Adding Height to a Bike Rack for Better Ground Clearance

Updated 09/21/2016 | Published 09/20/2016

Products Featured in This Question

Thule Apex XT Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting

(218)

$449.95

Hitch Adapter 1-1/4" to 2" Trailer Hitch Receiver with 5" Rise

(549)

$108.46

Malone 2" Dual Purpose Hitch Receiver

(200)

$103.95

Question:

Hi, Im using this with the Carr reccomended hitch. Im having issues with the bikes riding too low to the ground. I have a top tube adjuster bar for the wifes bike and have tried it on my Trek 29inch wheeled bike as well and both still hang low. I have changed around different placements on the rack, and the front forked shocked wheels still hang pretty low. Is there an for the rack height or something I can add to the cradels on the rack to raise the front ends. I tried to attach a pic from my phone but failed. Thanks for any ideas.

asked by: Tom

Expert Reply:

I have a solution that will allow you to raise the height of the whole bike rack for better ground clearance when you have bikes loaded. If your trailer hitch has a 1-1/4 inch receiver you can use adapter # HT5R. If it has a 2 inch receiver you can use # MPG544.

However, the use of either adapter will reduce the tongue weight capacity of the trailer hitch by 50 percent. So if the tongue weight capacity of the hitch started at 200 pounds the use of adapter # HT5R would reduce that down to 100 pounds. This means the combined weight of the bike rack and bikes loaded cannot exceed 100 pounds.

expert reply by: Michael H