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Best Bike Rack for SUV|Spare Tire Bike Racks

Updated on July 10, 2014

Bike Racks for Cars

Intro

SUV’s are great, roomy vehicles, not to mention the fact that they are optimal for carrying of all types of cargo. Many SUV’s have a rear mounted spare tire, which is handy for added interior space and easy to access your spare tire quickly. If you opt for a rear mounted bike rack, and you have a SUV with a tire on the back of your vehicle, it’s important that you find a safe, reliable and easy to spare tire rack. There are options when it comes to bike rack types. There are trunk mounted bike racks (these wouldn’t work for you if your vehicle has an outer, rear mounted spare tire), a hitch mounted or a rooftop bike carrier. If your vehicle is equipped with a spare tire, a spare tire rack is the most economical way to carry up to 2 bikes. Some people prefer trunk mounted or spare tire racks over rooftop bike carriers because that way your bicycles are lower to the ground and not at risk of being hit from above, and you don’t need to factor in underground parkade heights.

I’m going to highlight and review the best spare tire bike racks for cars, based on safety standards, ease of use and general reliability. Hopefully you can find a suitable rack for your bike storage needs.

Bike Rack for SUV

Source

Top Spare Tire Rack: Yakima Sparetime

Source

Yakima Bike Rack: Sparetime Bike Rack

Review of the Yakima SpareTire Spare Tire Mount Bike Rack on a 2009 Toyota RAV4

Yakima Bike Rack Review: Spare Tire Rack

Yakima Sparetime Bike Rack

A Yakima bike rack is said to be one of the highest quality bike racks you can find on the market.

1. Safety

  • SKS-lockable for security
  • Includes 60-inch locking cable
  • The universal mounting plate also supports both centered and off-centered mounting, depending on which orientation is most convenient and stable


2. Ease of use

  • 2 integrated bottle openers; powder-coated steel construction.
  • Spare tire bike rack that attaches directly to tire's mounting bolts.
  • The Sparetime comes with a universal mounting plate, two extensions designed to fit most lug patterns.
  • Once you arrive at your destination, the arms fold down and out of the way, giving you easy access to your spare tire or backdoor.

3. Reliability


  • Holds up to 2 bikes at once.
  • Anti-sway cradles keep bikes secure, with no bike-to-bike contact

Best Bike Rack for SUV: Thule Spare Me

Source

Thule Spare Me 2-Bike Spare Tire Carrier

1. Safety

  • Stay-Put Cradles with anti-sway cages hold bikes in place for frame protection and stability
  • Integrated locking cable and locking knob secure bikes to carrier and carrier to vehicle

2. Ease of Use

  • Easy to install. Take spare off, put mounting bracket on, spare back on over bracket, then add rack and screw in bolt
  • Attaches to spare tire and fits both regular and oversized tires
  • The Spare Me 2 utilizes the existing mounting of the spare tire to secure the carrier and bikes transported, leaving the hitch receiver and roof racks of vehicles available for other purposes
  • Arms fold down when not in use

3. Reliability

  • Detachable anti-sway cages at bike frame contact points

Allen: Deluxe 3 Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack

For the price you, the Allen Deluxe 3 Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack is unbeatable. Some of the features that people love about their Allen Deluxe are:

  • Ability to swing vehicle gate open with the bikes in place
  • Super easy to mount/unmount
  • Leaves the hitch is free for other uses
  • Price
  • Very light weight

Some of the drawbacks for getting the Allen Deluxe are:

  • The part that rests on the wheel/rim is not covered. A wrapped cotton towel took care of the problem but it does not look pretty
  • Bikes can be a little too close and bang to each other if using 3 bikes.

Top Spare Tire Racks for Cars

Top Spare Tire Rack Brands
Safety
Reliability
Ease of Use
Yakima
SKS-lockable for security Includes 60-inch locking cable The universal mounting plate also supports both centered and off-centered mounting,
No bike to bike contact (anti-sway) and the arms fold down.
2 integrated bottle openers; powder-coated steel construction. Spare tire bike rack that attaches directly to tire's mounting bolts. Also included is a universal mounting plate.
Thule
Stay-Put Cradles with anti-sway cages hold bikes in place. Also the Integrated locking cable.
Detatachable ani-sway bars and arms fold down when rack is not use.
Attaches to spare tire and fits both regular and oversized tires. Also, this rack uses the existing spare tire mounts which frees up your hitch for other purposes.
Allen
Although this spare tire rack holds 3 bikes, the bikes do contact each other, causing some bumping and friction.
Very lightweight and multi-functional.
Easy to instal/mount, hitch is left free and the gate can swing open with the bikes attached.

Poll Time

What's your favourite brand of bike rack?

See results

Bike Storage Solutions for Your SUV

When it comes to getting a quality product, you can always count on Thule and Yakima. When deciding on the best spare tire rack for your budget, keep in mind that every bike rack has pros and cons. While the Allen Spare Tire Rack can hold up to 3 bikes and while is the less expensive option, it may not be the safest or most reliable option for your bikes.

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