Mountain Bike Racks

When talking about bicycling, people don’t often discuss Bike Racks. But these are actually important for bikers. Bike Racks enable you to transport your bikes easily and properly and help prevent bikes from being stolen. They also allow you to bring your bikes as you travel via land routes without having to disassemble and stash them in the trunk.

There are many types of Bike Racks, but before you head out to buy one, there are some things to consider. First, think of the rack’s purpose. Are you going to use your Bike Rack as a stand at home or will you need it for travel? In the case of the latter, you will need to consider your car type and see if the rack is compatible with it. Another thing to consider is the carrying capacity, in case you need to store or bring more than one bike. You must also take the price into consideration. There are inexpensive Bike Racks, but some don’t offer much security. You need something of good quality that will keep your bike firmly in place. You wouldn’t want a bike that you mounted on a rack attached to your car to fall off while in the highway, would you?

Once you’ve cleared these things out, you may then choose from a range of Bike Racks. Here are some of the most common types:

Sheffield Rack
This is like a parking stand for a bike. There is no specific design, but this is basically a thick metal bar or tubing about the same height as the average bike that you can lock your bike into.

Strap Rack
This has at least four straps that you can use to attach to a car, although there are those with six straps that provide better security. It can carry one to three bikes. Strap racks are inexpensive, but they have a major disadvantage. The bikes might weigh down the straps, and you will need to check every now and then if they still hold the bikes. These can also be rather inconvenient. Since the bikes are resting against the trunk of your vehicle, you will not be able to open the trunk while the bikes are strapped there.

Hitch Rack
This type is more convenient. You attach your rack onto a receiver attached to your vehicle, so the bikes aren’t just resting on the trunk or side of your vehicle. A Hitch Rack can carry two to five bikes. The only problem is the installation of the receiver; you must make sure you get the correct model for your car type, and most times, a technician or bike expert must be called upon to install it to your car.


Make sure that your bike is properly secured, no matter what type of Bike Rack you use. Some racks come with key lock mechanism, but it will help to check on your bike every now and then, too.

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