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Mounting a rack on the rear of your vehicle is a great way to carry a variety of loads. Although most options are made to carry bikes you can also get racks to carry skis and even luggage. There are three main styles of racks for the rear of your vehicle, hitch mounted racks, strap-on racks and spare tire mounted racks. The main difference is how they mount to your vehicle.
Hitch mounted racks are becoming one of the most popular ways for families to get bikes from point A to point B. They are easy to use, offer lockabillity and can carry up to 4 and even 5 bikes. This style of rack requires a trailer hitch on your vehicle and the strength of the hitch will determine how many bikes you will be able to carry. If your vehicle is not already equipped with a trailer hitch we can supply and install a hitch for almost any vehicle. Check the size of hitch on your vehicle and see how many bikes you can carry:
| Class I |
2000 lb. |
Ball or 1 1/4" receiver |
2 bikes |
| Class II |
3500 lb. |
1 1/4" receiver |
3 or 4 bikes |
| Class III |
3500-5000 lb. |
2" receiver |
4 or 5 bikes |
Strap-on bike racks are another great way to get bikes on the back of your vehicle. They come in 2 and 3 bikes models and are versatile enough to fit almost any car, wagon, mini-van or SUV. If you are changing cars in the near future or buying a rack to use on 2 or more cars a strap-on rack may be right for you. Check the Thule and Yakima on-line fit guides to see if there is a strap-on bike rack to fit your vehicle.
Spare tire mounted racks are exactly what they sound like. They mount to the door mounted spare tire that you would see on a Jeep or some other SUV's. They can be purchased for bike or skis or a combination of both.
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