When Bike Ride is Your Passion – what bike carrier is best for you?

Which Bike Carriers Are Best for Cyclists?

If you are a cyclist, you probably enjoy riding in areas away from your local neighbourhood sometimes, so you need to transport your bike safely and efficiently.

Bike carriers

Bike carriers attach to your car so you can take your bike on adventures. You either put your bike inside your car, on the roof, or to the rear. The safest choices are the rear and roof.

Rear-mounted bike carriers

Bike trunk racks

This type of carrier attaches to your boot or rear window and doesn’t need a tow bar. It fastens with straps and hooks and, once set up, is easy to use. Depending on the bike size, it can carry up to three bikes, but they can get scratched with this type of carrier. Note – as this type of carrier sits on the paint of the car – it also can a scratch the paint – only really suited for very short local trips

The tow ball and hitch types

These are the most popular options for carrying different sizes of bikes — from mountain bikes to carbon fibre road bikes. More sturdy than bike trunk racks, they can be attached to the car tow ball or the tow hitch.

Tow ball types

These carriers mount to your car’s tow ball and use a platform that your bike’s wheels rest on, holding the bike securely in place. They carry up to four bikes that are less likely to scratch if loaded correctly.

Hitch types

These carriers are more heavy-duty options that mount directly to your car’s tow hitch. This is the square box situated where the tow bar is installed. They have a post and arm that the bikes are attached to.

Roof-mounted bike carriers

These carriers mount to your car’s roof rack and keep your bike safe because it's away from other bikes and traffic. But be careful driving into your garage!

There are three types of roof-mounted carriers, depending on how you attach the bike — through a bike's fork, the front wheel, or the bike frame. Fork mounted bike racks are less suitable for small cars; front-wheel mounted racks are the best option for the cycling enthusiast with expensive bikes. Frame-mounted racks are easy to use and load, but the bikes may move during transport, so perhaps they’re not the best option for expensive bikes.

At Bars N Racks, we are your one-stop-shop for bike carriers. Contact us today for a free quote.