Electric bikes have already been booming a few years ago and continue to do so in the present. Nowadays, they are considered as a trend with their sales rocketing up to 65% during the years 2019 and 2020, making it one of the fastest-growing areas of the bicycle industry.
With this said growth, the demand for the best electric bike rack also rises, as many people face the problem of transporting them using cars. In this review, we present you with options that you can choose from when planning to buy one.
1. Thule 903202 EasyFold XT Hitch Rack
Best overall electric bike rack
· incredibly strong
· lightweight
· mounting is “tool-less"
Manufactured by the Swedish company Thule, this rack boasts new and improved features, which the company has been continuously working on over the years. With its tilting, folding, and easy-securing ‘door knob clamps’, mounting and unmounting it from your car becomes “tool-less”.
The rack weighs at around 45 lbs., but it has been designed to carry more than 65 lbs. per bike, 5 pounds more than most of what the racks in the market can carry. With this weight capacity, you can be assured that you don’t have to remove the battery pack for the bike to not exceed the rack’s weight limit restriction.
But the one feature that makes this rack truly stand out from the others is that the Thule 903202 XT comes with a folding ramp, giving you the option to roll your e-bike onto the ramp without having to lift anything. It is a feature unique to itself that no other rack provides. And on top of that, it’s foldable!
Specifications:
| Maximum number of bikes | 2 |
| Load capacity: | 130 lbs. |
| Maximum weight per bike capacity: | 65 lbs. |
| Weight: | 45 lbs. |
| Maximum tire width: | 3” |
| Maximum wheelbase: | 1300 mm. |
Highest weight capacity per bike
· can carry up to 80 pounds per bike
· budget-friendly
· has extra heavy-duty features to keep the rack and bikes secure during travel
Among all the electric bikes in this review, the Hollywood Sport Rider SE has the most weight capacity with up to 80 lbs. per bike. Compared to other racks, that’s 40 lbs. more than what most can carry.
With its reinforced frame, external brace, and an anti-wobble system, your e-bikes are highly secured while you travel. Additionally, it can also be folded up when not in use and tilted down for easier access.
Specifications:
| Maximum number of bikes | 2 |
| Load capacity: | 160 lbs. |
| Maximum weight per bike capacity: | 80 lbs. |
| Weight: | 45 lbs. |
| Maximum tire width: | 3” |
| Maximum wheelbase: | 1524 mm. |
Highest bike number capacity
· can carry up to 4 bikes (2 electric, 2 normal)
· has a relatively low center of gravity
· comes with a lot of other features
Unlike most of the racks in the market that have spaces for 2 bikes only, the Saris SuperClamp EX comes in a 2-bike and a 4-bike model, allowing you to bring your own bike, your friend’s bikes, and family’s. It holds the bikes by the top of the wheels, assuring you that no frame contact will occur, which may cause damage to the bikes.
It also comes with a built-in locking cable to lock your bikes to the rack, a locking hitch pin that secures the rack to the hitch, and reflectors on the outer wheel trays for more visibility. It even comes with an integrated bottle opener!
Specifications:
| Maximum number of bikes | 2 |
| Load capacity: | 120 lbs. (2-bike), 190 lbs. (4-bike) |
| Maximum weight per bike capacity: | 60 lbs. (2-bike), 60 lbs. for bikes closest to a vehicle, 35 lbs. for second 2 trays (4-bike) |
| Weight: | 35 lbs. (2-bike), 63 lbs. (4-bike) |
| Maximum tire width: | 4” |
| Maximum wheelbase: | 1270 mm. |
Electric bicycles have been on the rise lately, with surging sales that have been significantly driven by the pandemic lockdowns. Thus, the need to be able to bring them along while traveling has also greatly risen. However, compared to a road or mountain bike, e-bikes are generally heavier by a huge margin.
Typically, an e-bike weighs an average of 48 pounds, but many models would weigh more than that, with some weighing more than 70 pounds. This is mainly due to their battery, motors, robust frames, and longer wheelbases.
Regular bike racks can only carry up to 35 pounds, making them incompatible with electric bicycles. Thus, for you to be able to bring e-bikes with you while on travel, you will need a more suitable rack for them, which are electric bike racks.
Electric bike racks are designed in a way that lets you transport e-bikes with ease, considering the features they have, such as:
Depending on your needs, your preferences in choosing e-bike racks may vary. But generally, there are things that you should consider before buying one.
Security is of utmost priority for electric bikes, especially when mounting them on the rear end of your car. Since they are more susceptible to theft and other related felonies, you will need to secure them more. This does not only apply to the electric bikes that will be put on the rack but including the very rack itself.
Luckily, almost all electric bike racks come with this feature, but you still need to make sure that a rack has safety features that help secure the e-bike and the rack itself.
E-bikes will greatly vary in shapes and sizes, especially in their wheels. Thus, you want to make sure that a rack is suitable for your bike size. Here are some standard measurements for various bike types that you can use for reference:
A bike rack will, more or less, not be able to allow all types of bikes to snuggly fit into it. Therefore, it would be best for you to check if you need to purchase additional adapters for bikes like fat-bikes, step-through frames, and small wheel size bikes.
One more thing that must be considered when buying an electric-bike rack is whether it has an anti-wobbling system that prevents it from moving on the hitch. This provides stability for the e-bikes while you’re on travel; racks that lack this feature tend to be dangerously wobbly, which can potentially damage your bike and even your car.
You may have found the rack that fits your needs, but make sure that it is within your budget. Preferably, buy a rack that is worth its price but doesn’t break the bank either.
E-bike racks are designed to sustain abuse and dirt, considering the weight they carry and the roads traversed when travelling. However, they will undoubtedly last longer and work better when given proper care and maintenance; they necessarily need maintenance.
But you don’t need to worry, it is not difficult either. To keep it in good shape, here are some things you can do:
After multiple considerations and comparisons, it is safe to say that the Thule 903202 EasyFold XT Hitch Rack bested every other electric bike rack in this review. It’s lightweight, durable, and carries more than what most racks in the market can carry.
Plus, it’s super convenient with its doorknob clamps, allowing hassle-free and tool-less mounting/dismounting. Moreover, it comes with a folding ramp that eases the process of loading the e-bikes into the rack. The manufacturers clearly poured effort into it and put the users’ convenience in high consideration.
With these features that the Thule 903202 has, the convenience of transporting your e-bike while traveling is taken to a whole new level.
Know more about the health benefits of riding an electric bike.
