How Can I Carry 50lb Ebikes On The Roof Of My Car

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Question:

We have a 2021 santa cruze heckler and a 2021 giant stance e2. Will these bikes fork mount and will the carrier handle the weight? Each bike is approx 50 lbs.

asked by: Brad S

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Expert Reply:

Your ebikes weight is one of the limiting factors in carrying them on the roof of your vehicle. The Yakima ForkLift Roof Mounted Bike Carrier - Fork Mount, part # Y02098, has a weight limit of 40lbs. But if your roof rack has crossbars with a channel my recommendation would be the Inno Fork Lock Roof Bike Rack - Fork Mount - Channel Mounted - Aluminum, part # INXA391.

It is a fork mounted rack that attaches to the channel of your crossbars. It has a weight limit of 50lbs and locks your bike to the vehicle. But since your bikes have thru-axles you need a separate adapter for each bike that is compatible with thru-axle bikes. The Yakima Fork Adapter for Bikes with 15-mm x 110-mm Boost Thru-Axle Forks, part # Y02113. This adapter clamps onto the quick release skewer that comes with the Inno Fork Lock Roof Bike Rack and your bikes front fork attaches to the adapter. Keep in mind while the adapter will be locked to your bike rack and vehicle, anything attached to the adapter is not locked to the vehicle.

If your cross bars do not have a channel the only option is to carry your bikes with the front wheel on the rack. My recommendation would be the Thule UpRide Roof Bike Rack - Wheel Mount - Clamp On or Channel Mount - Aluminum, part # TH599000. This rack has a maximum load of 44lbs. You should be able to meet that limit by removing the batteries from your bike when you transport them on the roof. It would also make the bikes safer to transport on the roof. The rack holds your bike in place via the wheels, so it never touches your frame. It fits bikes with 20 - 29" wheels and tires up to 3" in width. With the Thule One-Key System Lock Cylinders - Qty 2, part # TH450200, you can lock the bike to the rack and the rack to your vehicle.

Keep in mind your roof racks weight limit will be 165lbs. That is the weight of the rack, the accessories, and the bikes.

I have included product description links and video review links below.

expert reply by: Mark Smith

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Answer 1

The Kuat roof rack accessories just use clamps but they also sit directly onto the crossbars so you would have the same amount of clearance whether they mounted in the T-Slot of Thule aero-style crossbars or not. For example, the Kuat Trio Roof Bike…

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Answer 2

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 3

Hello Lou, thanks for reaching out. The hitch pin you are looking for is the etrailer D-Shape Anti-Rattle Locking Hitch Pin for Benton Hitch Accessories #e43JR. This will work with the Benton #B54VR bike rack you mentioned, as well as the #B54FR,…

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Answer 4

Hello Andrew, Well that sounds like quite the fun trip, what state or states will you be traveling through? You're asking a really important question, especially since you're planning a cross-country trip with about 250 pounds of bikes and…

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Answer 5

Hello Karla, Wow, that is a really nice e-bike! I do not blame you for wanting a ramp for your e-bike, just because you can lift your bike doesn't mean that you should. For your 2024 Aventon A-Level 2 step through Commuter E-bike I recommend the…

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Answer 6

Hi Stephanie! Great question and you’re totally right to ask, because most hitches for the 2024 RAV4 do require a bit of bumper trimming. That includes the Oris Detachable Hitch #TS66VR, since it uses a hidden design that needs a hole cut in the…

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Answer 7

Hello Joseph, yes there is! What you are looking for is the Anti-Rattle Hitch Lock and Cable Lock for 2" Hitch Mounted Bike Racks #e88RV. This will work with the Benton Bike Rack #B54VR, as well as the #B94FR and #B54FR so that the bike and rack…

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Answer 8

Great question, Hannah. Both use wheel-mount systems and avoid frame contact, but the Crosstrack 1 bike 2" hitch #HLY98RR has a tilt feature and no-tool install thanks to the No-Wobble feature (uses a handle that you twist by hand). The Kuat…

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Answer 9

The main difference between the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver part #C13416 and the EcoHitch Hidden Trailer Hitch Receiver part #EH97FR is that the EcoHitch has a completely hidden cross tube whereas the Curt cross tube will be visible from the rear of…

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Answer 10

Hey Mike! The Benton Shifts&Grins Bike Rack for 4 Bikes item #B82FR does not have any built in locks which is a big part of why it comes at such an affordable cost compared to other manufacturer's offerings. You can easily secure your bikes…

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Answer 11

The Hollywood Racks Trail Rider 2-Bike Rack #HR200 weighs about 35 lbs. The Swagman XC 2-Bike Rack #S64650 is lighter at about 26 lbs. The biggest difference between the two is the Swagman rack is rated for 2 bikes at 35 lbs each and the Hollywood…

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Answer 12

Hi Cameron! For your 2025 Mazda 3 Sedan, I prefer the Curt #C44DR over the Draw-Tite #24982. They are almost identical and have the same weight capacities, but Curt is made in America and Draw-Tite is not. This pretty much always pushed me to the…

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How Can I Carry 50lb Ebikes On The Roof Of My Car

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