School of Rack | Rear Mount Bike Carriers Information Article - Hitch & Car Trunk Racks

There are three types of rear mounted bike racks: Trunk mounted, which attach to the trunk or rear hatch with hooks and straps, spare tire mounted, which attach to a spare tire, and hitch mounted which attach to either a 1-1/4" or 2" receiver hitch. Below is a breakdown of the different types.

Hitch Bike Racks
Hitch racks are the most secure way to carry bikes on the rear of the vehicle as they don’t contact the vehicle and they don’t rely on straps and hooks to stay in place. There are two types of hitch bike racks: "Hang And Dangle" (HAD) and Platform Style. Both mount to 1-1/4" or 2" receiver hitches and can be locked to the receiver with a locking hitch pin. The difference is how they support the bicycles.

• Hang-and-Dangle (HAD) style hitch bike racks support the bikes in the same fashion as trunk racks. Bikes hang from support arms and are secured with padded cradles and rubber straps. They can carry up to five bikes. Some models have swing away features which allow the bikes to remain on the rack while the rack swings away to the side of the vehicle for full access to the rear hatch or trunk. Other models have the ability to pivot down for rear access, but the bikes must first be removed. As far as locking capabilities, many now come with integrated cable locks. For those without this feature, a cable lock is recommended as an accessory.
• Platform style hitch bike racks are the newest kids on the block, very popular and grabbing a lot of market share due to their convenient loading features. Instead of dangling from support arms, the bikes are securely held in place using bike trays mounted on a rugged base or platform. A clamping arm mechanism is often times also used to secure either the front wheel or bike frame. Because of this design, the bikes do not touch, so scratches and dings are less likely to occur. They can carry up to four bikes and are much quicker and easier to load than HAD's. These racks do not have the ability to swing away from the back of the vehicle, but certain models can be tilted down enough to gain access to the rear of the vehicle. Most models also fold up when not in use, eliminating any issues with parking, pulling into garages etc.

Car Trunk Bike Racks and Spare Tire Mount Bike Racks
The simplest and least expensive rear racks are trunk mounted, or strap racks and spare tire racks. Bikes are placed on two support arms that feature padded cradles and rubber straps to keep the bikes secure against the support arms. Certain models also feature anti-sway cradles to prevent the bikes from banging against each other or the back of the vehicle. These racks are an affordable way to carry multiple bikes, and if installed properly, can also be quite secure. In general, these racks do not have integrated locks (certain models do have integrated locks), so a cable lock is a recommended accessory. These car trunk racks fit a wide range of vehicles, and of course spare tire mount bike racks are compatible on vehicles with a rear spare tire.

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