With the added weight of a motor and a battery, plus beefier frames found on some e-bikes, it makes sense that one should consider purchasing a bicycle rack designed for this additional weight. Then there’s the matter of tire size. The e-bikes I build have a minimum tire width of 1.95″ to 2.25″, though many factory-built e-bikes now have ‘fat’ or ‘plus-size’ tires that can be 3.5″ or wider. All this is to say that you need to carefully consider what type of rack is necessary to carry your beloved e-bike(s) safely and securely.
Some time ago I purchased this rack for my regular bicycles:
MaxxHaul 50027 Hitch Mount Bike Rack Platform for 2 Bikes
If I’m carrying a single e-bike with battery off, I load the bike onto the inner rack and I’m OK with this. Two e-bikes, no way! This rack cost $110 and is has worked well for years, but is designed for lighter weights and WILL fail if one were to load two e-bikes onto it.
Having researched this topic recently, here are the options I found that appear to be suitable for carrying e-bikes:
Kuat NV 2.0 ($850)
Thule EasyFold XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack ($850)
Thule T2 Pro XTR 2 Hitch Bike Rack ($800)
YAKIMA OnRamp E-Bike Hitch Bike Rack ($700) – includes ramp
Perhaps you noticed that these racks can get pretty darn pricy. I think that’s because the manufacturers figure you’re spending so much for your e-bike that these prices won’t be considered outrageous. Well, I’d like to go on record to say I think these prices are exorbitant. OK, I said it, but I’ll still probably pay their price because I want a rack that can do the job…
So here are a couple images of the two racks I’d consider buying:
Thule EasyFold XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack
Unfolded
And folded
Pretty nifty. The description says it has a removable loading ramp. Also, I can’t tell if it has locks built in to secure your e-bikes like the Yakima rack has.
And this one, which is the one I would probably actually buy:
YAKIMA OnRamp E-Bike Hitch Bike Rack
This rack includes a ramp and Yakima’s “SKS (Same Key System) locks included to secure bikes to rack and rack to vehicle receiver”. I have always liked Yakima’s products from roof mounting systems for kayaks and bicycles to hitch-mounted bicycle racks. I’m sure this rack is no exception to Yakima quality and would be a good rack for the job at hand.
In closing, there is one other rack I was recently asked about. That is, one that carries only a single e-bike. As mentioned, I use my old bicycle rack for this purpose, but it has no ramp AND it’s a pain to load the heavy e-bike onto the inner rack. The question then, “is there an e-bike rack designed for a single bike that’s easy to load?” And this is what I found:
Rola Convoy 1 Bike Platform Rack for 1-1/4″ Hitches – Model # 59307 ($265),
or for a little more money, this one:
Kuat Transfer V2 Bike Rack for 1 Bike – 1-1/4″ and 2″ Hitches – Model # KU64FR ($349)
Bottom line: Your e-bike is likely to be a fairly significant investment. I think it makes good sense to spend the money necessary to protect that investment. Buying a good rack designed for e-bikes and a security system (next post) that keeps it from disappearing when you’re not watching is the right thing to do.
Thanks for listening…
** Update **
I just watched this YouTube video from boltonebikes.com (aka Area 13) that covers four more e-bike racks you might want to consider. Here’s the link:
Things to know BEFORE you buy a RACK for your ELECTRIC BIKE
Enjoy!