Best Bike Racks for Ebikes
Most e-bikes weigh 50 to 80 lbs, and the Yakima OnRamp LX covers that whole range: 80 lbs a bike, tires up to 5 inches, a ramp built into the rack and trays that stretch to a 54-inch wheelbase, for $999. On a tighter budget, the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider for Electric Bikes carries the same 80 lbs a bike for $529.99 but has no ramp at all, and the Swagman Current is the cheapest here at $475 with a 60 lb limit.
Beyond those, the choice turns on how heavy your bikes are and how they get up there. Only the 1UP USA Super Duty Double and VelociRAX 412 MAX are rated to 100 lbs, and the 1UP only on its inner tray. For loading, four racks include a ramp, six sell one separately, the Saris Door County lifts the bikes with a motor, and the VelociRAX tilts to the ground so you roll them in.
Our picks
- Best for a long-tail cargo bike: Yakima OnRamp LX. Trays telescope for wheelbases from 34 to 54 inches, rated to 80 lbs a bike, with the ramp built into the rack.
- Heaviest-duty rating on a budget: Hollywood Racks Sport Rider for Electric Bikes. 80 lbs a bike for $529.99, and usable on a Class 2 1-1/4 inch receiver, as long as you can lift the bike onto it.
- Best if nobody can lift a heavy bike: Saris Door County. Turn a key, press a button, and a motorised platform raises both bikes into place, for bikes up to 60 lbs.
- Best for van doors and truck tailgates: RockyMounts BackStage. The whole rack swings 180 degrees to the side with both bikes loaded, and it weighs 44 lbs to mount.
- Best for four heavy e-bikes: VelociRAX 412 MAX. Four baskets at up to 100 lbs each and 300 lbs total, loaded by tilting the frame to the ground and rolling each bike in.
At a glance
| Option | Price | Max Weight Per Bike | Bikes Carried | Rack Weight | Hitch Size | Max Tire Width | Loading Ramp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,099.95source | 65source | 2source | 45source | 1.25 or 2 insource | 3source | Includedsource | |
| $1,299.95source | 75source | 2source | 38.1source | 1.25 or 2 insource | 3.2source | Optional accessorysource | |
| $1,589source | 67source | 2–4source | 64source | 1.25 or 2 insource | 4.8source | Optional accessorysource | |
| $949source | 70source | 2–4source | 63source | 1.25 or 2 insource | 5source | Optional accessorysource | |
| $999source | 80source | 2source | 53.5source | 1.25 or 2 insource | 5source | Includedsource | |
| $529.99source | 80source | 2source | 58source | 1.25 or 2 insource | 5source | Not offeredsource | |
| $749.99source | 70source | 2source | 46source | 2 in onlysource | 4.5source | Includedsource | |
| $799.99source | 60source | 2source | 63source | 2 in onlysource | 3source | Powered liftsource | |
| $1,099.99source | 80source | 2source | 65source | 2 in onlysource | 5source | Optional accessorysource | |
| $899.99source | 70source | 2source | 53source | 1.25 or 2 insource | 4source | Includedsource | |
| $899.99source | 60source | 2source | 44source | 2 in onlysource | 5source | Not offeredsource | |
| $475source | 60source | 1–2source | 49source | 1.25 or 2 insource | 5source | Optional accessorysource | |
| $1,065source | 100source | 2–4source | 64source | 2 or 2.5 insource | 5source | Optional accessorysource | |
| $1,069source | 100source | 4source | 80source | 2 in onlysource | 3source |
Reading the weight-per-bike ratings
The column shows each rack's best tray, and some racks only reach that number in one spot. The 1UP USA Super Duty Double takes 100 lbs on the tray nearest the car, 75 on the second and 45 on any add-on trays. The Kuat Piston Pro X is rated to 67 lbs on its 2-inch two-bike version, and that figure drops as you add trays or move to the 1.25-inch version.
Three racks sit at 80 lbs a bike, the OnRamp LX, the Sport Rider and the Saris Edge, which covers the top of the 50 to 80 lb range most e-bikes fall in. The Saris Door County, RockyMounts BackStage and Swagman Current stop at 60 lbs, and the Thule EasyFold XT 2 at 65, which suits commuter and trail e-bikes more than cargo bikes.
Ramp in the box or sold separately
The OnRamp LX, Hollywood Destination E (a 46-inch expanding aluminum ramp), Saris Cycle-On (a telescoping ramp) and Thule EasyFold XT 2 (a ramp that folds into the rack) all include one. The Thule Epos 2 does not, and its ramp adds $119.95 to a $1,299.95 rack. The Yakima StageTwo, Saris Edge, Swagman Current, Kuat Piston Pro X and 1UP all need a separate ramp purchase too.
The Sport Rider and BackStage have no ramp made for them and no good way to rig one, because their wheel hoops and cradles give a ramp nothing to hook onto. On those two, someone lifts the bike.
Hitch size, fat tires and lifting the rack
Five racks need a 2-inch receiver: the Destination E (which warns against adapters), Door County, Edge, BackStage and VelociRAX, which also wants a Class III hitch rated to 500 lbs of tongue weight. The 1UP fits a 2.5-inch receiver as well. For fat tires, rule out the EasyFold XT 2, Door County and VelociRAX's standard baskets, which stop at 3 inches, and the Epos 2 at 3.2; the Cycle-On stops at 4 and the Destination E at 4.5, so a 5-inch tire is out on those too.
The empty rack is its own lift. The Epos 2 is the lightest at 38.1 lbs, then the BackStage at 44 and EasyFold XT 2 at 45. The VelociRAX weighs 80, the Edge 65 and the Kuat and 1UP 64 each. The Cycle-On softens its 53 lbs with built-in wheels for rolling it out of the garage.
The options in detail
Thule EasyFold XT 2
A platform rack built around portability: it folds down small enough to stow in a trunk between trips, and the loading ramp folds into the rack itself rather than riding loose in the car. Thule stops at 65 lbs a bike, the lowest ceiling of the premium racks here, so it fits mid-weight commuter e-bikes better than cargo bikes. Out of the box the trays take a 3 inch tire; fat tires need Thule's XXL fatbike wheel straps. At $1,099.95 much of what you are paying for is the fold-and-stow trick rather than capacity.
Thule Epos 2
Thule's newer design holds bikes on adjustable arms instead of deep wheel trays, which is how it carries 75 lbs a bike while weighing only 38 lbs itself, by far the lightest rack in this table. It folds flat, tilts for trunk access, and is built for long wheelbases and large wheels, up to 32 inches. The catch for e-bike owners is that the foldable loading ramp is a separate accessory, listed at $119.95 on the same page, so the real cost of getting a heavy bike up there is higher than the sticker.
Kuat Piston Pro X
The showpiece of Kuat's line: all metal, with pneumatic arms that clamp the tires at one tap and never touch the frame, plus integrated LED tail lights that wire into the car's 4-pin connector. It is rated to 67 lbs a bike on the 2 inch two-bike version, and it can grow to three or four trays, though the per-bike rating drops sharply as you add them. Two things to plan for: the rack itself weighs 64 lbs, and the bike ramp is a separate accessory. It is the most expensive rack in this table.
Yakima StageTwo
Yakima's tiered platform staggers the two trays at different heights so handlebars and saddles do not fight each other, which matters more on wide e-bike bars than on road bikes. It takes 70 lbs a bike, fits tires up to 5 inches, and a +2 add-on doubles it to four bikes. Loading help is the RampUp, a separate purchase: the V-shaped trays are cut to accept it but no ramp comes in the box. It is a heavy rack to mount at 63 lbs.
Yakima OnRamp LX
Yakima's dedicated e-bike rack, and the most accommodating one here for an odd bike: the trays telescope to wheelbases from 34 to 54 inches, so a long-tail cargo bike fits, and the ramp is built into the rack rather than sold on the side. It is approved to 80 lbs a bike, the joint highest of the mainstream platform racks in this table. It carries two bikes only, with no add-on to expand it, and the three-position tilt still lets you into the trunk with bikes loaded.
Hollywood Racks Sport Rider for Electric Bikes
The value pick: a steel rack rated to 80 lbs a bike for about half the price of the premium platforms, with extra heavy duty wheel holders, ratchet straps and locking frame hooks. It is also the only rack here that a 1-1/4 inch receiver owner can use at that weight, though Hollywood is firm that it must be a Class 2 hitch, not a Class 1. The trade-off is loading: there is no ramp for it, and no good way to rig one, because the wheel hoops give a ramp nothing to hook onto. Fat tires up to 5 inches fit out of the box.
Hollywood Racks Destination E
Hollywood's answer to the loading problem: a 46 inch expandable aluminum ramp comes in the box, and at 46 lbs the rack is one of the lighter ones to lift onto the hitch. The pivot sits between the two bikes so it tilts in a balanced way for trunk access, and it folds flat against the car when empty. Limits to check first: 2 inch receivers only, with an explicit warning against using a 1-1/4 to 2 inch adapter, and tires up to 4.5 inches, so the widest fat tires do not fit.
Saris Door County
The only rack here that lifts the bikes for you: turn a key, press a button, and a motorised platform raises both e-bikes into the transport position and lowers them again, so nobody has to push a heavy bike up a ramp at all. It also wires into the car for running, brake and turn signal lights, which is useful on a rack that blocks the tail lights. The price of that is capacity: 60 lbs a bike, tires no wider than 3 inches, 2 inch receivers only, and a 63 lb rack to mount.
Saris Edge 2-Bike Hitch Rack
Saris's heavy-duty tray rack: 80 lbs a bike, 160 lbs total, with a spring-loaded arm that holds the wheel and never touches the frame, fork or brake hoses. It installs tool-free with an anti-wobble system and is approved for Class A, B and C motorhomes, which most racks here are not. It is the heaviest rack in the table at 65 lbs and fits 2 inch receivers only. Saris sells a folding ramp rated for bikes up to 100 lbs that clips to Edge and MHS Duo trays, but it is a separate purchase.
Saris Cycle-On 2-Bike Hitch Rack
Saris's 2026 e-bike rack, and the most thought-through of the mid-priced options for people who dread the lift: a telescoping ramp is included, and the rack has integrated wheels so you can roll it out of the garage instead of carrying 53 lbs of steel. It takes 70 lbs a bike, fits both common receiver sizes, and installs tool-free. Tires stop at 4 inches, so a 5 inch fat tire e-bike is out.
RockyMounts BackStage
The swing-away: the whole rack pivots 180 degrees to the side, so a van's rear doors or a truck's tailgate open completely with both bikes still loaded. That mechanism is what you are paying for, and RockyMounts kept it light at 44 lbs. Capacity is ordinary for this table at 60 lbs a bike, which covers most trail and commuter e-bikes but not the heaviest cargo bikes, and it needs a 2 inch receiver. There is no ramp for it and no realistic way to add one, since both trays end in wheel cradles with nothing for a ramp to hook onto.
Swagman Current
The cheapest rack in this table by a wide margin, and still e-bike rated: 60 lbs a bike, fat tires up to 5 inches out of the box with no adapter to buy, locking ratchet hooks and a locking hitch pin. It tilts back for trunk access and folds up when empty, and at 49 lbs it is middling to lift. Swagman sells a ramp and bridge that fits it, sold separately. If your e-bikes are under 60 lbs, this is the least you can spend and still carry them safely.
1UP USA Super Duty Double
An all-aluminium, made-in-the-USA rack with the highest per-tray rating here: 100 lbs, though only on the tray closest to the car. On the Double the second spot drops to 75 lbs, and the add-on trays beyond that to 45 lbs, so read the weight ratings before assuming you can hang two 90 lb cargo bikes off it. The arms grab only the tires, they fold down flat when empty, and it is one of the few racks made for a 2.5 inch receiver as well as a 2 inch. The V-style ramp is an accessory, and owners note it needs a tool to attach and detach.
VelociRAX 412 MAX
A vertical rack that solves loading differently: the frame tilts down to the ground and you roll each bike in by its tires, so there is no lifting and no ramp involved, then it lowers itself back with a damper. Four bikes fit with 12 inches between them, at up to 100 lbs a basket and 300 lbs total, and Camp Mode parks the bikes on the ground while you get into the back of the vehicle. Two hard requirements: a 2 inch Class III receiver rated to 500 lbs of tongue weight, and standard baskets that only take tires up to 3 inches, so fat tire e-bikes need the separate fat tire baskets. At 80 lbs it is the heaviest rack here to mount.
How we researched this
Each rack here carries a per-bike weight rating from its maker, and each brand is represented by the models that differ most rather than its whole catalogue, so near-siblings like the Kuat NV 2.0, Thule Outpace, Saris MHS and Swagman Current Pro were left out. Roof and trunk-strap racks were excluded outright: lifting a 65 lb bike overhead is not a real answer, and no trunk rack found came close to these ratings. Kuat's Transfer v2 was dropped because its two-bike price is not shown and Kuat says no ramp accessory exists for it.
Prices are the maker's list price for the 2-inch, two-bike version, with two exceptions: 1UP's $1,065 is a dealer price, since 1UP's configurator never shows a total, and VelociRAX's $1,069 buys four bike spots. The no-ramp answers for the Sport Rider and BackStage come from a retailer's expert Q&A, and Swagman's rack weight from the same retailer, because makers do not publish those. VelociRAX's ramp cell is empty because the maker never addresses it. Thule's EasyFold page calls its ramp both included and optional, and RockyMounts lists the BackStage at 44 lbs in one place and 59 in another. Weigh your own bike and read the rating for the tray it will ride on before you order.