How to Find Best Tow Hitch Bike Rack for SUVs
If you travel with bikes, have a lot of gear to load, and want room for people to join in on the fun, you will probably need a hitch bike rack to make it all work. Traveling with bikes is much more enjoyable when there is enough room for gear plus the peeps.
Hitch-mount bike racks are designed to attach to the back of a vehicle to easily transport a full load of bikes without hogging space inside the vehicle. VelociRAX bike racks can accommodate up to 7 bikes and minimize damage to bikes.
Not only do hitch bike racks make traveling with bikes convenient, they are also easy to install and can be quite affordable on a per-bike basis. When choosing the right hitch bike rack, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind to feel good about your final decision. To have a safe and successful experience using a hitch bike rack, take a closer look at what you need to know before purchasing.
6 Tips for Choosing the Best Tow Hitch Bike Rack for SUVs
Like any other car accessory, a bike rack needs to be chosen carefully. The wrong rack could damage your car and/or bikes, make it difficult to load or unload bikes, and be an overall pain to deal with.
Here are six tips to help you narrow down the seemingly endless options and choose the best tow hitch bike rack for your SUV or truck:
High-Quality Material
A good hitch bike rack is made with high-quality materials. While the rack frame itself may be sturdy, if cheap parts are holding your bike, is it really worth the risk?
VelociRAX vertical bike racks include an anti-rattle wedge that expands in the hitch receiver, which prevents rack wobble while driving. This feature is made with high-quality steel, like the rest of the rack, so it can withstand the rough terrain for years to come.
Materials should also be weather-resistant so they can handle every season without rusting or corroding over time. VelociRAX provides heavy-duty rubber straps that secure bikes to the rack by only touching the tires. These straps have a UV filament and have been weather-tested for long-term use. VelociRAX hitch bike racks are powder coated, weather-tested, and up for the challenge of any road thanks to the anti-rattle mechanism.
Tough Steel Build
A durable and long-lasting rack should have no breakable plastic parts. A good rack will have full steel construction with no breakable plastic. Purchasing a rack that will last the long haul will save you money, is reliable, and is a sustainable purchase. Spending a little more on a rack that stands the test of time will end up saving you money in the future and allow you to travel with your bikes for years to come.
Easy Loading
The best rack is easy to load and unload to avoid any frustration while in use. You should be able to get your bikes quickly and easily on and off the rack when you need to without any obstacles.
This is one reason many people prefer a hitch bike rack for SUVs. Imagine lifting your bike into a roof-mounted bike rack on top of an SUV... not fun. Hitch-mounted bike racks on an SUV allow for easy loading and unloading.
Each of our racks comes with hinge-assisted dampers for self-lowering hinging for easy loading and unloading. By lowering a VelociRAX bike rack into the load position, you can simply roll your bike in and out with minor lifting to adjust the bike.
Plan for Future Capacity
Buying a bike rack once is stressful enough but needing to buy another bike rack because you there are more bikes to load than planned is not only frustrating, it’s expensive. Storing multiple racks takes up lots of space in addition to bikes.
If the price is right, owning a rack that has more capacity than you currently need is worth it. The more the merrier, right?
Let’s say you have both a mountain bike and a road bike, but only use one at a time. You might think you only need a bike rack for one bike. What happens when you move and want to move both, or a friend or significant other wants to join you on a ride? Or if you have a growing biking family?
The price difference between our VelociRAX 412 and our VelociRAX 6 is minimal when you consider the extra two-bike capacity you get. It never hurts to have extra bike capacity, but it sure is annoying to not have enough.
Car Compatibility
You may be surprised by how many people get excited about a bike rack without checking if it will work with their car. Make sure you have the right hitch size, weight capacity ability, and that the hitch has been professionally installed if it did not come with the car.
This is important because you want to make sure that the rack will fit onto your car without damaging it. You can avoid compatibility issues by researching bike hitch measurements, weight requirements, and overall specs beforehand.
Brand Trust
You should be able to trust the brand you are making a large purchase from—brand trust is everything! While VelociRAX may be considered a “new player”, our racks are rated 5-star by 800 customers:
★★★★★
Jeff
I have had the 6 bike rack for two years now and it is, by far, the best bike rack I have ever owned. I have a family of 6 and we use it all the time. Initially, the sticker price was higher than I wanted to pay, but after doing my research, this was the rack I chose. Glad I did, it has been worth every penny. The rack is solid, made of really good quality materials and is easy to use…
★★★★★
Megan
Absolutely love this rack. Had the similar Yakima 6 model for a year, this beats the pants off it hands down…plus it comes with a wall mount storage rack for winter storage, allowing you to hang the rack on the wall and use it for an off season bike rack. As a large mountain biking family, these are must haves. We couldn't be happier.
★★★★★
Craig
I've been very happy with my 7-bike VelociRAX rack. I upgraded from the Yakima 6 bike and this is far superior. The hydraulic assist and ability to mount bikes that do not have front suspension are huge differentiators.
★★★★★
Jeff
The best way to carry more than 4 bikes! My wife is about 5' tall and she can load the rack when in the down position… It does great on the highway and have had no issues when on dirt roads. If you are driving on really rough terrain, I'd add a nylon strap to both wheels and check periodically. It takes 2 people to attach to the car, but it a simple procedure and goes quickly. The locking mechanism is clever and easy.
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to choose the best tow hitch bike rack for SUVs and trucks. Go get your vertical hitch rack and let your adventures begin!
