To enjoy biking, one has to think of transporting the bicycle on the vehicle using some sort of bike rack. Bike racks come in many varieties and many prices, depending on the application. It depends on the vehicle to be used, the number of bikes one wants to transport, the requirement of quick-release front wheels, and the consistency of bike types--whether all bikes are of same shape and size. Other features to consider are the loading of bikes onto racks, the strength for racks to lift all bikes, any extra security of a lockable bike rack, the decision to use racks also for skis and other sports equipment, the repeatability of use of racks, and finally, the amount of money to be spent. All vehicles and persons use different racks, depending on application, cost and aesthetics. The tradeoffs one makes will depend on the situation. For instance, if one plans to use the rack infrequently, one may be willing to trade some ease-of-use for a lower price. The following are the various types of car bike racks: Roof racks attach to the top of a vehicle. Roof racks can be noisy, from wind resistance. Hoisting the bicycles to the roof requires a lot of strength. One has to be careful not to forget that the bicycles are up there and drive into a garage. With so Rear racks use brackets and straps to mount on the back of a vehicle. They are difficult to attach and can even scratch paint. Hitch racks are mounted on the rear of a vehicle but have to use a trailer hitch as their main point of attachment. They're less likely to scratch the vehicle, but are more expensive. Sport trailers are good for carrying many bicycles, but with an extra toll tax. These trailers therefore, require more storage space. |
