10 Best Bike Rack for Jeep Wrangler in 2022 – Buying Guide
Planning an adventure bike ride up the hills? Most certainly you'd need a car or truck to carry your bike. But you don't have to risk hooking the bike to the car's roof rack or cram it inside a truck. All you need is a good bike rack to ensure the safety of your bike, while you port it.
If you own an adventure vehicle like Jeep Wrangler, it is all the more necessary for you to equip yourself with the appropriate gear. You can now ditch the flimsy bungee ropes and replace them with a reliable bike rack.
We have not only handpicked the best bike rack for Jeep Wrangler but provided a brief guide for you to choose the perfect rack for your bike. To seek answers to common queries regarding Jeep wrangler bike racks, you can scroll down to the FAQs section.
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Best Bike Rack for Jeep Wrangler: Reviews
The market is flooded with different brands selling all kinds of bike racks. We have sifted through the lot, to help you pick your ideal bike carrier for jeep wrangler.
1. Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Racks for 2 in. Hitch
When it comes to choosing a bike rack for Jeep Wrangler, Allen is a household name. This particular rack comes with 2 keys and features quick install and locking hitch inserts. You can snap it to one place using its quick set carry arms, and fold it when not using.
What's more, you can be assured of your bike's security, with its dual compound tie-down cradles and individual bike straps. It also has a padded spine shield for added protection while transportation. The internal tilt feature of this jeep wrangler hitch gives you easy access to the liftgate.
To top it all, the rack is quick to assemble and super easy to install into your vehicle.
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2. Allen Sports 2-Bike Hitch Racks for 1 1/4 in. and 2 in. Hitch
This is another easy-to-use jeep wrangler bike rack from Allen. The rugged rack is your perfect partner to safely transport your bikes during excursions or adventure trips. However, you must avoid using it on trailers.
You can quickly install this rack with the receiver hitch for a wobble-less experience. Moreover, the assembly is easy and you do not require any additional tools. It comes with individual tie-down cradles that ensure the safety of your bicycles.
You can drop down its folding arms whenever the rack is not in use. Additionally, the rack lifts back for convenient lift gate access.
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3. MaxxHaul (70210) 4-Bike Deluxe Hitch Mount Rack, Black
This well-built bike rack for jeep wrangler comes with a swing-down feature that would allow you comfortable access to the rear of your jeep. With a distributed weight capacity of around 150 pounds, you can comfortably hitch 4 bikes using this rack. The rack can easily fit into 2-inch receivers and has a rigid, fully steel built. Also, it has an anti-rust powder coat finish that adds to its durability.
Another notable feature is that it comes with an adjustable padded bike cradle with its loop straps and hook. Despite its vast usability, this particular rack is not at all suitable for campers, RV's, and fifth wheels.
The top bar of this jeep wrangler bike rack folds down to make room for compact storage and transportation. Its built-in reflectors help make it even safer for carrying bikes.
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4. Allen Sports Deluxe 2-Bike Spare Tire Rack
This Deluxe Jeep Wrangler spare tire rack features 15-inch-long carry arms to conveniently accommodate 2 bikes. The rack fits almost all spare tires that have been mounted externally, even the ones which have over the tire brake lights.
You can install this minimum assembly rack within seconds. Also, it gets detached and stored just as easily. Moreover, this model has a patented cradle design that individually tied and secures bicycles.
The rugged rack has a powder-coated finish which makes it resistant to rust. It features an additional wide bottom foot to support weight not on the rim, but the rear tire. You get all these features and assured durability at an affordable price.
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5. BV 2-Bike Bicycle Hitch Mount Rack Carrier for Car Truck SUV
This bike rack for Jeep Wrangler from BV comes with several useful features. This includes its smart tilt-back design which allows the user to open rear gates without even removing the hitch hack. Moreover, you can use its fold-up design to store the rack when it's not in use.
Be assured of the safety of your bike, with the rack's visibility-enhancing safety reflectors, firm padded arms, and tray-styled loops. In addition to securely placing your bike, the padded arms also ensure your bike a scratch-free transport.
You can take a sigh of relief with this rack’s anti-swaying mechanism. Each of your bikes will be secured in place using its three-point connection system. This includes one vertical carry arm on the top and the bottom - two tray-like arms.
However, despite these safety mechanisms, some users have complained of wobbling. But that is not a thing to worry about, for you can get it fixed from your local handyman at minimum cost.
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6. Thule T2 Pro XT/XTR Hitch Bike Rack
This bike rack from Thule comes with a tool-free auto attach system that makes it convenient to set up and remove. Moreover, you can secure your bike quicker than ever before with its frame-free ratcheting arm. You can tilt the rack down to access the rear of your Jeep, and fold the rack to store when not in use.
This hitch bike rack is most suitable for mountain, carbon frames, e-bikes, downhill, and fat bikes. This variety in bikes is possible since it can fit wheels in a range of 20 to 29” and a maximum of 5” tires with no adapters. The rack can carry a maximum bike weight of 60 pounds and has a load capacity of up to 120 pounds.
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7. IKURAM 3 Bike Rack Bicycle Carrier Racks
The Ikuram bike rack has a rigid, durable built and is made of steel. The rack is coated with protective powder paint for anti-rust protection. To begin with, you require just 3 bolts to install and start using the rack. In other words, it is easy to install. Another key feature is its dual-arm mounting design which can easily hold up to 3 bikes, with varying frame designs and sizes.
You no longer have to worry about reaching the rear of your vehicle with this bike rack. Its easy tilt-down feature enables the user to open rear gates without taking out the hitch rack itself. It also comes with easy fold-down arms which provide compact storage and transportation.
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8. Leader Accessories Hitch Mounted 2 Bike Rack Bicycle Carrier Racks
The Hitch Mounted bike rack from Leader Accessories can fit 2 bikes and comes with easy Tilt-Down access to the rear rack. Its foldable arms let you fold the rack quickly for efficient storage and easy transport.
The dual-arm bike carrier rack comes with an adjustable mounting saddle. This allows the rack to accommodate a wide range of bikes, in many sizes and types. Moreover, for security and stability, it features a dual compound tie-down cradle and no-wobble bolts.
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9. Hollywood Racks SR1 Spare Tire Rack 2-Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack
The SR1 spare tire rack from Hollywood Racks comes with a complete adjustability feature to allow a wide range of spare tires to fit. You can center its support arms in case of side-mounted tires, and fold and store the rack when not in use.
Another thing of convenience is that it comes completely pre-assembled. You need not more than a couple of minutes to install the rack. With a maximum spare tire width of 12 inches, it can fit several kinds of tires.
You do not need to remove the backup camera or spare tire from your Jeep Wrangler. With a maximum capacity of 35 lbs per bike, you can use it to carry kids' bikes, certain mountain and ladies frame bikes. However, take care not to use it with e-bikes.
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10. 2-Bike Bicycle Hitch Mount Carrier Rack
Last, of the lot, this 2-bike rack from Lite-way offers ultra-durable built, with premium quality iron coated with anti-rust powder. Its durable rubber straps can take a lot of daily wear and tear, without losing their strength.
The hitch carrier rack claims universal fitment since its design can accommodate vehicles with 2-inch receivers and can hold almost all bikes. A prominent feature is its anti-sway design; with it, you no longer need to worry about scratches or wobbling of your bikes.
What’s more, you can fold down its L-shaped hitch and compactly transport or store it, whenever needed.
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What Makes the Right Bike Rack for Jeep Wrangler?
Now that you've seen the best options out there when it comes to Jeep Wrangler bike racks, it's time to make a decision. In this section, we will see some things you must consider before shortlisting your pick.
Rack Type
The three most common bike rack types are hitch-mounted, roof-mounted, and spare tire-mounted bike racks. Depending upon the exact specifications of your Jeep, you'd need a particular rack type.
Hitch-mounted racks
These racks get attached to a hitch at the rear of your car. It would work with a Jeep that has either a hard or soft top. However, it is important that your hitch-mounted rack is placed at a distance from the Jeep's hitch to allow space for clearing the spare tire.
One advantage of such racks is that they are easily mounted and removed. All you need to do is simply slide them into your car's hitch and then secure them using a lock or pin.
Another good thing is that hitch-mounted racks avoid making direct contact with any part but the hitch of your Jeep, which prevents possible damage to its paint. However, these racks may cause trouble when you open the tailgate and access the rear of your Jeep. You can get past this by choosing the bike racks which can fold downwards or swing aside. But, in case you happen to have a spare tire on your Jeep's back, you may not be able to access the tailgate to a considerable extent despite using folding racks.
Roof-mounted racks
These get attached to a roof rack system that features crossbars. Roof-mounted carriers are more suitable for hardtop Jeeps. If required, you can remove your spare, tow a trailer, or open the rear hatch towards stow gear, to fix a roof-mounted rack. However, in any case, you'd need to place your bike above your car, which can prove challenging for tall vehicles like Jeep Wrangler. You can keep a small step ladder to make the task easier. Also, since these roof racks do not contact your Jeep, they are safe when it comes to the car's paint rip-off.
Spare tire-mounted racks
The Spare tire-mounted racks are attached to your Jeep's spare tire, which is placed at its back. Usually, a trunk-mounted rack will fail to correctly fit over your car's spare tire. Whereas a roof-mounted rack does not go with soft top Jeeps.
And you can use a hitch-mounted rack only if your Jeep Wrangler features a hitch and the rack has enough length to clear your spare tire. If these do not go well with your model, go with a spare-mounted rack. Regardless of soft or hardtop, you can use spare tire-mounted carriers to carry your bike on the spare tire.
Safety and security
One of your main concerns while getting a bike rack should be the safety of your Jeep Wrangler. This means the rack must offer some sort of protection against theft. However, if you are sure that you will not leave your car alone with the bikes attached, you can skip this concern. Otherwise, even a quick washroom break can cost you your bike.
The best-case scenario here would be that the bike rack gets locked to your Jeep, while the bike is secured to the rack. A lot many hitch mount racks can get locked to the backside hitch. Plus, several models come with additional safety features like cable attachment points, U-lock, locking front arms, and front fork lockin axle.
Various roof rack brands also make use of the lock-in axle for the front fork. Moreover, you can attach the rack and then the bike to your Jeep by using a cable pulled around the roof crossbars.
Jeep Wrangler truck mounts often feature locking knobs at their attachment point to the Jeep's spare tire. Whereas, some may come with cables to attach and U-lock the bike to the rack or even the spare tire.
Compatibility with your Jeep Wrangler
You now know which bike racks are most suitable for Jeep Wrangler. But, it is important to pinpoint the rack that would go with your specific model
Jeep. Designs of roof crossbars and trunk racks change every year and with different types of Jeep Wrangler
Hitch-mounted racks are usually consistent in their design, but they still show some variation to suit individual Jeep models. Broadly, the bike racks for Jeep Wrangler should fit either a 1.25" hitch receiver or a 2" receiver.
How many bikes you want to carry
Lastly, the number of bikes that you want to carry inside your Jeep Wrangler in a single go also comes to play. Typically, roof racks are adaptable enough to accommodate additional bikes if you have remaining space on crossbars.
At most, you can attach 4 bike rack mounts on your Jeep's roof. But you may find it difficult to attach more than 2 bikes as a result of the difficulty in reaching the roof's middle portion.
On the other hand, trunk carriers and hitch racks can carry only a fixed number of bikes. The most common of these have a 2 or 3 bike limit, though you may be able to find a 4 bike Jeep carrier as well.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the most commonly asked queries regarding bike racks for Jeep Wrangler –
1. Will a bike fit in my Jeep Wrangler?
Generally, you should be able to fit a bike inside your Jeep Wrangler. More specifically, using just 2 doors may prove troublesome while fitting the bike with both its wheels intact. On the other hand, using four doors would allow you to conveniently take your bike in. However, in this case, too, you may have to either remove its front-wheel or place it on the side.
2. Can you put a bike rack on a Jeep?
Yes, you can put a bike rack on your Jeep. The best option for a Jeep Wrangler is a hitch-mounted bike rack, which can be fitted on both soft and hardtop cars.
3. How much weight can a jeep JL hardtop support?
The Jeep JL hardtop will be able to securely support a weight measuring up to 150 pounds. Any weight below that can be easily carried. This is because Jeep Hardtops are crafted using SMC or Sheet Molding Compound. This compound is made using a fiberglass base that has been compressed. This provides the hardtop great strength along with lightweight quality.
4. Can you put a roof rack on Jeep Wrangler?
Even though there is no factory option roof rack available for Jeep Wranglers, you can add one on your own. Doing so will provide you greater flexibility in moving and storing your gear. You can carry a whole lot of things, including luggage, tools, etc.
Final Verdict
If you are an adventure lover or an occasional biker, having a bike rack can make your rides more fun, safe, and convenient. We have picked the best bike racks to go with your Jeep Wrangler. To know the checkpoints for choosing the best suitable bike ride, read through our checklist and FAQs section.
Overall, the A2-Bike Hitch Rack for 1 ¼ inch and 2-inch hitch from Allen Sports is our top choice. This rugged, heavy-duty bike is your go-to partner for wobble-free, and safe bicycle transport. In fact, for added safety, the rack uses individual tie-down cradles for each bike. Plus, it's super easy to install and requires no tool.