Cycling is one of the most efficient ways to get around, and bicycle commuting is often a much better option than driving. But sometimes you need to transport your bicycle from point A to point B before you can ride – which is where a good bike rack for your car comes in. We’ve put together the following list of the best trunk-mounted bike racks available. All are adjustable to fit a wide variety of vehicles, but we recommend checking the manufacturer’s specs before buying just to be sure.
Editor’s note: There are some excellent roof-mounted bicycle car racks on the market, but we’ve focused here on trunk racks because they enjoy the following advantages:
-Better fuel economy when driving, since trunk racks tend to be more aerodynamic than roof racks
-Bikes are better protected from road grime and debris
-Less danger of damage to bikes from overhanging obstacles
-Trunk racks are easier to remove when not in use
Thule Passage 3 Bike Car Rack
Thule’s Passage bicycle car rack is versatile enough to fit almost any car thanks to the adjustable FitDial system. Adjustment is simple, and the six-strap harness holds the rack secure. One particularly nifty feature is the Stay-Put “anti-sway cage” design that limits the rocking motion of bikes on the rack, and helps prevent damage to your vehicle or other bikes during transport. “SoftCushion” pads and vinyl-coated hardware help protect your vehicle’s paint job, and the arms of the rack fold away when they’re not actually carrying your bikes.
You can find the Thule Passage 3-Bike Trunk Rack for $107.95 at Amazon.
Saris Bones 3 Bike Car Rack
The Saris Bones 3-bike rack combines the practicality of a trunk rack with some stylish Italian design twists. The heavy-duty injection-molded plastic frame won’t rust or corrode, and the arc shape of the arms helps protect bikes from each other by holding them at different levels. The angle of the arms is adjustable, and the arched design will fit on most vehicles with spoilers (as well as flat-back vehicles like minivans or SUVs). Finally, the Bones bicycle car rack is available in seven color choices, with $5 from the purchase of pink & purple racks going to support cancer research.
The Saris Bones 3-Bike Trunk Rack is available in gray, green, blue, pink, purple, red, and yellow at Amazon for $143.99.
Yakima Super Joe 2 Bike Car Rack
The Super Joe carries 2 bikes, secured with Yakima’s “StableCradle” attachments. The six-strap harness is designed to give the rack maximum stability, and the Super Joe bicycle car rack includes hooks for attachment to either a glass hatch or a regular trunk/gate. Padded feet protect the paint job on your car as well as your bike, and the arms of the rack are easily adjustable with the Quick-Trigger Hub System.
The Yakima Super Joe 2-Bike Trunk Rack is available for $77.27 at Amazon.
Allen 102S Premium 2 Bike Car Rack
Allen Sports may not be as well-known as some of the bigger cycling gear companies, but their products consistently receive high marks from users – and the company’s founder is a Harvard-trained former NASA engineer, which doesn’t hurt either. The sturdy Allen 102S Premium Rack features long 12″ carry arms for easily transporting 2 bicycles, and generous clearance allows the rack to be fitted on most cars with spoilers. Cam-style buckles allow quick and secure tightening of the straps, and the rack arrives fully assembled and ready to install.
The Allen 102S Premium 2-Bike Trunk Rack is available at Amazon for $78.39.
Hi,
Thank you for this amazing post!
I have bought a Thule bike rack for a few months. But I feel that we should not use it for carrying 3 bikes.
I have tried that much and now it becomes unstable, and I wonder that how can I do to make it more stable?
I own the Saris T-Rex and love it. I don’t mind paying more for something that I know will protect my expensive bike.
My dad always said “you get what you pay for”
I personally love the Saris Bones 3 bike rack because its ability to fit most types of cars from SUV to trucks..
I have also tried the Saris T-Rax because it can carry up to 35 lbs of weight but it’s more expensive than most type of Saris bike racks.
There are also tons of other bike accessories from http://www.reviewsdigital.org/mycycling.html that may provide great satisfaction in your cycling needs.