Before Buying a Bike Rack, You Need to Make Comparisons
As with many other types of purchases, evaluating different types can help you to find the right bike rack. To make the right buying decision you need to understand what your needs are. This is important since there are so many factors that can determine the type of bike rack that you buy.
Why Do You Need a Bike Rack?
Apart from the reasons why you need one, the type of vehicle the rack will be placed on is also important. The right bike rack for an SUV will not be ideal for a car for example. Questions to ask yourself include:
- How often will I be using this rack? If you rarely use a rack, then you may not want to buy the most expensive type.
- How many bikes will I need to carry on it at one time?
- How much am I willing to pay?
- What type of bike will I be carrying?
- How high can I lift the bicycle alone with one hand?
- Is there a spare tire on the back /rear of the vehicle? If so, it will be difficult to attach a rack to this area.
- Do you rent, lease or own the vehicle? Racks that need to be installed or expensive types are better for use on your personal vehicle.
- Is there a utility mount/rack already on the vehicle? If so, you need to determine the load or weight it is designed to carry.
- Is security important? Some racks are more secure than others are, so if you may need to park your vehicle for an extended period, you should go with a rack that uses locks.
The answers to these questions are important to help you decide between the three main types of bike racks that are available, namely:
- Roof mounted: If these are used on SUVs or other tall vehicles, it can be hard for someone who is not very tall to lift the bike onto and off the roof.
- Strap-on trunk: These are the least expensive and the easiest of racks to install
- Hitch-mounted: If your vehicle already has a hitch, this type of rack is a good choice. They can carry heavy bikes and even be expanded to hold up to four bikes depending on the size of the vehicle you have.
Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, which will help when comparing bike racks based on your answers to the questions above. Learning about what each one offers and checking your budget, will help to make it easy to find the ideal bike rack.