We all know that cycling is one of the best cardio workouts. It offers tonnes of benefits (such as rapid fat loss, increasing stamina, muscle growth, etc) for fitness enthusiasts.
Although, being a pretty simple activity – it still requires a suitable and sufficient place to practice. Due to the increasing number of road accidents, it’s not really a safe option to ride a bicycle on roads. Instead, try to cycle in nearby parks or maybe plan a weekly bike trip to any exotic location.
Planning a bike trip definitely sounds like a very interesting idea, however, the main hurdle is to figure out how to take your bike to that location and where to keep it safe.
People often try to come up with some crazy hacks such as tying the bicycle on the car’s roof or trying to squeeze and fit the bicycle inside the car. However, these are possibly the worst ideas to apply. Sounds easy but definitely not practical.
The best possible solution for this problem is to get a bike, a bumper-mounted, a trunk-mounted, or a truck bed rack. Bike racks are mainly used for sedans and hatchbacks, while the trunk-mounted racks are mostly suitable for SUVs and vans. As for RV’s and motorhomes, the best option is to use bumper-mounted racks. If you own a pickup truck, then a truck bed bike rack is an ideal choice. More specifically, if you are a pickup truck owner and passionate about cycling, this article is for you. It will tell you what product to choose, as well as suggest some good products you can buy.
Reviews of The 6 Best Truck Bed Bike Racks
Image | Product | Capacity | Ratings | Price |
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INNO Truck Bed Bike Mount System | 1 bike | 4.3/5 | Price |
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Thule Insta-Gator Truck Mount | 1 bike | 4.2/5 | Price |
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Heininger Automotive 2025 Advantage SportsRack BedRack | 4 bikes | 3.4/5 | Price |
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Saris Unique Mount Triple Track Fork Mount Bike Racks | 4 bikes | 4.8/5 | Price |
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Swagman Pickup Truck Bike Rack | 2 bikes | 4.2/5 | Price |
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Delta Cycle Bike Transport Pickup | 1 bike | 4.3/5 | Price |
Trying to select the most suitable bike rack for your truck could be a big problem if you’re not well aware of the existing brands to choose from and their features. Therefore, in order to make this process easier, here are the 6 best bike racks for truck beds on the market that you can choose from.
1. INNO Truck Bed Bike Mount System
If you are looking for a bike mount not occupying your cargo space, the INNO truck bed bike mount system is the best option. The bike mounts to the rail of the truck keeping all the cargo space empty. You can assemble it in no time and all you need to do is mount the holders onto the side rails of your vehicle. Unlike other mount systems, you don’t have to worry about removing your bike’s wheel to fit on the rack. Neither you have to get onto your pickup for fitting your bike onto the rack. It’s just a one-time set-up installation. Just make sure to tighten the bolts after placing the bike as they may loosen up a bit due to the car’s vibrations.
- Very easy installation.
- It doesn’t occupy the cargo space.
- You can lift the bike over from the side and place it on the rack.
- Cost-effective and highly durable.
- Secures the bike completely when the pickup is in motion.
- Exceptionally versatile.
- The product comes with a warning to keep out of sunlight.
- The clamp does not tighten enough to the rail, and bolts holding the bike wobble back and forth making it loose
2. Thule Insta-Gator Truck Bed Bike Rack
The Thule Insta-Gator Mount is probably the only truck bed bike carrier that can hold a bike weighing 50 pounds and sporting rims from 20-29 inches in diameter. It is a wheel mount so you don’t have to worry about removing the wheel, just make sure the tire of your bike is not more than 3 inches.
The bike rack is strong and durable – withstanding heavy weights reducing the damaging and service charges of the bike. You can install it quickly and easily without drilling or bolting. Just place it on the truck bed. You should check and make sure that the rubber tabs are between the tailgate and truck bed and close the tailgate. In addition, you may also purchase a lockable tailgate for higher safety. Just lock your bike to the carrier for safety and security concerns.
The rack does not occupy much space. So, if you want to carry more than one bike for your trek, you may do so by ensuring that the pickup has enough space and tailgate being 51 inches in width.
- Strong and sturdy.
- Even with more than 1 bike on the bed, the safety is the same.
- The racks are rock solid, light, and easy to set up.
- Stable heavy duty.
- The locking bar is well padded ensuring no scratches to the fork.
- Expensive
- The rack does not fit on small pick-up truck beds.
- It is not suitable enough to hold the bike without closing the tailgate.
3. Heininger Automotive 2025
The Heininger Automotive 2025 is a great choice for families or small groups going for a trek. The bike rack can easily accommodate 4 bikes at once. Most importantly, it is a wheel mount rack so you do not have to take off the wheels from the bike. The wheels can be up to 28 inches in width. You can secure your bike with a complimentary 72-inch lockable cable. However, you must buy a lock separately.
The rack assembles onto the truck bed in no time. No drilling or tools are required. The rack is so soft due to its padding that it does not damage the bike neither the paint of the truck is damaged.
Just secure it against the inner walls of the truck bed with adjustable rubber stabilizers, twisting them into place with screws. Since the rack is big, it does occupy quite a lot of space in the truck. Considering this, it is easy to remove the rack whenever needed.
- You can use the rack in your garage to park the bikes. You just need to have enough space and you’re all set.
- The rack does not damage the car paint or the bike.
- It comes with a spacer that is compatible with various types of bikes.
- The rack can accommodate a bike tire of 28 inches width or less.
- Lifetime warranty.
- The rack isn’t good enough for bikes with disc brakes as the frames push the disc brakes.
- The rack is not meant for hardcore riders for their mountain bikes.
- The bikes do not hold well and fall off even when tied.
4. Saris Mount Bike Racks
The Saris bike rack can be used in trucks, vans or indoor storage. It can transport around 4 bikes at a time. The most impressive fact about this rack is it is made of recyclable materials that will not rust. Therefore, it is incredibly durable and environment-friendly.
The racks grasp the fork of the bike preventing any damage especially when your truck is turning. It also has pivoting rubber pads that adhere to any surface which means it can be used with or without load liners and it won’t damage your vehicle.
So you can remove and use it easily. It is made of a powder-coated aluminum frame that can mount on the floor of your SUV cargo area or truck bed holding your bikes in an upright position. It can also be mounted at garages as well as homes.
- Made of recyclable waste, making it environment-friendly.
- Not too heavy or bulky.
- The rubber base is strong, stiff and effective. It doesn’t slide off.
- The rack is sturdy and well built.
- Mounting hole locations are not adjusted.
- The wheel has to be removed to mount on the rack.
5. Swagman Pickup Truck Bike Rack
Swagman is a well-known brand in the bike rack industry. It promises durability and their product is always worth the money. In addition, this truck bike rack doesn’t look like a rack. It’s an adjustable rod or a bar-like made of solid stainless steel. Its design fits the width of your truck bed. No matter what truck bed size you need, this rod can always be adjusted to fit in your truck.
The bar has rubber-mounted ends to protect your car from getting damaged when mounted in the right place. The bar is adjusted to the width of your truck and the ends slot over your bed rail. These can then be locked into the place. Your bikes can be mounted on the rod through fork blocks. The 9mm quick-release skewers secure the bike forks to the carrier. Besides, the rod can carry 2 35-lb bikes at a time. You can adjust the bike forks on the rod according to the size and space required between the bikes. The rack can be removed or unlocked easily without drilling.
Finally, you can ensure your bike is not stolen thanks to the integrated push-button lock. To unlock the rack, you need 2 tubular and high-security keys.
- It can be adjusted to fit any width of the truck bed.
- Easy on and off.
- Very sturdy and well built.
- Stainless steel will last long.
- The locking mechanism did not work as expected. It won’t be hard to steal even with the lock.
6. Delta Cycle Bike Transport Pickup
This is not really a bike rack, but a locking folk mount. You can mount it to the back of your pickup truck. The bikes are locked and secured through fork mounts. It has a non-adjustable, pre-aligned 9-millimeter skewer that helps in easy entry and exit of bikes and security.
Besides, it also has a locking lever that secures your bike from being stolen. But you will have to purchase the lock separately. The rack is made of anti-rust treatment with a tough powder coat finish. In addition to this, it comes with a lifetime warranty.
- Good quality and cost-effective.
- Easy to use and highly secure.
- Bikes do not fall off from the rack when your truck is in motion.
- The fork mount is not universal. It fits only just a few bikes.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Truck Bed Bike Rack
Before buying bike racks for truck beds there are a number of factors to be considered. Here are a few:
1. Usage
When it comes to buying a bike rack, the main factor is to consider how often you plan to use it. If you don’t intend to use it frequently, then there’s no point in wasting your money on purchasing a bike rack. Actually, you’ll be better off borrowing or renting it out. However, if it’s the other way around, you should definitely buy a good quality bike rack.
2. Installation
If you intend on leaving the rack in your vehicle, make sure you purchase the one which is easy to install and remove to save time. Difficult-to-assemble products will only give you headaches instead of exciting moments with your bike.
3. Design
You can refer to the various styles and designs you like from the top brands mentioned above. If you prefer a different style, you may check its reviews and purchase them. Mostly the design depends on the number of bikes you carry and also the size of the bed rack.
4. Storage
If you intend on keeping the rack always in the trunk then this isn’t for you. But, if you intend on removing it at times, you need to make sure that you have enough space outside the car (preferably garage) to store it. The rod bars hardly take any space and not causing any difficulty in storing whilst the other racks do occupy some space. The more bikes you need to park, the larger the rack size.
5. Size / Fit
The fitting of the rack depends mainly on two factors:
- The size of the truck: If your truck has less storage space, you may be able to fit in just one rack.
- The number of bikes: Fit the rack according to the number of bikes you need to park.
6. Material
Materials used to manufacture the product contributes a lot to its long-lasting quality. Therefore, always try to go for a high-quality product even if it’s getting a little high on your budget.
Conclusion
Choosing a good bike rack is a tedious job. But when you know for what and when you need it, things get easier there. The number of brands gets shortlisted immediately when you have a certain design and style in mind.
Yes, you need to have a budget in mind for everything. With that being said, you need to look out for other factors as well. If you decide to purchase a cheap quality rack and mount it on your truck, it might damage your bike as well as your truck’s paint.
Choose the rack which you are comfortable and satisfied with. Do not get swayed by the ones your friends and family use. Consider the various factors mentioned above and be certain that you have chosen the best truck bed bike rack according to your needs and usage.