Cart:Trailer Hitch Options for Transporting Bikes and Trikes
Posted by Jim Strasma on February 14, 2013
One good option for transporting a recumbent bike or trike is via a hitch rack. This is a metal rack that fastens to the back of a car or truck, plugging into a 1-1/4" or 2" trailer hitch receiver. Some vehicles have this already. Many others can have it added aftermarket, because the weight to be carried for a bike or two is within the limit of most vehicles.
The benefit is that it may be easier to fasten bikes and trikes to a hitch rack than to fit them inside the vehicle. The trailer hitch may also protect the car better than trunk mount racks.
Such trailer racks come in several flavors:
1) To hold one or more two wheel recumbent bikes, The bike(s) can be held either by the top tube, or by wheel holders.
2) to hold one or more three wheel recumbent trikes via wheel holders.
3) to hold one of each - both a two wheel bike and a three wheel trike.
On your left as you enter the front door here, you'll notice a $370 Hollywood SportRider HEAVY DUTY recumbent two bike rack set up to hold either one or two such bikes by their wheels.
It is also available along with a trike adapter for $460 total, to instead hold a three wheel trike alone or along with a two wheel bike.
Currently, we also have two used racks for two wheel bikes for sale on consignment.
One is a $200 custom rack designed to have the front wheel of one or two bikes held by a clamp in place of the front axle, and the rear wheel held by a wheel holder.
The other is a $300 SportWorks rack designed to hold one such bike, both by the wheels and by two .padded clamps around the frame.
