The pros and cons of various bike racks
Some bike racks have a lot going for them but not without some drawbacks as is shown below.
Trunk-mount rack
Advantages
• Least expensive
• Easy to use
• Fits on most vehicles
Disadvantages
• Have a greater chance of damaging the vehicle and the bikes.
• Least secure of all racks
• May be difficult to lock bikes to rack or car
• They usually block the view out of the rear window
• Renders the trunk inaccessible
Roof racks
Advantages
• Designed for lockable mounting, heightening security
• Sedans can carry as many as four bikes with this rack, while a van may carry up to seven
• The racks can be adapted to existing factory hardware
Disadvantages
• They are a bit more difficult to inst
all
• The bikes may be scratched or damaged when driving under low-hanging obstacles
• It is impossible to park or drive under areas with a low roof clearance
• Lifting a bike onto a high vehicle can be difficult
• They may not fit properly on curved-roof vehicles
Hitch racks
Advantages
• Easy to install and use
• They reduce the chance of scratching the paintwork by towing bikes some inches away from
the vehicle
• No need to remove front wheels to mount bicycles
Disadvantages
• Some hitches require drilling holes into the vehicle’s chassis
• Expense of trailer hitch in cases where the vehicle does not have one
• Some small cars are not rated for towing
• May be difficult to lock bikes to the rack
• The driver may ram the bikes into obstacles while reversing.
