12 Awesome Hitch Bike Racks That Make Life—and Travel—Easier

The Trail Rider is a great, lower-cost alternative to the premium racks on this list. It holds two bikes in fixed wheel mounts, secured with a single ratcheting arm that clamps down over the frame. The upright beam that holds the frame clamps folds back and out of the way for trunk access, which also came in handy for loading up two bikes: We could fold it down, set a bike on the rack closest to the car without having to lift it up and over the arm, lift the arm back up into place, and then position the second bike. When not in use, the rack can be folded up flush with the back of the car. It’s super sturdy—our tester drove from Philadelphia to Phoenix with a bike on the rack, and the lock on the securing arm let her comfortably leave bikes on the car in the hotel parking lots. The trade-off for a rack at this lower price has nothing to do with stability or strength, but adjustability: the bikes sit in a fixed location with minimal ability to adjust them away from each other if two bikes don't fit well together; though you can stagger the wheel cradles so the bars and saddles don’t interfere. But it accommodates wheelbase lengths up to 60 inches, tires up to three inches wide, and is appropriate for bikes that weigh up to 45 pounds.

You’re officially free to forget every complaint you’ve ever had about hitch racks. The Küat Sherpa 2.0 is as sturdy and stylish as it is convenient and intuitive (our tester’s 11-year-old had no problem loading and unloading bikes). Available for both 1.25- and 2-inch hitch sizes and in three colors, the Sherpa pivots up and down with ease via a large lever and fits two bikes (max: 40 pounds each, 47-inch wheelbase, 3-inch tires) on its lightweight aluminum platform (it also tilts down to get out of the way of your car’s hatch). Assembly is fairly simple (make sure you follow the directions when removing parts, as the packaging acts as an assembly fixture), and a hitch cam lets you hand-tighten the rack to the receiver for a secure connection. Loading bikes on the trays is a breeze: A ratcheting strap secures the rear wheel in its cradle, while an adjustable, hooked arm battens down the front. The entire system locks to your hitch, and a semi-integrated cable lets you lock your bikes to the rack. Tip: When unloading your bike, release the rear wheel before the front so you don’t inadvertently let your bike tip over and smash into your rear window (this may or may not have happened to our tester—duh!).

1Up has built a cult-like following with its industrial-looking racks that take a simplistic approach to secure your bike. Its two ratcheting arms clamp down on your wheels; there are no hooks, straps, or adjustments for different sizes or bases necessary. This model specifically features wider and taller arms to better accommodate 29-inch wheels and fat tires. The Equip-D’s pivot mechanism is smooth and a T-handle release positioned at the end of the hitch bar doesn’t require reaching through the rack to fold it up. Tiered trays allow bikes to sit closer together, and the rack rides high enough to be out of the way of most exhaust pipes.

The last thing you want to see in your rearview mirror as you hurtle down the road is thousands of dollars worth of bikes rattling behind your bumper. Thanks to an expanding-wedge design that secures the rack in your vehicle’s receiver hitch and locks in place with a theft-preventing thru-bolt, the NV 2.0 stayed wobble-free throughout our testing. A stout pivot lets you flip the rack up when you’re not hauling bikes, deploy it flat for when you are or drop it to a 45-degree angle for easy access to trunks and pickup beds. Other nice features: integrated cable locks and a repair stand, and adjustable cradles that offer better clearance for stacked bikes when loaded. The only hiccup we noticed is the ratcheting system can get gunked up, making it hard to remove bikes. We also found that as long as we paid attention to cleaning dirt and grime off the ratcheting system after driving on dirty or dusty roads that trouble was eliminated entirely. The NV 2.0 is available for 1.25- and 2-inch receivers. Extras include a 20- and 24-inch wheel adaptor for $15, the $98 bike ramp, the $339 one-bike , or $598 two-bike add-ons (compatible with 2" versions only).

The Yakima Holdup Evo is a seriously solid bike-hauling machine; we’ve had bikes on and off of it almost every day with no complaints. The Evo handled everything we threw at it, including burly mountain bikes and extra-thick e-bikes. The optional EVO +2 two-bike add-on is easy to install and handy for extra capacity. The rack’s aluminum tubing is lightweight and feels solid, and the apparatus holds bikes confidently with minimal bouncing—when you’re done riding, the whole thing folds up nicely. The added bonus is the included bottle opener built into the end of the rack.

The Camber 2 is a two-bike hanging rack that’s a great low-cost alternative to pricer tray racks. Bikes are hung by two horizontal arms that cradle the top tube. Rubber brackets with straps keep the bikes from sliding back and forth, but they aren't held as securely as tray racks. That's inescapable with this style of rack. The Camber can be rotated back to allow for easy trunk access, and the arms are easily folded down when not in use. Unlike tray racks, which tend to be very heavy, at only 28 pounds the Camber 2 is light and easy to install quickly, making it a great option as both a permanent fixture on your vehicle and as a rack that you put on only when you need it. Thule recommends a maximum weight of 37.5 pounds for each bike, which makes it a poor choice for transporting electric bikes. It’s also not ideal for bikes with non-traditional diamond-shaped frames like some full suspension mountain bikes or bikes with step-through frames.

Add Thule to the list of brands that have adopted the system of dual ratcheting arms made popular by 1UP. As you’d expect from Thule, the Helium Platform 2 is polished, refined, and very user-friendly. Aluminum construction keeps it as light as possible without sacrificing load capacity. Once you wrestle it into your hitch receiver, it fits snug and secure without wiggling or bouncing. The ratcheting arms make it mindless and easy to load bikes of varying wheelbase lengths, as there are no straps to adjust. Simply place the bike on the rack, push the arms over the wheels, and away you go. The only drawback with the Helium Platform 2 is the trays aren’t tiered or staggered, so you can run into fit issues from time to time, with the handlebar from one bike running into the saddle from the bike next to it. However, since there are no fixed places to mount the bikes, we found it easy to shift bikes side to side in order to fit them together when the bar from one bike ran into the rear wheel of the other.

Commonly spotted in parking lots of mountain bike parks and trailheads at popular riding destinations, North Shore Rack pioneered and popularized vertical-style racks. The North Vancouver, British Columbia-based brand (hence the name North Shore) produces two, four, and six-bike capacity racks in folding and standard versions. Rated to hold up to 60 lb. per bike (300 lb. total), the NSR-6 securely carries downhill bikes and electric mountain bikes. Since the NSR holds the bike by the fork crown, it is not compatible with road bikes. The NSR adjusts to fit a range of vehicles and folds down when not loaded. If you carry lots of bikes for family mountain bike trips or a NICA team, this rack is an excellent option.

Yakima's latest two-bike rack goes head-to-head with premium offerings from Küat and Thule, combining both style and function. In about 2,500 miles of on-car testing, the Stage 2 impressed us with its ease of use and flex-free performance. Compared to competitors, this rack weighs a little bit more (at 66 lb.) but is rated at up to 70 lb. per bike when used on the road; which is an important consideration when transporting e-bikes. Yakima also has an optional ramp accessory that makes loading e-bikes a bit easier. Another useful feature is the Stage 2's offset trays, which means less chance of contact when carrying two similarly sized bikes (it does make the bikes sit wider, so watch those tight spaces). The rack has two SKS locking cables (they don't auto-retract, so make sure you tuck them back in when not in use) and an integrated lock loop for extra security when parked or locking up your rack off of the vehicle. The Stage 2 is offered in 1-1/4” and 2” sizes. The 2” variant can accommodate four bikes with an additional kit and is offered in the Vapor (silver) color as well as Anthracite. A final note, make sure to check Yakima's fit guide carefully before purchase as we encountered fitment issues on a tester's car.

Yakima’s Singlespeed is a simple and high-quality single-bike hitch rack. It’s not expandable to carry more and doesn’t fold up—although the front-wheel holder folds into the rack—something to remember when you’re bike-less and parallel parking. However, the Singlespeed weighs only 27 pounds and installs in moments, without tools, so it’s easy to pull off and stow away when you’re done. It sits lower (and closer to the bumper) than many bike racks. This has advantages: a lower lift to load a bike, and the bike is less likely to block your rear view. However, on some cars with rear-facing exhaust, it may put the bike’s wheels directly in line with it, which can potentially cause damage. One included lock secures the rack to the car, and an integrated cable lock provides (very) light-duty bike security, although it’s long enough to secure only the front wheels. The Singlespeed performed flawlessly through months of testing, and its front wheel hook and rear tray carried sub-15-pound road bikes, 50-plus-pound e-bikes, ’cross bikes, kids bikes, fat bikes, and enduro bikes. One tester used it for a cross-country trip and reported the Singlespeed held fast during 12- to 14-hour drives. Easy to mount, easy to remove, easy to store, easy to load, secure, and reliable, the Singlespeed is a fantastic little rack when it’s just you and your bike.

When first released over a decade ago, the T2 raised the bar for what riders expect from a hitch-mounted bike rack. Over the years, Thule updated the T2 to accommodate wider tires and different wheel sizes. Plus, it made the rack better looking and easier to operate. Topping the list of recent upgrades is a handle with a wide trigger that allows you, with a single hand, to raise and lower the rack (and dip it out of the way for access to rear hatches). Integrated cable locks keep your bikes from growing legs, and the rack’s arms have a wide, comfortable grip and slide easily to secure the front wheel, with tires up to 5 inches wide. Instead of using a bolt, the T2 secures to your hitch receiver with an expansion wedge that tightens with a locking knob. The system makes installing and removing the T2 easier (though it weighs 52 pounds, so you might still need an assist), but it’s not foolproof. The T2 is heavier and costs more than most racks, and the convenient features mean it requires a little more care. But the same was said when we moved from hardtails to full-suspension bikes, and few have looked back.

Priced at only $45, Harbor Freight's Haul-Master two-bike is the cheapest hitch rack on the market. This rack is rated to hold up to 100 lbs, so it is not ideal for e-bikes or heavier-weight bikes. While this is a barebones rack, it does offer tilt access to tailgates and is compatible with 1-1/4” and 2” receivers. If you absolutely cannot afford another rack on this list, this might be your choice.