Platform Bike Rack for 2 or 4 Bikes of Different Styles for a 2012 BMW X3

Question:

Hi there, I am looking for the best option to transport a wide range of bikes. Heres the scoop: 1 Carbon frame road bike thinking that a platform rack is best 1 Electra Townie 3i maybe remove the front fender? 1 Possibly 2 mountain style bikes 2 Small womens Trek 820 bikes I think 16 Ill be putting a 2inch receiver on my X3. Id like the capacity to carry up to four bikes at once. Tho most of the time it would be one or two. Of that time, it would likely be the carbon road bike and a mountain bike. Other times, it could be the cruiser with the kids bikes... What do you suppose, short of ditching half the bikes, my best option would be?

asked by: Robert C

Expert Reply:

What I recommend is a platform style bike rack that can convert back and forth from a 2-bike rack to a 4-bike rack such as the Kuat NV 2.0 # NV22G-NA22G. With the carbon road bike you will probably want to avoid racks that make contact with the frame. So if we look at those racks they do clamp down on the bike tires. This means they are not always the best choice for bikes with fenders.

Looking at the fenders on the Electra Townie 3i it appears that the front fender stops at the top of the tire or a little bit further. A bike rack that clamps down on the tires will still work fine with that design!

Looking at the Trek 820 bikes it appears that even at the 16 inch frame size the bikes are big enough to fit just fine on platform bike racks so I am not worried about them.

The Kuat NV 2.0 # NV22G-NA22G I mentioned earlier is the perfect bike rack for your needs. It can convert from a 4-bike to a 2-bike rack. It also comes with a built-in bike repair stand, cable locks, and anti-rattle. It is aluminum so corrosion is not an issue, and it has a limited lifetime warranty. I have linked a video review of this rack for you.

expert reply by: Michael H