Best bike racks 2025 – the best tow-bar solutions to carry your bike

The benefits of cycling are well documented, but sometimes the ideal riding spot may be too far to reach using pedal power alone. That means a way of transporting you and your bike becomes a necessity. 

There are a few ways to do this, each with their pros and cons. Roof mounted carriers require strength and balance to get your bike onto the roof, and rear hatch-mounted racks can obscure the view from the rear window. However, if you have a tow-bar fitted to your car, then a tow-bar mounted carrier can offer an excellent combination of ease of use, convenience and carrying capability. 

I speak from experience when I say that these tow-bar mounted racks can be the best, so we’ve assembled a selection of products, across a range of budgets, to see which will suit your needs best. 

Four are the platform-type that extend flat from the towbar and the bike wheels sit on the racks directly, and we’ve included one which, although still mounting on the towbar, sits higher up with the bikes hanging down. 

So with the racks assembled, we wheeled the bikes out of the garage and set about fitting them to the racks to see which work the best and which offer the best value for money.

The products or services referenced in this story have been reviewed independently by our experts. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. However, this will never influence our opinion or ratings.

Best cycle rack – Buzz Rack Scorpion Pro 2
Best quality cycle rack – Thule Epos 2

Best cycle racks 2025

1. Buzz Rack Scorpion 2 (No. 642) – Best cycle rack 

What Car? rating - 5/5

Pros

- Wheels for transport
- Ramps for loading
- Excellent tilting mechanism

Cons

- Feels heavy
- Some assembly required

Initial impressions on removing the Buzz Rack from the box were very good; high-quality materials and excellent build quality, with wheels that make it easy to move around and position beside the car’s towbar. Some initial assembly was needed to install some brackets, straps, and the numberplate rack – which can also be removed when folded. 

The wheels are useful, because the rack is weighty; lifting it into the boot of our Volvo XC90 test car was a task and even when folded, it took up a decent chunk of cargo space. However, that it can fit in the boot at all is an excellent security feature because you don't have to leave it mounted to the car while you’re off riding. 

Fitting to the car is easy; you roll it up to the towbar and lift it onto the ball. The towball receiver is easy to fit and once on, you simply push the handle down to lock it into place. The tension on the locking mechanism is adjustable to ensure the right clamping force on the towball. When in position, you connect the 13-pin plug for the integrated lights, although you may need an adaptor if your car has an older 7-pin socket. 

Once unfolded, it forms a wide and stable platform with the two sides locking into position; a knob on each side releases the two halves again to fold it, so it cannot fold inadvertently. It has a pair of full-width tyre channels which, along with the included aluminium ramps, make loading bikes easy; an excellent feature considering the rack’s ability to house normal bikes or heavier e-bikes. This is particularly useful for riders who may not be strong enough to lift a 30kg bike onto the rack. 

The central post houses the bike-frame retention clamps as well as a locking mechanism to secure a strong steel cable; the rack locks on to the car, the frame clamps lock to the bike, and the cable prevents the whole lot being targeted. The frame that houses the two frame-clamp arms can be removed from the post and turned through 90deg if needed, to make the whole rack more compact for storage. This myriad adjustability allows it to clamp firmly onto the bikes’ frames. 

There are three wheel-retention straps with quick-release ratchet fasteners; one for the rear wheel and two on the front, including one to prevent wheel wobble. With our two test bikes mounted and fixed to the frame, it was very stable which provided lots of confidence. 

Tilting the rack backwards and away from the vehicle is easy; you release the red locking handle and pull it back, then tip the bikes away from the car. They fold out to around 75deg from the vertical position, which is easily enough to allow the split tailgate on our Volvo XC90 to open perfectly for full access to the boot. The rack then flips back up and locks in place with a solid closure. However, the website states that some vehicles, with vertical tailgates such as vans or some MPVs, may not be able to open their tailgates. 

Tester’s insight
“This is a very impressive piece of kit, and the designers have really thought about it. Its folding system is very good and I found that if you remove and turn the central upright section, it takes even less room in the car.”

Buy it if

- You have limited strength
- You have very heavy bikes or e-bikes

Don't buy it if

- You want the lightest rack
- You have a vehicle with a vertical tailgate

The facts

2. Thule Epos 2 (model no 978200) - best quality cycle rack

What Car? rating - 5/5

Pros

- Superb quality
- Lowest weight
- Easy bike fitting

Cons

- High force to clamp to towball
- Huge price

The Epos is the flagship range from Swedish brand Thule (pronounced ‘two-lee’) and comes with a flagship price tag. It requires no assembly; just fit your third numberplate and you're ready to load up and hit the trails. 

It’s very compact when folded and, with its aluminium construction, is surprisingly light. It oozes quality, from the satin aluminium construction to the integrated LED lights, and it fits easily and quickly onto the car’s towbar. 

However, getting the locking lever into place is no mean feat; the tension on the lever is adjustable to achieve the correct clamping force on the towball, but even with this wound to the minimum setting, it still took a surprising amount of force to get the lever to close. This means it may be a handful – or too much – for those with limited mobility or strength. 

Once on, its easy-to-use design is immediately apparent. The two halves of the platform fold out easily to reveal a flat area with two flip-up telescopic upright arms with clamps to mount to the bikes’ frame. You load one bike and then lift the arm to secure the frame then the tyres. The clamps on the end of the arms feature steel-cored plastic straps and a ratchet mechanism to hold the frame securely. When not in use, the head rotates and the strap is held against the upright pole out of the way. 

Each bike is secured by two semi-rigid plastic wheel straps joining to a ratcheting clip to ensure a good fit. We had to fit the two bikes in the opposite orientation to the other racks to get an easy fit with the upright frame clamps – not an issue and meant the bikes were held securely and the unit was exceptionally stable once loaded. 

The tilting mechanism is excellent: a foot pedal releases the platform which tilts easily away from the car and allowed both parts of our XC90’s split tailgate to open for full access. However, it didn’t seem to tilt as far back as some of others here, so it may not be suitable for vehicles with a vertically hinged tailgate. 

Security is excellent, with a lock in the towball mount and one in each of the bike-frame clamps. The steel core in the plastic straps should resist attack, too. A locking cable is available as an option (£69.99), and loading ramps are £59.99. 

Tester’s insight
“The quality is excellent and it is so easy to use. I found it light yet easy to fit and load, and liked that it will house a pair of e-bikes and even though there are no ramps included, the fold-up arms make loading and positioning simple.”

Buy it if

- Money is no object
- You want the best quality available

Don't buy it if

- You are on a budget
- You don't – or won't – own e-bikes

The facts

3. Atera Genio Pro Advanced (No. 022780)

What Car? rating - 4/5

Pros

- Excellent folding mechanism
- Superb quality
- Easy fit to the car

Cons

- Heavy
- Tricky bike fixing
- Clamps didn’t secure enough

The Atera Genio Pro is ready to go straight from the box; you simply fit, unfold it and go. Quality appears very good and it’s easy to carry, if a little heavy, although lifting it onto the car’s towball is easy because you can get close to the car and alongside the rack. Once in place on the towball, you close the lever down to lock it into place and unfold the two halves of the platform. 

The folding mechanism is interesting – in the folded position, the two bottom faces of the platforms fold to the inside, containing dirt and debris if you store it in the boot while you're out riding. The numberplate bracket folds in and out automatically in a smooth and well-designed fashion, while the platforms lock and unlock with foot-operated pedals.

Once fitted to the car and opened out, the main upright that secures the frames of the bikes is located in the most forward position against the car. This means that it’s easy to load two bikes onto the rack – handy for heavier bikes or e-bikes and for those with limited strength. 

However, we discovered this poses a potential bit of extra work: depending on your bike’s design, you may have to remove the longer of the two arms once the first bike is secured and reposition it through the first bike. However, the arms can easily be removed from the upright and refitted once you get them in the right position. 

The clamps use rubberised curved mounts and a ratchet strap to pull the bike into the mount while protecting the paintwork – like the Thule. It's a nice idea but can be fiddly in practice. The plastic straps have a steel core for increased security and the body of each of the two clamps has a ratchet to pull the straps in tight. However, we found one failed to pull the strap all the way through initially, and when it did, it wouldn’t tighten the strap fully. 

There are two semi-plastic ratchet straps for each bikes’ wheel which ratchet to tighten them into the channels, and are more effective than the clamps. The release lever is easier to activate and there are clips to house each of the straps when the rack is not in use. 

The rack secures easily onto the car using a lock built into the towball latch, and each of the bike-frame clamps has a lock built-in to the ratcheting lever, so it can't be released when locked. The Atera is very easy to tilt; simply step on the footpad at the rear of the rack and gently tip it backwards. It tilts almost flat which, the company says, allows vertical tailgates, such as found on Volkswagen Transporter and Mercedes Vito models, to open their rear doors. 

Tester’s insight
“The Atera is very nice quality, superbly made and I found the folding mechanism to keep any road dirt away from the interior of the car was a masterpiece.”  

Buy it if

- You appreciate the build quality
- You want to keep inside the car clean when carrying it in the boot

Don't buy it if 

- You want the easiest bike securing
- You want a lightweight option

The facts

4. Halfords Advanced Towbar-mounted Bike Rack (337846)

What Car? rating - 3/5

Pros

- Basic but effective
- Renowned brand

Cons

- Almost-total assembly required
- Overpriced
- Basic tilting mechanism

The Halfords Advanced bike rack comes in a surprisingly small package – but this means it requires building almost completely from scratch.

It’s not particularly difficult but does require some mechanical aptitude to get it right the first time. It has a basic feel to it, with sections of bent box-section metal, cheap plastics and what appear to be the lights you'd find on an inexpensive trailer lighting board. 

But while it's basic, it works, if lacking some of the neat design touches shown by others here. When ‘folded’, the central upright sits flat on the same level as the bike platforms, thanks to a pair of cam-lock bolts on the side, which help to keep it rigid and upright when in use. But the platforms don’t fold, so it took up most of the boot of our test XC90. 

Fitting it to the car means releasing the towball receiver unit so the four sections drop down, lifting the full-size rack up and dropping it onto the towball. This can be tricky if the receiver isn't fully disengaged, meaning you’ll need to lift it off and try again. Once the receiver is over the ball, you have to wiggle the whole rack around and pull the handle to engage the thread so you can tighten it on the ball. 

Having done that, you then need to tighten a hefty pinch bolt to ensure the rack won’t rotate on the ball. It's all a bit of a faff, and may be beyond the scope of those with reduced strength or mobility. You also have to do it perched between the rack and the car, since it doesn't fold.

Once the rack is fitted, you raise the central upright, clamp it into place and load up. This isn’t particularly difficult, but you have to lift the bikes onto the rack either side of the upright – unless you fold it down for loading the first bike. The tyre channels run across the full width so once one wheel is on, it’s relatively straightforward to get it in the right place to secure to the rack. 

The central upright has two frame arms, each with a locking hand knob, and these articulate well to a variety of positions to fit to each of the bikes’ frames. Straps through each wheel keep the bikes secure, and stability is quite good.

The tilting mechanism is basic but effective; release the platform section and once the knob and threaded bar are flipped away from the locking bracket, the rack could be tilted backwards to allow full access to the XC90’s boot. However, there’s the potential for it to get grubby and you have to reach through the rack or in from the side to get to it. The hand knob to release the tilting mechanism is covered with a bright red cover – presumably as a reminder to close it tightly by hand once the rack is tilted back up again. 

Security is provided by a lock in the main hand knob that tightens the rack onto the towball as well as a lock in each of the frame clamps. The Halfords is also the only rack here that comes with a 7-pin electrical plug, so an adapter may be needed for more modern cars with 13-pin electrics. 

Tester’s insight
“This is a basic unit that works, albeit not as slick or well thought-out as some of the others here. It’s effective; just too expensive for what it is.”

Buy it if

- You want a basic rack that works
- Space isn't an issue for you

Don't buy it if

- You don't want to build it from almost scratch
- You want a rack that fits easily and quickly

The facts

5. Thule Xpress (TH9700)

What Car? rating - 2/5

Pros

- Inexpensive
- Compact
- Quick to mount

Cons

- Very unstable
- Poor visibility from car
- Additional parts required

While most of the racks here are the platform type, with the wheels sitting on the mounting platform and uprights keeping them stable, we decided to include one hanging type of rack, to see how they compare generally. We chose one from the Thule range, so the quality would be as good as you are going to find in this type of rack. 

It clamps to the towball with a pair of circular rings that are forced on to the ball by expanding the top section. You push down on the central link to apply the necessary force to the towball and it locks in place to prevent it from coming undone. The idea is that once on, you flip up the arms and hang your bikes from them, with the bike’s cross-bar sitting in each of the mounts and a strap preventing the front wheels from flapping as you drive. 

It’s very compact when folded – the smallest here – and it is very light, but fitting it to the car was hard work and it almost defeated our tester. Even then, it would only mate with the towball in one position, close to the Volvo’s tailgate, preventing us from mounting a bike on the innermost of the two positions without damaging the car. So in effect, it became a single bike carrier. 

It also transpired that it would not hold a mountain bike straight away because the mounts on the two arms with rubber straps that go over the top of the bike to secure it to the rack won't accommodate the thick headstock/frame junctions of any of our four mountain bikes. The rear mount worked with two bikes without rear suspension, but the others would require an additional bar to fit between the handlebar rider and the seat stem, providing a flat cross bar. 

By the time you have added the two additional frame-holder bars necessary to fit two mountain bikes (assuming they are lighter than the very low maximum weight) as well as a light board as two bikes would at least partially obscure your rear lights, the cost has more than doubled. 

Even when we jury-rigged one bike on the rack to assess its stability, it was quite unstable and not particularly reassuring. And once fitted, it will not tilt to allow access to the car’s boot. 

Tester’s insight

“This Thule rack It was incredibly difficult to fit – I almost gave up, eventually putting almost all my 85kg weight onto it. Anyone with reduced strength would not stand a chance. The low score is reflective of the fundamental concept in comparison to the platform-style of racks, not the Thule product.”

Buy it if

- You are on a very tight budget
- You have lightweight, traditional-framed bikes

Don't buy it if

- You don't have high strength
- You want the most stable offering

The facts

How we tested bike racks

We assembled and fitted the racks to a 2010 Volvo XC90 and loaded each rack with a Muddy Fox mountain bike (26in wheels, 17.5kg) and a Carrera mountain bike (27.5in wheels, 13kg) according to the instructions. We assessed the fit, quality and stability of the unit with the two bikes mounted. 

We also tilted the loaded rack to see whether the split tailgate of the Volvo could be opened and the relevant boot and cargo area accessed. 

Finally, we removed the bikes, folded the rack according to the instructions and stowed it in the Volvo’s boot to assess how easy it was to use. 

How we rate bike racks

Quality - This was a subjective assessment of the materials used in construction, the construction methods, the fasteners used and the overall design.

Ease of use - How easy was the rack to remove from the garage, assemble and fit to the vehicle? How easy was it to fit the bikes to the rack once it was installed on the vehicle? Was removal and folding a straightforward process? How easy was it to lock the rack to the vehicle?

Stability - How secure and stable was the rack with the two bikes fitted to it? Did stability and security change during the test drive? 

Tilting - Did the rack tilt far enough to allow access to the Volvo’s split tailgate/boot?

How to choose a bike carrier

Before you even start to consider how many bikes and what kind you are likely to want to carry, you need to establish the weight capacity of your towbar. Most will be at least 90kg or so, since this is typical of the noseweight of a correctly-loaded caravan, for example but it is worth checking, as this could ultimately limit what bikes you can carry. 

Once you have established this, you’ll need to choose a rack to suit your bikes. Modern electric bikes are larger and heavier than their non-electric counterparts, so if you own – or are likely to own in the future – an electric bike, make sure that the rack you buy is compatible. This means they’ll cope with the greater weight dimensions and wheelbase of an e-bike. 

This will also have an effect on the type of rack you choose. Racks that mount the bikes higher up, such as the Thule Express, tend to be cheaper but also have lower carrying capacities. They also prevent access to the boot when they are fitted and, as we have seen, may not be as stable as a platform-style rack. 

Platform-style racks tend to have greater weight capacities and inherent stability, as the bikes are mounted by their wheels, secured by their frames and have more fixing points. Many tilt, so you can access the vehicle’s boot without having to remove the bikes, which is very useful if you need to stop on the way to your cycling destination. 

Also decide how many bikes you want to carry at once. We tested carriers capable of accepting two bikes but each are available in larger variants, some capable of carrying up to four bikes. However, bear in mind that racks capable of carrying more than two e-bikes are uncommon.

A rack that can fold is useful, particularly when you want to remove it while you’re off cycling and store it safely within the vehicle. 

For racks that include extended lights to replicate the vehicle indicators, driving lights and brake lights, make sure you have the appropriate connector. Many modern racks will come with 13-pin electrics but if your vehicle has the older, 7-pin electrics, you may need an adapter if it doesn't come included with the rack itself.

You’ll also need a separate number plate to fit to platform racks, as the bikes will obscure the vehicle’s lights. If you choose a hanging rack, you may also need a lightboard to replicate the vehicle’s rear lights. Remember, if you are buying an extra numberplate, you’ll need your vehicle’s V5 document and your driving licence for ID. 

Also clean any grease off your towbar; most modern caravan hitches don't require grease, but even a coating of light oil can affect the grip a rack can generate. A proprietary brake cleaning spray will remove any residue.

Finally, when the rack and cycles are fitted to the vehicle, remember they are there. You don't need to drive extra slowly, but remember the additional overhang at the back of the vehicle. You should stop a few moments after setting off to double-check everything – the hitch fitting, tyres straps and overall securing straps – are all still tight and haven't moved.

Now enjoy your ride. 

How we test products

The products or services referenced in this story have been reviewed independently by our experts. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. However, this will never influence our opinion or ratings.

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