A hitch rack is a type of bicycle rack that can be installed on a vehicle’s hitch. They are great overall but require a hitch, which can be quite expensive. Bike Racks Without Hitch is an innovative bike rack that does not require any hitch, and it has been designed for vehicles without any tow hooks. The bike rack is mounted to the vehicle’s rear door using a universal latch system, or on the roof.
Things to consider buying a car bike rack without a hitch:
- There are two rack types that do not require a hitch to be installed: roof rack or trunk rack. However, roof racks require crossbars to be installed, whereas trunk racks will be installed directly on your car,
- What’s your budget? If you are on a budget then trunk racks are your choice. If not then you should also consider roof racks,
- Types of bikes you need to transport. Trunk racks can’t carry bikes heavier than 35 lb, whereas roof racks can carry up to 45 lb bikes,
- How many bikes do you need to carry? Most trunk racks can carry no more than 3 bikes. When it comes to roof racks, it is possible to accommodate up to 5 bikes if really needed,
- Keep in mind that trunk racks pose the highest risk of damaging your car (can scratch it or oven leave dents). Roof racks are much safer in this sense,
- Finally, all trunk racks secure bikes by the frame. Moreover, bikes will be hitting each other on the road which will result in scratches at the very least. Therefore, for carbon frame and other expensive bikes, I would recommend roof racks.
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Best roof racks without a hitch
I don’t know the exact reason why you don’t want to use a bike rack with a hitch (since they are the best overall). I assume it is because you would like to save some money. If this is the case then skip roof racks since they also require some investment. Scroll down a bit, there you will find trunk racks.
Thule Upride – Premium roof rack for Thule crossbars
- No trailer hitch required
- Type of mount: wheel
- Max bike weight: 44 lb (20 kg)
- Wheel size (diameter): 20” to 29” (51 to 74 cm)
- Max tire size (width): 3″ (5″ with adapter)
- Max wheelbase: 51″ (130 cm)
- Empty rack weight: 17 lb (7.7 kg)
- Rack-to-vehicle lock: Yes (sold separately)
- Bike-to-rack lock: Yes
- No frame contact
Getting the most out of your bike is easier than ever with the Thule Upride. Upride mounts to any Thule crossbar system, and can carry most bike types up to 44 lb. It attaches in seconds and has no frame contact mounting. Plus, it’s made from aluminum for a lightweight, durable design.
Key Takeaways
- Premium quality materials make this rack worth the money spent,
- No wobbling since a bike will be properly secured by the wheel,
- It does not block the trunk access obviously but lifting bikes up can be challenging for some people,
- A good rack for those who have no problems with lifting up 20-40 lb,
- An awesome rack for expensive bikes since it won’t damage your bikes due to zero frame contact.
PROS
- Premium quality materials
- You don’t have to remove the front wheel
- Easy to assemble and install
- The rack itself and a bike will be very sturdy
- Can carry most bike types
- Does not block your trunk access
- Locks included (not that reliable)
- Does not cover license plate and taillights
- Won’t damage your bike (zero frame mounting)
- Low risk of damaging your car
- Looks modern
CONS
- Quite expensive given that it requires crossbars and can carry only 1 bike
- It might not be that easy to load bikes
- For fat-tire bike you need to buy an adapter
- Not universal (fits Thule crossbars only)
- 10-20% mileage reduction
Yakima FrontLoader – Premium roof rack that fits most crossbars
- No trailer hitch required
- Type of mount: wheel
- Max bike weight: 40 lb (18.1 kg)
- Wheel size (diameter): 20” to 29” (51 to 74 cm)
- Max tire size (width): 3″
- Max wheelbase: 48″ (122 cm)
- Crossbar spread: between 16″ and 42″
- Empty rack weight: 13 lb (5.9 kg)
- Rack-to-vehicle lock: Yes (sold separately)
- Bike-to-rack lock: Yes (sold separately)
- No frame contact
The Yakima FrontLoader is the ultimate bike rack for your car. Made from alloy steel, it can carry up to 40 lb bikes and requires crossbars to be installed. It’s easy to install, with no frame contact mounting, and it can fit in any car with compatible roof racks.
Key Takeaways
- Really premium roof rack that worth every penny,
- A bike will be very sturdy (no wobbling at all),
- You need some muscle to get your bike lifted up to the roof of your car,
- Fits most bike types (even most fat-tire bikes),
- An excellent choice to carry expensive bikes because of zero frame contact mounting.
PROS
- High quality materials
- Easy to assemble and install
- Secures a bike very sturdily (no wobbling)
- Can carry most bike types under 40 lb
- Does not block trunk access
- Does not cover license plate and taillights
- Locks included
- No frame mounting (won’t damage your bikes)
- Won’t scratch your car
- Universal (fits most crossbars)
CONS
- Rather expensive since it requires crossbars
- Not that easy to load a bike on
- Can’t carry really heavy bikes
- 10-20% mileage reduction
Thule ProRide XT – Premium roof rack for not expensive heavy bikes
- No trailer hitch required
- Type of mount: frame
- Max bike weight: 44 lb (20 kg)
- Wheel size (diameter): 29” (74 cm)
- Max tire size (width): 3″ (5″ with adapter)
- Max wheelbase: 48.6″ (123.5 cm)
- Downtube diameter: 0.87” to 3.15” (round shaped only)
- Empty rack weight: 11 lb (5 kg)
- Rack-to-vehicle lock: Yes
- Bike-to-rack lock: Yes
Thule’s ProRide XT is a frame-mounted bike rack made from aluminum, and it fits only Thule crossbar systems. This rack can carry most bike types up to 44 lb and secures a bike by the frame. With a Thule ProRide XT, you’ll never have to worry about your bike sliding off the back of your car or getting scratched again.
Key Takeaways
- Premium quality roof bike rack,
- The ease of use highly depends on your physical conditions,
- I would not recommend this rack to carry expensive bikes because of frame contact mounting (will scratch your bike),
- Fat-tire bikes require an adapter (sold separately).
PROS
- High quality materials
- You don’t have to remove the front wheel
- Easy to assemble and install
- Can carry relatively heavy bikes
- Does not block trunk access
- Does not cover license plate and taillights
- Low risk of damaging your car
- Looks modern and fancy
CONS
- Quite pricey considering it requires crossbars
- Not that easy to load a bike
- Won’t fit fat-tire bikes out of the box
- Frame contact mounting will leave some scratches
- Does not fit all crossbars
- 10-20% mileage reduction
Best trunk racks without a hitch
Trunk racks are a great alternative to hitch racks since they are much more affordable. If you are avoiding hitch racks because of their price, then trunk racks are definitely an excellent choice. However, I would not recommend them to be installed on expensive cars or for carrying expensive bikes as they can result in s scratches (both on a car and on bikes).
Saris Bones EX (2 or 3) – Trunk rack that fits most cars
- No trailer hitch required
- Max number of bikes: 2 or 3 bikes versions
- Max bike weight: 35 lb (15.9 kg)
- Total load capacity: 105 lb (47.6 kg)
- Wheel size (diameter): any
- Max tire size (width): any
- Max wheelbase: any
- Empty rack weight: 11 lb (5 kg)
- Rack-to-vehicle lock: No
- Bike-to-rack lock: No
- Number of straps: 6
Saris Bones EX is the next generation of bike racks. It’s the only bike rack that mounts directly to your vehicle, so it’s ready to use in minutes. It carries up to 2 or 3 bikes and will fit most cars, SUVs, or vans with a rear-mounted spare tire. It’s made from composite and plastic, so it’s not just lightweight but also durable.
Key Takeaways
- Best-seller trunk rack with a good reason for that (fits most cars and decent quality overall),
- Don’t expect it to be very sturdy (some wobbling is inevitable),
- Quite easy to easy overall, but keep in mind that trunk access will be blocked,
- Fits most bikes under 35 lb (an adapter will help with kid’s and women’s bikes),
- I would not recommend it for carrying expensive bikes (especially carbon frame) since it will cause scratches.
PROS
- Reasonable price
- Easy to install
- Fits most bikes (including fat-tire)
- Compatible with most cars (universal)
- Quite compact
- Won’t affect mileage much
CONS
- Don’t expect it to be sturdy
- Can’t carry heavy bikes
- Blocks trunk access
- Very easy to steal (both rack and bikes)
- Bikes will be hitting each other (expect scratches)
- There is some risk of damaging your car
Hollywood F2 Over-The-Top (2 or 3) – Premium trunk rack but a bit pricey
- No trailer hitch required
- Max number of bikes: 2 or 3 bikes versions
- Max bike weight: 35 lb (15.9 kg)
- Total load capacity: 105 lb (47.6 kg)
- Wheel size (diameter): any
- Max tire size (width): any
- Max wheelbase: any
- Empty rack weight: 21 lb (9.5 kg)
- Rack-to-vehicle lock: No
- Bike-to-rack lock: No
- Number of straps: 6
Made from alloy steel and aluminum, does not require anything to be installed (no trailer hitches or The Hollywood F2 is a game changer when it comes to bike racks. It’s the first over-the-top bike rack that doesn’t require any installation. There are two versions, one can carry 2 bikes while the other can carry 3 bikes. The bikes are mounted by the frame, so there’s no need to remove any pedals or handlebars.
Key Takeaways
- The quality is premium but there are cheaper premium models,
- The rack is sturdy once installed (though bike will wobble a bit which can be said about all trunk racks),
- Fairly easy to use (except for first installation),
- Can carry most bikes under 35 lb (kid’s, women’s and other rounded frame bikes require an adapter),
- This rack is not recommended for carrying expensive bikes since there is basically no clearance between bikes which will result in scratches.
PROS
- The rack is quite sturdy
- Fits most bike types under 35 lb
- Requires nothing to be installed (neither a trailer hitch nor crossbars)
- Manageable mileage reduction
CONS
- A bit pricey
- The instructions are unclear
- Bikes will wobble a bit (“feature” of all trunk racks)
- Can’t carry heavy bikes
- Blocks trunk access
- Very easy to steal
- Bikes will scratch each other (problem of all trunk racks)
- Some risk of scratching your car
Allen Sports Deluxe (2, 3 or 4) – Affordable trunk rack that fits most cars
- No trailer hitch required
- Max number of bikes: 2, 3 or 4 bikes versions
- Max bike weight: 35 lb (15.9 kg)
- Total load capacity: 105 lb (47.6 kg)
- Wheel size (diameter): any
- Max tire size (width): any
- Max wheelbase: any
- Empty rack weight: 9 lb (4.1 kg)
- Rack-to-vehicle lock: No
- Bike-to-rack lock: No
- Number of straps: 6
Allen Sports Deluxe is a car bike rack that can be installed on the trunk of your car. It’s made from alloy steel and can carry up to 4 bikes 35lb each. The bikes get secured by the frame and it’s easy to install in a matter of minutes.
Key Takeaways
- Decent trunk rack given its price,
- This rack fits most sedans, hatchbacks and SUVs,
- Not that sturdy once installed. Moreover, bikes will wobble a bit,
- Relatively easy to use,
- Most bikes under 35 lb will fit out of the box,
- Not recommended for expensive bikes because bikes will be hitting each other which will result in scratches and dents.
PROS
- Affordable
- Easy to install
- Universal (including fat-tire bikes)
- Does not require additional equipment to be installed
- Decent aerodynamics
CONS
- Not 100% strudy
- Bikes will wobble
- Can’t carry heavy bikes
- Blocks trunk access with bikes mounted
- Easy to steal
- Bikes will scratch each other
- Risk of scratching your car
Yakima HalfBack (2 or 3) – Premium quality but quite affordable
- No trailer hitch required
- Max number of bikes: 2 or 3 bikes versions
- Max bike weight: 35 lb (15.9 kg)
- Total load capacity: 105 lb (47.6 kg)
- Wheel size (diameter): any
- Max tire size (width): any
- Max wheelbase: any
- Empty rack weight: 22 lb (10 kg)
- Rack-to-vehicle lock: No
- Bike-to-rack lock: No
- Number of straps: 4
Yakima’s HalfBack is a bike rack that doesn’t require a trailer hitch or crossbars. It also can carry two or three bikes (different versions are available) and has a weight capacity of 35 lb per bike. The HalfBack is made from alloy steel and plastic to ensure durability and security, and it installs directly on your car without any additional hardware.
Key Takeaways
- Worth every penny due to really high quality and affordable price,
- Super sturdy once installed (rather uncharacteristic for trunk racks),
- Fairly easy to use overall, but you have to remove bikes each time you would like to open the trunk,
- This rack is recommended for carrying lightweight bikes of most designs and shapes,
- Not suitable for carrying expensive bikes since bikes will inevitably scratch each other.
PROS
- Good price for a premium rack
- Goes assembled, fairly easy to install
- The rack is sturdy
- Relatively easy to load bikes on
- Most bikes will fit including fat-tire (kid’s and women’s bikes require an adapter)
- Does not require anything to be installed
- Negligible mileage reduction
- Folds up when not in use
CONS
- Bikes will wobble a bit (any trunk rack has this problem)
- Can’t carry heavy bikes
- Can’t access the trunk with bikes loaded
- Very easy to steal
- Bikes will scratch each other
- Some risk of scratching your car (true for all trunk racks)