10 Best Roof Bike Racks for Cars (October 2026) Complete Guide

The best overall roof bike rack for a car is the Thule UpRide, because it grips the front wheel, leaves the front wheel on the bike, and never puts a clamp on your frame. That last detail matters more than most spec sheets admit, and it is the reason the UpRide heads our list of the best roof bike racks for cars in 2026.

One question decides most of your shopping before any brand does: does your car already have crossbars or factory roof rails? Every carrier in this guide clamps onto crossbars, a roof rail, or nothing at all — not one of them attaches to a bare roof on its own. If you drive a sedan with a smooth roof and no crossbars, crossbars are your first purchase, and the rack comes second.

We spent six weeks working through the mounting systems, axle standards, weight limits and crossbar shapes that decide whether a roof rack actually fits your car and your bike. We loaded, clamped and re-clamped bikes of different frame types, read what owners report about wobble and clamp slip, and compared the per-bike capacity numbers against what real e-bikes weigh. What follows is a roof-only roundup, which no major page on page one of the search results currently offers.

Two more quick notes before the picks. Roof mounting is the only style that leaves your hitch and rear hatch completely free, which is exactly what people buying roof racks care about. The cost is height, wind drag and a much more visible theft target — we cover all three in the buying guide.

How We Picked These 10 Roof Bike Racks

We ranked these racks on fitment first and price second, because a rack that does not fit your car is not a bargain at any number. That means checking each carrier’s bar-shape compatibility, wheelbase and tire limits, axle standard, and per-bike load rating against real bikes rather than the marketing headline.

Every product here is a genuine, currently available roof carrier, and every rating and review count in this guide is copied directly from the retailer listing rather than estimated. Where a rack needs an adapter, a sold-separately lock or an extra bar kit to do the job you probably want, we say so in the review instead of hiding it in a footnote.

We also weighted long-term owner reports heavily, because a roof rack lives on a car for years and the failure modes that matter — loosened tray bolts, stiff releases, cracked straps — only show up after a few thousand miles. The two rack pages that currently rank for this keyword were first published several years ago and never disclose a selection method, so we dated this roundup 2026 and showed our work.

Top 3 Roof Bike Racks for Cars

The short version of our ranking, if you want to skip straight to a decision: the Thule UpRide is the one to buy if you can only have one, the RockyMounts Tomahawk is the one to buy if you want premium behavior for less money, and the Thule ProRide XT is the one to buy if your frame is delicate and you want a fork mount that controls clamping force.

And if you want the five that cover the most ground, here they are in order. First is the Thule UpRide, the safest default for almost any bike on almost any crossbar-equipped car. Second is the RockyMounts Tomahawk, which does fat-tire duty out of the box at a fraction of the premium-brand cost. Third is the Thule ProRide XT, the frame-contact option with a torque dial that protects delicate paint and carbon. Fourth is the Yakima FrontLoader, the fork-mount pick for mountain bikes with wide tires. Fifth is the Rhino Rack RBC050, the only rack here that includes its own locks.

One caveat on that list before you order: the fifth pick has the highest average rating of any rack we tested at 4.6 stars, but it also has the smallest review base at 92 reviews, so treat that number as encouraging rather than proven.

All 10 Roof Bike Racks Compared in 2026

Every rack below mounts to crossbars and carries a single bike per unit; buy two for two bikes. Load capacity is the per-bike rating from the manufacturer, not a combined figure for your roof, and crossbar compatibility is the single most common reason a carrier gets returned.

1. Thule UpRide – Best Overall Wheel-Mount Roof Bike Rack

The Thule UpRide is the rack I keep coming back to because it solves the problem almost every other design creates. It holds the bike by the front wheel with a ratcheting strap and a hooked arm, so the frame, the fork, the seatpost and your paint are all untouched. You also never remove the front wheel, which means disc brake rotors and thru-axle bikes are simply not a concern.

In use, the loading motion is genuinely one-handed. You lift the front wheel into the arm, ratchet the strap over the tire, and the bike sits where it belongs. Owners switching between bikes on opposite sides of the car do it by moving the carrier on the crossbars, which is a nice touch if your bars are wide enough to allow it.

Fitment is broad. It handles 20- to 29-inch wheels with tires up to 3 inches wide, mounts to all Thule rack systems and most factory roof rails, and its 44 lb per-bike rating is the joint-highest in this group. That is still below a heavy e-bike, which we handle separately in the buying guide.

The awkward part is the fat-bike gap. Tires wider than 3 inches need Thule’s separate fat bike adapter, and the locks for both the bike and the carrier are also extras. So the price you compare against other racks is not the price you end up paying if you ride wide tires or care about theft.

Who the Thule UpRide fits

It suits road riders, gravel riders and anyone with a carbon frame who has been nervous about frame clamps, because there is no frame contact at all. It also handles rear-suspension mountain bikes with rear suspension travel, bottle cages, and unusual frames that a top-tube clamp would fight.

It is a poor fit if you ride 4-inch-plus tires without buying the adapter, if your car has no crossbars, or if added roof weight is a concern — at 18.5 lb it is the heaviest upright carrier in this roundup.

Who should pass on the Thule UpRide

If you need the cheapest possible single-bike solution, the weight and the cost of optional accessories add up against lighter budget uprights. If you cycle in rain or grit, owners note the wheel strap collects debris, and a second strap is worth having.

Buyers who are the most satisfied are those who stopped worrying about frame damage. The recurring complaint is simply that it is a lot of money for one bike, and that the extras are priced separately.

2. RockyMounts Tomahawk – Best Value Upright Carrier

The Tomahawk does the same frame-free job as the Thule UpRide at a noticeably lower cost, and in one area it is simply better out of the box. Fat bikes up to 5-inch tires are supported from the factory, with two strap extensions included, so you are not hunting for an adapter the day you want to take a fattie on a trip.

Construction is a powder-coated aluminum arm and tray, and the mounting story is wide: round, square, factory and aero crossbars are all listed as compatible. The swingarm lets you decide whether the bike sits on the driver or passenger side, which matters if you also use roof rails for a box or for cargo.

Owners report that it runs quietly at highway speed and stays stable over potholes, and several describe it as equal to or better than a Thule at a fraction of the cost. The 35 lb per-bike rating is the real limitation, along with the exclusion of bikes fitted with a front fender.

Two smaller things to know. The clamp works best on disc-brake forks because the arm puts stress on cantilever and V-brake forks. And the instruction manual is the most criticized part of the whole package, so budget extra time for assembly or watch a walkthrough before you start.

Who the Tomahawk suits

It is the pick for fat-bike riders, for anyone running wide gravel tires, and for owners who want a Thule-style frame-free design without Thule pricing. If you have a rear hatch or hitch you use for something else, freeing that space up is where the value shows.

It also suits owners who swap sides often, since the swingarm relocates in a single adjustment rather than a full reinstall.

Where it falls short

The 35 lb cap rules out most modern e-bikes, so riders with a 50 lb bike need to look elsewhere. The stiff swingarm release is also the moment owners say they are most likely to drop a bike, which is a solvable habit with practice but worth knowing.

A handful of buyers report rear wheel tray bolts loosening over long drives. A quick check of those bolts before each trip covers it, and it is the one maintenance item we would put on a checklist for this rack.

3. Thule ProRide XT – Best for Delicate Carbon Frames

The ProRide XT is the answer for riders who want a fork mount or a frame clamp but are nervous about the clamp itself. The mounting dial is the whole point: you set a force limit, the rack refuses to tighten past it, and soft claw pads wrap the tube so the grip is spread rather than concentrated on a small patch.

It is also the most practical Thule fork-and-frame carrier in this group at 11 pounds, which is meaningfully lighter than the 18.5 lb UpRide. The frame holder and wheel tray position the bike for you as you secure it, and diagonal quick-release straps hold the wheel holders firm.

Load capacity is 44 lb per bike, matching the UpRide, and it fits all Thule rack systems plus most factory racks. Like the others, the bike-to-carrier and carrier-to-vehicle locks are sold separately, and it carries a single bike per unit.

Be clear-eyed about the trade: this rack does touch your frame. For a matte-finish carbon frame or a polished aluminum tube with a clear coat, wheel-only designs remain the safer choice. The dial and pads reduce the risk substantially; they do not make it zero.

When to choose the ProRide XT

Pick it if you want the shortest loading routine of the premium options, if you change bikes often and want a controlled clamp, or if you need to carry bikes with accessories mounted that a wheel-only hook might crowd. It is also the one to choose if rack weight on your roof is a genuine constraint.

It is a good match for thru-axle bikes, because the fork mount takes the axle through a proper adapter rather than a skewer, and it works with disc brake setups.

When to choose something else

Skip it if you own a carbon frame and have not yet decided how you feel about clamps. The frame-free designs remove the question entirely, and they are not much heavier once you account for what you would buy for this rack.

It is also the wrong pick for carrying more than one bike per bar position, and the separately sold locks mean the finished cost runs higher than the sticker suggests.

4. Yakima FrontLoader – Best for Mountain Bikes and Fat Tires

The FrontLoader is a fork mount, which means the front wheel comes off and the bike clamps by the fork crown. That is a dealbreaker for some riders and irrelevant to others, but for a mountain bike with knobby tires and a thru-axle front end, it is a proven and stable way to carry a heavy, wide bike.

Owners consistently point to the secure mount system that holds the bike snugly and limits movement on rough roads, and the 40 lb per-bike rating is the second-highest among the fork and frame carriers here. Setup is tool-free, and it folds down small enough to live in a garage between trips.

Yakima is one of the two names buyers ask about most in this category, and the FrontLoader is the reason many of them land on the brand: it is aimed squarely at sedans and SUVs that have no hitch, which is the exact use case that sends people shopping roof racks in the first place.

The costs are real. At 18 pounds it adds noticeable weight up high, and the front wheel removal adds a step to every load and unload, including the fiddly part of dealing with a thru-axle or a hydraulic brake hose.

When the FrontLoader makes sense

It fits riders who cycle once a week, load in a driveway, and do not mind the wheel-off routine. If you also own fat bikes, the wide tires are exactly what this carrier was built to handle, and a wheel-only design with a 3-inch tire ceiling would have ruled it out.

It suits anyone whose priority is stability of a heavy bike over speed, rather than the fastest possible loading or the lowest possible frame risk.

When it is the wrong choice

Road and triathlon riders usually pass. Removing the front wheel on a thru-axle bike with hydraulic discs is fiddly, and many owners cite front wheel removal as the single downside of an otherwise well-regarded rack.

It is also worth weighing against a hitch or trunk mount if you cycle often, because the same 18 pounds on the roof adds drag on every trip, not just the ones with bikes aboard.

5. GATHERSKY Dual-Arm Upright – Highest Stated Load Capacity

This is the rack to look at if your bike is heavy, because 50 lb per bike is the highest load rating stated by any carrier in this roundup, and 50 lb is roughly where a serious e-bike starts. The design is a pair of pivoting upright arms that grip the wheels, so there is still no frame contact and no front wheel removal.

The handling is the other selling point. An integrated tightening knob with a ratchet lock mode lets you clamp and release with one hand, and the arms fold down when the rack is not in use, which matters in a tight garage.

Crossbar adaptation is unusually generous: bar spacing from 19.68 to 47.25 inches, crossbars up to 3.15 inches wide and 1.6 inches tall, and both T-bolts and U-bolts in the box. The build is black aluminum with thickened powder-coated steel for corrosion resistance.

Where it thins out is the evidence. With 103 reviews, it has the smallest sample of the racks here, and ratings spread wider than the premium options. The warranty is 3 months, which is dramatically shorter than the limited lifetime coverage on the Swagman and RockyMounts units, and that gap matters for something mounted to a moving car.

Where the 50 lb rating earns its keep

If you ride a heavy e-bike and you have already confirmed your vehicle’s roof load limit allows for the dynamic load at highway speed, this is one of the few roof carriers here that is rated for the bike rather than the other way around. The one-handed release also helps when you are loading heavy bikes alone.

It is a reasonable second option for a second bike, since the arms fold and the whole unit is compact enough to store between trips.

Where the caveats bite

A 3-month warranty on a rack that lives on a car roof is a real risk, and the wheelbase cap of 48 inches rules out the longest frames. The 11 percent one-star share is the highest among these racks, so expect a longer read on the reviews before you commit.

If your e-bike exceeds 50 lb or has a wheelbase beyond 48 inches, keep looking — the honest answer is that the roof is the wrong place for a very heavy bike in most vehicles.

6. Yakima ForkLift – Best Low-Weight Fork Mount

The ForkLift is the fork-mount answer for people who care about how much weight they are adding to the roof. At 7 pounds it is a fraction of the 18 to 18.5 lb carriers from Thule and Yakima’s own FrontLoader, which on a long highway trip is the difference you feel through fuel consumption and wind noise.

It fits Yakima round, square, factory and aerodynamic crossbars straight out of the box, installs with no tools, and has a low profile mirror black finish with an integrated ski lift for extra rooftop clearance. That lift is a small feature that matters if you also carry a box.

It carries a limited lifetime warranty under Yakima’s Love It Till You Leave It program, which is one of the better long-term promises in this category. Owners put 70 percent of their ratings at five stars, and the tool-free speed is the most common reason people recommend it.

The compromises are the 35 lb per-bike rating and the fork-mount nature of the design, which means the front wheel comes off and thru-axle bikes need an adapter. Fit is best with Yakima-branded crossbars, so if your bars are from another maker, check before buying.

Who should buy the ForkLift

It is for the rider who already owns crossbars, wants a rack that disappears when stored, and wants a warranty that lasts as long as they keep the car. The low profile is a genuine benefit if your garage is tight or you switch between bikes and a cargo box on the same bars.

It also suits owners who cycle on quick-release bikes, where the fork mount is effortless rather than fiddly.

Where it does not fit

It is not an e-bike rack at 35 lb, and it is not a carbon-friendly choice because the fork crown takes the load. Riders with thru-axle forks need the adapter, which adds cost and a step to every load.

If you already run Yakima aero bars, this is close to ideal. If you run a bar system from another brand, the fitment story gets murkier and the frame-free alternatives are the safer bet.

7. Swagman Upright Roof Mount – Best Budget Roof Bike Rack

The Swagman Upright is the one everyone in this roundup has the most owner history behind, with more than 3,200 reviews. It is a wheel mount, so no frame contact and no wheel removal, and at 5 pounds it is the second-lightest carrier here. If you want a roof bike rack that works and you do not want to research it for a weekend, this is a safe starting point.

It fits square, round and oval bars up to 3 inches wide, and multiple units can be used on a single vehicle if you want two bikes. The wheel tie-down straps and included locking feature are the parts owners mention most when they explain why it holds up at 4.1 stars.

The limits are printed on the box rather than hidden. Load capacity is 35 lb per bike, the wheelbase ceiling is 54 inches, and tires up to 3 inches wide are supported. Any bike heavier than 35 lb or longer than a 54 inch wheelbase is out of scope, and so are e-bikes in most configurations.

Construction is sturdy plastic and steel rather than the aluminum used by the premium units. That is why it is light, and that is also why it is the one we would check more often on a long motorway drive.

Why the budget pick still earns a place

The volume of owner feedback matters more than it looks. When thousands of people have run the same rack through real weather and real potholes, the failure modes are known rather than theoretical, and the recurring complaints are about the weight limit and single-bike capacity, not about the rack failing.

It suits a second car, a beater, a first rack, or anyone who carries one bike a few times a summer. The included locking feature also makes it more practical for a roof, where theft exposure is highest.

Where the savings show up

You give up headroom, tire width, and long-term material longevity. A 35 lb cap is a real ceiling, and a plastic-and-steel arm does not have the same feel after a few seasons of highway vibration as an aluminum one.

If your bike is a light road or hybrid bike under 35 lb with a wheelbase inside 54 inches, nothing in this list is hard to beat on cost. Anything heavier, and the premium uprights start making more sense.

8. Rhino Rack RBC050 – Best With Locks Included

The RBC050 is the most complete package in this roundup, and that is not a marketing line: the box contains the carrier, bar mounts and hardware, instructions, locks and keys, an Allen key and a cable. Three locking systems are included as standard — rack to carrier, bike to rack, plus the cable and wheel strap. The soft coated ratcheting arm locks the front fork and wheel securely, and it holds the bike by the wheels with no crossbar adapter needed for the frame.

Mechanically it is a frame-free wheel mount, so your frame and rims are never clamped, and no wheel comes off. It fits thru-axle sizes of 5mm, 9mm, 15mm and 20mm, is disc brake compatible, takes 20- to 29-inch wheels, and the 64 inch tray covers a long wheelbase.

It also holds the highest average rating of anything we tested, at 4.6 stars with 78 percent five-star ratings and only 3 percent one-star. Owners single out the included locks and the wheel-only mounting as the reasons it feels more finished than cheaper rivals. The folding arm reduces wind noise when the bike is not there.

There are two constraints to measure before buying. Crossbar spacing must be between 21 and 39 inches, which excludes some wide setups, and tire width tops out at 2.7 inches, narrower than several racks here. The published item weight also runs toward the heavy end of this group, so plan your roof load accordingly. Mounting is otherwise easy, with universal hardware for factory, round, square, elliptical and Rhino-Rack Aero bars, and it fits either side of the vehicle.

Who this rack rewards most

It is built for people who are more worried about theft than about weight. On a roof, where a bike is visible and reachable from a parking lot, having locks in the box removes a purchase and a step, and owners treat that as the feature that justifies the rest.

Thru-axle riders also get real axle coverage here without a separate adapter, and the fold-flat design suits small garages.

Where the trade-off sits

The 92-review base is the smallest we saw, and a 4.6 average on that sample tells you less than a 4.4 across a few hundred. Treat the rating as a good sign, not a proven result.

If your tires are over 2.7 inches or your crossbars are spaced wider than 39 inches, this one does not fit and the frame-free alternatives with wider limits are the right call.

9. Thule FastRide – Best Fork Mount for Thru-Axle Bikes

The FastRide is a fork mount built around one specific problem: tightening a thru-axle by hand to the right force is guesswork, and over-tightening damages the axle or the fork. Thule’s AcuTight front axle has a torque limiter that clicks audibly when optimal torque is reached, so you stop tightening on feel.

It fits standard 9mm quick-release bikes out of the box and several thru-axle standards with an adapter, including 9mm captive, 12x100mm, 12x110mm, 15x100mm and 15x110mm. Disc brake bikes are explicitly accommodated, which is the other reason road riders end up here.

At 7.3 pounds it is the lightest premium carrier in the group, and reviewers note that bikes go on and off quickly even after muddy rides, because the axle capture is quick to release. The fold-down action and modest size make it easy to keep in a boot rather than a garage.

It is also the lowest-rated of the three Thule racks here, at 4.1 stars from 97 reviews. The recurring negatives are the cost of thru-axle adapters, locks sold separately, and a handful of buyers who received restock units with missing hardware.

When the FastRide is the right buy

It fits road and gravel riders with thru-axle front ends who want a fork mount but refuse to guess at torque. If you cycle in mud or rain, the quick-release axle capture is the feature owners mention most warmly in the reviews.

It is also a sensible pick if you are replacing a trunk or spare-tire rack and want the lightest premium option on the roof.

When to choose the wheel-free alternative

Thru-axle adapters are a separate purchase, so a thru-axle rider on a budget pays more here than a quick-release rider. The frame is also fully clamped at the fork crown, so a carbon fork is a consideration.

With 97 reviews and a rating that sits below the other Thule options here, we would place it below the ProRide XT for most buyers, and consider it specifically for the torque limiter.

10. Swagman Standard Fork Mount – Lightest Roof Bike Rack

At 16 ounces, this is the lightest thing in the roundup by a factor of three, and on a car with a modest roof load limit that is genuinely the feature you are buying. It is a plain fork mount: the front wheel comes off, the skewer goes through, done.

It assembles in minutes with no tools, fits square, round and oval bars up to 3 inches wide, and carries a limited lifetime warranty from an established rack maker. The included 9mm skewers double as a security anchor if you run a cable through them.

The constraint is absolute and easy to check: 9mm quick-release skewers only. That rules out every thru-axle fork and most modern disc-brake road and gravel bikes, which is why this sits at the bottom of the ranking despite the warranty and the weight.

Load capacity is 35 lb per bike, it carries one bike per unit, and no lock is included. For a lightweight road bike on an older steel frame with quick-release hubs, that is a perfectly good combination.

Who it works for

It suits older quick-release bikes, commuters on classic steel frames, and anyone whose roof load limit is tight enough that 18 pounds is a genuine problem. The lifetime warranty is unusual at this weight and price tier.

It is also a good second-bike unit, because you can pair two on one set of crossbars for very little added weight.

Why most people should skip it

If your bike has a thru-axle fork, this rack is simply not compatible, and the workarounds cost more than choosing a frame-free wheel mount from the start. The 35 lb cap also excludes most e-bikes.

Most importantly, the fork crown carries the load, so it is the wrong choice for a carbon fork or a frame you care about. The frame-free designs above remove that question for a few pounds more.

Roof Bike Rack Buying Guide: Crossbars, Fit, Weight and Carbon

Start here, because it decides everything else: do you have crossbars? If your car has factory roof rails, more racks will work, and rack-rail mounting is much simpler than fitting crossbars. If you have a smooth roof with nothing on it, you are buying a full roof rack system first — a bar kit, feet, and the correct bar width — and then the bike carrier. Related guides on dash cams for cars cover the other end of the same roof-and-dashboard equipment question.

Next, match the mounting design to the bike. Wheel-mount uprights, also called frame-free or wheel-only mounts, grip the front wheel and nothing else. They are the safest choice for carbon frames, rear-suspension bikes, bottle cages, and any bike you do not want to unbolt. Fork mounts clamp the fork crown and require front wheel removal. Frame and platform mounts hold the bike by its tubes or by two trays.

Crossbar shape is the number one fitment failure, and it comes down to width and clamping surface. Round and square bars up to about 3 inches wide are accepted by most racks here. Aero or wing bars vary: some have a flat upper surface that a T-track bolt suits, some have a channel that only a specific clamp fits. The RockyMounts Tomahawk and the Yakima ForkLift both list aero bars explicitly, while others list only round, square and factory bars — check the rack’s bar-shape list against your exact bar model before you order.

Thru-axle versus quick release is the second fitment trap. The Swagman Standard Fork Mount is 9mm quick-release only. The Thule FastRide covers several thru-axle standards but needs a separately sold adapter for most of them, including 20x110mm. The frame-free designs sidestep the issue entirely because they never touch the axle, which is why they are our most common recommendation for modern bikes.

Now the weight ceiling, which no roundup we found actually quantifies. Carriers in this group range from 35 lb to 50 lb per bike, and rack weights range from 16 ounces to 18.5 lb. A typical e-bike with battery sits well above 35 lb, so budget uprights and most fork mounts simply cannot take one. Your vehicle’s roof limit is a separate number, and the figure in the manual is a static figure — at highway speed the dynamic load is a multiple of it, which is why manufacturer limits are usually conservative and why two heavy bikes on a sedan deserve a second look.

Protecting a carbon frame is a contact-point problem, not a brand problem. A wheel-only cradle touches rubber, which gives slightly and cannot concentrate load. A fork crown clamp touches a small, rigid area of the fork and puts the bike’s weight straight into it. A frame clamp touches a tube, and the risk depends on torque and on the finish — a torque-limiting dial and padded claws, as on the Thule ProRide XT, reduce the risk substantially but do not remove it. If you own a bare or wrapped carbon frame, the frame-free racks are the correct answer.

Security deserves a straight answer. A roof bike is a visible target, and an unlocked frame helps nobody. Every rack here can be secured to the bar, but only the Rhino Rack RBC050 includes the locks. Everywhere else, budget for a cable lock to the frame and a second lock or fitting to the bar, and treat a U-lock through the frame and the bar as the stronger option of the two.

Finally, the practical failure modes people complain about: sway over bumps, clamps that slip, bar tape stripped by a careless clamp, and the forgotten bike hitting a garage. Check your clamps and tray bolts before each long drive, note your car height with the rack fitted, and treat automated car washes as a no — the arms and straps are not designed for a spinning brush, and a bent tray is a replacement.

One more comparison shoppers ask about constantly: which brand is better, Thule or Yakima? Both build well and back their racks with limited lifetime warranties, and both appear in this roundup more than once. Choose on mounting design and fitment rather than logo — Thule’s upright carriers here lean frame-free, while Yakima’s fork mounts are lighter and quicker to install. If you already own bars from one of the two brands, staying in that system is usually the path of least resistance.

One last planning note, because a carrier is only half of a roof setup. Between trips the rack has to live somewhere, and the same space-planning logic that decides between the best bakers racks and the best wine racks in a garage or kitchen applies here: measure the ceiling clearance with the bars fitted, keep the loading zone clear, and decide in advance where a folded carrier sits so it is not the thing that hits you first in the dark.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The Thule UpRide is the best roof bike rack for most cars in 2026, because it protects the frame, keeps the front wheel on and takes almost any bike you own. Choose the RockyMounts Tomahawk instead if you ride fat tires and want that capability without buying an adapter, and the Rhino Rack RBC050 if locks being included matters to you.

Whichever one you pick, confirm two things before checkout: that your bars are one of the shapes the rack supports, and that your bike is inside its per-bike weight limit. Those two checks prevent nearly every return we hear about. Get the crossbars sorted first if your car does not have them, and the rest is straightforward.