#Best mini ramp plans professional#

The rack is easy to load: You heft the bike by the stem and top tube and lift the front wheel into one of the wheel hoops. We tested the 412, which holds just four bikes, but Velocirax makes models that will carry up to seven bikes. If you need to carry more than four bikes and have a hitch receiver on your vehicle: Consider one of the vertical hanging racks from Velocirax.

Simple assembly: We preferred models that assembled easily, included clear instructions, and included any necessary tools.

Easy storage: A rack that folds flat, or nearly flat, without having to be disassembled takes up less space in your garage or home.

We preferred integrated systems to allow you to lock the rack to the vehicle and the bikes to the rack.

Able to be locked: When on the road, you should be able to leave your bikes for a few minutes when you stop.

Similarly, a tray rack should easily fold up vertically.

Able to fold up (on the vehicle) when not being used: When you’re not transporting bikes, the arms of a trunk or hanging-hitch rack should fold out of the way.

(A trunk rack, by necessity, requires you to remove the bikes-and sometimes the rack itself-to open the trunk.)

Access to the rear of a vehicle: With a hitch rack you should be able to tilt or swing the rack out of the way-ideally without having to unload the bikes.

The lighter the rack, the easier it is to carry and to mount-especially important if you can’t park close to where you store your rack.

Easy installation: This should be straightforward and fuss free, requiring a minimum of tools and adjustments.

Varies by model (fewer included than most) With bikes unloaded (and rack removed from some vehicles)įront wheel or forks for most frame for some Most tray-style hitch racks and most roof racks hold bikes by the wheels rather than by the frame.

Do you want a rack that doesn’t contact your bike’s frame? Some cyclists are wary of racks that hold bikes by the frame because the clamps could scratch a bike’s paint or damage a fragile carbon-fiber frame.

If you mount a trunk rack on a rear hatch or trunk lid, you may be able to lift the hatch or lid once the bikes are unloaded. Roof racks don’t block a vehicle’s rear hatch or trunk, but they can cut highway fuel efficiency.

Do you need to access the rear of your vehicle while carrying bikes? Most hitch racks tilt down or swing to the side to let you open your rear hatch or trunk (though with most hanging-style hitch racks, you have to remove the bikes first).

We don’t recommend carrying four bikes on a trunk rack because it puts too much stress on the attachment points with your car. If you want to carry more, you’ll need to use a hitch rack or a combination of trunk and roof racks.

How many bikes do you want to carry? If you’re carrying one to three bikes, any style of rack will do.

#Best mini ramp plans professional#

If you have a small car, check with a professional installer to make sure that adding any hitch mount is advisable. Many smaller cars can’t accommodate a 2-inch receiver. The size of the hitch receiver tube also affects your choice: Most racks fit a 2-inch receiver fewer racks have 1.25-inch versions.

Does (or can) your vehicle have a trailer hitch? If you have a hitch, we recommend a hitch rack if not (and if installing one isn’t possible), you’ll have to consider another style.