Having a bike rack is always good as a cyclist for the carrying and organizing needs of your one or more bikes. There are a lot of different companies manufacturing several models of bike racks in the market.
Although, finding the right one will be a difficult process, especially if you are a beginner in bike riding. And the question of how much do bike racks cost is also another problem that most bikers face.
To find out the price of a rack, you need to know the kind of rack you are looking for. You need to get different types of racks for different needs. If you are looking for a specific price range for a bike rack, there are racks available from $25.
For making more sense of all this information about the price of a bike rack, we need to look a little deeper. Before anything else, you need to get an idea about different types of racks and their uses.
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Trunk-Mount Bike Racks
If you are looking for a cheap bike rack for your car or SUV, a trunk-mount rack is a way to go. A trunk-mount rack can be mounted on the trunk door of your carrier vehicle, as the name says.
Different types of these racks are also available, and they are also classified into premium and cheap models. So, that means you need an excellent understanding of your bikes and the rack you needed.
Besides, all other attributes come after the type of vehicle you use to carry the bikes and its ability to do so. For example, trunk mounts are rack models that can be mounted onto the trunk door of your car.
If you need a cheaper trunk bike rack model, you can find one from a starting range of $25. Or you can go for a premium model that will hold up for more time and are expensive up to the point of $200-250.
These price differences come with several advantages and compromises, and it is the same case with all rack models.
Hitch Bike Racks
Here is another bike rack that can hold your bikes alongside wherever you go in your vehicle. A hitch mount bike rack is for being attached to the hitch receiver of your car. Most of the 4 x 4 model cars nowadays come with a hitch receiver.
You can attach a hitch receiver if the car you are using can do the job effectively. All other facts aside, it also comes in budget-based and expensive premium models when it comes to the price of hitch bike racks.
A commonly estimated range of the price point for a hitch bike rack is from $70 on the cheaper models. And the expensive models may go up to $1000. However, the price range differs because of many factors like materials, capacity, etc.
The different models of hitch bike racks are the hanging model and the platform model. A hanging model hitch bike rack is the kind of rack that holds your bikes on one or two arms.
From both these models, a platform model rack is pricier than a hanging model. It is because of the platform it offers for a safer locking of the bike on the rack.
Read our detailed guide on the best hitch bike racks if you’re looking for it.
Roof Mount Bike Racks
Usually, roof mount bike racks come with slots for one bike that you can get according to how many bikes you have. This rack model is used on cars and SUVs that do not have the options or difficulties using the above-mentioned racks.
A roof rack is available as frame-mount and fork-mount models. You need to remove the front wheels from the frame to use the fork-mount roof rack. If you have a crossbar system on top of your car, it is straightforward to attach a roof rack to it.
The price range of a roof rack can come between $60 and $400 for a budget-level model. But this can go up to $900 for a premium model with more padding and a secure locking system, etc.
Beyond all, there are other kinds of roof racks also available. That can be attached to the top of the car even if you do not have a crossbar. Vacuum cups are used for the attaching point in those kinds of racks.
Do you know why roof racks are expensive enough? Check out this article to know more.
Spare Tire Bike Racks
Spare tire racks are the ones used when there is no chance for any other racks on a vehicle. These are mostly used for SUVs with a spare tire mounted on the back of the vehicle.
The bike will be hanging on the arms of the rack. Most of the spare tire racks come with a compact design that can be stored anywhere. The price range for a spare tire rack differs with the design, material, etc.
If you are looking for a number figure for the price, you can get one from a starting amount of $30 up to $400.
Bike Organizing Racks
This is another section of racks that are completely different from those used for carrying bikes from one point to another. A bike rack can be used inside the house or the garage to keep all your bikes organized.
Through this, you can save a lot of space anywhere in your garage, home, office, apartment, etc. You can select a rack for this kind of purpose according to the need and the space you are using it.
Besides, it differs according to the model regarding the price range for an organizer bike rack. However, you can get these racks at a very cheap and affordable price range. And they are not used for transportation, so there is no need to worry about the built quality.
You can get a garage rack for yourself for a very affordable range of $7 up to $400. However, remember that the price difference is not the same for different models of the racks.
DIY Bike Racks
Here is another kind of rack that you can make yourself if you have materials lying around your home. If you don’t want to spend more money on a rack to organize and store your bike in your home. Then this is the one for you.
You can even get the materials from scrap stores and home depots for a meager price tag and build a rack yourself. The big advantage of a DIY rack is the low price and reliability.
The person who needs the rack can choose the design according to their needs with the rack. Thus, it is possible to build a high-quality DIY rack for $20 even if you do not have materials lying around.
Conclusion
Now, you got an idea about the different racks and the estimated price ranges they all come with. Still, you need to do researches according to your preferences before confirming a specific model.
Especially when you are buying a rack online, you need to make sure about the quality. Besides, never buy a product from the first site you see it. Do some surfing through other sites too. So you might find the same product at a meager cost as the first site you saw it.
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