Lee Hill
How will you keep your bike scratch-free during transportation? Whether an adult or kid, biking has become the most favorite activity all over the world. Nearly 12.5 percent of all Americans regularly cycled in 2016. Riders went up from 43 mn to 47.5 mn between 2014 and 2017. Some of these riders go out for casual rides, whereas some ride miles to enhance their stamina and strength.
You need a bike rack to keep your bike safe and protected. While most bike racks are designed to fit on a trailer hitch or the trunk of your car, you can’t use them if you have a spare tire on the back of your SUV. That is why manufacturers designed special bike racks so that you can mount them on the light tires of your Jeeps, SUVs, or other vehicles.
There are numerous options available in the market. You may feel confused about picking one for you. Therefore, I have selected some of the best bike racks for spare tires. Please go through to find one for your bike.
On my list, Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Racks is the best choice. It comes with cradles and safety straps to protect your bike from bumpy roads. Moreover, it is durable and comes with foldable arms. You will find a padded shied present in this bike rack to ensure more safety and security to your bike.
#1 Allen Sports 4-Bike Rack: Best Overall
This bike rack from Allen Sports requires very minimalistic installation. Moreover, it comes with a foldable option that allows you to fold it whenever you want. The manufacturers attach a cradle and a strap to give extra protection to your bike. It also comes with a padded shield to give extra protection and security.
Key features
- It fits four bikes of 35lbs each
- Foldable carry arms
- It comes with cradles and a strap
- Easy installation
- Designed with padded shield
Benefits
Foldable arms: The arms of this bike rack come with a foldable option that you can fold whenever you want.
Cradles and strap: It comes with both cradle and strap to secure the bike comfortably.
Easy installation: The manufacturers attach all the necessary mounting accessories to make your installation simple and easy.
Padded shield: You will find a padded shield present in this Rack to protect your bike from bumpy roads.
Pros
- Holds quite well
- Price worthy
- Can accommodate even the odd-shaped frames also
- It comes with a foldable option
Cons
- Poor customer support
It is perhaps the best option as it is very durable and comes with foldable carry arms. Also, it requires very minimum installation. Rubber cradles and straps are present to secure your bike from bumpy roads.
#2 Thule 963PRO 2-Bike Rack
Thule 963PRO bike rack for spare tires is our top choice due to having good quality. It is very durable and can hold up to 2 bikes. Anti-sway cages are present to make your bike protected and secured. Both locking cable and knob will help your bike to stay attached to the carrier and the carrier with the vehicle.
Key features
- It fits two bikes of 35lbs each
- It comes with anti-sway cages
- Perfect sized
- Designed with locking cable and knob
- Durable
Benefits
Anti-sway cages: It comes with anti-sway cages to hold your bike securely.
Size: It is available ideally to get perfectly fit with both regular and oversized tires.
Locking cable and knob: The manufacturers attach integrated cable and knob to lock your bike with the carrier and the carrier with the vehicle.
Durable: This bike rack for spare tires comes with high-grade material to enhance the product’s durability.
Pros
- Works excellent on Jeep
- Very sturdy
- Good packaging
- Pretty simple installation
Cons
- Lifting the Rack is difficult
- The rear window cannot be opened when the Rack is in use
This bike rack is very sturdy and durable, that it can hold up to 2 bikes. Anti-sway cages are present to deliver an extra safety feature. It is perfectly sized to get fit with both the regular and oversized tires.
#3 Swagman RV Approved 2-Bike Rack
Swagman RV Spare is another notable bike rack that can carry up to 2 bikes. It is available in a perfect size that fits almost all the spare tires. It also comes with anti-sway cradles to prevent direct contact between the two bikes. Even the manufacturers attach all the necessary mounting accessories with it to make the installation simple.
Key features
- Carries two bikes of 30 lbs each
- Durable
- Perfectly sized
- It comes minor minor-sway cradle
- Easy installation
Benefits
Durable: The manufacturers mostly use high-grade stainless steel to make the racks durable and sturdy.
Size: It is available in an appropriate size to fit with almost all the spare tires perfectly.
Anti-sway cradle: It comes with an anti-sway cradle attachment to resist the natural corrosion of the two bikes.
Easy installation: The company attached all the mounting screws and accessories to make the installation hassle-free.
Pros
- Well constructed
- Easy installation
- Appealing style
- Stable
Cons
- It does not fit some of the women’s bikes
- It may not work if the spare tire is a little low
This bike rack for spare tires has come to hold one or two bikes at a time and comes with all the mounting accessories. It is durable and has an anti-sway cradle that prevents the bikes from bouncing. Moreover, it comes in a stylish look to enhance the beauty of your vehicle.
#4 YAKIMA 2-Bike Rack: Sturdiest
This bike rack gets easily attached with the rear mount spare of your vehicle. It can hold up to 2 bikes. It comes with an Anti-sway cradle to prevent each bike from bumping with another one. The manufacturers use high-grade stainless steel to make the racks durable and sturdy.
Key features
- Holds two bikes of 35lbs each
- Durable
- Easy installation
- Designed with anti-sway cradle
- SuperCush ZipStrip is present
Benefits
Durable: The manufacturers use premium-quality stainless steel to make the racks solid and stable.
Easy installation: It comes with all the mounting accessories to make your installation simple and easy.
Anti-sway cradle: Anti-sway cradle attachment is present in the Rack to resist the two bikes from bumping with one another.
SuperCush ZipStrip: It is another special attachment that will help make both the loading and unloading of the bikes super easy.
Pros
- Strong and high-quality steel
- Price worthy
- Easy installation
Cons
- It does not fit perfectly with oversized Jeep tires.
This bike rack can hold up to 2 bikes with excellent stability and protection. Moreover, it is durable and requires very minimal installation. But it comes in a big size that you cannot fit with a small-sized children’s bike.
#5 Allen Sports 2-Bike Rack
This Allen Sports bike rack comes in a patented design to carry your bikes safely and comfortably away from the road and hot and humid exhaustion. There are 15-inches long arms that can take two bikes at a time. You can fit this Rack with almost all the spare tires. You will also find a wide bottom to give good support.
Key features
- Holds two bikes of 35 lbs each
- Patented design
- Long carry arms
- It fits with all the tires
- Wide bottom foot
Benefits
Patented design: This Rack comes in a patented design to hold the bikes up above the road to make them protected from all kinds of hot and humid exhaustion.
Long carry arms: Each of the arms is 15-inches in length to carry two bikes easily.
Fits easily: It has such a beautiful shape and design that it easily fits with almost all the spare tires.
Wide bottom foot: It has an extra-wide bottom foot to give good support to both the Rack and the bikes.
Pros
- Affordable price range
- Robust construction
- Simple installation
Cons
- It does not come with a user manual
- Packaging could be better
It comes with a good design and a simple installation that can carry 2-3 bikes. There are straps present to provide extra protection to your bikes. Most importantly, the arms are designed to carry all kinds of bikes, including- women, adults, and even children.
#6 Hollywood Racks 3-Bike Rack
This Hollywood Racks SR1 Spare Tire Rack comes with a universal plate that completely fits most of the available bolt patterns. The manufacturers attach a knob to make the Rack tightened. It also comes with three adjustable arms. It is also durable and can hold up to 35lbs.
Key features
- Two bikes of 35 lbs each
- Universal plate for most bolt patterns
- Hand-tightened knob for fine adjustment
- Designed with adjustable arms
Benefits
Universal plate: It comes with a universally designed plate to help you make it fit with almost all the spare tires.
Tightened knob: The manufacturers attach a hand-tightened knob with this Rack to make the Rack perfectly secure with the tires.
Adjustable arms: The attached arms are adjustable to help you to fit them with the side spare tires.
Capacity: It is very sturdy-built and can hold up to 35lbs maximum capacity with each of the arms.
Pros
- Fits perfectly
- Excellent YouTube instructions
- Well made
- Easy assembly
Cons
- Low profile design
- It does not come with a user manual
This bike rack is effortless to assemble and is well made. You can not only adjust the arms but also fold them whenever you want. Moreover, the manufacturers attach integrated safety straps to make the Rack properly fit with the spare tire.
Buyer’s Guide: Best Bike Racks for Spare Tires
Fit
This spare tire bike rack comes with a straightforward installation procedure. Most of these racks come with center-mounting options and can fit with almost all the light tires. It indicates, if your vehicle comes with an oversized tire, these bike racks will still comfortably fit with them.
Nowadays, some of the advanced bike racks come with hands-free locking knobs to avoid all the installation hassles.
Capacity
Most of the bikes can carry two bikes; some of them even have three. Those who want to pick two bike racks always check anti-sway installation to avoid bike-to-bike contact. This attachment is beneficial, especially for the bumpy roads.
Storage
Some of the bike racks come with foldable facilities that allow you to fold them whenever you want.
Security
Those who take their bikes everywhere must have locking cables to protect the bikes from any unhealthy interest.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Bike Racks for Spare Tires
Why Do I Need to Install a Spare Tire Bike Rack in My Vehicle?
A spare tire bike rack will help you to carry your bike with you wherever you want. Moreover, these racks will save space in your car. Both your bike and car will not develop any scratches. Therefore, you must install a bike rack to make your bike easily transport from one place to another.
What Type of Rack Will Suit Your Bike?
The type of Rack you will install will entirely depend on your bike type and capacity. Almost all the bike racks come with a capacity indication. Therefore, choose the right capacity bike rack to avoid any kind of mishappenings.
How Long Will a Rack Last?
Always choose a durable and sturdy built rack to ensure the longevity of the product. The frames that come with premium-quality stainless-steel or other heavy metals are more durable than the other regular ones.
Conclusion
Here I have accumulated some of the best bike racks for spare tires along with their detailed specifications. I am sure it will help you to make a uniform decision.
In our opinion, Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Racks is our best choice. It is because it comes with foldable arms and a safety cradle to protect your bike. Moreover, it is durable and comes with an easy installation.
Thule 963PRO is my next best choice. It is available in a perfect size and comes with a locking cable and knob to secure your bike.
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider YAKIMA Bike Rack, which offers a great deal and features at a reasonable price point.
