How To Choose the Best Bike Rack for Your eBike

Ebikes are pretty heavy. The electronics and batteries add weight that is often too heavy for average racks, especially those with inadequate connections, like straps. Thankfully, many manufacturers make racks suitable for ebikes and ebike transportation.

What Is the Best Way To Transport an Ebike?

The best bike racks for transporting an ebike are likely hitch-receiver-mounted and tray/platform-style racks. These specific racks require less effort when lifting and mounting your bike, and they tend to have higher weight limits, meaning you can mount more than one ebike.

Before mounting your bike on the rack, remove the battery, if possible. Removing the battery lightens the bike's weight and reduces the risk of theft.

Do Electric Bikes Need Special Bike Racks?

When traveling with your ebike, you will need to make special considerations for the rack. Ebikes require a heftier and more secure rack because of the added weight of the battery and other components.

Experts do not recommend trunk-mounted racks or racks secured with straps alone. The bike's weight can damage these racks or potentially break free, damaging the bike and vehicle.

What To Look for in a Bike Rack

When selecting a bike rack for your ebike, you want to find one that can hold the required weight. There are also several considerations to make before purchasing, such as:

• Number of bikes to transport
• Type of vehicle
• Budget
• Security
• Connections and mounting points

What Type of Bike Rack Is Best for Electric Bikes?

You need to consider the connecting points of a bike rack, its weight capacity, and overall stability. An ebike is an expensive piece of equipment, and the rack is key to safe transportation. The top-rated bike racks for ebikes include:

• Thule EasyFold XT 2
• Thule T2 Pro XTR
• Hollywood Racks Sport Rider
• RockyMounts BackStage
• Saris Superclamp EX 2 bike
• Yakima StageTwo
• Yakima OnRamp
• VelociRAX

How the Rack Holds Electric Bikes Is Important

A tray-style or platform rack is the better option for an ebike because it can handle various frame styles. Platform racks also have higher weight capacities. It would help if you also looked for a rack that clamps to the frame, not the tire because many ebikes have fenders that prevent adequate clamping.

Benefits of Racks With a Ramp

Even if you buy a platform rack that is closer to the ground, lifting the bike to the platform requires a bit of effort. If you purchase a rack with a ramp, you can just roll the bike into place.

Some racks come equipped with a ramp that stores within the rack frame. However, many manufacturers sell separate ramps that can attach to an existing rack.

Rack Loading Tips

Regarding rack loading tips, there are two main options: removing the battery and lifting one wheel at a time. Not all ebikes have removable batteries, but aside from easier transportation, removing the battery is often better for the battery, especially in cold-weather situations.

When lifting an ebike onto a platform rack, it is best to place one tire at a time. Place the front wheel on the rack and lift the back tire as you roll the front wheel forward. The process takes patience and practice. It is often best to have help loading the bike to ensure safety and prevent damage.

Because of the extra heft of ebikes, a traditional, inexpensive rack may not be enough to support and transport it. There are many things to consider when selecting a rack, including weight capacity and style. If you are interested in purchasing a bike rack for your new ebike, contact a local retailer for more information.