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Bike racks give you a lot of flexibility when it comes to transporting your bicycles and there is a bike rack to suit all needs.

Below is what you need to consider when selecting a bike rack for your car…

Cheap is not always better.

There are so many bike racks available on the market and many of them are very attractively priced.

While this may be tempting, sometimes cheap is not always better and, when it comes to bike racks, it often equates to poor quality.

If you opt for a badly made and poor quality bike rack, you run the risk of the bike rack causing damage to your car and bikes. This is because cheap bike racks often have unstable mounting systems and hardware that doesn’t fit properly.

To save yourself time, hassle and money in the long run, we recommend a good quality bike rack from a reputable brand, as can be found on the Carrack website (www.carrack.co.za).

By purchasing the best bike rack model that you can afford, you will have the peace of mind that both your car and your bikes will be protected, and your bike rack will last for many years to come.

 Budget.

As mentioned above, cheap is not always better but you may have a specific budget in mind for your bike rack.

If this is the case, consider that boot-mounted bike racks tend to be more inexpensive than roof-mounted ones. It should be noted, however, that boot racks are not as stable as roof ones but if you follow the installation instructions correctly, it should not pose a problem for you.

A towbar bike rack can be a cost-effective option if you already have a towbar on your car. The same can be said for roof-mounted racks: if your car already has roof bars, it can be a great option.

Fuel efficiency.

Fuel efficiency is a very important consideration when it comes to the bike rack you ultimately choose.

Roof racks are notorious to for having a detrimental effect on the aerodynamics of your car and can reduce your vehicle’s fuel efficiency by around 30%, if fully loaded.

Roof or boot?

Some people simply prefer roof bike racks, while others swear by boot racks. At the end of the day, the bike rack you choose should be one you like and one you enjoy using.

Bear in mind that if you go for a boot rack, your brake lights and number plate may be obscured so you would have to possibly install a lighting board at the back.

Roof bike racks obviously don’t have this problem and can be a more convenient option if you don’t like the idea of having your bicycles mounted to the back of your car.

With boot bike racks, the view from your rear-view mirror may be obscured and you will need to be extra-careful when reversing.

Stability.

Stability is another crucial element to consider when choosing the ideal bike rack for your needs.

How stable you want the bike rack to be may be a determining factor. For instance, if you only need to carry one or two bikes, a boot-mounted bike rack could be perfect as it offers plenty of stability. If you need to transport more than 2 bikes at a time and want a roof rack, you would need to ensure that the model is solid and will keep your bikes firmly in place.