These ten car bike racks cover different mounting systems and bicycle requirements. They are a comparison shortlist, not a claim that the first rack is best for every car. This guide helps you narrow the list by vehicle approval, bike fit, handling and complete cost before reading the individual product entries.
Narrow the list by your vehicle
Write down the car’s exact model, year and body style. Establish which roof bars, towbar or rear mounting arrangements are approved, then remove incompatible products from the shortlist. A low price cannot make the wrong attachment suitable.
Roof carriers require lifting the bicycle higher; towbar carriers add their own weight and loading limits; rear strap-mounted systems have vehicle-specific fit restrictions. Compare the routine you will actually use, including boot access and who does the lifting.
Consider the rack between trips
A carrier has to live somewhere when it is off the car. Measure the storage space and doorway, and try lifting, folding or unfolding a demonstration unit where possible. A compact fold may help storage without making the carrier light.
Think about whether you will normally fit it alone. If handling it is awkward in the shop, repeated weekend loading is unlikely to improve the experience. Compare an approved alternative rather than paying for features you will dread using.
Match every bike, not just the bike count
Record transport weights, wheelbase (distance between axles), tyre width and wheel diameter. Check each candidate’s total payload and individual position limits, plus permitted dimensions and frame attachments. Include the car, towbar or roof system limits as applicable.
An advertised two-bike capacity does not establish suitability for two heavy or long bikes. Ask about required adapters and confirm that mudguards or unusual frames do not prevent the approved fastening method. The detailed entries below identify the remaining differences.
Compare the complete fitted price
Include required bars, adapters, towbar work, lighting, registration plate and fitting in the quotation where applicable. Ask for a demonstration of the exact system. Those costs make a comparison between mounting types more meaningful than carrier prices alone.
Test the lamps before loading and repeat the visibility and clearance checks with bikes fitted. Follow the manual’s sequence and recheck intervals. Use the weight guidance below before ordering, then choose among the compatible products by loading, storage and total cost.
These are ten options to shortlist by use, not a claim that one rack wins for every driver. We compared official specifications, attachment methods, storage needs and published UK prices. We have not road-tested these racks. Selection labels are our assessment of those features, not measured performance awards.
Price check: 12 October 2026. Prices are published UK manufacturer prices for the named variants, not guaranteed stock or the lowest retailer offer. Two UK prices could not be verified and are marked accordingly. No affiliate links are included.
The ten racks at a glance
| Rack | Mount / spaces | Published price | Weight check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thule Epos 2 | Towbar · 2 bikes | £1,019.99 | 30kg per bike; 60kg total |
| Thule EasyFold 3, three-bike | Towbar · 3 bikes | £999.99 | 30kg per bike; 60kg total |
| Thule VeloSpace 3, two-bike RHD | Towbar · 2 bikes | £749.99 | 30kg per bike; 60kg total |
| Thule OutPace 2 | Towbar · 2 bikes | £569.99 | 25kg per bike; 50kg total |
| Thule ProRide 598 | Roof · 1 bike | £169.99 (aluminium/black) | 20kg |
| Thule UpRide | Roof · 1 bike | £269.99 | Check exact model manual |
| Thule FastRide | Roof · 1 bike | £219.99 | 18kg |
| Thule FreeRide 532 | Roof · 1 bike | £84.99 | 17kg |
| Yakima HighRoad | Roof · 1 bike | UK price not verified | 20.4kg road rating on listed model |
| Saris Bones EX 3 | Rear straps · 3 bikes | UK price not verified | 35lb (about 15.9kg) per bike |
Each roof carrier holds one bike. Carrying more bikes requires more carriers and enough approved roof capacity. Optional bike adapters never override a rack’s total load limit.
Premium choice for mixed bikes
1. Thule Epos 2
Towbar · 2 bikes · £1,019.99
Its telescopic arms can attach to the frame or rear wheel, giving you more ways to arrange a mixed pair of bikes. The 25cm spacing and 1350mm wheelbase allowance make this a useful shortlist entry for long bikes. It folds for storage and tilts for boot access.
Why shortlist it: Flexible attachment and compact storage.
Trade-off: The price is hard to justify for occasional trips with ordinary light bikes. Budget separately for a loading ramp.
Load check: 30kg per bike; 60kg total.
Family trips with compact storage
2. Thule EasyFold 3, three-bike
Towbar · 3 bikes · £999.99
Choose the three-bike version when a family needs multiple spaces and a rack that folds away. A separately sold adapter adds a fourth space, but does not turn the 60kg total into a larger allowance. Three 25kg e-bikes would already exceed it.
Why shortlist it: Folding design, transport wheels and an optional extra bike space.
Trade-off: At 22kg, the rack itself uses a substantial part of your permitted nose load. Extras increase the bill.
Load check: 30kg per bike; 60kg total.
Long mountain bikes and heavier pairs
3. Thule VeloSpace 3, two-bike RHD
Towbar · 2 bikes · £749.99
The two-bike right-hand-drive version offers 1350mm wheelbase capacity and 25cm between bikes. It is worth comparing with Epos if you need space for long bikes but do not need the same folding package. An adapter can add a third bike within the total limit.
Why shortlist it: Generous bike spacing and long-bike capacity.
Trade-off: Its folded footprint is still 133cm wide. Measure the cupboard or boot where you expect to store it.
Load check: 30kg per bike; 60kg total.
Lower-cost towbar platform shortlist
4. Thule OutPace 2
Towbar · 2 bikes · £569.99
This sits below the premium folding models in price. The two-bike platform folds and tilts; its 1250mm wheelbase limit and 25kg individual allowance are the checks that matter before purchase. A heavy e-bike can rule it out even when the combined pair is under 50kg.
Why shortlist it: A less expensive route into a platform rack.
Trade-off: Less weight and wheelbase headroom than the heavy-bike choices above. Check the exact UK towball model rather than a US receiver-hitch version.
Load check: 25kg per bike; 50kg total.
Roof option avoiding frame clamping
6. Thule UpRide
Roof · 1 bike · £269.99
UpRide holds the bike by its wheels rather than clamping a frame tube. That makes it an option to compare for unusual frame shapes or when frame contact is undesirable. Keep the front wheel fitted, then check wheel, tyre and mudguard compatibility in the manual.
Why shortlist it: Wheel-based retention avoids a frame clamp.
Trade-off: A wheel-contact design is not automatically compatible with every mudguard. Confirm fit before choosing it over a frame holder.
Load check: Check exact model manual.
Rear-mounted choice without roof bars or towbar
10. Saris Bones EX 3
Rear straps · 3 bikes · UK price not verified
Bones EX uses an arched leg design to accommodate some spoiler-equipped cars. The exact car must appear as an approved fit; a broad compatibility claim is not approval for yours. Frames without a horizontal top tube require a Bike Beam according to Saris.
Why shortlist it: An option when installing bars or a towbar is unattractive.
Trade-off: A poor choice for heavy e-bikes. Include any frame beams and lighting or number-plate solution in the cost.
Load check: 35lb (about 15.9kg) per bike.
Compare the complete setup cost
A £84.99 roof carrier is not an £84.99 transport system if you need bars, feet and adapters. Price the whole package for your exact car. For towbar racks include towbar installation where required, suitable electrics, any loading ramp and extra bike adapter. For rear strap racks include frame beams and any approved solution for obscured lights or registration plates.
If you carry only one bike several times a year, a properly secured bike inside the car may avoid a rack purchase entirely. Consider passengers, luggage and the car’s load restrictions before treating that as an option.
Work through the weight limits before ordering
Example: an 18.7kg rack plus two 24kg bikes totals 66.7kg before other carried accessories. If the applicable vehicle or towbar vertical-load limit is 60kg, that setup fails even though the rack’s bicycle allowance is 60kg. Use the lowest applicable limit and follow all manufacturer-specific rules; this arithmetic is a preliminary check, not fit approval.
For a roof system, count the bars, feet, carriers and bicycles against the vehicle’s permitted dynamic roof load. Check each carrier’s own bike allowance too. A combined load under the roof limit cannot make an overweight bike acceptable on its individual carrier.
Five questions to answer before buying
- Does the manufacturer approve the exact car model, year and body style?
- Do the rack, car and mounting system all permit the complete load?
- Do wheelbase, tyre width, wheel size, axle type and frame shape fit?
- Can you lift and secure the bike comfortably at the loading height?
- Can you meet visibility requirements and store the rack when it is off the car?
Use our car-rack fitting and loading guide for the fuller departure checklist. Read the exact product manual before ordering, particularly for carbon frames, mudguards, exterior spare wheels and motorhomes.
Check the fit before you buy
Carrying two heavy e-bikes by car: weight limits and fitting checks
Work out whether your car, towbar and carrier can carry two e-bikes, with weight examples, fit checks and a UK departure checklist.
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