Recommended Bike Rack for 2 Electronic Bikes

Question:

Looking for options for a 2inch hitch bike rack for two EG Athens 250 e-bikes. They are step through designs. The step through height is 19 in. Weight is 54lbs each including battery. Want to make sure rack will handle the weight and bikes and rack can be securely attached and locked so they can be left overnight unattended. Current car is Chevy Traverse.

asked by: Bill M

Expert Reply:

The bike rack that I recommend for you to use for your 2 electric bikes is the Thule EasyFold 2 Bike Platform Rack # TH9032. This bike rack is designed specifically for electric bikes and has a weight capacity of 65 lbs per bike which is more than enough for your 54 lb bikes. The clamps can be arranged in a variety of ways so they will work well with your 19 inch step-through frame, plus the clamps are lockable to deter theft of your bikes. The bike rack is able to lock to your hitch receiver and uses an anti-rattle feature to help keep the bike rack from moving and rattling in the receiver.

A few other great features about this rack includes the ability to tilt the rack away from your Traverse so that you can access your rear cargo area without having to unload the bikes. It also includes a storable aluminum folding ramp which helps make loading and unloading the bikes a little more easy and safe.

A more economical option that can handle the weight of your 2 electric bikes is the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE # HLY84FR. Even though this bike rack's hooks can drop down to 15-1/2 inches, I recommend using a Bike Adapter Bar # HRBA-PRO so make sure that your bike will be held secure to this bike rack. This bike rack also comes with a hitch lock and bike locks, but instead of folding away from the rear of your Traverse, the SE2 can fold up when not in use and still be left on your Chevy.

Keep in mind that given enough time and determination that any lock can be picked or broken. Even though bike rack locks and bike locks are good to have on any setup, they help deter theft but they cannot completely prevent theft. Since you are going to be leaving some very high-end bikes outside overnight, I highly recommend adding some more measures of security. If you use a 10 foot Long Cable Lock, like the part # e98891, you can wrap it around your bikes and even loop it around your trailer hitch to help make your bikes much more secure and difficult to get at.

I have included some demonstration videos for you as well.