Summary
We put together a list of Our Top 3 Truck Bed Bike Racks to help you transport bicycles as easily as possible without damaging your truck.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Many people opt for a good mountain biking experience when they go on a vacation. But if they live too far away, they will have to find the easiest way to bring their bikes to the mountain. And this often includes packing everything in a truck, including each family member’s bike. There are numerous ways to attach a bike to a truck, but the most secure way is to invest in a bed bike rack. These racks are designed to keep the bikes inside the trunk. This way, you won’t have to worry about how well they’re tightened as no one wants a surprise in the middle of the highway.
Product | Athletico | MNJ Motor | SPORTOURO |
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Description | The Athletico Truck Bed Bike Rack is high-end quality and comes in two different sizes, one can fit 5 bikes while the other can fit 6. It’s quite durable and can keep your bikes secure for longer drives.(Check price at Amazon) | The MNJ Motor Truck Bed Bike Rack is just as good as our first pick, but you might need a bigger truck if you want to use all 6 bike slots. It’s made of very durable materials and can stand the test of time.(Check price at Amazon) | The SPORTOURO Truck Bed Bike Rack is very good as well and it can support up to 5 bikes, making it good for pretty much any truck. It does an excellent job at protecting your bike and your tailgate from getting any scratches.(Check price at Amazon) |
The price of a truck bed bike rack can vary from around $50 to $250. It depends on the material it’s made of and how many bikes it can safely support. The average price of a decent model is $100 and you can find racks that can support up to 5-6 bikes.
This is very helpful when you want to take your entire family on a mountain biking afternoon. A good truck bed bike rack should be able to support at least 4 adult, mountain bikes.
Attaching your bike to the rear side of your vehicle can save a lot of space but it’s not the best way to transport a bike. This is because some cheaper models tend to let loose over the journey and some might even fail entirely after a day of driving on a challenging road.
Placing your bike on the roof only works if you don’t have many bikes to transport and your car can take it. Mountain bikes tend to be much heavier and bigger than road bikes. A truck bed bike rack will keep it secure throughout the entire ride.
Best Truck Bed Bike Rack – How to Choose
Before buying the first truck bed bike rack you see, you need to take a few things into consideration. This will ensure that you will get exactly what you need. It’s very important to make sure the rack can support as many bikes as you have. You should be able to easily find models that support 4 adult mountain bikes, or 2 adult and 3 children’s mountain bikes.
And you don’t have to worry if you have a shorter trunk as the front wheels will be on the outside of the trunk. This will allow you to fit a few bags with necessities as well and you won’t have to squeeze them on your lap. These racks are designed to keep your bikes secure while also making sure your truck won’t get scratched.
The number of straps the rack has indicates how many bikes it can support. Make sure these straps are high-end quality and are easy to adjust, but very hard to let loose on their own. This will help keep the bikes safe when you drive on bumpy roads. And to ensure that the rack remains in place throughout the whole ride, look for models that have weights on them as well. Five pounds on one side and another five on the other side is all you need.
You should always make sure the rack is waterproof, or at least highly resistant to water. It should also be easy to wash with a hose as it will get very muddy when you load your bikes after a day of mountain biking. The stitching is also something you should keep a close eye on. It needs to be very durable and wear-resistant.
In this article, we’ll talk about Our Top 3 Best Truck Bed Bike Rack.
Best Truck Bed Bike Rack – Comparison Table
Product Name | Athletico | MNJ Motor | SPORTOURO |
Image | | | |
Easy to Mount | Yes | Yes | Yes |
High-Quality Construction | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Tool Pockets | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Opening for Tailgate Handle | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Waterproof | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Dustproof | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Bike Capacity | 5-6 | 6 | 5 |
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1 Athletico Tailgate Pad for Bikes
Best Truck Bed Bike Rack Description
The Athletico Tailgate Pad for Bikes is made to support your bikes when you’re transporting them around. This pad is made of high-end quality materials to ensure that your bike will remain secure throughout the entire journey. More than that, the good quality also makes sure the tailgate is protected against scratches.
For installation, all you need is the included strap that needs to be mounted on the tailgate. After that, test the pad by pulling it in all directions to ensure it will remain in place even when driving on bumpy roads. Proper installation is very important when it comes to securing multiple bikes at once.
You can find this pad in two sizes. The small one is 54 inches wide and is great for mid-size trucks. It can support up to 5 different mountain bikes at once. If you have a large truck, you can opt for the large pad that is 62 inches wide and can support 6 bikes at once.
The pad is made with a thick foam that is covered with heavy-duty vinyl on the outside. The underside has a lush felt to protect the paint on your truck from scratches. This pad covers the entire tailgate, which ensures 100% protection. It’s also easy to put on and take off.
With the large front opening, you will be able to get to the tailgate handle without taking the whole pad off. It’s also great if you have a backup camera on your truck. And with the included 2in webbing anchor on each end, you will also be able to secure larger items, such as surfboards or snowboards.
This pad also comes with a large concealed pocket that is excellent for storing necessary tools. This includes items for surfing or racing.
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Pros
- Easy to Install
- High-End Quality Materials
- Covered With Heavy-Duty Vinyl
- Available in Small and Large Sizes
- Designed With a Large, Concealed Tool Pocket
- Offers a Large Opening For the Tailgate Handle
- Holds the Bikes Secure and Protects Truck Paint
Cons
- None
2 MNJ Motor Tailgate Bike Rack
Description
The MNJ Motor Tailgate Bike Rack offers an easy way to transport bikes without damaging your vehicle in any way. It fits up to 6 bikes and the straps are made of high-end quality materials. This will ensure that the bicycles will remain in place throughout the entire drive. If you have a smaller truck and bigger mountain bikes, you might only be able to fit around 4 bikes at once. This pad is better suited for larger trucks.
Thanks to the sturdy PVC outer layer material ensures that your truck paint won’t get scratched no matter how big the bike is, even on bumpy roads. More than that, the inner layer material is soft flannelette, which acts as a cushion to the bikes. The pad is waterproof, wear-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. Its thick filler helps a lot in protecting both the bikes and the truck.
Besides the bike slots, the pad also comes with two enlarged pockets. You can use them to store tools and other necessities. This includes surfing accessories, racing gloves, a small first-aid kit, etc. The pad offers double closure of the magic sticker and it also has a zipper. When driving on gravel and challenging roads, the tools will remain inside the pockets.
The installation process is quite simple as all you have to do is place the pad on the tailgate and secure it with the included straps. And you don’t have to worry about not being able to open the tailgate. The pad features a detachable window around the door handle so you can easily open or close the tailgate. It also works great if you have a backup camera.
The size of the pad is 62 inches in length, 7 inches in width, and 20 inches in height.
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Pros
- Easy to Install
- Wear-Resistant
- Corrosion-Resistant
- High-End Quality Materials
- Two Enlarged Tool Pockets
- Outer Layer Made of Sturdy PVC Material
- Great at Protecting the Bikes and Truck Paint
Cons
- Better suited for larger pickup trucks.
3 SPORTOURO Truck Bike Tailgate Pad
Description
The SPORTOURO Truck Bike Tailgate Pad allows you to convert your tailgate into a bike rack without risking scratching the paint. It can support up to 5 bikes, which makes it great for most trucks, including mid-size models. The main job of this pad is to keep your bikes secure while you’re transporting them. Having a steel rack attached to the tailgate can scratch the paint very badly, especially if the bikes are not properly secured.
Thanks to the high-quality materials, this pad is very durable and can support multiple bikes even when driving on challenging terrain. The material is PVC and waterproof on the outside. On the other hand, the interior has plush flannelette inner padding. This will keep the bikes from getting damaged when driving through bumps. It will also protect the tailgate in the long run.
You will also benefit from two roomy pockets that come with double-closure features. Their job is to keep numerous tools and accessories that you might need once you get to your destination. Each pocket closes with a hook and loop tape and with a lockable zipper. The zipper is secured in place by a bonus combination lock to prevent stealing.
When it comes to installing the pad, you should be able to do it within a few minutes. It’s easy to mount and take down. You’ll need to fasten or loosen 3 ultra-wide straps and you’re good to go. The straps have angled ends and are elastic, which will keep them tidy and not flapping around.
You will also be able to continue to use your backup camera as the pad comes with a specially designed fast buckle opening. More than that, it also features industrial eyelets, which allows cable-lock to prevent stealing as well.
Pros
- Easy to Mount
- High-Quality Design
- Supports up to 5 Bikes
- Made of PVC Materials
- Waterproof and Dustproof
- Features Two Deep and Roomy Pockets
Cons
- None
Conclusion
Truck bed bike racks are a great way of transporting a bike without much effort. They don’t require you to disassemble the bike, place it on the roof, attach it to the tailgate and risk scratches, etc. All you have to do is place it inside your trunk and secure it with the help of the tailgate rack. The models on this list can be used by families or groups of friends that want to enjoy biking somewhere out of town. If your favorite cycling area is too far to get to by cycling, taking all of your bikes there with a truck is the easiest way to get there.
