As a bike owner, there is no doubt that you do not want to travel with your bike and worry about its safety all the time.
Depending on the length of your trip, you might be able to get away with tying your bike to the roof of your car, but if you are going on a long trip, you can’t do that.
It is here that car bike racks come into play. It is one thing to put your bike on your car bike rack, but what is the best way to secure it?
You will find tips in this article on how to lock your bike on your car’s bike rack and how to keep it secure.
As a first step, let’s take a look at the three major types of car bike racks.
Roof Rack
If you see a bike sitting on top of a car, you need to know that it is being supported by a roof bike rack. Roof racks are among the safest ways to transport a bike in a vehicle. The roof racks take up a lot of the space on top of your car, which leaves you with plenty of room for other things in your car. Some roof racks can hold the whole bike, while others require you to remove the front wheel to use them.
Generally, roof bike racks come with locks that allow you to secure your bike to the rack with ease. However, the major problem with roof racks is that you have to lift and lower your bike on it, which can be very problematic. In addition, some people have damaged their bikes, cars, and racks by going under short bridges and garages with their bikes mounted on the roof.
Trunk Rack
It is very important to note that trunk racks are usually attached to the rear of the car with straps that are connected to the bumper or trunk. These racks are ideal for people who only need a bike rack occasionally or if they are looking for an affordable way to transport their bikes. A hitchless trunk rack can also be used if you have a standard bike, or if you wish to transport your bike in the most economical way possible.
As with any kind of rack, this type of rack is not the most safest way to transport your bike, which means that you will need to secure it to the rack in some manner. We will get to that in a moment.
Hitch Rack
When it comes to safely transporting your bike with your car, a hitch rack is the best option. It is easy to use them because they are attached to the receiver hitch of your car without getting in your way of your trunk. As a result, you are able to still utilize your trunk, whereas trunk-mounted racks make it difficult for you to do so. You can still get your bike on your car without it scratching it. With hitch racks, you can take your bike along without it scratching it.
There is one downside to hitch racks. They can be a little pricey. You will also have to extend your car’s length when you install one. However, many of them can fit more than one bike at a time.
Using a car bike rack as a means to secure your bike is a great idea
After we have gone over the basics of what you need to know about the popular bike racks, we can now move on to some tips you can use so that you can ensure that your bike is safely secured to your bike rack.
The strap
It is possible to secure your bike on a car bike rack using a strap as the first method. It is simply a matter of looping the strap around your bike and stowing the end of the strap into your car or trunk. It means that before you can free the bike, you must open the door of your car or the trunk of your car in order to do so.
There is no doubt that straps are a good way to secure your bike to your car rack, but they are not the best security options. They are only good as an additional security measure, and they should not be your primary means of securing the bike to the rack because they can be cut easily.
U-Locks, Cables and Chain Locks
It is essential that you purchase one of these if you plan to lock your bike to the roof rack of your car. A cable or chain lock is a better option than a strap for protecting your bike. You can run them through the frame and wheels of your bike, and then the rack of your bike. But the most secure way is to use a U-lock. The U-lock is very hard to cut, so it serves as a good deterrent to bike thieves.
Combination of locks
To secure your bike on your car rack, we use a combination of locks, such as a strap, chains, cables, and U-locks in conjunction with a combination of locks. This may seem like an overly cautious approach, but it is an effective way to deter a determined bike thief from stealing your bike. Furthermore, you don’t have to use all three locks. If you want to increase the security of your bike, you can always combine two or three locks.
Can you tell me which part of the bike I should lock?
If you are locking your bike on a car rack, you will need to pay attention to the wheels and frame of your bike. When you secure these parts, you will have an extremely difficult time preventing a thief from gaining access to your bike. A chain can be wrapped around most of the bike’s parts. It may not be possible for you to get all of these parts at once if you are using a U-lock.
The front wheel and bike rack will need to be secured with one U-lock; the back wheel will need to be secured with one U-lock, while the front wheel will need to be secured with one U-lock. In this situation, you may not be able to afford to buy two U-locks. The front wheel and frame of the bike can be secured with one U-lock, while the remaining parts of the bike can be secured with straps, cables, or chains.
What is the best bike rack for your bike?
There are a number of factors to consider in order to determine the right bike rack. First of all, you need to consider your car type. Second, you need to consider their pros and cons. Lastly, you also need to consider your budget. In recent years, many car racks have been equipped with locks that will allow you to secure your rack to your car. If yours does not have one, you can always buy a lock separately for your rack. The three bike racks listed in this article, however, are all suitable for you to use.
Final thoughts
In order to ensure you don’t lose your bike on your car rack, it is always a good idea to secure it to the rack. You probably spent a lot of money on your bike, so you shouldn’t make it easy for thieves to access it.
Keeping your bike safe on your car rack depends largely on locking it. If you follow the tips above, you will be able to safely transport your bike without having to worry about theft and the bike falling off your car rack.
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