There are many types of bike racks available. Each one offers different advantages and disadvantages for transporting electric fat bikes.
Racks are a special requirement for electric fat bikes
- They are 2-3 times heavier than normal bicycles
- They are heavier than regular bike tires.
- A battery is often added to the triangle.
Weight
To reduce the weight of your electric bicycle, remove the battery from the bike before transporting it. It is the easiest way of shedding weight. You should also consider making your electric bike removable. I have had success with hitches that can hold 4 standard bikes while carrying 2 electric bikes. Before you overload your rack, make sure it is rated for weight. Do not overload the rear-hatch bike racks. They will press against your rear windshield. You are asking for trouble if you put 200 lbs worth of e-bikes onto that rack. Rear hitch-mounted systems typically support 150-200 lbs, while a good roof rack (Thule and Yakima can support up to 200lbs. Aero-roof racks included with cars are usually only rated at 50 lbs, or more evenly. We have warned you.
Tires
Thule Fat Tire Kit is the only fat bike-specific rack I know of. It works with their 919 racks. You get 2 adapters for $50, enough to fit one bike. It also works with the T2 Hitch-mounted Racks. This option is way too expensive for me as it costs close to $500 for two bikes. However, most roof racks such as the Yakima Raptor can accommodate electric fat bikes if the poor wheel tie-downs are replaced with velcro ski straps that will hold the larger tires in the channel.
Triangle
The triangle battery bag is a good choice. The bag allows you to store your battery where it is most convenient, other than on your back. It also makes it easy to remove. Em3ev also sells a bag for batteries and triangle-shaped batteries. The bag costs $35 and the triangle batteries cost more. For a low-cost battery, the bag can be padded with Hobbyking lips.
What I have used
In the past 25 years, I have spent over $3000 on cargo boxes, roof racks, and bike racks. I was a Yakima fan for many years, but their quality has declined in recent years. I switched to Thule and other budget brands. Although I have had some issues with Thule racks, they are generally less problematic than Yakima. Even though I have used the standard hitch-mounted Yakima Double Down 4, I wouldn’t recommend it. After the first year, the bolt that holds the upright up becomes loose, and the entire rack swings about a foot to one side. After 3 years, it had rusted into the hitch even though I had rustproofed it with POR-13. Even after heating the hitch with a torch, driving at 15 mph with the hitch attached to my silo, it wouldn’t come off. The impact was so severe that I’m not surprised the airbags didn’t deploy. It was $210, plus shipping & tax from EMS. I expected better quality and to get at least 3-4 years of use. Two thumbs down.
If you have a spare wheel to attach to the Thule Spare Me, it works great. The rack is strong enough to hold much more weight than it’s rated for, and doesn’t move at all. This rack is excellent. We bought ours from Fleabay for $89 and it came in a box. Retail price $219.
We borrowed a Thule slide-away rack to test it on a two-week trip. It was a decent rack but had serious design flaws. The Thule slide-away rack was great. I could easily move the bikes 3 feet from my sprinter’s rear doors without having to remove them. The rubber mounts attached to the bikes slid too far and the bikes ended up slipping into each other, rubbing the paint in some places. This would be a problem for most people, but I found it to be quite annoying. Even though the rack was very sturdy with heavy bikes loaded onto it, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Motorcycle hitch mounts
You can find many light motorcycle hitch mounts that will support 600 lbs, or less, in the $125 price range. Even with the battery still on the bike, this is way too much for an e-bike. It is also necessary to attach the bike using four ratcheting straps. This can be a pain. These racks can only hold one bike at a time. They also cannot be tilted down or moved away to reach the back of your car. This is a very inconvenient choice, but it’s worth noting that they can easily hold a 5” tire or the weight of an electric bike. The racks extend a lot beyond your car’s sides so be careful not to catch them on anything.
This is the best option I have found
Winter is the worst time to have your bike on a rack with a hitch. Salt will quickly damage the chain, gears, and rotors. While it is better to put your bike on your roof, the best place for your bike to be kept is inside your car. As a winter rat, I use a 2001 Honda Odyssey with 212,000 km. I cover the bed with foil bubble wrap insulation. It catches all the melting snow and then I load it into the back of the car through the rear hatch. To catch any melting water, I bring the bike in at night when it drops below 20 degrees F. Bikes are not made for freezing temperatures or below 0 degrees F. You can expect frozen bearings, thick bearing greases, frozen chains, frozen derailleurs, and frozen brake lines if you leave your bike out at night. You don’t have to buy a minivan for winter rats. Just take the front tire off your bike and put it in your trunk. It will be a great thing for your bike.
Update: The Glide Away 2 Deluxe 4 is very good. The hitch’s construction is far superior to what I would expect from a $129 model. Even on a 1 1/4 inch hitch, it doesn’t sway and all the parts seem to be made from rust-resistant steel.
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