notch convenience.
We awarded the Thule EasyFold XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack model with our Premium Pick nomination. Though it can hold only two bikes at once, it has an extremely premium construction and unique design. It’s aerodynamic which means less drag and a lower range hit than other rack choices, but does require aftermarket hitch installation for Tesla Model 3 owners.
We hope you enjoyed the article and find it helpful in picking the best bike rack for your Tesla Model 3.
I checked the saris website and it says that there are no bike racks for a Tesla 3. Why?
Hi Simon – We recommend following up with Saris on why their website says there are no bike racks for a Model 3. Often, manufacturers websites may have outdated vehicle fitment information listed. This seems like an oversight by Saris.
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