Best E-Bike Hitch Rack For Carrying Two Bikes On A 2021 Land Rover Defender  

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I have always been partial to hitch mounted bike racks. I believe them to be more stable than racks mounted to the spare tire on the back of your vehicle. The hitch mounted bike rack also provides more flexibility. You can get them in multiple sizes, from two bikes up to four bikes. Lastly, if you are carrying e-bikes, you will not have to lift the bikes as high to load them on the hitch bike rack. In fact, some of the racks we sell will come with ramps to ease the loading and unloading of your heavy bikes.

We do have some other things to consider for your 2021 Land Rover Defender, namely the spare tire on the rear of the vehicle. This spare is going to add at least 11" of extra length to the rear of the vehicle. This means that there will not be a hitch bike rack that will fit your vehicle without the addition of a hitch extender. But you have to keep in mind, adding a hitch extender will reduce the maximum tongue weight of your hitch receiver by 50%. (You will have to reference your hitch receiver's manual for the maximum tongue weight.) My recommended hitch extender is the Curt Hitch Extender for 2" Hitch Receivers - 8" Long, part # C45791.

This hitch extender adds an additional 8" so you can clear your spare tire when using a hitch mounted bike rack. Once you have that in place, I recommend the Thule EasyFold XT Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount, part # TH903202. It has a distance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the closest edge of the rack, when in the folded up position, of 9-1/2". When you add that measurement to the 8" of distance the Curt Hitch adapter adds to your hitch receiver, you get a hitch bike rack that should have no clearance issues with your vehicle.

This rack comes with some standard features. It has an anti-rattle hitch pin that helps reduce movement between the hitch receiver and the hitch bike rack. The hitch pin will also lock this rack to the vehicle. Your bikes will be secured by padded, independent frame clamps. They clamp to the frame of your bicycle. They are very versatile, so you will be able to carry bikes of varying sizes and frame designs without the need of a frame adapter. Your bike's wheels will be secured by straps, which make this hitch bike rack "fender friendly." The frame clamps can lock your bikes to the rack. The tilt-down mast function allows you to access the rear of your vehicle, even when carrying bikes. In addition, this rack has other niceties not found in most hitch bike racks. The Thule EasyFold comes with a ramp to help you load your heavier e-bikes. When you are ready to remove the EasyFold from your vehicle, you can fold it and use the integrated wheels to store it until you need to use it again.

I have included product description links and video review links of the Curt hitch extender and the Thule EasyFold XT below.

expert reply by: Mark Smith

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