There are many roof, hitch, and trunk mount racks that can be installed on Honda Civic and this is the case with most other sedans as well. The selection of the Honda Civic bike rack requires many considerations and that is why we have come up with a guide for you. This guide will help you select the right rack according to your biking requirements, budget, and vehicle compatibility. We have also picked the best hitchless and hitch bike racks compatible with Honda Civic. 

Saris Bones	Best Hitchless	Best Bike Rack for 3 bikes
Allen Delluxe	Budget friendly	Popular Bike Rack for 4 Bikes

Kuat Sherpa

Best HITCH

Premium Bike Rack with Security

Step-by-step guide for the selection of the best Civic bike rack

Selecting a good bike rack that meets all your cycling and vehicle compatibility requirements is certainly a daunting task. There are so many compatibility issues and other technicalities involved which can easily confuse a layperson. This simple step-by-step guide simplifies the process for you.  We start by analyzing the vehicle. Does it have a factory-fitted hitch or roof rails installed? What is the weight limit it can pull etc.? Then move on to explaining the bike rack options available for the car. Finally, we make suggestions based on your vehicle and cycling requirements.

Step 1: Research Honda Civic specifications relevant to bike racks.

Hitch for Honda Civic: In case you decide to go with a hitch bike rack you will need to install a hitch to your Honda Civic. Specifically, you should be looking for a 1 1/4″ opening size Class 1 hitch since the Honda Civic is a sedan that has a maximum towing capacity of 850-1000 pounds. Class 1 hitches are developed for passenger cars and compact SUVs. Most Class 1 hitches can tow up to 2000 pounds and that is more than sufficient for a Honda Civic. Also, all class 1 hitches come in 1-1/4 inch receivers only.

Hitch Bike racks don’t fit all types of hitches and they are designed for specific sizes. For a Honda Civic, you should only be looking at racks specifically designed for 11/4 inch receivers.

Please note only 11/4 hitches are available for Sedans/Compact/Subcompact vehicles while the 2-inch size is meant for bigger vehicles such as SUVs, trucks, and Jeeps.

Also in case you have an exhaust fitted from the center of your vehicle, you will need to research more since installing a hitch would require removing the exhaust from the center.

The cost of the hitch and installation can vary from around $200 to $1000 depending on the type of hitch you get and where you get it installed. We have a detailed article on Honda Civic Tow Hitches that can help you select the most suitable one along with its installation procedure and cost.

Step 2: Learn the type of bike racks for the Honda Civic.

Bike racks are usually known by categories based on their mounting position on a vehicle. The major types include 

• Trunk bike rack (most economical Honda Civic bike racks)
• Roof bike rack (compatible if roof rails are present)
• Hitch bike rack – (Honda Civic compatible as long as you get a Tow Hitch)
• Truck bed bike rack (Does not work with Honda Civic)

Step 3: What are your biking requirements?

Manufacturers produce a range of bike racks suited for different biking requirements. So it is good to be sure about your specific requirements before you pick a rack. Consider the following 

1. How many bikes do you own or want to carry along on road trips? Depending on this number you will be able to shortlist bike racks that are able to carry your desired number of bikes. 
2. Which bike types do you own? Bike racks have different load-carrying capacities which means there is a limit to the bike weight they are able to carry. Secondly, some bike racks are made for specific geometries of bike frames. 
3. Are you okay with frame contact? Hanging-style bike racks come in contact with the top tube of bikes and some other racks have clamps that hold the seat post. These may leave scratches on the bikes. To prevent that, you can go for platform-style Honda Civic bike racks.

Step 4: Select a rack from our shortlisted Civic bike racks

Below are some of our recommendations for the racks for the Honda Civic. Read on to know their features, pros and cons, and R scores.

Best Trunk-Mount Bike Racks

Saris Bones is among the top bike racks that can be installed without a hitch. It is a popular rack for 2 to 3 bikes with an impressive design. 

Most Honda Civic owners who bought the bike rack are completely satisfied with its fit and functionality. An excellent choice for the Honda Civic, Civic si coupe, and Honda Civic hatchback as well (Confirm your exact model and year compatibility by going to the Saris website as well). 

In the case of the Honda hatchback due to the shape of the car’s rear, you can only use the 3 bike racks for 2 bikes, while fitting you might have to adjust the ratchet. Also, additional adapters are required in the case of women’s bikes. 

Comes with a dedicated anti-sway feature, but no locks like most trunk bike racks. We suggest getting additional locks and straps to protect the bike rack and the bike as well ... Detailed review on Saris Bones…

Another Honda Civic bike rack that would not require a roof rail or a hitch. The rack is fully compatible with a Honda Civic 2022 4-door but not a Civic hatchback 2022 5-door. Civic owners with special editions, coupe, and special spoilers have reported compatibility issues. Most Civic owners who used the rack found it to be an excellent alternative to getting expensive hitch or roof bike racks which require other accessories as well. This is an entry-level brand which we think is at a reasonable price given the quality and brand it is offering.

Detailed review of Thule Passage

Except for the SI version of the Honda Civic, this budget-friendly rack, S102, will fit all Honda Civics. Comes in steel instead of the aluminum material in some of the other trunk bike racks which makes it a solid long-term rack. The one concern we have with the rack is the lack of security thus you will have to procure the system separately for this rack…Detailed Review on Allen Sports

The Saris Solo trunk rack earns an overall R score of 7.4. It is a unique rack with a compact design. Their unique selling point is that it’s a very simple rack and there is no need to do any mechanical adjustments before attaching it to your Honda Civic. You do not see many trunk racks made for a single bike of such good quality, by a popular brand and at a reasonable price. It is very simple to mount and unmount which is a plus point as well as a drawback since it can be easily stolen. So if you sort out a way to lock your bike on this rack, the Saris Solo can be a great choice for a Honda Civic bike rack... Read the complete review of Saris Solo

Another great way to carry 2 bikes on the trunk of your Civic. This rack offers ease of installation and use, looks good on vehicles, and is compatible with most cars. However, it lacks a built-in locking system which can be off-putting for some users. But if you have bought trunk racks before, you might not find it a problem… Read the complete review on Schwinn 2

Ultra Compact bike rack by Allen Sports is an economical option to carry one or two bikes at the back of your Civic. This rack is quite easy to install and if you do not have to use a bike rack frequently, you would also love how compact it is for storage. 

This trunk-mount rack is compatible with many vehicles. The price is really good and is the best way to carry lightweight bikes on the trunk.  You might experience some wobbling of bikes initially but the bikes are easy to adjust after some time. 

Best Hitch Honda Civic Bike Racks

	Gateway Pro	Allen Sports	Saris Bones	Allen Deluxe
Type	Trunk Bike Rack	Trunk Bike Rack	Trunk Bike Rack	Trunk Bike Rack
Sub-Type	Hanging	Hanging	Hanging	Hanging
Maximum Bikes	3	2	3	4
Rack lock	Yes	No	No	No
Bike lock	No (Buy S)	No	No	No
Brand	Thule	Thule	Thule	Thule
Bike rack weight	15 lb.	11 lb.	11 lb.	18 lb.
Load Capacity	105 lb.	70 lb.	70 lb.	140 lb.
Hitch required	No Hitch	No Hitch	No Hitch	No Hitch
Customer Satisfaction	80%	88%	90%	94%
	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price
Honda civic hatchback bike rack	Not Compatible	Compatible	Compatible	Compatible

FAQs for Honda Civic Bike Rack

We are sure you have some questions regarding your research on the Honda Civic bike rack. We have listed a few and tried to answer to the best of our abilities

What is the easiest bike rack to use for a Honda Civic?

The easiest bike rack to use for a Honda Civic is a trunk bike rack. Since you do not need to invest in hitch purchase and installation and also not in any roof rails. Without making any sort of permanent changes to your car you can install and start using a trunk mount rack. They are also the most economical accounting for the complete spending you need to do for a bike rack and its required accessories.

How to put a bike rack on a Honda Civic?

Installation of a bike rack on a vehicle depends on the type of rack e.g., hitch, trunk, roof mount, etc, and on the design of the vehicle. We have reviewed the installation procedures for the top racks of each type and have come up with a review on how to put a bike rack on a bike rack. After the installation of the rack, you can observe the steps below to load bikes. 

Step 1 Make sure the rack is stable
Trunk bike racks are installed by straps so make sure they are not damaged or loose. These straps can wear out due to different reasons for example exposure to extreme weather conditions or because the rack is old. Ignoring this can put your valuable bikes at great risk. Replace straps with new ones to protect your bikes. 

Step 2 Position bikes correctly
There is always one correct direction to place your bikes. But you will have to figure it out on your own depending on the geometry of your bike and the Honda Civic bike rack design.

Step 3 Load the bikes
In the case of trunk bike racks, you will have to lift the bikes a bit and place their top tubes on the cradles. Try accommodating larger bikes closer to the trunk, this will ensure better weight distribution and lesser wobble. Some hitch bike racks have an integrated ramp, for easier loading of heavy bikes.

Step 4 Secure bikes on the rack
You can secure the bikes on trunk mount racks by fastening the rubber straps of bike cradles and then tieing the lower straps around the wheels. Platform-style racks secure the bikes through wheels; some also have clamps holding seat posts. 

Step 5 Security features to protect bike and rack
Most trunk mount racks do not have integrated locks but if your Honda Civic bike rack has, you should definitely use them while traveling. Otherwise, you can buy security locks separately. Hitch bike racks commonly have bike and rach locking systems.