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Bike racks are a pretty handy thing to have. These useful devices can allow you to bring your bicycle with you on trips. All you need to do is hook it up to a part of your vehicle while you’re traveling and away you go.
If you are looking for a bike rack, you may want to consider using bike racks from Saris. They’re one of the best brands out there and they have a reputation for excellence.
Saris have a lot of fantastic bike racks on the market. The only question is, what is the best Saris bike rack? That’s what we’re here to answer today.
Read on to find out more about the best Saris bike racks, in addition to a nifty buyer’s guide to help you to narrow down your decision.
- Tilting feature – no need to unload the bikes to get into the trunk
- Secure
- Durable
- Easy to load
- No contact with bike frame
- Built in bottle opener
- Made in the USA
- Works with most vehicles
- Easy set up
1. Saris Superclamp Ex 4 Bike Hitch Car Rack
If you’re looking for a high quality bike rack, you should definitely give the Saris Superclamp 4 Ex a try.
This rack has a pretty big capacity – it can even carry 4 bikes at one time so long as the total weight is around 190 lbs maximum. You could also carry 2 60 lbs bikes if you wish to do so.
The rack can even tilt, and this means that you can open the back of the vehicle without unloading the bikes first. This is incredibly convenient, especially if you want to get your tent or the dog out of the trunk of your car.
In addition to this, the dog features solid dual hooks, which means that the bike will be kept secure when they are mounted.
The rack doesn’t make contact with your bike’s frame either because the bikes are held on the top of the wheels. This helps to prevent any damage to the bike.
There are also a bunch of extra handy features included with the bike rack. It comes with reflectors, locks that are built in and a bottle opener.
Pretty handy! Above all else, it’s safe and a very effective bike rack that you are sure to use for years on end for your trips. Definitely one of the best options out there.
- Tilting feature – no need to unload the bikes to get into the trunk
- Secure
- Durable
- None
2. Saris Superclamp Ex 2 Bike Hitch Car Rack
This bike rack only weighs a mere 35 pounds, so it’s pretty lightweight. At this low a weight, you may be concerned that it isn’t durable enough to carry your bikes, but this is certainly not the case.
No matter what the weather or driving conditions are, your bikes will be kept nice and safe with this bike rack.
The rack doesn’t make any contact with the frame, and this means that you don’t need to worry about your bike or frame getting damaged. It’s pretty simple to set up and load the bikes on, so you don’t need to spend hours setting everything up before you can hit the road.
The rack is capable of carrying 2 different bikes at once so long as they weigh 60 lbs each or less.
If you want to get into your trunk it’s easy enough to do so thanks to the tilting feature included. No unloading required!
When you aren’t using the bike rack, you can simply load it down. It has a bunch of additional safety features, including extra locks and reflectors. It’s even got a nifty bottle opener built in!
- Easy to load
- No contact with bike frame
- Built in bottle opener
- The bikes are positioned close together when they’re on the rack – this may mean you have to balance one of the bikes when you are putting the other one in place.
3. Saris Bones Trunk Bike Rack Carrier
There’s a lot to love about the Saris Bones 2 Bike Trunk Rack. This is a stylish looking rack that is incredibly convenient to use.
You’re sure to enjoy using this one your cycling trips.
The bike rack features a durable design that will last for quite some time. It’s actually a pretty popular and well known bike rack created by Fabio Pedrini. It features a an arc based design, and you can put this on most spoilers.
The arms and legs are highly durable and stable to keep your bikes safe as you trouble. To protect your car, the rack features special rubber feet. Your bikes are protected by straps and vinyl coated hooks.
The rack is capable of carrying 2 bikes that weigh 35 lbs each. This is by no means as much as some other Saris bike racks but it’s still pretty decent.
The rack itself only weighs 9 lbs too, so it’s very lightweight. If you’re still not sure, it also has a lifetime warranty for extra peace of mind.
- Made in the USA
- Works with most vehicles
- Easy set up
- Capacity not as high as many other Saris bike racks
4. Saris Traps Triple Track Bike Rack
If you’re on a budget but you still want to get a high quality Saris bike rack, the Saris Unique Mount Triple Track Fork Mount Bike Rack is a fantastic choice.
The rack is ideal for all sorts of different vehicles, including SUVS, vans, and even for storage indoors.
The rack is capable of supporting up to 4 bikes in total. Not only that, but if you’re environmentally conscious you will be pleased to know that the bike is made out of completely recyclable materials.
They’re even corrosion resistant, enabling them to last much longer.
In addition to this, there’d no need to buy any extra locks or anything else for security because they will be safe on the bike rack. It’s truly an impressive choice for any cycling enthusiast.
The only thing to keep in mind is that you are going to need to buy the bike mounts and wheel holders separately, but this shouldn’t put you off. It’s a tiny extra expense for an otherwise affordable bike rack.
- Supports 4 bikes
- 100% recyclable materials
- Secure
- Wheel holders and bike mounts must be bought separately
5. Saris Freedom EX Bike Hitch Car Rack
If you’re in the market for a lightweight Saris bike rack then you should certainly give the Saris Freedom Ex 2-Bicycle Universal Hitch Rack a go.
This bike rack is certainly the lightest option out there, and it is able to carry 2 bikes that weigh a maximum of 60 lbs each.The bike rack itself weighs only 27 lbs. This means that it’s easy to move around if you need to.
It can be used for electric bikes and rigs, so long as the tires measure less than 4 inches wide. It can even tilt away so you can access the trunk, even when the bikes are loaded onto it.
For extra safety, the bike rack comes with locks and reflectors so you can be seen easily. It comes with a lifetime warranty too, for even more peace of mind. It’s a truly fantastic choice that’s definitely worth investing in.
- Carries 2 bikes
- Very lightweight – only weighs 27 lbs in total
- Tilts away so you can access the trunk
- Could do with a slightly higher weight capacity for each bike
Best Saris Bike Racks – Buying Guide
Why Should You Buy A Bike Rack?
Why buy a bike rack when you can simply dump your bike right on the back seat or in the trunk of your car? There are a number of reasons why these devices are worth investing in.
First of all, a bike rack will give you a lot of extra space inside of your car. It means that your children don’t need to squash up in the car to make room for your bike rack. It means that you don’t have to get mud all of your car after using your bike.
Not only that, but they’re also pretty versatile. You can get bike racks that will fit on your tailgate, the roof or on the towbar so you aren’t restricted to one form of storage.
You can usually buy them for an incredibly affordable price too. The best part is that if you have a whole family or group of people that you are going cycling with, you can store up to 4 bicycles on one car if you have a bike rack.
In short, it’s a pretty essential investment for any avid cyclist.
Things to Consider
Sometimes buying the best bike rack can be overwhelming. Even with just one brand there are so many different options to choose from, so where do you even start?
There are a lot of different things to consider, including the basics such as price, durability and more. So, without further ado, here are some of the things that you should think about when buying the best Saris bike rack.
Main Types of Saris Bike Racks
There are two main types of Saris bike racks that you can buy. Of course, what you get is largely going to depend on your own requirements, but here’s what you need to know about each.
The first type of Saris bike rack is the trunk mounted style. If you drive a vehicle such as a sedan this is a good choice for you. Actually, they are capable of fitting pretty much any vehicle, whether you have a truck or an SUV.
They take relatively little time to mount too which is pretty handy. When you aren’t using them you can store them without much trouble. They’re incredibly practical in terms of price too.
The main problem with this kind of bike rack is that the capacity is limited. If your bike is particularly large you may have a problem. There are some Saris models that can go up to as much as 105 pounds in terms of capacity but that’s the best that you’re going to get.
With a trunk mounted bike rack you also can’t get into your car’s trunk when it’s mounted, which can be a little bit of a pain if you’re doing something like camping and you need to get your gear out.
Alternatively, you could opt for a hitch carrier. These are much better choices for vehicles such as trucks and SUVs. Sure, they cost a little more money but you will get more than enough value for the expense.
With these kinds of bike racks you can actually carry up to 5 different bikes at once. It has two different styles, including the hanging cradle and platform carrier.
The platform style as you imagine comes with a platform where you put the bikes. The hanging cradle involves the bikes hanging from the rack. This is the more affordable type but it’s not as secure.
There are also roof mounted racks that are worth considering. As you may expect, with this sort of rack you are carrying your bike on the roof of your car. These are a great choice if you need to access your car’s trunk in a moment’s notice.
Unfortunately it can be a little more difficult to get into garages and other places with low ceilings when you have a rooftop bike rack. This isn’t really a concern with Saris bike racks though as Saris don’t actually offer them.
Rack Stability
One more thing that you should keep in mind is the rack’s stability as a whole. It is essential that you choose a durable, stable bike rack that will ensure your bikes don’t fall off when you’re driving or when the weather is bad.
Ideally you should be looking for a bike rack that has stability straps, as these can prevent the bike from jerking around when they’re mounted. Thankfully the vast majority of Saris bikes come with these kinds of straps but it’s still worth looking out for.
Efficiency
How easy is it to unload your bike from your chosen bike rack? This is an important thing to consider.
Not only is it important for when you want to load up or unload the bike but it’s also important for your fuel economy, as some kinds of bike racks are less fuel efficient when you use roof mounted bike racks, for instance.
Hitch carriers don’t usually cause this issue.
Safety Elements
A bike can cost a lot of money – as a cyclist, you probably already know this but it’s worth reminding you before you buy your bike rack. Why? You need to protect your bike from damage!
That’s why you need to consider the safety features of the bike rack. Usually better bike carriers have advanced locking systems to ensure that the bikes stay firmly in place, but these generally cost a substantial amount of extra money.
If this isn’t an option based on your budget, you can also consider buying cables or locks on their own. You also need to ensure that your bike rack doesn’t covers your rearview of the vehicle and it shouldn’t cover your license plate.
Storage
The chances are that you aren’t always going to be using your bike rack. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to consider how easy it is to store your individual bike rack.
You don’t want something massive that’s going to be hard work to store in the end. Not all of us have humongous garages.
Ideally then, you should be thinking about getting a compact bike rack as this means that you don’t need to go to the effort of finding a place for the bike rack when you aren’t using it. You can store compact options in the trunk sometimes which is a lot more convenient for you in the long run.
Budget
There are a lot of Saris bike racks on the market, all for different prices. With this in mind, you need to consider your budget. Setting a budget is important as it helps to ensure that you get what you need without over or under spending.
For instance, if you’re planning on using the bike rack to carry more than one bike then you should make a larger budget.
Weight of the Bike
You also need to consider how heavy your bike is before you invest in a bike rack. You will generally find that most bike racks come with a recommended maximum weight.
Make sure that your bike is compatible with this weight. Certain bikes such as E bikes are going to weigh more though, so if you have an E bike you should check that your bike rack can handle it.
Amount of Bikes
There are many bike racks out there that can carry only one bike, so you will need to fit a number of racks if you want to carry a few bikes.
Alternatively, there are also bike racks that are capable of carrying multiple bikes on their own, such as certain racks of the trunk of the car.
Consider how many bikes your bike rack can carry before buying, and consider whether you are likely to be carrying multiple bikes on your travels.