best bike rack for families with children

Best Bike Racks for Families with Kids

Written by: Amber S

Last Updated: 9/19/2024

Est. read time: 10 mins.

Bike riding is a fun outdoor activity for the whole family. However, if you have little ones, hauling their bikes to the trail can be a challenge. Most bike racks are designed to fit traditional adult male bikes, not the smaller frames and wheels of child-sized bikes. To carry kids' bikes, most of these racks require you to purchase an extra adapter on top of the bike rack itself.

Fortunately, many bike rack manufacturers have recognized the need for family friendly racks. That's where this list comes in. We've put together a list of the top family-friendly racks built to accommodate most smaller, child-sized bikes. These are racks endorsed by other bike enthusiast families, so you can rest assured that your family's bikes are in good hands!

Check out the list below!

Best Kids' Bike Racks of 2023

Bike Rack

Capacity

Why Choose This Rack?

Yakima HoldUp

2-4 Bikes

Best Overall (etrailer choice)

Benton Shifts&Grins

2-4 Bikes

Best for Smallest Bikes

Hollywood Racks Sport Rider + Cargo Carrier

2 bikes + 100 lbs cargo

Extra Cargo Space

Hollywood Racks Traveler

5 bikes

Highest Bike Capacity

Swagman XTC

2-4 bikes

Value Choice

Read more about our top bike racks for kids' bikes below!

Yakima HoldUp

Pros

The beefy Yakima HoldUp is everything you want in a hitch-mounted bike rack. It's easy to load, thanks to the pivoting rear wheel cradles and low height. Included Same Key System (SKS) lock cores secure your bikes to the rack and the rack to your vehicle. The ratcheting hooks avoid any frame contact. The HoldUp is perfect for multi-bike families, with the capacity to hold anything from a child-sized 20" bikes to an adult 29er. The rack even tilts away from the vehicle to allow for rear hatch access. Bonus: the available add-on # Y02446 turns this 2-bike rack into a 4-bike rack.

Cons

Although the HoldUp folds compactly against the vehicle, the folding lever is a bit difficult to access near the shank, particularly with bikes loaded.

Yakima HoldUp Key Features

Capacity: 2 bikes (60 lbs per bike) or 4 bikes (60 lbs per bike)

Mounting Style: Hitch Mount - Platform

Add-Ons: 2-bike add-on for 2-bike rack

Hitch Size: 1-1/4" or 2"

Allows Trunk/Cargo Access: Yes

Wheel Diameter: 20" - 29"

Carrier Weight: 49 lbs (2 bike); 104 lbs (4 bike)

Locks Included: Yes (Bikes & Rack)

Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Customer Review: 5/5

This carrier is everything they claim it is. It's very heavy duty, easy to mount and secure all types of bikes, whether they be BMX, mountain or road bikes, and, most importantly, rides so smoothly behind the vehicle (due to the well engineered arm that goes into the receiving hitch) that you forget it's there. I truly believe many a bike will wear out before this rack wears out. I would not hesitate to recommend this carrier to anyone who serious about quality and value.

Watch Now: Yakima HoldUp Review

Benton Shifts&Grins

Pros

The Benton Shifts&Grins is a new entry in the bike rack space, and they’re making a statement with their first line of platform bike racks. The Shifts&Grins is a solid 2-bike rack that holds onto the hitch and feels sturdy, all while possessing features you would normally see on much higher priced racks. The wheel cradles adjust to fit the smallest of children’s bikes (we tested it on a few kids bikes, and I can safely say that it’s handlebar-basket-approved, and won’t interfere with any tassels that happen to be attached either). The 4 bike add-on turns this from good to great, as it takes all of the features you’d enjoy in the 2-bike version and doubles the trays. If you’ve used a 4-bike rack you know that they can be heavy, but Benton has that covered too. Tool-free removal of the 2-bike extension means that as long as you’re able to lift two trays, this rack can be completely installed, assembled, disassembled, and stored without the need of an extra set of hands (more on that below).

Cons

This thing is super sturdy, and that’s a good thing. But that sturdiness also comes with some serious extra weight. The tool-free removal of the 2-bike extension feels more and more like a necessity than a feature as you leave miles of trail (and a good percentage of your energy) behind you. We’d suggest bringing a friend along, especially if you skipped arm day.

Benton Shifts&Grins Key Features

Capacity: 2 bikes / 4 bikes (55 lbs per tray)

Mounting Style: Hitch Mount - Platform

Add-Ons: 4-bike add-on

Hitch Size: 2"

Allows Trunk/Cargo Access: Yes

Wheel Diameter: Up to 29"

Carrier Weight: 63.5 lbs (2 bike); 114 lbs (4 bike)

Locks Included: No

Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Customer Review: 5/5

Heavy duty rack! Assembly instructions were good and easy to follow and assembly was pretty straightforward. All the parts seem like high quality and everything fit together. I got all my bikes on it and drove around a bit and I think it will work well for us. I put on a medium 26" bike, a medium 29er, a small 29er and a small 26" all at the same time and everything fit. Rack sits pretty high so I can get out of the driveway with a few inches to spare so that is nice. I used an Allen socket with ratchet wrench to make assembly easier instead of provided Allen wrench and recommend that. I found placing the bar hook on the bike frame holds the bike steady better than just pushing it down on the wheel if your going to drive much distance I would do that. We will see how it performs but at least out of the box it seems good. Came well packaged in perfect condition which I was a little worried about with shipping something so heavy across the country, but even though the box was a little beat up every thing inside was fine.

Watch Now: Benton Shifts&Grins First Impressions

Hollywood Racks Sport Rider + Cargo Carrier

Pros

Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE + Cargo Carrier is one of the most versatile racks you can find. With a 50-lb per bike capacity, the rack is perfect for any adult bikes (including most e-bikes), and the cargo carrier portion is perfect for strapping down even the smallest of bikes. Bikes with training wheels can be especially difficult to carry on traditional bike racks, but with the cargo carrier, you can simply strap down the little ones' bikes (along with any other gear) and be on your way. And when the kids get older and graduate to bigger bikes, Hollywood Racks sells an add-on to turn your 2-bike carrier into a 4-bike carrier.

Cons

An adapter is required to carry 16" or 18" wheels in the rack portion of the Sport Rider. The rack's 95 lbs of steel construction is quite heavy. You may need to replace the Velcro straps before any other component.

Hollywood Racks Sport Rider + Cargo Carrier Key Features

Capacity: 2 bikes + cargo (50 lbs per bike + 100 lbs cargo)

Mounting Style: Hitch Mount - Platform w/ Cargo Carrier

Add-Ons: 2-bike add-on (replaces cargo basket)

Hitch Size: 2"

Allows Trunk/Cargo Access: Yes

Wheel Diameter: N/A

Carrier Weight: 95 lbs

Locks Included: Yes

Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Customer Review: 5/5

The word "Awesome" could sum up this product up. I looked all over for a bike/ basket combo, and could not find anything as nice as this one. You can use just the bike rack or just the basket or both, as seen. Very sturdy, doesn't rattle, you don't even know it is on the back of your car.

Watch Now: Hollywood Racks Sport Rider + Cargo Carrier Review

Hollywood Racks Traveler

Pros

This budget-priced, family-friendly bike rack offers a 5-bike capacity, so you can bring the whole gang along. Dual folding arms reduce the need for adapters on children's bikes. The tilting upright mast allows for rear cargo access when bikes are not loaded, and the anti-sway cradles will secure your bike without scuffing the finish.

Cons

Locks must be purchased separately. The Traveler is more than capable of hauling 5 bikes (even 5 adult bikes), but this might require some careful arranging, particularly for atypical bike frames. Hanging bike racks like this one allow more sway than platform racks when driving. Some bikes may still require an adapter, though most will not.

Hollywood Racks Traveler Key Features

Capacity: 5 bikes (35 lbs per bike)

Mounting Style: Hitch Mount - Hanging

Add-Ons: N/A

Hitch Size: 2"

Allows Trunk/Cargo Access: Yes - when unloaded

Wheel Diameter: N/A

Carrier Weight: Approx. 38 lbs

Locks Included: No

Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Customer Review: 5/5

Just used our bike rack for a camping trip . . . We had not tried to fit 5 bikes on it before, but my son wanted to bring both his BMX trick bike and his mountain bike. All 5 bikes (2 adult, 3 kids) fit without any trouble, nice and secure. Highly recommended.

Watch Now: Hollywood Racks Traveler Review

Swagman XTC

Pros

The Swagman XTC is a popular choice among families. The Swagman XTC can carry bikes with wheels as small as 20", making it perfect for hauling kids' bikes. The wheel-mount design and cushioned hooks makes this rack easy to load, and the push-button ratcheting systems offers simple adjustment. The 4-bike model comes with locks, and the rack's soft coating protects your bikes from scuffs or scratches.

Cons

Locks must be purchased separately for the 2-bike model. The XTC doesn't have a tilt function, so you can't access your cargo hatch when bikes are loaded (the center mast does fold out of the way when bikes are not loaded, however).

Swagman XTC Key Features

Capacity: 2 bikes or 4 bikes (35 lbs per bike)

Mounting Style: Hitch Mount - Platform

Add-Ons: N/A

Hitch Size: 1-1/4" - 2"

Allows Trunk/Cargo Access: Yes - when unloaded

Wheel Diameter: 20"-29"

Carrier Weight: 25 lbs (2 bike); 59 lbs (4 bike)

Locks Included: No on 2-bike model; yes on 4-bike model

Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Customer Review: 5/5

Unless you plan to only - ever - carry adult men's bikes - go ahead and buy any bike rack. If you might carry a ladies or any kids bike, read this..... After struggling to get a variety of adult and kids bikes to fit in other racks, I almost cancelled our family bike trip. My neighbor saw me struggling with two different racks I bought from a larger retailer and the other from a bike shop... neither worked. He suggested I borrow his Swagman 4 place bike rack - amazing - all the bikes fit!! After saving the family bike trip, I came home and bought my own - it arrived 3 days later.... can't wait to get this one on the back of our SUV and get the kids out biking the great trails near our home.

Watch Now: Swagman XTC Review

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Written by: Amber S.

Updated by: Jacob J

Updated on: 9/19/2024

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