Are you a biking enthusiast? Do you enjoy being in the outdoors traversing through mountain trails or extensive pathways? If so, then you’ve probably spent a fair amount of time comparing bike racks in Calgary. A quality bike rack properly installed can make transporting your bike a breeze. But to ensure this, it’s important to do your research.
For this reason, there are a few things to consider before you start looking at bike racks for sale.
At the Calgary Hitch Shop, we want you to be well-informed so you can make the right choice in regard to your bike rack. As such, keep reading to learn 5 helpful tips to guide your bike rack purchasing decision.
1. Consider Your Storage Space
This is an important consideration that is often missed by many people who are either a bit overzealous, or simply don’t know any better. Before you make a decision on a particular bike rack, you’ll need to know the dimensions and measurements of both your storage space and the bike rack itself.
If you happen to live in a condo building or apartment unit with limited space, knowing the measurements of your available volume is a necessity. For this reason, there are also compact bike racks available (which also include rooftop racks and trunk racks) to accommodate a smaller storage space.
2. Determine Your Budget
Bike racks come in many shapes, sizes, dimensions, and levels of quality. And each bike rack variation comes with its own price point that you need to be aware of. If money is no object, great! However, if you’re on a budget, that’s fine too because there is always a bike rack available that can meet you where you are, financially speaking.
But regardless of what you can or can’t afford, it’s crucial to do your research prior to making your decision. A little due diligence goes a long way – especially where your finances are concerned.
But always remember that quality comes with a price. The old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ is a cliche for a reason – it’s true. By investing in a high quality bike rack, its robust design can actually save you money in the long run as it can handle more abuse due to its resilient and innovative composition.
As a result, it’s actually a much more cost-effective strategy to opt for quality design upfront.
3. Consider Your Vehicle
Ask yourself if your vehicle is compatible with the specific bike rack you have in mind. If you’re unsure, contact our experts at Calgary Hitch Shop. You can bypass the wait time (and anticipation) of ordering online and stressing over the bike rack being a suitable fit for your vehicle by simply asking us.
Our knowledgeable and experienced team can guide you through the process of finding the right bike rack for you. Moreover, they can show you, step-by-step, how to secure your bike, dismount it, as well as how to properly use the additive features (collapsible racks, individual tie-downs, sway cradles, etc).
Nothing is worse than exchanging your hard-earned money for a product you can’t even use. And by following this process, you can avoid such a circumstance and ensure your purchase is one that will be a perfect fit.
4. Decide How Many Bikes You’ll Want to Transport
A determining factor in the bike rack you choose will be based on the number of bikes you want to move at a time. For example, a particularly long bike rack will be necessary if you want to move several bikes. However, if you don’t plan on transporting more than one bike at a time, then instead of length, opt for utility.
In this case, you’ll want to find a bike rike that offers ease of use when it comes to loading and unloading as opposed to a more girthy alternative.
5. Have a Type of Bike Rack in Mind
There is a plethora of bike racks available to choose from. You can opt for hitch carriers that come in tray and mast style mounts. Hitch carriers are manufactured as an attachment to a vehicle’s tow hitch, and is best suited for you if you want a quick & easy load.
Then there are roof mounts. This bike rack is obviously designed for a roof installation. You may opt for a roof rack if you’d like to retain your truck space for other items or commodities.
Trunk mounts are also available. Trunk mounts are very user-friendly, and depending on the composition, can haul anywhere from one to three bicycles at a time. And of course, vertical hanging racks are an option as well. These are great in terms of space efficiency; allowing you to carry up to three or four bikes on a single rack – perfect for camp trip or family outings.
Conclusion
Bike racks are great for the safe and secure delivery of your bicycles. They offer a strapping design, are easy to use, and make for an effortless way to transport your sporting goods to take advantage of the great outdoors!
At Calgary Hitch Shop, we have been proudly serving Calgary for over 25 years. What’s more, we are Canada’s largest directory of trailer hitches and adjunct accessories.
As such, you can feel confident knowing that your questions and concerns will be answered for experts, should you have any. Contact us today to learn more.
