The best bike rack for Jeep Wrangler in 2022
Wrangler is a choice of vehicle for individuals who perhaps give high importance to its ability to go off-road. For that type of terrain and driving, it’s important that the bike rack for Jeep Wrangler should be sturdier than an average rack and fully compatible with the vehicle. Other equally important factors to consider would the number of bikes one wants to carry, the sort of bike, the frequency of usage, and also the price tag you are willing to pay for a quality bike rack. We have designed this article to help you pick the best bike rack for the jeep wrangler in 2022. The process might seem tough given the factors to consider but we have sorted it just so that you fall to the best suitable bike rack. We have listed our recommendations but the starting point for your research should be to initially know relevant features of your vehicle which link to bike racks
Know your vehicle first!
Shaped like a box with its nearly flat windscreen, the wrangler comes with different specs and options. The compact four-wheel off-road SUV comes with options of 2 or 4 doors and a hard top or a removable soft top as well. The good thing is that most variants come with a good towing capacity of 3,500 pounds which can easily tow the maximum amount of bikes that any rack offers. The other distinguishing factor for a jeep is the spare fixed at the back of the Jeep. It’s worth mentioning that there are bike racks that easily attach to the rear-mounted spare of a wrangler, these are different from the conventional hitch, roof, and trunk racks.
Wrangler jeeps currently don’t come with a receiver hitch unless you decided to select an option when purchasing. Given the good towing ability of 3500 pounds, you can order a hitch with a 2-inch opening. A class II receiver hitch allows a maximum of 3,500 pounds of towing and should be compatible with most bike racks. As far as installation is concerned we recommend getting that done professionally unless you do this for a living yourself or have relevant tools (torque wrench etc.). The cost of a hitch with installation can be expected to be anywhere around 200-1000 USD
In order to help you with your quest for the best bike rack for the jeep wrangler in 2022, we have listed below the broad type of bike racks available and their compatibility with the wrangler jeep
Which bike rack types are compatible with jeep wranglers?
- Roof racks (Different for the soft top and hard top). The type of rack settles on the top of your vehicle and may or may not require additional parts depending on the installed roof rails. Specifically for the hard top, you can get a pair of cross-rail systems installed into the rain gutters of the jeep top. In case you have older models you might night to drill through the base system for the racks. A major concern using a roof rack would be the height. For SUVs and jeeps, it’s difficult to mount bikes on the roof because of the height of the vehicle. Also, a major concern would be the overall height of the vehicle including the bike on top. You need to be careful in some types of terrains.
- Hitch racks (Compatible but require a hitch receiver) are an excellent option for carrying heavier bicycles, these racks attach to the receiver hitch of your vehicle. Once installed they are very easy to use and provide little interference with driving and driver visibility. Specifically for loading and unloading the bike this particular rack is way more comfortable as compared to the roof rack. Certain issues you might face are hindrances with the back camera/sensors, and access to the cargo area and you have to be careful while reversing the jeep (elongated). Consider The Best Jeep Wrangler Hitch for Bike, Cargo, and Trailer Rack.
- Spare Tire Mount (Compatible). These racks connect to the spare tire of the jeep. Similar to the hitch bike rack, it’s easier to load and offload the bike. Some concerns would be that these have limits on the weight and number of bikes you can carry. Apart from that in our quest for the best bike rack for jeep wrangler in 2022, we would rank them as the highest category
- Trunk bike rack (Not compatible)
- Truck bed bike racks (Not compatible)
You can learn more about different types of bike racks and their pros and cons here
What are your biking requirements relevant to bike racks?
Before diving into e-commerce sites listing bike racks, determine your biking requirements.
- The number of bikes to carry: Different bike racks can carry different numbers of bikes. Racks can carry one bike to as many as seven bikes at a time. You might be a lone rider or someone who has a family or even someone who manages bike tours for their friends. Consider how many bikes you would be transporting and look for a rack that caters to them.
- Type of bikes: Bike racks can usually carry most types of bikes. But some bikes such as fat bikes or very expensive road bikes would have different requirements. You would have to look if the rack caters to them. We would not recommend economical hanging racks with very expensive roadies due to the chances of scuffing and damaging the frame
What is the best bike rack for a jeep wrangler? Shortlisted
- In order to save you time we have done some shortlisting to help you find the best bike rack for the jeep wrangler
1. Thule Spare Me Pro – Premium Spare Tire Bike Rack
Thule Spare Me is a two-bike rack that would be installed on the spare tire of your Wrangler. This rack offers a lot of benefits which makes it a go-to rack for many. Unlike other spare tire racks, Spare Me has security locks for bikes as well as for the rack itself. This way safety of the whole setup wouldn’t be your headache. Other than that, it also has anti-sway straps for a better experience.
2. Thule T2 Pro XTR – Premium Platform
This rack has a platform for adjusting the bikes which means there will be no frame contact. This makes it a go-to rack for carbon frames and other expensive bikes. It has high compatibility with vehicles that have a hitch trailer installed because you can get it in two receiver sizes. It performs great from a security point of view and also gives access to the back of the car. This rack can be heavy on the pocket but it’s a great purchase and we recommend it for many bikes including e-bikes.
The best premium platform Thule bike rack for jeep wrangler!
3. Allen Sports 2-Bike Hitch – Budget Hanging Choice
If you want a hitch mount rack but think they are expensive, you should check out the hitch rack from Allen Sports. You can get this hanging-style rack at a very reasonable price and enjoy some very useful attributes. You can also add further features by looking through the great variety of add-ons.
4. MAXXHAUL 50025 Amazon’s Choice
Another good hanging-style rack for vehicles with an installed trailer hitch. You can any hitch from classes 1-4 for installation of this rack. It would let you access the trunk and is available at a low price. It has a hitch adapter so there is no need to stress out over the receiver size.
5. Swagman XC2 Hitch – Popular Choice / Best Discount Platform
If you are looking for a popular bike rack tested by lots of people and at a good price, the Swagman XC2 hitch mount bike rack is one of the most popular racks sold on Amazon currently at a 35% discount. The rack is compatible with a 1-1/4 inch and 2-inch receiver. The one drawback we see is that you have to buy a locking hitch pin security cable separately.
6. Hollywood Spare Tire Rack – Unique Style
This rack from Hollywood Racks comes fully assembled which saves much time spent in installation. This rack is not as durable as the Thule Spare Me, but it has many useful features that are not commonly found in such racks. This rack would let you open the tailgate on your Wrangler even when bikes are loaded. Moreover, you can use it on the JL version as well without hindering the back camera view. You can also fold the arms of the rack when it is not being used. But you will have to compromise on quality and security.
Pros Value for money, locks to the spare vehicle tire
Cons Kids‘ bikes require an adapter, Maximum 2 bikes only
Rating 4.3 out of 5
Price Around $200
7. Allen Sports Premier – Budget Pick
This spare tire-mounted rack is one the most economical carriers for two bikes. This rack has dual compound bike cradles for safely carrying your bikes. It is compatible with most tire sizes and also folds and sets up quickly.
Pros Value for money
Cons Maximum 2 bikes only
Rating 4.6 out of 5
Price Around $100
Kuat Sherpa 2.0 vs EasyFold XT
Kuat’s Sherpa 2.0 and Thule’s EasyFold XT are both hitch-platform bike racks backed by excellent brands. To determine if one exceeds expectations, we have rated them over their features, brand, capacity, customer satisfaction, and looks. In order to simplify, we have done some maths and created a single weighted score on all the metrics. Finally, based on the extensive research and analysis, we conclude our remarks on Kuat vs Thule bike racks for these particular models. Review the detailed comparison here
FAQs – Best Bike Rack for Jeep Wrangler
What is the best bike rack for a 2016 jeep wrangler?
The best bike rack for a 2016 jeep wrangler is the Thule T2 because of its compatibility, safeness, and aesthetics.
How to build an interior bike rack for a jeep wrangler?
In order to build an interior bike rack for a jeep wrangler, you would have to invest in some quick-release fork mounts, fence latches, square iron, and locks.
But we would need to do a complete article on building an interior bike rack for the jeep wrangler
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