An SUV is a practical and versatile vehicle for larger families who enjoy spending time in the great outdoors. They typically have plenty of luggage and storage space, especially if you have the help of a hitch cargo carrier, but adding a bicycle or three to the mix can pose a problem. If you have a family of cycling enthusiasts, it might be time to consider investing in a bike rack for your SUV.
Our Top Pick
Allen Sports Deluxe
The Allen Sports Deluxe delivers over and above expectations, including quick-fold, carry arms, quick-secure straps, and dual compound cradles.
Our Other Recommendations
Allen Sports Deluxe
Our top pick for an SUV hitch-mounted bike rack has a few extra features, including quick-fold, carry arms, quick-secure straps, and dual compound cradles. It also boasts a rapid tilt-away mast and a double compound spine shield.
The Allen Sports Premier
When looking for the best value for money, look no further. The Allen Sports Premier 2-Bike Trunk Rack balances high-quality materials, ease of use, and extra padding with affordability.
Yakima SpareRide
The Yakima SpareRide improves on the Yakima Sparetime Bike Rack and is our choice of spare tire-mounted bike rack. The bike rack is made of steel for strength and to ensure your rack lasts for many seasons.
Yakima ForkLift
Our choice of roof-mounted bike rack for your SUV is the Yakima ForkLift. Our choice is strongly influenced by its versatility, design, and construction quality.
Various SUV bike racks are available in all shapes, capacities, and designs. However, before purchasing an SUV bike rack, weighing all your options is essential to determine which bike rack would suit your needs best.
Four Types of SUV Bike Racks
There are four ways or locations to mount a bike rack on an SUV. Each has pros and cons, and you must decide which would suit your needs and vehicle best before purchasing. SUV bike racks can be categorized into:
Below, we look at our top picks from each of these categories.
Poll: My SUV Rack is…
Editor’s Note – This list of the best truck bed bike racks was updated on March 22, 2022.
The Best SUV Hitch Mount Racks
Hitch-mount bike racks for SUVs come in various shapes, styles, and sizes and can carry anything from 2 to 5 bikes simultaneously, depending on the design. They aren’t as multipurpose as a roof rack. Hitch-mount bike racks will keep the bicycles out of the wind, making your vehicle more aerodynamic and consuming less gas.
Hitch receivers come in two main sizes; 1 ¼ inch and 2-inch. The mounts slide into these receivers. They also have various solutions to keep the SUV rear door accessible, such as swing, tilt, or fold-up options. Bikes will be held in place with Velcro straps, trays, or a vertical staff.
Suppose you are looking for something that requires less muscle power when loading and offloading bikes; an SUV hitch-mount rack might be the solution for you if you don’t have a Jeep or one of the other types of SUVs that have the spare tire mounted at the rear.
Allen Sports Deluxe
Material:
Alloy Steel
Dimensions :
26″x 3.5″x 14″
Foldable:
Yes
Capacity:
35 Lbs Per Bike
Our top pick for an SUV hitch-mounted bike rack is the Allen Sports Deluxe. Your vehicle will need to be fitted with a 2-inch trailer hitch. We suggest you get a Class III or IV hitch professionally installed if you do not have one already.
The carrying arm protrudes 22 inches and has a tie-down system to secure each bike individually. The arms can drop out of the way when no bikes are fitted. This makes storage much more accessible. The initial setup and assembly of the rack are pretty straightforward.
Removing the rack from the hitch is simple enough with a single pin. The Allen Sports Deluxe is made from steel (so they weigh a bit more) but combined with a classy black powder coating and Allen’s lifetime warranty. You have a high-quality piece of equipment that will last for many years.
Note that there are two 4-bike models in Allen’s Sports Deluxe series; the Model 542RR and the Model S545. Both these racks carry four bikes and up to 140 lbs. The S545 has a few extra features, including quick-fold, carry arms, quick-secure straps, and dual compound cradles. It also boasts a rapid tilt-away mast and a dual compound spine shield.
We’re not convinced the additional utility justifies the price difference, so we’d suggest you buy the standard 542RR model. If you prefer those features on your bike rack, the Allen Sports Premier S545 may be the answer.
Pros
Cons
Swagman XC
Material:
Alloy Steel
Dimensions :
5″x 34″x 11″
Foldable:
No
Capacity:
35Lbs Per Bike
This stylish rack is effortless to fit and can even accommodate fat tires; you’ll have to purchase an extra tray. The standard rack will take tires between 20′ and 29′. The rack fits onto a one ¼ hitch receiver or a 2″, making it possible to use it or more than one SUV; it is handy if you have two or a friend who needs to borrow it. Once in place, there is an ½ inch locking pin to help ensure the rack can’t go missing. Again, this is sold separately with a 10mm cable.
The rack can handle 70 lbs; that’s 35 lbs per bike, which should be enough to keep most people happy. More important is the fact that it has a built-in, anti-wobble device. This helps to keep your bikes balanced and the vehicle handling properly while you drive. It is worth noting that the center arm of this rack can be folded down, allowing access to your boot while the rack is in place.
As well as the tire size, you must consider how big a frame this rack can accommodate. Fortunately, it comes with upright arms that have built-in ratchets. This allows you to adjust them to fit the frame of your bike. The maximum height of the frame of your bike is 59cm.
The Swagman XC Cross Country 2-Bike rack is made from steel and weighs 32 pounds. When not in use, it can be folded vertically to minimize the space at home or on the back of your vehicle. Just don’t forget it’s there when you’re reversing!
It is worth noting that the bikes are secured by their wheels, and then the ratchet is closed over the top. This ensures that they cannot move while you are driving. You can even slide the wheel plates to accommodate different-size frames. It doesn’t matter if you have a road bike, downhill, full suspension, or a BX; this rack can handle it and make sure it gets where it needs to.
Pros
Cons
Hollywood Racks Destination
Material:
Alloy Steel
Dimensions :
47″x44″x34″
Foldable:
Yes
Capacity:
35lbs / Bike
Hollywood Racks have a great range of high-quality bike racks. Like the Destination, quite a few of them are suited for use on an SUV. The Hollywood Racks Destination is a four-bike hitch-mounted platform-style bike rack. The rack requires a 2″ hitch and weighs 42 lbs. You can fit a bike with a maximum wheelbase of 48* and a tire width of 3″ in the wheel trays.
Each bike has its wheel tray, which makes it easy to load and position them on the rack. Ratchet straps for the bike frames and wheels secure the bikes to the rack, prevent the bikes from wobbling, and ensure each bike remains sturdy while transported. The bike frame holds can rotate 360 degrees in place, allowing it to load almost any format bike, from children’s, mountain, e-bikes, and road bikes. A locking thread pin secures the rack to the hitch for peace of mind.
When not in use, the rack folds flat against the vehicle. This feature is a must-have for any large platform-style rack. Folding it up makes driving easy and prevents the rack and car from damaging when not in use.
Pros
Cons
The Best Strap-On Trunk Bike Racks for SUVs
A trunk rack is another solution if you don’t have a hitch receiver on your vehicle and don’t want to carry bikes on the roof. They are usually straightforward to install and don’t require many accessories to make them work for different bike frames.
Trunk-style racks are also usually very lightweight, making them easy to use on different vehicles in one family. Still, they can typically only carry one or two bikes at a time and have a weight limit. These racks are better for a sedan or hatchback than an SUV.
Allen Sports Premier
Material:
Alloy Steel
Dimensions :
23″x 13″x 4″
Foldable:
Yes
Capacity:
35 Lbs Per Bike
We’re not going to lie; we’re not the biggest fans of trunk-mount racks; something about all those straps and hooks to the car that feels weird, but we’re very willing to admit that that’s a personal preference, and there are some very well-designed and easy to use trunk mount bike racks for SUVs on the market. We suggest you look at the Allen Sports Premier 2-Bike Trunk Rack.
While you find four bike trunk mounts on the market, the sheer nature of this mount dictates that most trunk-mount systems are designed to carry two bikes or less, which makes sense. Four Bikes on a single rack present quite a weight, and we suggest you look at a hitch mount system if you need to carry more bikes.
Allen Sports Premier 2-Bike Trunk Rack fits almost all sedans, hatchbacks, minivans, and SUVs. They come with Allen’s patented quick snap setup system, which makes it easy to do your initial fitting and get the rack onto the vehicle. On this rack, the arms are 12 inches long and can accommodate two bikes at a combined 70 lbs.
The bikes are held in place by Allen’s dual compound tie-down cradles, and once fitted, you can rest assured that your bike will be secure and safe on the back of your vehicle. Take the necessary precautions to ensure the two bikes do not bump into each other if you go onto backroads or gravel roads. The rack also sports some extra-large car pads to ensure the rack doesn’t cause any paint damage where it touches the vehicle.
We suggest you consider a strap mount system if you have a single bike to transport – they are relatively easy to fit, and the lightweight compliments this design. Look at the Allen Sports Ultra Compact Folding 1-Bike Trunk Mount Rack for that.
Pros
Cons
Tyger Auto Deluxe
Material:
Alloy Steel
Dimensions :
20″x 15″x 9.02″
Foldable:
No
Capacity:
55 Lbs Per Bike
This small rack is designed to carry just one bike, making it the perfect option if you plan to complete a sole ride or meet some friends. It’s not the best option if you’re ready to start a family cycling holiday!
The rack is designed to be secured to the boot of your vehicle. It should fit any sedan, hatchback, minivan, and, of course, SUV. However, if your car has a rear spoiler, it is not designed to be used.
The rack is exceptionally sturdy and has been well-designed. The padding on the lower part of the frame protects your car from the rack as you pull the ratchet straps tight. These are what hold the rack in position. Safety straps are also included to help secure and keep the bike in place. The rack is well designed; it is powder-coated black to protect it from the elements; this should stop it from rusting. Even the part that the bike sits on and against has padding to protect your bike from harm.
The rack is padded with soft cradles to ensure your bike is well-looked in transit. The arms fold into the main body when not in use. This is designed for convenient storage and carrying when the rack is off the vehicle. However, it is also possible to tie these arms to the main rack while on your car, minimizing the risk of damaging it when it’s not in use.
There are plenty of instructions with the rack to ensure you can have it fitted to your SUV in minutes. No assembly is required, and it comes with a lifetime warranty for the first owner. But do not try to fit this rack into motorhomes or a trailer.
The rack weighs 8.9 pounds and measures 20 x 15 x 9 inches. But, although incredibly easy to install, you won’t be able to open your boot without removing the rack. While this won’t be an issue in many situations, there are times when you can find this a great inconvenience!
This is a stylish-looking, streamlined rack. However, the rack is still limited to approximately 35 pounds. This is enough to handle most bikes but not much use if you have something heavier.
The real issue is that the springs that allow the arms to fold in are not as big as they could be. This is why some users have reported their bikes falling off as the tiny springs fail.
Pros
Cons
The Best Spare Tire Bike Racks for SUVs
If your SUV carries a rear spare tire and you only need one or two bikes, a spare tire bike rack might be a reasonable consideration. Just like the trunk bike racks, these are easy to install. Spare tire racks strap onto the back wheel and are light, compact, and easy to store.
Chances are your spare tire tilts away before you can access your car from the rear, or in some cases, the tire is attached to your rear door. Some spare tire bike racks are designed to allow easy access to your vehicle’s rear, even with the bike mounted.
Yakima SpareRide
Material:
Alloy Steel
Dimensions :
40″x 13″x 19″
Foldable:
No
Capacity:
35 Lbs Per Bike
The Yakima SpareRide improves models like the Yakima Sparetime and is our choice of spare tire-mounted bike rack. The bike rack is made of steel for strength and to ensure your rack lasts for many seasons. The SpareRide has its new “super crush zip strip” cradles and TireTread pads for stability. The design and construction of this rack are of the highest quality, and holding it in your hand instills confidence that your bike will be safe and secure on the back of your SUV.
While fitting the mounting plate of a spare tire-mounted SUV bike rack is often more challenging than some other mount options, attaching the rack is very simple once that is done. The Yakima SpareRide sports a universal mounting plate and comes with a handy extension to fit most spare tire lug patterns on the market. It fits nearly any size spare, including oversized truck tires. Also included is a tool-free locking knob to make fitting the rack to the base plate a total breeze. The cradles on the Yakima have an excellent anti-sway design, ensuring the minimum movement of the bikes when mounted. We like the cradle design on this bike rack.
Finally, to knock it out of the park, there’s a signature Yakima bottle opener on the rack… yes, you read that right, a bottle opener! Buy it.
Pros
Cons
Thule 963PRO 2
Material:
Steel
Dimensions :
38.5″x 18.5″x 16″
Foldable:
Yes
Capacity:
37.5 Lbs Per Bike
Thule has been making bike racks and rooftop boxes for many years, and their expertise shows how they put these racks together.
The 963 PRO has cages to hold the bike frames; these are designed to be anti-sway, preventing your bike or bike from moving and banging into each other as you drive. This rack is designed to hook onto your spare tire, but unlike the offering from Allen, it can be used on any size wheel.
This is because it doesn’t hook over the tire. Instead, you install a mounting pylon to the same anchor as the spare wheel. You will need to remove the spare wheel to do this. However, you only have to do this once; you can easily add or remove the rack with the spare wheel in place once the mounting pylon is positioned correctly.
Once the pylon is in place, the rack screws into position with an easy turn knob. The knob has a built-in lock making it very difficult to remove the rack without the key!
You will also be pleased to find a locking cable that is included, allowing you to lock the bikes to the rack.
It is worth noting that any non-conventional frame, such as a woman’s bike, a child’s, or even a full-suspension bike, will need a frame adaptor to allow you to slip it on and off the rack. The rack folds down when not in use, giving it dimensions of 4 x 18 x 38.5 inches, and it weighs 34.4 pounds; you could easily forget it is still on your SUV! You can only carry two bikes safely; the maximum load is 75 pounds; this is enough for most situations.
When opened up, the rack measures 24 x 40 x 26. This should be adequate for the two bikes, although you may find it a tight squeeze if you have odd-sized or large bikes.
Of course, the significant advantage of this type of bike carrier is that it can be left on, and the trunk will still open, whether the bikes are on the rack or not. This is why it must lock into place; once you have taken the 10 minutes to install it, you can have it ready to use anytime you want! Folded up, it looks like a pretty stylish addition to your vehicle! You must know that the rack cannot be fitted over a tire cover; this must be removed first.
Pros
Cons
The Best Roof Bike Racks for SUVs
Roof racks are very versatile, and with the right accessories, a roof rack carries bikes and almost anything you can think of, from kayaks to cargo boxes. But a big downside is that SUVs are typically already high-roofed vehicles and require you to lift the bikes over your head, which is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Whether you should get a roof-mounted bike rack for your SUV depends on several factors.
Getting a bike adapter may be cost-effective if your vehicle already has a roof rack or crossbars. You get different mounts; some clamp onto the bike’s front wheel, while others hold the bikes upright by their frames.
Yakima ForkLift Fork Mount
Material:
Alloy Steel
Dimensions:
54″x 6″x 6″
Foldable:
No
Capacity:
35 Lbs Per Bike
Our choice of roof-mounted bike rack for your SUV is the Yakima Forklift Rooftop Bike Mount. Our choice is strongly influenced by its versatility, design, and construction quality. The Forklift fits Yakima round, square, factory, and aerodynamic crossbars right out of the box, but what makes it unique is that it also fits almost any other brand-name car rack system with round or square bars as well as most factory crossbars that may come with your SUV. Fitting the bike mount to your car roof rack system is simple and tool-free.
The wheel tray on the rack is easy to adjust, which removes the pain of positioning the rear wheel. The Forklift will comfortably hold a mountain bike with 29″ wheels and bikes with a longer wheelbase. A secure and lockable skewer with an integrated adjustment knob for single-handed, easy access holds the bike firmly in place. If your bike has a thru-axle, you will need a thru-axle adapter that can be bought from Yakima or online. The front mount will fit most any disk brake, and while some may feel a little tight, it is hard to find a configuration that cannot be securely mounted on the Yakima Forklift.
The design of the Yakima is elegant and straightforward. Even when compared to similar racks like the one by Thule, you’ll quickly come to understand that they’ve minimized the number of parts (for example, there’s only a single bolt per clamp, but that’s all that’s needed as opposed to four bolts on the Thule) This makes mounting and dismounting the Yakima easy.
Finally, as expected, the Yakima Forklift is designed not to touch the painted surfaces of your bike and makes for a great bike mount even for modern carbon bikes.
Pros
Cons
Yakima Frontloader Bike Mount
Material:
Carbon Fiber
Dimensions:
56.5″x 8.5″x 10″
Foldable:
Yes
Capacity:
35 Lbs Per Bike
Your first look at this roof-mounted rack will probably leave you puzzled about what it is! The long, streamlined bar has a clip, wheel holder, adjuster, and nothing more! This rack is purposefully designed to ensure it is as streamlined as possible, whether your bike is in the rack or not.
It is important to note that you must have roof bars already fitted across your car. These are not the ones that run the length of your vehicle. The Yakima Frontloader has adjustable clips that lock around your existing roof bars to hold the rack securely. These clamps have locks to ensure the rack cannot be removed without the key. They are sold separately. You will get three keys with locks to help ensure you always have one to hand when needed. You don’t want to have to remove the lock without the key!
A large section at the front of the bar flicks upwards and forward, while a slightly smaller section comes backward. Both come out of the front mount. These create a ‘V’ shape that slots around your front wheel, locking it into place.
A smaller clamp goes around the rear wheel, holding your bike upright on the roof of your car without touching the frame. This ensures you won’t damage your bike while carrying it unless you go under a tall bridge!
The crossbars on your roof must be between 16 and 48 inches apart. You can’t use the Yakima Frontloader to carry a single bike if you cannot do this. The rack will support most bikes, with wheels between 20′ and 29 inches. Therefore, this rack is not suitable for children’s bikes. Like so many other racks on this list, a comprehensive warranty covers most things apart from wear and tear, but only for the first owner.
Although you do need crossbars to mount this roof rack, it is worth noting that you can use any type. Round, square, or any mixture in between will accommodate this stylish rack; it’s sure to get your friends asking questions!
Of course, this rack accommodates just one bike, but it is possible to add more of them onto the roof of your SUV. The exact number will depend on your vehicle’s and bike’s sizes.
The rack arrives in one piece. All you need to do is mount it to your car and lock it into position (assuming you purchased the locks). It measures 57 x 10 x 9 inches and weighs an impressive 1.6 ounces. Lifting it into place is easy, although lifting your bike onto the roof may be more challenging.
Pros
Cons
A Buyer’s Guide – Picking The Right Bike Rack for Your SUV
If you’re in the market for a bike rack and have an SUV, this guide to the best bike racks for SUVs should help to highlight the positive qualities of all the available racks.
The Number Of Bikes To Carry
This is the most obvious starting point. You can’t buy a bike rack for one of two bikes if you always need to carry four! Consider the maximum amount of bikes you will need to transport and use that as your guide to choosing the right bike rack.
Do You Need To Access The Trunk?
If you have an SUV, you can have a hitch rack or a spare tire rack and still get into the trunk. Should you need to access the trunk regularly, a rack allowing you to do so would be the best choice. When in doubt, it is better to go with this option.
How Often Do You Use The Rack?
Do you use your rack every week or every day? If so, it will be a permanent fixture on your vehicle, and you need one that doesn’t affect your car use. It won’t matter if it is complicated to fit as it will always stay in place.
Do You Have Storage Space?
Most bike racks fold up reasonably small. However, if you want to keep it off your SUV, you need space to store it. If you don’t, it will stay on the vehicle, and again, you need to select a rack that will allow you to access the trunk and other parts of your car.
Of course, if the rack stays on your vehicle, you need to choose one that folds when not in use; the more aerodynamic it is, the better for your fuel consumption.
Other Items You Carry
If you often need to carry a roof box for vacations or other reasons, a roof rack for your bike may not be the most sensible solution. It is worth considering how you currently use your vehicle before choosing your bike rack; you don’t want to buy a second one for the annual vacation! You are in no short supply of alternative options, though, and if you use a lot of roof storage during your trips, a trunk or hitch mount may be just what you need.
Budget
Decide how much you will spend before looking for a bike rack. There are many great options available that won’t break the bank. I’m a big believer in investing in a quality brand of bike rack, even if it means saving up a little longer.
Reputation
It is essential to assess the quality of the product and the manufacturer’s reputation. Social media is a great place to get some honest responses.
Conclusion
You have many options when looking for an SUV bike rack. Your final choice will depend on your vehicle’s design, how many bikes you wish to carry, and how often you transport your bikes. If you and your partner plan only to go cycling occasionally, a trunk rack or a spare tire SUV bike rack will suffice. Should you and your family go biking all the time, often to faraway locations, you will probably have to look into a hitch bike rack with adapters for alternative frame bikes.
If you don’t need to carry bikes often and enjoy other outdoor sports such as kayaking, surfing, or skiing, a roof rack is just the thing for you. Whatever you choose, be sure to do thorough research and read the reviews for the specific product you have in mind.
Timo is an outdoor enthusiast and gear specialist who is constantly exploring. As an avid hiker, he has completed the ADK 46ers, South Beyond 6000, GA4000, and the Colorado 14ers. He's ice climbed Mt. Hood, hiked up half a dozen mountains in the Alps, and spent three consecutive summers constructing a sustainable trail through the Colorado high country.
