Introduction To Hitch Mounted Bicycle Racks

    It may not be spring for a couple more months, but it's never too early to get ready for bicycle riding season. Whether you're bringing the whole family's bikes with you on vacation, or you're heading out to the trails every weekend, you'll need to choose which way you want to carry your bikes.  While you could carry your bicycles up on your roof, using Trunk and Hatch Mounted Bike Racks, or in the bed of your pickup truck, carrying them behind your vehicle using a hitch mounted bicycle rack may be the most convenient method of all for the frequent rider. However, each method has its advantages, and many factors will affect your decision, so we've written this introduction to hitch mounted bicycle carriers to help you decide if a hitch mounted bicycle rack is right for you

Receiver Hitch Mounted Bicycle Carriers

    If you have a standard size hitch receiver on your vehicle (either 2" or 1 1/4"), or you plan to have one installed, then a hitch mounted bike rack should work wonders for you. If you have an rear mounted spare tire or recessed hitch receiver, you may want to consider Allen's Deluxe 4 Bike Hitch Rack for 2" Receivers with Spare Tire, as it has a longer tongue than most other hitch racks. If a hitch rack doesn't fit your vehicle, it's not recommended to use aftermarket hitch extenders or adapters; this often voids the manufacturer's warranty. Most bike racks are available in 2" or 1 1/4" sizes, many newer racks will fit both right out of the box, and the Yakima 2410 1-1/4" Receiver Hitch Rack Adapter can be used with most 2" Yakima hitch racks, so this shouldn't be a problem, anyway
     Now take a moment to consider your bicycles. If you have small children's bikes, these will probably have to travel inside the vehicle. Tandem bikes will need to be carried on Roof Rack Mounted Bike Racks, as they will stick out too far from the vehicle to be transported safely on a hitch rack. Just about any other type of bicycle should be no problem for either a mast style or tray style hitch rack.

Mast Style Racks vs. Tray Style Racks

    The standard mast style hitch mounted bike rack is a versatile and cost-effective way to bring your bikes with you. These racks hold your bikes by strapping the top frame tube into cradles on the rack's "arms". If your bikes don't have top frame tubes (like on traditional men's bikes) you'll need bike frame adapters for them. Some tray style receiver mounted bicycle racks also clamp onto the bike's frame, but others grip only the tires, accommodating any frame style and completely eliminating contact with your bicycle's frame. Most hitch mount bike racks can be tilted away from the vehicle for access to your trunk or hatchback. Softride's mast style racks even allow you to do this while the bikes are still on the rack, while Thule and Yakima take this concept to the next level with their swing-away racks. Racks like the Thule 964 Revolver 4 Bike Swing Away Hitch Mounted Bicycle Rack, the  Yakima 2422 SwingDaddy 4 Bike 2" Receiver Hitch Mounted Bicycle Rack, and the Yakima 2403 FullSwing 4 Bike 2" Receiver Hitch Mounted Bicycle Rack allow you swing your hitch rack out to the side of your vehicle with up to four bikes still loaded on the rack!

    We do hope this introduction to hitch receiver mounted bicycle carriers has given you an idea of the many options available to you to carry your bikes. Be sure to come back again later for more info on other ways to carry your bicycles, or pick up the phone and give us a call at 1-800-272-5362. As always, our staff will be glad to discuss the options available to you.