Best caravan bike racks - Our top recommendations

With a huge country like Australia to explore, a bike can be very helpful for camping and caravan holidays. And with a family in tow, trying to find the best bike rack for your caravan sometime isn't an easy task. Bikes are bulky and difficult to carry around, so how do you take all your bikes on holidays with ease?

Our favourite are the GripSport Caravan Bike Racks! They are an easy way to take the entire family's bikes on your caravan holiday with you. Caravan bike racks are designed for transporting your bike on the outside of your caravan, motorhome or van using a rear tow hitch. With GripSport Caravan Bike Racks you can choose from 1 to 4 bikes mounted on the front of the caravan A Frame. Rear mounted bike racks are typically an option for Campervans.

Let's consider some of these options before buying a bike rack for your caravan;

Type of caravan, RV, motorhome or van

It is very important to ensure you choose a bike rack that is approved for the use on a caravan. Not all bike racks fit to caravans, some are car bike racks only or roof racks. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all model when it comes to the correct bike rack for your caravan. When looking for the most suitable bike rack, ensure the bike rack is caravan tested and approved by the manufacturer. This way you know it is legal and safe when carrying the bikes.

Safety

It is vital to ensure your bike rack is suited to your specific caravan. It is also important to ensure that the caravan bike rack is strong enough to carry 1 bike, 3 bikes or 4 bikes. Choosing the correct bike capacity is very important. Ensuring you have chosen a reputable brand is also vital, as buying a cheap product may result in your bikes falling off onto the road.

Check that your caravan bike rack comes with appropriate locking and security packages to ensure your bikes and bike carrier are secure. Some bike racks will also have extra anti-theft features, with a locking system that prevents thieves from stealing your bike. Some bike carriers may even come with front and rear wheel straps keep the bikes secure on the caravan bike rack.

Bike rack weight and carrying capacity

Make sure to check the weight requirements of the bike rack. Some approved caravan bike racks may be rated at a specific kg per bike and will specify the maximum kg weight requirement.  Many of the GripSport Bike Racks are up to 30kgs per bike, with multiple bike carriers including Big Bike upgrades. 

This weight requirment is important when carrying heavy bikes like e-bikes. It is also important to look at how many bikes a rack can accommodate, as you don't want to overwhelm the bike rack or overload it.

Each caravan bike rack model has a specific number of cradles that dictate its carrying capacity. There are some models like hitch racks which carry up to four bicycles. This is ideal for families wanting to take many bikes on the caravan bike rack.

Best bike rack for campervan in Australia

 

LongHaul by Yakima campervan bike rack is a bike rack designed, built, and thoroughly tested to stand up to the long miles and rigorous demands of caravan, RV, motorhome, van, camper and travel-trailer use. Durable, stable and secure, the LongHaul carries four bikes with ease in the SuperCush ZipStrip™ cradles. Excellent choice of caravan bike racks.

 

The LongHaul is easy on and off, includes folding arms for easy access and a built-in bottle opener. Exceptional security is built in with a full SKS security package that locks your bikes to the rack and the rack to the vehicle.

Some features of the LongHaul bike rack include;

• Caravan and RV approved and rated.

• SuperCush ZipStrip™ cradles secure the bikes and make loading and unloading a breeze.

• Anti-sway cradle design holds bikes in place and minimises bike-to-bike contact.

• Included full SKS security package: HitchLock locks rack to RV and LockDown™ cable secures bikes to rack, all with a single key.

• Arms fold down to be compact when rack is not in use for easy parking and storage.

• Mount to rear wall of carvan.

• Fits 50 mm hitch receivers only.

• RV Rated

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE YAKIMA LONGHAUL BIKE RACK FOR CARAVANS

 

 

OnRamp 2 Yakima CARAVAN BIKE RACK is a bike rack is the perfect bike racks when going the distance with heavy bikes in tow. The OnRamp offers up the strength required to haul heavy e-bikes, and no need for super-human strength when it comes to loading. An integrated ramp allows the user to simply roll any bike into place and the adjustable retention cradles fit just about any frame. This is also an approved caravan bike rack.

 

Some features of the OnRamp2 bicycle rack include;

• Mast tilts easily to stowed position with pull-pin to be more compact

• Reinforced base to endure bike weight load of up to 30 kg per bike

• Full adjustable cradles accommodate different frame styles

• Front and rear wheel straps keep the bikes secure

• Stowable loading ramp

• Folds when not in use

• Adjustable bike trays for better bike spacing

• Caravan and RV rated at 18 kg per bike, 36 kg max.

• Approved for off-road travel at 60% load capacity - 18 kg per bike or 36 kg

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ONRAMP 2 BIKE RACK FOR CARAVANS

They are our top recommendations for the best bike racks for caravan in Australia. If you don't have a caravan, we have some excellent suggestions for bike racks for your vehicle, car or ute also with several different mounting options available.

 

Best bike racks

 

The Hitch Mount Vertical Bike Rack - Hang Over 4 by Yakima is perfect for tour operators, group rides and big families with lots of bikes. Constructed of heavy-duty steel; our first-ever vertical bike rack carries more bikes in less space; so you can safely transport your whole tribe’s mountain bikes around Australia with these bike racks.

 

We designed and tested it in the lab and on the road to meet our demanding Yakima standards. The easy-to-operate tilt mechanism with three adjustable mast angles keep your bikes from bumping into your car; ute or SUV and makes accessing the tailgate a breeze.

• Transports up to 4 bikes using minimal space – no multiple racks or trailers required

• Foot-operated tilt mechanism changes rack position for easy loading and unloading from bike rack

• Tilts down and out of the way for easy access at rear-of-vehicle

• Securely supports bikes by the fork crown

• Fits suspension-fork bikes

• Fits fat bike suspension forks

• Soft padding protects the fork’s finish

• Rotating wheel cup accommodates bikes with various wheelbases

• 2 mast height positions for improved ground clearance and ease of loading

• 3 mast angles to avoid bike-tire contact with your vehicle

• HitchLock included

• Fits 2 inch hitch receivers only

• Compatible with BackSwing

• Built-in accessories with a bottle opener. Cheers!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HITCH MOUNT VERTICAL BIKE RACK

 

 

The StageTwo Premium Tray Bike Hitch Rack by Yakima is built to tag your valuable bikes anywhere you need to go cycling in Australia, securely and in style. From road to mountain and kids to fat bikes the StrongArm hook quickly secures your bike to the bike rack. The stadium seating tiered architecture increases ground clearance on rutted trails or steep driveways.

 

While the offset tray design further minimises bike to bike interference and maximizes functionality. The Tool-free locking SpeedKnob™ 2.0 makes install easier than ever, and the forward-facing remote tilt lever means fast access to the rear of your vehicle and integrated locking cables, combined with the ability to add your own lock to the bike rack, provides serious security.

• Fits most bikes, including fat-tyre, mountain, road, hybrid, women’s specific, BMX, kids’ bikes, & E-bikes up to 27.2 kg each (2 bike capacity) fits 2 bikes.

• Carry four bikes – just add the StageTwo +2**

• A tiered architecture to minimize issues with bike spacing

• Convenient remote tilt lever for easy rear of car access

• Tilts forward with bikes loaded for rear car access

• Tool-free locking SpeedKnob for secure and simple installation and removal

• Integrated SKS (Same Key System) locks included to secure bikes to rack and rack to vehicle receiver

• Accommodates bike wheelbase up to 132 cm/ 52"

• Fits 16” to 29” wheel sizes and tyres up to 3.25” wide and up to 5" wide with the StageTwo Fat Bike Kit (Sold Separately)

• Fat bike accessory; suits 5” wide tyres

• Offset Trays for extra bike to bike clearance

• Suitable for off-road, rated to 16.3 kg per bike (2 bike capacity)

• Available in two colors, Anthracite and Vapor

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STAGETWO PREMIUM TRAY BIKE RACK

 

The Holdup bike hitch tray bike rack by Yakima is the fastest and easiest way to load bikes. Its beefed-up arm pivot makes it stronger than ever and the side-to-side adjustability reduces the chance for bike-to-bike interference. This bike carrier is a road trip companion for life. Like most bike racks it holds up to 2 bikes, like the grip sport 2 bike rack.

• StrongArm design secures bike at wheels, protecting paint and carbon frames

• Load your bike onto your vehicle in seconds whether it's a 20" wheel or a 29er

  • Max. tyre width for wheels up to 27.5" diameter is 3"

  • Max. tyre width for 29" wheels is 2.4", for larger 29” tyre width see HoldUp EVO

• Accommodates disc brakes, through axles, and full suspension bikes

• Tilts down with bikes loaded for rear-of-vehicle access

• Side-to-side adjustability to adjust space between bikes

• SKS Locks included; locks rack and bikes

• Carries two bikes; four with optional HoldUp +2 by Yakima is built to tag your valuable bikes anywhere.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HOLDUP BIKE HITCH TRAY BIKE RACK

 

 

The BackRoad 4 bike rack hitch by Yakima makes it easy to pack more bikes with a lot less stress, thanks to the carriers increased bike spacing. The BackRoad Yakima bike rack hitch cradles and pads provide a snug and protected fit, while fully removable ZipStrips make loading your vehicle a breeze.  Carries up to 4 bikes compatible with 50mm and 32mm hitch receivers right out of the box SpeedKnob attaches the bike carrier to your vehicle quickly and without tools.

 

• 7" spacing between bikes for easy access to your vehicle

• Soft cradle pads for added bike protection

• Side to side cradle rotation for a better bike fit

• Anti-sway cradles eliminate bike-to-bike contact

• Mast tilts down for easy access to hatch

• Integrated SKS locking cable locks bikes to bike carrier

• ZipStrips™ secure bikes to the rack and are fully removable

• Arms fold down when not in use

• 17kg weight maximum per bike

• Fits 1.25" (32mm) and 2" (50mm) hitch receiver

• Integrated Yakima accessories (bottle opener)

• Carries up to 4 bikes.

• Available TubeTop™ (sold separately) is required for non-conventional, step-through, BMX, and kid’s bikes as well as some full suspension bikes.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BACKROAD 4 BIKE RACK HITCH

 

Conclusion

While the list above talks of the best caravan bike racks in Australia, it is not exhaustive. There are tons of caravan bike racks on the market, but we believe our guide gives a glimpse of the excellent ones. Each pick has its uniqueness, carrying capacity and design. For instance, roof racks may not be suitable for seniors or people who'd find it hard to lift bikes before and after every road trip. So taking into consideration all the features before buying a caravan bike carrier is so important.

We also outlined some other bike racks that you can use for your car, vehicle, ute or van too. There are many types of bike racks available to buy, such as vertical bike racks for cars, so making sure you have the right bike rack for you and your family is vital. It's also important to check the price of the different bike racks to make sure the price suits you and isn't too expensive. So, make sure to take your time to choose which rack deserves to tag along during your next outdoor trip. For instance, rear mounted roof racks on the rear wall of the caravan or camper may be more suitable for seniors or people who'd find it hard to lift bikes like e bikes or mountain bikes before and after every road trip.

All the bike racks discussed here may be suitable for kids bikes, mountain bikes, touring bikes, trikes, race bikes, road bikes, lightweight alloy bikes, womens bikes, e bikes and more. We have the best bike carrier to choose from. 

To view a wide range of bike racks and bike carriers, check out the Brixton 4x4 Adventure page where you can find a huge selection of aftermarket towing accessories, including vehicle tow bars, tow hitches & tow wiring harnesss. It's easy shop online! We offer fast despatch and delivery to almost every region in Australia including Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.  Free shipping for all orders over $250 (exclude long, bulk or very heavy items).  Plus you have the option of interest free payment option with Zip Pay.

VISIT BRIXTON 4x4 ADVENTURE

 

Find out more about Electric Trailer Brakes or have a read of our article about 4x4 Racks & Bars.