What Is the Best Bike Rack for Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Published by Bike Scientist on

If you are in search of the best bike rack for Jeep Grand Cherokee, you have come to the right place. There are many bike racks compatible with this full-size SUV but we have shortlisted the top racks to make the selection easier for you. But if you are in a hurry, we suggest buying the Thule Pro XTR because it offers the greatest value. 

In this article, you will find our reviews of the 5 best Jeep Grand Cherokee bike racks. You will also find a detailed buying guide to know what factors must be considered while buying a bike rack for this vehicle.

Bike racks for Jeep Grand CherokeeBest for?
Thule T2 Pro XT/XTRBest Premium Hitch Rack for 2 Bikes
MaxxHaul Bike RackEconomical Multi-bike Hitch Rack
Thule Gateway ProBest Trunk Bike Rack for Cherokee
Allen Sports Ultra Compact Economical Trunk Rack
Swagman UprightBest Roof Bike Rack

Top 5 Shortlisted Bike Racks for Jeep Grand Cherokee

After detailed research, we have narrowed down to the 5 best racks for Cherokee. Reading the following reviews will help you make a well-informed fast decision.

Thule T2 Pro XT/XTR

If you want to pick a bike rack for Jeep Grand Cherokee quickly, you should get this Thule rack. It will allow you to carry literally ALL bike types. Finding a rack for fat tire bikes or e-bikes is not easy but Thule XTR is there to save the day.

Naturally, it is made to carry two bikes, but you can extend the capacity by getting the add-on and carrying a total of 4 bikes. The rack has a perfectly strong structure to support the heaviest bikes out there (up to 60 lbs each). 

Although it will cost you more than other racks in this review, it is a worthy investment because the rack will last for a long time. Moreover, it offers all the premium features one could ask for in a bike rack. Unless you want to carry 4 bikes and have a trailer hitch on the Cherokee, there are no additional expenditures.

PROS

Compatible with all bikes

Premium build

Allows access to the trunk

Strong and robust

Secure

CONS

Expensive

MaxxHaul Bike Rack

If you do not want to spend much on a bike rack, you can also find economical options in hitch bike racks. The hitch mount rack from Maxxhaul is a hanging-style rack that would cost only $50 for two bikes. It is very reasonable compared to the $800 Thule XTR for two bikes. 

Although it is not a premium rack, you will find essential features such as easy setup, tilt-down structure, and individual tie-down cradles. You can get the trailer hitch for Jeep Grand Cherokee and easily install the rack. 

Also, you can carry any bike as long as it weighs 50 lbs or less. This includes mountain bikes, road bikes, and other types. Overall, the money is well spent because the rack is sturdy and easy to use. But you will have to buy a separate top tube adapter if your bike has an unconventional top tube. 

PROS

Economical

Allows access to the trunk

Secure

CONS

Cannot be used for heavy e-bikes

Top tube adapter required for carrying bikes with unusual top tubes

Thule Gateway Pro

If you are looking for a bike rack for Jeep Grand Cherokee without hitch, you should get the Thule Gateway pro. This trunk rack would be suitable if you own 2 or 3 bikes and each of them weighs 35 lbs or less. The arc-shaped rack fits on the hatch of the Cherokee with the help of 6 straps. However, you will have to set the rack to the right FitDial settings that make it suitable for the curved hatch of Cherokee. 

Setting up the rack and adjusting it for the Jeep might take a bit longer but this trunk rack is premium quality and offers many features that other trunk racks lack. Most importantly, it comes with a locking cable for securing the bikes on the rack. 

The bikes are protected from theft as well as from scratches because they have a safe distance in between. Moreover, the rack sits on the trunk with its padded feet that protect the car paint. Overall, it is a fine bike rack for Jeep Grand Cherokee that does not have a rear spoiler.

PROS

State-of-the-art features

Secure

Solid and sturdy

CONS

Top tube adapter required for carrying bikes with unusual top tubes

Allen Sports Ultra Compact 

Want to save $100 and still get a good-quality trunk rack? Well if that’s the case, you can always go for the compatible racks from Allen Sports. The Ultra Compact trunk rack has 1 and 2 bike versions that are quite economical and are compatible with Cherokee. You can get the 2-bike rack for around $50.

The biggest benefit of using this rack is the ease of installation and ease of use. You can quickly set it up or take it off from the Cherokee. After taking off, you can fold it into an ultra-compact structure (hence the name) and keep it inside the car trunk or anywhere in the car for safe storage. 

Overall, this rack is one of the most inexpensive and adjustable racks. It has a solid body that seems to last for a long time. Some users complain that the bikes sway while driving on uneven paths. So it is better to keep a bungee cord to secure the wheels. 

PROS

Very low cost

Lightweight i.e., easy to install, uninstall, and fold

CONS

Top tube adapter required for carrying bikes with unusual top tubes

Not secure

Swagman Upright

If you are looking for a roof bike rack for Jeep Grand Cherokee, Swagman Upright is an economical option. This rack has a very simple design and structure. It does not require the removal of the front wheel because the bike is held through the down tube and wheels. 

It has an upright arm that grips the downtube on the bike and it also has a  locking feature that secures the bike on the rack. Moreover, there are two straps that go around each wheel. So if you have a bike with a wheelbase of 54” or less and tires that are 3” wide or less, this rack can work great on your Cherokee. 

However, it lacks a locking system for securing the rack on the vehicle and it takes longer to assemble. But apart from that, it is an inexpensive useful rack for less than $55. If your Cherokee has factory-installed roof rails, it is wise to go with a roof rack like Swagman Upright. You can install three of these on the roof of your Cherokee, one facing back and the other two facing forward. 

PROS

Complete access to the Cherokee hatch

Good price

No removal of front wheel

CONS

Not secure

Tricky assembly

How To Buy a Bike Rack for Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Every user has some specific requirements that shape the final decision of picking a bike rack. It includes the type of bikes owned by the user, the total budget, and other aspects. You can follow the steps mentioned below to buy the right bike rack for your Grand Cherokee.

Step 1: Shortlist the types of racks that would be compatible with the Jeep Grand Cherokee

There are different types of racks for bikes, such as trunk mount, hitch mount, roof mount, truck bed mount, spare tire mount, and more. So in the first step, you must funnel down the types that are compatible with Jeep Grand Cherokee. 

The Grand Cherokee is a full-size SUV which means that truck bed racks would not be compatible. Also, it lacks a rear-mount spare tire which indicates that you should not look for spare tire bike racks. 

The compatible rack types for Grand Cherokee are

  1. Trunk bike racks
  2. Hitch bike racks (require a hitch trailer)
  3. Roof bike racks (require roof rails, some Cherokee models have factory-installed roof rails)

You can choose any rack type from the three mentioned above and then proceed with the next steps.

Step 2: Sort out the racks that are compatible with your bikes

The second step is to pick racks that are compatible with your bike(s). Some bikes have special requirements such as fat tire bikes. They will only fit on platform-style racks that have the appropriate width of wheel cradles. E-bikes present another option. They are heavier than usual bikes and trunk bike racks cannot carry them. These bikes are mostly compatible with platform hitch bike racks with a high load-carrying capacity such as the Thule Pro XTR.

Read our detailed reviews if you own an e-bike, carbon frame bike, or fat bike.

Step 3: Check the durability of the rack

Before purchasing the rack, make sure you are investing in a durable product that would last for a long time. You can go for steel or aluminum bike racks as they are sturdy and durable. Aluminum bike racks have a higher demand these days because they are lightweight and easy to install.

Step 4: Choose a rack based on your budget

Lastly, pick a rack that suits your budget. If you have a high budget then it is preferable to invest in a premium durable rack that will last for several years. However, if you do not want to spend much, there are good economical options available in the market. Such racks usually lack integrated locks and some high-end features, but they provide the basic features that are essential to the purpose.

Conclusion

The best place to try your luck is dreamscasino from our partners and after reading our reviews for premium and economical trunk, hitch, and roof bike racks, you must have a clear understanding of what to expect from each product. The buying guide will help you make the right decision by considering your specific requirements. So what are you waiting for? Get a bike rack for Jeep Grand Cherokee and start that much-awaited biking adventure!

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Bike Scientist

S Chaudhry is the founder and the first writer for BikesRacks. He covers almost all the bike reviews after doing a lot of secondary and primary (hands on) research on the products. Apart from that he is the author of a number of how to do articles as well on the website. He is an avid road bike cyclists who is dealing in a lot of areas related to biking. Currently he has gained experience fixing bikes to retailing accessories related to them as well. His eventual goal is to build an authority site on cycling and also become a profession bike fitter.

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