There is nothing better than life in the great outdoors. Think, for example, of a nice ride on a mountain bike, along pristine paths, away from traffic, immersed in a suggestive and fragrant wood. Fantastic! Wherever you are having your vacation, with a short drive, you can reach hilly and wooded areas and paths equipped for trekking and cycling. So, what do you need? Of course, your car, a shiny mountain bike, and a modern, solid and reliable bike carrier. In this article, we will see together how to install a bike rack on an SUV.
Properly installing the bike carrier is essential for our safety and that of other road users. It should also be considered that a “shaky” transport could cost you a very high fine during a random check of the car by the police. Installing a bike rack is one of the best ways of transporting your bikes on your SUV. Here, we’ll see the three best methods for an SUV and how to mount them.
A hitch-mounted bike rack Trusted Source How to Install a Hitch-Mounted Bike Rack | Trucks.com Accessing the roof of larger vehicles like trucks, SUVs, vans or crossovers isn’t always easy, making roof-mounted bike racks hard to use. Hitch-mounted bike racks bring accessibility closer to the ground while providing a reliable method for storing gear that frees up interior vehicle space. www.trucks.com is a perfect solution for carrying bikes if you and your friends are going for a pedaling excursion. Wherever you go and whatever vehicle you have, the hitch bike racks load quickly and are easy to use. They combine aesthetics and good performance in carrying the bike wherever you want. With just a click, you are ready to go!
Hitch bike racks are ideal for quick and easy installation of your bike to your car’s tow ball hitch. They have room for two to four bikes. You can even extend them to take up an extra bicycle. The hitch bike rack can even carry electric bikes and is usually foldable, so you can have access to your trunk.
Hitch mounted racks are obtainable in two types of styles. Vertical bike racks allow you to carry your bike with the front wheel mounted. Forked racks let you transport your bikes with the front wheels removed. However, with the vertical supports, you won’t have to keep an extra tire in the trunk, while the fork options offer optimal stability and safety. Both are good options if you want to take your two-wheeled vehicles everywhere.
There are also hitch racks for transporting mountain bikes, road bikes, and fat bikes Trusted Source Fat Bike Snow - Reasons to Start Fat Tire Biking This Winter From fat-torching fitness to all-season adventure, fat tire bikes offer a totally unique ride. www.bicycling.com , compatible with both quick release and thru-axles.
According to most reviews, the sturdiest model must be the Bike Hitch Rack for Cars and SUVs from Vibrelli, which, thanks to its reinforced construction, can hold up to 130 lbs of bike weight and is the most reliable option out there for fat tires, ebikes, road, and mountain bikes.
Another option and one of the most purchased online is the 4-Bike Hitch Racks from Allen Sports. Made of durable steel, this is ideal if you have a 2-inch hatch installed.
If your SUV has a hitch, you can install a bike rack by following the process below:
Roof-mounted bike carriers are designed to be mounted on the crossbars of a roof rack. If your vehicle includes factory crossbars, you can get roof racks to suit your vehicle. If you don’t have crossbars yet, you will need to install them before installing the bike carrier. The bike racks then use a combination of load straps, fork mounting technologies, wheel lock rings, or traction clamps to hold the bike securely in place while traveling.
Crossbars can be used for most models and brands of SUVs, from Mazda to Ford, Toyota, Holden, Isuzu, Hyundai, Land Rover, Volkswagen, Nissan, and more! There are roof solutions for pickups, SUVs, sedans, hatchbacks, and many more.
Most rack manufacturers such as Yakima, have vehicle finding tools that help you in determining which crossbars would be suitable for your type of vehicle.
Trunk-mounted racks mount to the trunk or rear hatch and are affordable and easy-to-use solution for minivans or SUVs, small vehicles, people who change cars often and single cyclists. Trunk-mounted racks will easily and quickly attach to the car’s trunk or rear hatch, therefore, maximizing adventure time and ensuring minimal installation. Trunk-mounted racks are portable and make it easy to load your bike.
Trunk or tailgate bike racks are durable, and each is usually in one piece – no complicated installation is required. Most trunk-mounted racks come with straps to attach them to your car’s tailgate or trunk, and each features a padded mount to protect your bike as you travel down the road.
With a sturdy build and sleek design, all trunk-mounted carriers will allow you to hit the trails in no time without breaking the bank.
Asides from the above-mentioned methods, there are also the spare-tire-mounted racks and the vacuum-mounted racks.
The spare tire mounted models can also be installed on your SUV, Jeep, among others without the use of hitch.
Vacuum-mounted racks also work with the use of suction cups and are ideal for use on SUVs or crossovers.
Are you a professional cyclist preparing for a major tournament or you’re just a hobbyist or starter looking to take your bikes with you on vacation? Then, with our guide, you’ve seen how to install bike rack on SUV. Remember that you can hitch mount it or have it installed on the roof or even behind the trunk.
Roof-mounted racks are our favorites as they are ideal for carrying the bike anywhere you wish to go. Carrying the bike on the roof means it won’t obstruct your view like it would if it were in the back.
Roof-mounted bike racks are usually the most suitable for SUVs as you have a lot of space where you can carry a lot of bikes than hitch bike carriers can carry. The roof racks also allow you not to sacrifice access to the trunk or tailgate when transporting bicycles.
