Not all of us are fortunate enough to live with biking trails right in our backyard. If you've ever had to load up your bicycle in your car or truck, you are probably familiar with the hassle of attempting to get it to fit. City streets can be dangerous, with dirt shoulders or high-speed limits and no designated bike lanes. For your safety and enjoyment, most cyclists like to leave the city so they can have a safer and more enjoyable ride. For avid cyclists, you'll want to find a wide-open space where you won't be disturbed by people and have open skies and empty trails as far as the eye can see.
If you've already spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a bike, you'll want to preserve and keep it in as good a condition as you can for as long as possible. That means you don't want just to shove it in your car or throw it in your truck bed. Enter the truck bed bike rack!
A truck bed bike rack can protect and stabilize your bicycle on the way to and from your riding destination. A well-designed bike rack protects both your truck and your bicycle from damage as the bike isn't jostled or tangled up in your truck bed.
By securing your bicycle with a bike mount or rack, you can prevent an unsecured bike from flying and hitting someone in a collision. While some people have a cabin roof rack, those can be tricky to lift your bicycle onto, and then you have to be careful of the extra height on top of your vehicle. You also need to be cautious of tree branches knocking your bike off the rack. While a hitch mount doesn't have this problem, it prevents you from opening and closing your truck's tailgate.
Another benefit of bike racks is their versatility. With some racks, you can remove the truck bed racks from your truck and store your bike on the ground or in your garage. This clears up space in your truck bed and lets you leave your bike anywhere.
With a truck bed bike mount, you have the easiest transportation and safest mounting. You won't need to worry about your bicycle being knocked off the top of your car or damaged trailing behind your vehicle. Here at Bikemunk, we will help you find the right truck bike rack for you depending on your budget, kind of truck, type of bicycle, and the number of bikes you're transporting.
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What Kind Of Truck Bed Bike Racks Are There?
Once you've decided to purchase a truck bed bike rack, you'll want to be sure that you purchase one that fits your bicycle and truck's specifications. Some of the bike rack options available include:
- Fork Mount Rack Or Wheel Mount Truck Bed Bike Rack: These are similar to a rooftop bicycle car rack, but with one key difference. These bike racks fit in the bed of your truck. A fork-mounted rack is where your bicycle's front wheel is removed to fit on the rack system. With a wheel mount rack, the wheel stays on your bike. You may need to directly bolt the rack to your truck's bed or install a bolt-on track with both mount styles. One of the main benefits of a fork mount rack or a wheel mount is that they are very secure, and you never have to worry about your bike bouncing or falling out on a bumpy road. This kind of mount system typically fits two or three bikes side by side in your truck bed. Fork Mount racks are also great because even when bolted to your truck, they don't get in the way if you want to put other things in the bed of your truck.
- Tailgate Bike Pads: A tailgate pad bike carrier can quickly be taken on and off of your tailgate and can easily hold multiple bikes, up to seven at a time! To attach it to your truck, you just strap the pad to your tailgate and place the front fork and front tire of your bike over the top of the tailgate, and the rest of the bicycle is secure in your pickup truck bed. The padding will prevent your bicycle from rubbing against the metal and wearing it down or scratching the paint. If you're driving down an incredibly windy road, most of the tailgate bike pads also have velcro straps to hold the fork in place.
Does A Bike Rack Prevent A Bike From Being Stolen?
While a bike rack itself won't prevent a bike from being stolen, a bike lock can safely secure and protect your bicycle. If your truck bike racks don't come with a locking mechanism, make sure to buy an additional lock kit or a strap to tie down your bike.
How Long Does It Take To Install My Bike Rack?
It entirely depends on the kind of truck bed bike rack you buy. Typically though, it only takes a few minutes to install the bike rack since all you need to do is place the bar between the truck bed and put it between the tailgate.
Will A Bike Rack Mount Fit In A Short Bed Truck?
Since a truck bed bike rack is designed for trucks, it can fit in any truck bed type. The only problem you may run into is the length of your bicycle. If you're having issues fitting your bike in your truck bed, you can put the bike in the pickup truck at an angle and keep the front wheel in place. Worst case scenario, you can remove the wheel from your bicycle so it can easily fit in your truck bed.
Best Truck Bed Bike Racks
You'll want to be sure to be aware of a few things before purchasing your truck bed bike rack.
- Weight: Keep an eye out for the weight restrictions on your new bike rack. While most of them can carry one or more road or mountain bikes easily, they may not carry multiple recumbent, cargo, or tandem bikes. So, if you have one of these specialty bikes, make sure you purchase a bike carrier designed for them. One way you can reduce the weight of your bike is by removing the bike's seat and pedals, although this can quickly become a hassle if you do a lot of driving and unloading your bike in a day as you visit different trails. If you need to remove any part of your bike, like the seat or even the bike tire, you can leave it in your truck's bed and tie it down with bungee cords or a rope.
- Wheel size: Most bike racks can easily fit a normal-sized bicycle wheel, but if your wheel is larger than 29 inches, it may not quite fit snugly on your new bike rack.
Here are Bikemunk's Top Choices:
Hollywood Racks T970 Fork Block 1 Bicycle Fork Mount
This cheap and efficient fork mount is the perfect addition to any biking expeditions. You can easily secure this rack to your truck bed, a homemade rack, or any solid surface. Since it comes pre-assembled, it is easy to install. With a heavy-duty design, it can hold one bike in place. But, since it is so cheap, you can easily purchase as many as you need to keep all of your family's bikes in your truck bed and still have it be less expensive than some of the other bike rack models out there. Since it is a fork mount, it grabs your bike by the fork on your bike frame after detaching the front wheel. All in all, this is an excellent and inexpensive option to make sure your bike is always safe and will keep it upright as you travel. |
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Heininger Automotive 2025 Advantage SportsRack
This is the perfect bike rack mount option if you want a wheel mount that can hold multiple bikes. It can haul up to four bicycles, and you don't have to remove any of the wheels. It extends 54.5" to 66.5" without the spacer and 60.5" to 72.5" with the included spacer. Another benefit of this bike rack is the soft padding. This means that it won't scratch the paint on your truck or bike when moving it. The frame can be quickly assembled and locked onto the truck bed with adjustable rubber stabilizers, so it doesn't need to be drilled into the bed. We also like that this rack works as a standalone rack for storing bikes when they're not in your truck. This is an excellent choice for you and your family's cycling adventures! |
Easiest to Use |
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HZYICH 54
This tailgate pad can transport five bikes at a time. It is an ideal purchase if you are looking for a bike rack mount and don't want to mess with screws or drills. It only takes a few minutes to attach it to the tailgate, and you can store it behind your seat or in your garage when you're not using it. It features a hand-dandy tool pocket for any mechanic tools, and the front cover is made of PVC and flannel to prevent any scratching and help with water resistance. With a helpful tailgate access flap, you can open and close your tailgate with ease. To secure the bikes, you simply wrap the heavy-duty webbing and four straps and buckles around the bikes and tailgate, and you are ready to hit the trails. |