How can I determine which rack/style of rack is best for my vehicle?
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Some of these racks look complicated. How difficult are they to install myself?
If the prospect of installing a bike rack seems daunting, take heart—today’s top rack manufacturers have made installation guides easy to understand, so you can get the rack on your car and get going in record time. You can view (link to new category)Instruction Manuals in pdf format for most of our racks to get an idea of what’s involved in installation. As an additional resource, you can find installation videos on YouTube for many of our rack.
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What are the most common mistakes people make when choosing and installing a bike rack?
- choosing a rack by seeing a picture of the rack on a similar vehicle
- assuming that a particular rack would fit because they have a friend with a similar type of vehicle
- not realizing they needed a receiver hitch (for hitch-mounted racks)
- not knowing they needed a roof rack to mount the roof bike tray
- not understanding that a recessed receiver hitch mattered
- not knowing their hitch clearance
- not being aware that the rear hatch of their SUV/minivan or their car trunk can't be opened with bikes on the rack
- not realizing a frame adapter bar is needed for any female-style bike or bike with a broken or odd frame
- not knowing that their bike frame is too thick (diameter too large) to fit the bike cradles
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How can I be sure I’m ordering all the components I need?
What Fits My Vehicle? walks you through the entire process of building the right rack system for your vehicle. Also, our product information pages clearly list what is included AND what else is needed for your whole rack system to come together. With all the guesswork out of the way, you can concentrate on planning great riding adventures with your new rack!
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What if I want to use the rack on more than one vehicle?
The first step is to refer to What Fits My Vehicle? to find a rack that will fit on each of your cars.
Trunk-Mounted and
Hitch-Mounted bike racks tend to be the most versatile; however, you can mount a Roof-Top Mounting System on each vehicle and purchase a
Roof Bike Rack that will fit on both systems so that you can switch between vehicles. We offer high-quality Roof-Top Mounting Systems from both
THULE and
Yakima.
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I’m confused about roof racks and “mounting systems.” How does everything work?
To carry a bike on top of your vehicle, you need two components: 1) a
Roof Rack System that holds down your bike rack, and 2) the bike
rack itself, which secures your bike to the roof rack system. Roof Rack Systems come in four styles depending on whether your car has a bare roof or one of the three types of "factory racks." Factory racks are roof attachments that are most often found as factory equipment on SUVs, wagons or other utility vehicles. For an in-depth look at Roof Racks, refer to
Roof Rack Systems Explained.
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Why would I spend more on a roof rack?
A roof rack is simply the safest and most secure method for transporting your bike. Keep in mind that the more you’ve invested in your bike, the more you have to protect. A roof rack provides the best protection against damage to your bike frame’s finish, is the easiest type of rack to lock down, and keeps your bike up and out of the way. It’s also the best way to carry tandem and recumbent bikes, and even makes parallel parking easy since it doesn’t add to your car’s length. Plus, roof racks free up hauling space if you have a hitch.
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Do you have any bike racks for my pick-up truck?
Yes! We carry a wide selection of racks specially made to secure your bike to different parts of your truck—from bed to tailgate to hitch—in our
Pick-up Truck Bike Racks department.
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My vehicle has a rear-mounted spare tire. Can I still put a bike rack on it?
The short answer: Yes. However, you should be aware that a rear-mounted spare tire might interfere with typical rear-mounted or hitch-mounted bike racks. To help you fit a rack to such a vehicle, we offer
Spare Tire Bike Racks that are specially designed to integrate with the spare and provide a secure fit. For more information about options for spare tires, take a look at
How to Choose a Spare-Tire Rack in our
Resource Center.
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What’s the best way for me to carry specialty bikes, such as tandem, recumbent, or bikes with an odd-shaped frame?
In general,
Roof Bike Racks are the most secure—and the most convenient—way to carry such bikes. If you prefer a location other than your vehicle’s roof, you’ll find rear-mounted racks outfitted specifically for these bikes in our
Specialty Bike Racks department.
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I’ve seen so many accessories on this site. How do I know which ones are really necessary?
Most importantly, we always recommend you invest in a
Lock or Lock Set to keep your bike and rack secure at all times.
Beyond locks, the accessories you will find useful depend on many factors, such as the style and location of rack you choose, the type and number of bike(s) you’ll be carrying, and vehicle specs. For a more in-depth overview of accessories, refer to
Which Accessories Do I Really Need? in our
Resource Center.
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Which Brands Are the Best?
While we don’t like to play favorites, we’ve collected all the highest-performing, most-dependable bike racks and accessories from the most-trusted manufacturers right here in one place. So rest assured that every item we carry is from one of the best manufacturers in the biking business!
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How do I order spare parts?
As a retailer of bike racks, we are not involved in the manufacturing process and unfortunately are not able to carry replacement parts for the bike racks we sell. We will gladly assist you in contacting the manufacturer, or you can check the manufacturer website directly for the replacement part or customer service number.
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