VW Golf are great, versatile vehicles for families who like to be outside. The vehicle has plenty of room for the entire family and their luggage, especially with hitch cargo carriers, but adding a bicycle or two or three could cause problems. You might want to start looking for a bike rack for your Golf if you and your family are into biking and want to go further than a couple of blocks from your house.
In addition to bike racks, there are a wide variety of VW golf bike racks, ranging in capacity, design, and shapes. There are, however, some that are not suitable for VWGolf models, and even the ones that are, might not fit yours. The choice of a golf bike rack should be carefully considered before making a purchase. Knowing the pros and cons of each model is important.
Thule, Allen, Yakima, and Swagman are some of our favorites for Golf bike racks.
Yakima ForkLift Fork Mount
Taking full advantage of the Golf’s roof rack, we recommend the Yakima Forklift Rooftop Bike Mount. In addition to its versatility, its design and construction are of high quality. In addition to accepting Yakima round, square, factory and aerodynamic crossbars right out of the box, the Forklift will also fit almost any other brand name car rack system with round or square bars, along with most factory crossbars that come with your Golf. It’s super easy to attach the bike rack to your car’s roof rack system.
This wheel rack’s wheel tray is easy to adjust, so you don’t have to worry about positioning the rear wheels. The forklift is capable of handling mountain bikes with 29-inch wheels and bikes with longer wheelbases. This bike is securely held in place by a skewer with a locking mechanism and a single-handed adjustment knob for easy access. You will need a thru-axle adapter if your bicycle has a thru-axle, which can be purchased at Yakima or online. The front mount is capable of fitting most disk brakes, and while some configurations may feel tight to the edge, it is rather rare for a brake to not be able to be securely mounted on most Yakima Forklifts.
Yakima has an intuitive design. You will recognize that the Yakima has minimized the number of parts (there are only one bolt on each clamp instead of four on the Thule) making mounting and dismounting the Yakima very simple.
Swagman XC 2-Bike Hitch Mount
With just an extra tray, you can fit fat tires on this stylish rack; the rack is very easy to install. You can fit tires between 20′ and 29′ on a standard rack. This rack can be mounted to a 1 14 hitch receiver or a 2″ receiver; so you could use it with more than one Golf; great if you have two or a friend wants to borrow it. When it’s installed, there’s a 12.5 inch locking pin to keep it from disappearing. Again, this is a separate item with a 10mm cable.
The rack can hold a total weight of 70lbs, which should be enough to keep most bikers satisfied, that’s 35lbs per bike. One of the most important features of this clock is the anti-wobble device which is built into it. The balance of your bikes as well as the handling of your vehicle will be maintained while you are driving with this technique. This rack is noteworthy for the fact that the center arm will be able to be folded down so that you can get to your boots while the rack is stowed It is also necessary to determine what size frame you can fit on this rack as well as the tire size..
You need to take into consideration not only the tire size for this rack, but also the size of the frame that the rack can accommodate. There are ratchets built into the upright arms, which makes it an excellent choice for people with arthritis. The reason for this is that it will allow you to make them fit the frame of your bicycle exactly. In order for your bike to reach its maximum height, its frame must be at least 59cm high.
The Swagman XC Cross country 2-Bike rack is made from steel and weighs 32 pounds. When not in use, it can be folded up vertically to It If Reduce the amount of space it takes up at home or on the back of your car your vehicle, then you should minimize the size.re when you’re reversing!
Bikes are secured to the rack by their wheels, and then the ratchets are closed over the top of them. During your turn to drive, they will not be able to move. A wheel plate can even be slid to fit a different frame size. This rack can handle any bike, whether it is a road bike, a downhill bike, a full suspension bike, or a BX.
Allen Sports Deluxe 4-Bike Hitch Rack
We recommend the Allen Sports Deluxe 4-Bike Hitch Mount Rack as our top pick for VW Golf hitch mounted bike racks. A 2-inch hitch will have to be installed on your vehicle in order to be able to tow a trailer. The best thing you can do if you don’t have a Class III or IV hitch already is to have a professional install one for you.
Several tie-downs secure each bike individually to the carrying arm, which extends 22 inches. When no bicycles are attached, the arms can be lowered out of the way. Having this option simplifies storing. Assembling the rack and setting it up are pretty easy.
One pin makes it easy to remove the rack from the hitch. It also comes with a lifetime warranty, a black powder coat and steel construction (so it weighs a bit more). Your equipment is high-quality and will last many years.
It is worth noting that Allen offers two 4-bike models in the Sports Deluxe series. Model 542RR and Model S545. Neither of these racks can accommodate more than 140lbs and four bikes. There are some extra features with the S545, including quick-fold, carry arms, quick-lock straps, and dual compound cradles. As well as the rapid tilt-away mast, the system features double compound spine shields.
I don’t think the extra utility justifies the price difference, so I’d get the 542RR instead. This Allen Sports Premier Hitch Mounted Four-Bike Carrier S545 may be right for you if you want those features.
Yakima Frontloader Bike Mount
You probably won’t understand what this roof-mounted rack is on your first glance! An adjustable wheel holder and clip complete the long, streamlined bar — and that’s all it has! If your bike isn’t in the rack, the rack is designed this way to ensure it is as streamlined as possible.
In order for roof bars to be fitted to your car, you must already have them installed. The ones that run the length of your vehicle are not the ones that run the length of the vehicle. Yakima’s roof rack has adjustable clips which adjust to fit around your existing roof bars to provide a secure fit. Clamps for these racks all have locks in order to prevent them from being removed without the proper key. These items can be purchased separately from each other. The lock comes with three keys that you will be able to use, so you can have one easily available at all times. If you don’t have the key, it will be impossible to remove the lock.
A large portion of the bar is used to flick upwards and forwards while a slightly smaller portion is used to flick backwards. Both come out of the front mount. These create a ‘V’ shape that slots around your front wheel; locking it into place.
A smaller clamp goes around the rear wheel holding your bike upright on the roof of your car without touching the frame. This makes sure you won’t damage your bike while carrying it unless you go under a tall bridge!
The crossbars on your roof must be between 16 and 48 inches apart. If you cannot do this, then you can’t use the Yakima Frontloader to carry a single bike. The rack will support most bikes, providing their wheels are between 20’ and 29 inches. Therefore, this rack is not suitable for children’s bikes. Like so On most of these racks, there is a comprehensive warranty that covers everything except wear and tear, but only for the first owner.
Even though you’ll need crossbars to mount this rack, any type will work. Whether it’s round, square, or something in between, this rack is sure to get your friends talking!
You can fit more bikes on top of your Golf if you want, but this rack accommodates just one bike. You’ll need a certain number of bikes, depending on your vehicle.
You only need to mount the rack to your vehicle and lock it into place (assuming you purchased the locks). A remarkable 1.6 ounces of weight are being carried by this 57 x 10 x 9 inch device. The process of lifting your bike onto the roof is relatively easy but for some reason you may have difficulty lifting it into position.
Allen Sports Premier 2-Bike Rack
It’s not that we’re HUGE fans of trunk-mount racks – a lot of straps and hooks to the car just seem weird – but there are several well-designed and easy-to-use trunk mount bike rack options on the market. We recommend you check out Allen Sports’ Premier 2-Bike Trunk Rack.
There are four bike trunk mounts available on the market today, but these are actually designed to hold two to four bikes, which makes sense given the design of these mounts. A rack that can hold four bikes is quite a heavy load and you might want to consider a hitch mount if you need to carry more bikes.
We fit nearly all sedans, hatchbacks, minivans, and golfs with the Allen Sports Premier 2-Bike Trunk Rack. Featuring Allen’s patented quick snap set-up system, they’re easy to install and get on the car. The arms of the rack are 12 inches long and are capable of holding two bikes weighing a combined 70 lbs.
The bikes are held in place by Allen’s dual compound tie-down cradles and once fitted you can rest assured that your bike will be secure and safe on the back of your vehicle. Take the necessary precautions to ensure the two bikes do not bump into each other if you’re going to go onto backroads or gravel roads. The rack also sports some extra-large car pads to ensure the rack doesn’t cause any paint damage where it touches the vehicle.
Our suggestions would be that you consider a strap mount system if you have a single bike to transport – they are relatively easy to fit and lightweight . This design is really cool. You should check out Allen Sports Ultra Compact Folding 1-Bike Trunk Mount Rack.
Conclusion
Choosing a bike rack for your Golf has a lot of options. Ultimately, your decision will be determined by your vehicle’s configuration, the number of bikes you intend to transport, and the frequency of your transportation. You can use a trunk rack or a spare tire bike rack on the Golf if you and your partner only bike occasionally. You may have to consider getting a hitch bike rack with adapters if you and your family go bike riding all the time.
Roof racks are perfect for people who enjoy other outdoor sports like kayaking, surfing, or skiing in addition to biking. Don’t forget to read the reviews for the particular product you’re thinking of buying.
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