Most riders want a sturdy bike rack on their bicycle as it can perform various essential tasks. The first thing that comes to mind when talking about bike racks is whether the bike racks are universal or not. In a word, bike racks are not universal at all.
As there are various reasons behind bike racks not being universal, today’s article will tell you about the bike rack, its types, different types of use, choosing the perfect bike rack for bicycles, the installation process, different types of bike racks for cars or other vehicles, and much other unknown information will be given one by one.
Bike Rack And Its Suitability With Convention
The bike Rack is one of the most significant parts of a bicycle. And, various types of items are mainly carried on the bike through the rack. This can dramatically increase the range of your bike, which is much needed by you. Naturally, your bicycle offers you a variety of pleasant morning rides as well as relaxing evening rides. But when your bicycle has a bike rack, the pleasure of those pleasant rides can increase double.
- A bike rack can turn your bike into a heavy-duty vehicle, along with carrying a regular load of luggage, and various types of load-toting.
- From grocery stores to libraries, school to office commutes, overnight trips to short distance commutes, bike racks prove to be an incredibly valuable and extremely useful accessory for you. Thus many bicycles are manufactured from scratch with a bike rack.
Again, many bikes do not have a rake and you need to install a new one later. When you install a rack on your bike, your leg-powered machine can seriously change its performance, and it’s one of the easiest methods.
Types Of Bike Rack And Their Characteristics
There are two common types of bike racks on a bicycle. They are-
- Front Bike Racks
- Rear Bike Racks
1. Front Bike Racks:
The front bicycle rack of the bicycle is usually with the front wheel of the bicycle on top. And besides, it is mounted on the upper part of the bicycle’s fork. Moreover, many times it happens that the front bicycle rack is attached to the side of the forks of the front of the bicycle in such a way that different types of things can be carried very easily. And besides that, it is possible to attach different types of pannier bags.
- These types of racks can provide you with special flat storage space above the front wheel of the bicycle.
Due to this, it is possible to fit a basket on this front rack very easily, and the basket can carry different types of items as needed.
Also, if you think you have luggage with you and want to keep the luggage directly on the bike rack, you can strap the luggage directly to the rack. But very few riders use this type of rack on current bikes, as almost everyone uses rear racks.
However, using it can provide you with a variety of practical benefits and a variety of opportunities for more adventurous bicycle riding.
Types And Uses Of A Front Bike Rack
Front bike racks are divided into two primary sections as they are defined and divided by the method of installation: ‘A Bike rack with a single anchor point and A Bike rack with a double anchor point’.
- Racks with a single anchor point are specially designed for light work and small loads as well. And, they can usually be used to carefully carry baskets or other types of lightweight items. Thus a cyclist can carry a load of around 10 to 15 pounds on these single anchor-fronted bicycle racks.
- On the other hand, front racks with two anchor points are mainly designed to be used in heavier types of work.
These bicycle racks with two anchor points are used for various types of serious travel and long-distance travel. That’s why double anchor front racks are always kept for proper attachment of different types of panniers, luggage, big bags, etc. Because Panniers are especially useful for carrying heavy loads such as groceries, lots of clothes, and gear for short or long trips.
As this type of bike rack is manufactured following a “low-rider” design, you’ll be able to carry loads ranging from at least 30 pounds to as much as 35 pounds on the front-facing double anchor front racks.
Some Front Bike Rack Models May Be Perfect For You
👉 For Light Load:
- State Bicycle Co. Front Porteur Rack/Flat Rack (Most Uses For Fork eyelets And Front Brake Mount)
- Sunlite Gold Tec Front Rack (Most Uses For Brake Bosses)
👉 For Medium Load:
- Thule Pack ‘N Pedal Tour Rack (For Clamps)
- Blackburn Outpost (Universal System)
- Velo Orange Constructeur Front Rack (For Lower Eyelets)
👉 For Heavy Load
- Basil Front Carrier (Tall design)
- Blackburn Local Basket (Universal System)
- HNBun Detachable Folding Bicycle Basket (88 lbs Maximum Load Capacity)
2. Rear Bike Racks:
A bicycle rear rack is one part of your bicycle that can give you the ability to properly set up a variety of heavy-duty items. In addition, through this rack, you will be able to attach various types of heavy packs, and components to your bike.
- Bicycle rear racks usually rest directly on top of the rear wheel. These are more common than front-facing bicycle racks.
- Besides being easy to install, they are very popular, so riders mostly use rear racks.
- They can carry a lot of weight and can carry a lot of loaded items.
As the Rear bike racks are attached to the rear of the bicycle and feature a design, it allows bikers to securely carry a variety of baskets, panniers, bags, and other items.
Undoubtedly, rear racks are naturally more important and necessary to travel bikers the most. Because without them you can never carry different types of bungees and netting. Moreover, it can also be arranged to connect all types of items properly in no time.
Types And Uses Of A Rear Bike Rack
Bicycle rear racks are primarily divided into two parts and this classification is mainly based on the installation design of the rack.
1. You may notice that a rear-facing bike rack bends over the top of the seat post or bolts into the seat. Any racks on the rear of such a seat post can be much easier to install and uninstall as well. But one problem is that they tend to be much less durable. They are usually not possible to mount in the actual bike frame. Hence such racks become incapable of handling much heavier loads. Therefore, need to be limited to very lightweight cargo.
- These types of rear racks can be used with a variety of small bags, special cargo nets, and straps as needed.
- Seatpost racks, which you can usually carry anywhere from 10 pounds to 15 pounds, are designed primarily for lightweight carry.
2. Bolt-on rear racks, on the other hand, tend to be much more versatile and rugged.
These types of racks are bolted to the seat position of the bicycle so their load capacity is also high. Bolt-on rear racks were the most common style of bicycle rack during this period, everyone from casual commuters to other hardcore cyclists used these types of racks.
- And it is capable of carrying loads ranging from 20 to 80 pounds depending on its specific model.
- With this type of rack, riders can carry all their cargo directly, by hanging a box, pannier, bag, or any other carrying cases conveniently attached.
- A bolt-on rear rack is most helpful for cyclists with higher skill levels and more aggressive types.
Some Rear Bike Rack Model May Perfect For You
👉 For Light Load:
- Topeak Tetrarack R2 Road Bicycle Rack
- Outtag Retractable Aluminum
- ROCKBROS Rear Bicycle Rack
- Schwinn Bike Rear Rack
👉 For Medium Load:
- Ibera Bike Rack
- Planet Bike Eco Rack
- Topeak Explorer Rear Rack
- Blackburn EX-1 Rack
- Wald Rear Bike Rack
👉 For Heavy Load:
- Portland Design Works Payload Rear Rack (Wooden Rack)
- West Biking Bike Carrier Rack
- COMINGFIT 110 Lbs Capacity
- Axiom Journey Rear Rack
Are Bike Racks Universal?
No, Bike racks are not universal. Naturally, there are different types of racks for each bike, riders can choose and install any bike racks as per their needs and preferences. There are different varieties of bike racks according to the size, model, brand, etc. of the bicycle.
- Many bikes fit a slightly smaller rack for those that are smaller in size. And a big bike rack for large size’s cycles.
- Also, bike racks vary based on the storage space required, and how heavy the items are to be carried.
So it goes without further saying that bike racks are not universal.
And remember, a specific or specially-customized bike rack will never fit every bicycle.
For example, when your bike has a disc brake, you need to choose all the racks that can work specifically with disc brakes. As most bike racks have the feature of being especially attached to your bicycle frame with braze-on mounts or eyelets but all.
Nevertheless, many bike rack models are considered universal as they can be attached to most bicycles. But still, there are some bikes where there are differences.
In-General Bike Rack Installation Process
- First, attach the bicycle seat to the top bracket of the support.
- Once attached, take the rack and place it on the part of the bike you want to attach it to. And, never accidentally misplace.
- Now if you look properly you will see four holes. Push the bolts through them one by one.
- Then you can put a nut on the end to make it tighter, making it stronger. Or, you can use a washer if you want, this will easily tighten the bolts and nuts of your rack.
- When you see that the rack is firmly attached to the bike, you can pull it with some force to check better.
You must make sure that you do this entire rack installation process with your bike on level ground. And, this is a very important factor in maintaining the maximum correct type of angles on the rack.
Different Type Of Bike Rack Or Carrier For Cars & Other Vehicles
To transport a bicycle in a car or other vehicles, the trunk is not always enough. Thus, bike carriers allow you to carry one or more bicycles independently of your vehicle. However, there are different types of bike carriers, not all of which are suitable for every machine. This type of bike rack is automotive equipment that makes it easy to transport a bicycle in or on a vehicle.
There are different types of bike carriers: towing bike carriers, internal bike carriers, bike luggage carriers, roof bike carriers, and spare wheel carriers. Here I will discuss the bike rack or carrier in detail.
HITCH BIKE RACK OR CARRIER
It is a system that is directly hosted by a ball joint in your car. Also, it is one of the safest and most common bicycle transportation solutions.
Moreover, bike carriers allow you to carry 1 to 4 bicycles.
- If your vehicle does not have a tow ball installed, you can contact a mechanic and have it installed within a few hours.
- Remember to size the ball joints according to the bike rack you intend to use.
- As a rule, balls with a diameter of 45 to 60 mm should be preferred.
The towing bike carrier consists of several parts:
- a rail,
- a hoop,
- a fixing arm,
- a clamping arm,
- a license plate holder,
- and a cover for the light.
INDOOR BIKE RACK OR CARRIER
The covered bike rack is a system that allows the bicycle to be transported inside the vehicle. This solution is not the most common because it is very heavy and requires a lot of space inside your car. The bike is then transported in the trunk with the various rear seats folded down.
However, this solution is quite safe and prevents theft of your bikes as they are inside your car.
ROOFTOP BICYCLE RACK OR CARRIER
The roof bicycle rack is the most famous system for transporting bicycles. I, myself, am talking about the fastening rails of the roof arch.
A roof rack bike rack has several advantages:
- it is affordable,
- quick to set up,
- and saves space as the bikes are on the roof.
The roof-mounted bike rack also provides a clear view for the rear rider.
Installing Bike Rack Or Carrier For Car & Other Vehicles
Installing your bike rack will depend on the type of bike rack you mentioned earlier. Here we describe the steps involved in attaching your bike carrier to the tow ball.
Ingredients You Need-
- Bike Rack
- Key Plate
- The Braid
STEP 1. CHECK COMPATIBILITY
Before you start assembling your bike rack, I always recommend you check that the model you choose is compatible with your car and bike. Also, be sure to check the practicality of your bike rack before buying it, it will save you valuable time during assembly.
STEP 2: INSTALL THE BIKE RACK
- To install the bike carrier, first, screw the platform to the hitch ball, then tighten the supplied mounts with an open-end wrench.
- Then, unlock the lock so you can raise the center bar.
STEP 3. SECURE YOUR BIKE
Once the rack is installed, you can mount your bike on a wheel rack.
- Then take the straps and secure the front and rear wheels of your bike.
- Do the same for each bike. Then tie all the bikes together and lock the manual tilt.
STEP 4. CHECK VISIBILITY OF LICENSE PLATE AND LIGHTS
- Always make sure your license plate and taillights are visible before setting off.
- If not, buy a second license plate and make the necessary connections so that your headlights are visible from behind.
Hurray! Your Bike Carrier Now Installed!
Final Words On Bike Rack Universality
A perfect bicycle rack is every rider’s wish. And understanding the feelings, I have completed today’s arrangement considering your words. Hope from all this conversation you have learned various important information about bicycle racks, which will become more useful for your future cycling.
