These are the best bike carriers in 2021. The top 10 best bike racks for cars have been tested.
Whether you want to participate in the Tour de France or just enjoy cycling with the E-bike through France: a good bike rack is indispensable. Fortunately, nowadays you have a wide selection of high-quality bicycle carriers for car. It is sometimes difficult to see the forest for all the trees. After all, there are so many species. And what must a good bicycle carrier satisfy you? What is the best bicycle carrier for your specific wishes?
Especially for the cyclist who wants his bike and his car to arrive at their destination undamaged and well, we have made a list of our favorite bike racks this year. We have weighed both the advantages and disadvantages of each bicycle carrier against each other.
The result is a dynamic list that is certainly open to discussion. For what is a fantastic bicycle carrier for one person is an awkward thing for another. For example, some of the racks in our top 10 best bike carriers in 2021 are perfect for mountain bikes, but much less for electric bikes. So do not blindly order the number one in our list, but carefully check whether the further specifications meet your wishes! At the bottom of this article you will therefore find a handy step-by-step plan for choosing the perfect car-bike carrier that fully meets your wishes.
The top 10 best bike carriers of 2021
| # | Bicycle carrier | Selling price (average) | Why so good? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bosal Traveler 2 | € 350 | Carrying heavy weight for very little money |
| 2 | Uebler i21 | € 580 | The best, but high price |
| 3 | Thule Xpress 970 | € 60 | Handy and cheap |
| 4 | Thule ClipOn High 9106 | € 230 | Best carrier for the tailgate |
| 5 | Thule VeloCompact 925 | € 320 | A very nice and affordable bike carrier |
| 6 | Hapro Atlas 3 | € 230 | Best buy for 3 bikes |
| 7 | ProUser Brilliant | € 80 | Optimal price/quality ratio |
| 8 | Yakima FoldClick 2 | € 510 | Modern all-rounder |
| 9 | Peruzzo Siena 2 | € 175 | Light, nice and not expensive |
| 10 | Yakima Frontloader | € 120 | Handy and fast for the roof |
Different types of bicycle carriers for cars
In principle there are three types of bicycle carriers. The difference is in the way you attach the rack to the car. For example, there are bike carriers for the towbar, for the roof and racks that you attach to the tailgate. Every type of bicycle carrier has its advantages and disadvantages.
Bicycle carrier for the towbar
The most popular bike carriers are towbar bike racks. These are very easy to use nowadays, and if they are installed, even your grandmother can put her bike on it herself.
Whereas in the past these racks had the disadvantage that they prevented the tailgate from opening, this is now no longer the case: most racks can be folded back so that you can reach the suitcase without removing the bicycles.
You mount this carrier on your towbar, including a power supply for the rear lights and a white license plate. You should also pay attention that your towbar can handle the weight of the carrier plus the bicycles. In other words: the maximum ball pressure of the towbar must be higher than the weight of the bicycles and the rack. With two electric bikes you will soon be 60-70 kg, which not every towbar can handle. So pay attention!
A drawback of a towbar rack is that it is not suitable for every car: you need a good towbar, and these can be reasonably expensive to have installed (200 – 400 euros). In addition, the carriers themselves are usually not cheap: they range from around 60 to 600 euros. However, your bikes will then be safe and will not end up on the tarmac of the highway (which is also not cheap).
Bicycle carrier without towbar – for the roof
If you do not have a towbar and still want to take bicycles, a bicycle carrier for the roof offers a solution. You will then need roof racks. However, these are fairly simple, quick and inexpensive to install. The bicycle carrier is then also easy to install and such a thing is not expensive (100 – 200 euros).
Keep in mind that a roof carrier can often only carry one bicycle. That in itself is no problem, because if you want to take several bicycles with you, you simply install several next to each other. However, the costs do increase naturally. In addition, placing bicycles on the roof is quite heavy. It is almost impossible to put an E-bike on the roof and, by the way, not a good idea: most roofs cannot handle that weight. So pay attention to the maximum weight that you can place on the roof.
Bicycle carrier without towbar – on the tailgate
Do you not have a towbar or roof racks? And do you not want to spend too much money? Then a tailgate bicycle carrier offers a solution. You attach it quickly and easily to your tailgate, after which you can place bicycles on it. These are very cheap: you already have one for 50 euros.
The disadvantage is that these carriers do not fit on every car. Moreover, they cannot carry much weight (so are usually not suitable for electric bicycles) and the tailgate can no longer open when the carrier is installed.
Our criteria for choosing the best bike carrier in 2021
In general, nowadays you hardly encounter any bad bike carriers anymore. All carriers are tested extensively before they can enter the market. And that is a good thing, because nobody is waiting for bicycles that are not properly secured when they race at 120 kilometers per hour on the road.
Our top 10 therefore only contains toppers that meet all safety requirements. The bikes can be attached well and relatively easily, they hardly crack, the risk of damage to the paint is minimal and they are all very affordable. The most expensive model costs ‘only’ 580 euros: a fraction of what you have to pay for a decent e-bike nowadays.
The differences are mainly in the price, the ease of use and the capacity (in weight and number of bicycles) of the racks. We have therefore used the following criteria as a yardstick in our assessments:
- Value for money
- Ease of use
- Capacity in weight
- Capacity in number of bicycles
- Extras such as anti-theft facilities
The 10 best tested bicycle carriers
Do you want to know more about our best tested bicycle racks for your car? Here we have summarized the most important information about these racks for you. Keep in mind that not every bike carrier is suitable for every bike and every car. Read on to choose the bike carrier that is perfect for you.
1. Bosal Traveler 2
Those looking for a very competitively priced bicycle rack with a load capacity that is suitable for two electric bicycles cannot ignore this Bosal bicycle rack. The carrier works as a bicycle carrier should work: easy to fold in and out and mount on the towbar, and placing bicycles can be done by a child using the supplied ramp. Slim from Bosal are also the extra straps that are supplied. Certainly including the lock, your bicycles are therefore always safe. In addition, we must note that the Traveler is quite heavy, so pay attention to the maximum ball pressure.
2. Uebler i21
Those who do not want to save on their bicycle carrier cannot really ignore the Uebler i21 bicycle carrier. With the i21, the German brand has delivered a piece of craftsmanship which, in our opinion, sets the standard for the next generation of bicycle racks. Everything is just right: the thing is light, suitable for two e-bikes, folds easily open and closed thanks to an ingenious spring system and is equipped with all kinds of useful gadgets.
3. Thule Xpress 970
If you want to take your bikes for little money, we fully recommend the Thule bike carrier Xpress 970. You assemble this little miracle in seconds, because it is as light as a feather. In addition, it is sturdy enough for two bicycles, but not for electric (max. 30 kg total load capacity).
4. Thule ClipOn High 9106
Again a bike carrier from Thule, but this time on the tailgate. That means that you don’t need a towbar, and even no roof racks! Although we are always a bit wary of our paint with this type of bike carrier, that is no problem with the ClipOn High 9106: the rubbers protect perfectly. It can hold two bicycles, but no electric ones, because it can be loaded up to 30 kg. Super fast and handy thing!
5. Thule VeloCompact 925
Easy to assemble, and then the bikes go smoothly. The price is also simple: it is far below the top models, while you basically have the same functionality. Please note: a maximum of 46 kg can be stored on bicycles, so not all e-bikes are suitable. In addition, the plastic feels somewhat cheap.
6. Hapro Atlas 3
The Atlas 3 Hapro bicycle carrier is simply the most economical carrier when you want to transport three bicycles. It is lightweight and also has a smart tilt function: with the help of a foot pedal you can easily tilt three electric bicycles on your own. The lock comes in handy against theft and the wearer feels very solid despite the low price.
7. ProUser Briljant
With this compact topper you have a very solid bike carrier for very little money. It is less suitable for mountain bikes and racing bikes, but with a carrying capacity of 40 kg it is still great for the lighter electric bikes. Point of attention: for those 70 euros you obviously do not have a tilting carrier, so you cannot reach the trunk when the bikes are on it.
8. Yakima FoldClick 2
This Yakima bike carrier FoldClick 2 (also available for 3 bikes: FoldClick 3) is one of the finest racks in the higher segment. It reminds me a bit of the i21, because it has the same functionalities, but is slightly heavier and everything works just a little less smoothly than with the German. In addition, the FoldClick is a bit cheaper and we also think it looks a bit more flashy. Magnificent!
9. Peruzzo Siena 2
This Peruzzo bicycle carrier is a pleasant lightweight carrier for light bicycles, so not for electric bicycles. This is one of the cheapest carriers with these specifications, so in our opinion a great buy!
10. Yakima Frontloader
Those who prefer to transport their bicycles on the roof should go for the Yakima Frontloader. Easy to attach and very cheap. A fine detail is that the carrier does not touch the frame of the bicycle, so that the risk of bending remains minimal. Note: only suitable for one bicycle, but you can attach multiple Frontloaders at the same time.
Choose the bicycle carrier that matches your wishes – step-by-step plan
Now that you’ve seen the best bike carriers in the year 2021, it’s time to make a choice. Which bike carrier fits you, your bikes and your car best? We advise you to look in particular at these four things:
- The number of bicycles that you transport white
- Which car you have
- The weight of your bikes
- Your budget
You then choose the perfect bike rack for your situation step by step.
How many bicycles do you want to transport?
The first point speaks for itself: if you have three bicycles, you will not arrive with a rack that only fits two. We will just mention this point, because you do not want to know how many people are already missing it.
What type of car do you have?
Next, it is important to examine the options with your car. Are there any tailgate carriers that fit on it at all? Do you have a towbar or are you willing to have it installed? And if so: what is the maximum ball pressure (or the maximum weight that it can handle)? If not: what weight can your roof handle? Also pay attention to the height of the car compared to yourself: If you are just measuring 1.60, you should not, for example, put bicycles on the roof of an SUV.
How much do your bikes weigh together?
Then the question is what the weight of your bikes is. Many people nowadays have heavy e-bikes and they sometimes weigh as much as 30 kg. Two of these types of bicycles is often too heavy for most installations. You absolutely do not want falling bicycles due to breaking towbars, tearing tires or collapsing roofs. Therefore, calculate what your bikes weigh together. Also try to get the batteries (if possible) out of the bikes as much as possible. This improves stability and reduces the risk of accidents.
Make a selection of suitable bicycle carriers
Now that you know the maximum carrying capacity of your towbar, your roof and the weight of your bikes, you can make a selection of the carriers that are suitable for you. In addition, there are two things that you must compare. To start with, the maximum load capacity of the bicycle carrier must be greater than the weight of the bicycles. And second, the maximum load capacity of your towbar (or roof) must be greater than the weight of the bicycles and the carrier together. Keep a 10% tolerance, to be able to handle thresholds and pits in the road surface.
What is your budget?
Now that you have made a selection, a few carriers remain that may be suitable for you. Now it is important to make a choice based on what you have left for it: determine your budget. In principle, from now on there are no more wrong choices, only more expensive ones that give you more comfort and cheaper ones that you will be a bit more clumsy with. In the past there were sometimes bad bike carriers on the market, but nowadays everything works fine, except for details.
For little money you can probably put a rack on your roof, but then you have to make an effort to put the bikes on the roof. Or go for a tailgate, even though you will not be able to open the lid for a while and you run the risk of damage to the paint. A lightweight towbar rack is also possible, but then you cannot open the tailgate. Are you a bit more comfortable in the wallet, then a tiltable towbar bike carrier is perfect. These generally work the easiest, and the bikes stand perfectly securely on the rack.
The difference between the top models and the slightly lower priced is furthermore mainly in the ease of mounting on the towbar and the operation of the folding function. When you are alone, it may be difficult for some types to fold the bicycles backwards to reach the tailgate, and it is even harder to fold them up again.
The most important tip when buying a bike rack for your car
However, whatever your budget is, keep the following in mind: no car bike rack is more expensive than falling bicycles. So when in doubt about weight and carrying capacity, always opt for quality and pay a few tens extra.