Roof Top Vs Trailer Hitch Bike Rack

Hanging hitch racks are a popular way to transport road or lightweight bikes without the need to lift them overhead and onto the roof of your vehicle.

Roof top vs trailer hitch bike rack.

Roof racks also reduces the gas mileage of your vehicle more than other racks due to the increased wind resistance. That s why you ve decided to invest in a cargo carrier. For some people the. A roof mounted bike rack can be challenging to load and unload and it affects aerodynamics which increases fuel consumption.

Depending on the size of your vehicle a roof rack is also typically able to hold more bikes than a hitch or trunk mounted rack. With a hitch rack carrying the same two bikes the suv had a 12. Hitch bike racks can be shared with a variety of vehicles now a days too they all need a hitch of course but most of yakima and thule hitch mounted bike racks out of the box will fit both hitch sizes. Unfortunately roof racks are typically harder to install and it will be difficult to drive the vehicle into areas with a low clearance.

After testing 70 bike racks including hitch trunk and roof models we recommend the kuat sherpa 2 0 hitch rack as the best way to carry your bikes on a car. While not necessarily inexpensive a quality hanging rack like the yakima ridgeback 2 comes in at about half the price of a platform model with the same capacity. But that s where you ve found a dilemma. Hitch racks or roof racks which one should you choose.

With a roof rack and carrying two mountain bikes there was a 19 percent reduction in fuel mileage and 5 percent less when empty. Thule offers a sweet 2 bike hitch mounted carrier that allows tailgate access. We think the best way to transport your bike is a hitch mounted bike carrier as opposed to a roof mounted bike rack. Hitch racks by the time you get the whole family loaded up in your vehicle there s no room for all the luggage and gear.

Most smaller cars i see have a class ii receiver for their bike racks. So you have the choice of mounting a bike rack on a rear mounted carrier and stowing the extra gear in a roof top carrier or getting a small trailer. Best for four bikes. Yakima ridgeback 4 bike hitch rack at rei has a 160 pound weight limit and comes with anti sway cradles to keep bikes from touching best for suvs.

Its lightweight aluminum rack is nearly half the weight of most hitch racks for easy handling installation and removal. Kuat nv base 2 0 at backcountry the foot assisted pivot system makes getting into the back of an suv easier best ultra light hitch rack. Your rack is not rated for 2 bikes plus a roof carrier.