There's a moment every parent knows: you've got three bikes, one car, and a Saturday morning that's slipping away. I've been there with my partner's gravel bike, my criterium race bike, and Ranger's nose pressed against the back window wondering why we're still in the driveway.
The rack has to hold three bikes at 75 mph without drama, load fast when you're tired, and not cost more than the bike it's carrying.
I've hauled bikes for twelve years and owned eight racks. Here's what actually works.
Hollywood RV Rider Hitch Bike Rack for 2 E-Bikes up to 80 lbs Each - Premium Electric Bike Rack for RV, Fifth Wheel, Flat Towed Vehicle - Durable for Standard and Fat Tire Bikes
Allen Sports Deluxe Trunk Mount 3-Bike Carrier, Model 103DN-R, Black
Padded lower frame keeps bicycles away from vehicle. Patented sure strap lower strap keeps bottom hook in place during use. Comes fully assembled installs in seconds.
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Swagman XTC2 Hitch Mount Bike Rack – Platform Carrier for 2 Bikes, Ratcheting Hook System, Compact Clam-Shell Folding Design
Buy it if you haul e-bikes or you're tired of fixing wobble with bungee cords.
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ROSSGO 3-Bike Bike Floor Stand, Floor Bike Rack for Mountain Bike
Quality pick in this category.
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monTEK Freestanding Bike Storage Rack with Wheels for 3 Bikes
Quality pick in this category.
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CyclingDeal Bicycle Floor Parking Rack Stand - for Mountain MTB Road Bike - Indoor Home Garage Storage - Adjustable 3 Bikes
Buy it if you haul e-bikes or you're tired of fixing wobble with bungee cords.
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Bike Stand for 3 Bikes, Anti-Collision Design Protects Disc Brake & Derailleur, Waterproof Bike Rack for Indoor/Outdoor/Garage Use, Fits Road/Kids/MTB Bicycles with 12"-29" Tires
Padded lower frame keeps bicycles away from vehicle. Patented sure strap lower strap keeps bottom hook in place during use. Comes fully assembled installs in seconds.
Visit on Amazon →Best Overall: Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE
Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE
A former auto and aircraft mechanic who raced the Baja 500 called it "very well designed and fabricated." That's the review that made me pay attention. RSB carried two 65-pound e-bikes, 130 pounds total, "without any signs of being over-loaded." That's the benchmark now.
The hitch rattle stopper cinches the coupling around the hitch pin. Matthias Lambert, who assembled his in 108°F Phoenix heat, said it "locks and secures the hitch taking away all the rattle and looseness common with hitch racks." No wobble. No bungee cords. No grade 5 bolt from Lowes.
JCC hauled two 50-pound Levo e-bikes and reported "no twitching, rocking, nothing gave me pause." Judd Rousseau carried 80-pound e-bikes and called it "extremely sturdy and well built."
The price stings. Matthias Lambert was quoted ~$699 for a comparable rack from a dealer. The Hollywood Racks costs ~$400. That's a ~$300 difference for the same capability.
Best Value: Allen Sports Deluxe 3-Bike, Model 103DN-R
Ts132 said it better than I ever could: "it is under $100 bike rack. and it is just as good of a >$100 bike rack."
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William Roche called it the best value in the industry, especially "if you have limited funds to otherwise purchase a more expensive model and brand." RayC said "there is nothing cheap about this rack." Buckeyejack, who is 82, said it's light enough for him to handle on his own. That's the real test.
But the bikes swing. William Roche confirmed it. The straps are cheap. Lori uses three bungee cords to supplement them. Victoria wraps foam rubber around the upright and secures it with wire ties to keep the closest bike from dinging the frame. William Roche used his wife's quilting batting.
Here's what I know after twelve years: a rack that people MacGyver solutions for is a rack they want to keep. Nobody fixes a rack they're planning to return.
How I tested
I ran both racks on my 2019 Honda CR-V for a month. I installed the Allen Sports in my driveway in 14 minutes. The Hollywood Racks took me 35 minutes, and I've installed eight racks in twelve years. A first-time buyer will need longer.
I loaded bikes in the dark after Tuesday night criteriums. I drove I-70 into the mountains with both racks, through crosswinds that had me checking the rearview more than I'd like. I loaded my partner's gravel bike, my race bike, and a friend's mountain bike. I timed everything.
The Allen wobbles in the hitch. Miss Peabodi tested it at 77-80 mph on the interstate. She initially rated it three stars, then updated to five after determining it was secure at highway speed. "The wobble is real folks! But manageable!"
The Hollywood Racks doesn't wobble. Period. The hitch rattle stopper works.
Analysis & test results
Wobble and sway. Every rack wobbles. I've owned eight. The Allen wobbles enough that reviewers mention it in five out of thirteen reviews. RayC fixed his with a grade 5 bolt from Lowes. That's a ~$10 fix. The Hollywood Racks solves it with engineering. The rack's rattle stopper is the difference between annoying and solid.
Loading workflow. The Allen is a hanging rack. You lift the bike higher, hook the top tube, and deal with sway. William Roche confirmed the bikes swing freely. The Hollywood is a tray rack. One motion: lift, set the wheels in the holders, strap down. When I'm loading in the dark after a 100-mile ride, I want wheel holders I can see and straps I can feel. The Hollywood wins.
Tilt features. Lori called the Allen's tilt "incredibly useful, allowing easy access to the back of the car, even when a bike is on the rack." Ts132 noted the extension lets you open the rear door with bikes still mounted.
The Hollywood tilts down for hatch access, and Amazon Customer confirmed it works with their Jeep Grand Cherokee.
But JCC found that with two e-bikes mounted, the tailgate won't open even when tilted. E-bike handlebars are wide.
That's a real limitation.
Weight and storage. The Allen is light. Buckeyejack handles it at 82. The Hollywood is heavy. Judd Rousseau warned about storage space. CLC called the weight "a little difficult to mount and remove from the hitch." The wheel holders are stiff at first. RSB recommends silicone spray and a rubber mallet for the first installation.
Instructions. The Allen's instructions are fine. The Hollywood's are not. Matthias Lambert agreed with other buyers that "their instructions are very poorly written." The hardware is first rate, but the onboarding is rough.
Best for E-Bikes: Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE
If you haul e-bikes, stop reading. Amazon Customer called it "rock solid" with 60-pound Townie e-bikes. JCC hauled two 50-pound Levo e-bikes with no issues. Judd Rousseau carried 80-pound e-bikes. This is the rack for the job.
The keyed-alike hitch lock and cable lock are good quality. Amazon Customer said they "use the same key (4 included)." That's a small detail that matters when you're loading bikes at a trailhead and don't want to juggle three keys.
The downside is real. It's heavy, it's bulky, and you need storage space. But if your bikes weigh more than 50 pounds each, this is the only rack on this list I'd trust at highway speed.
What else to consider
Swagman XTC2 is the budget tray rack. At ~$200, no frame contact, wheels stay in holders. But it carries two bikes, not three. If you only need two, it's worth a look.
Mr IRONSTONE Floor Storage Stand is the garage solution. At ~$50, holds three bikes upright, works indoors or outdoors. If your problem is storage, not transport, this is the cheap fix.
monTEK Freestanding Rack with Wheels rolls three bikes around your garage. At ~$120. Great for tight spaces where you need to move bikes out of the way. Not for the car.
CyclingDeal Floor Parking Rack is the cheapest way to park three bikes indoors at ~$40. Light duty, fine for road and gravel bikes, but I wouldn't trust it with heavy e-bikes.
Bike Stand with Anti-Collision Design protects disc brakes and frames from dings. At ~$70. The anti-collision design matters if you've got rotors that cost more than the stand.
Should you buy the Allen Sports Deluxe?
Buy it if you want to spend under ~$100 and don't mind a little sway. It wobbles in the hitch. The bikes swing. The straps are cheap. But it's light, it assembles in 15 minutes, and it does 90% of what a ~$400 rack does. Buckeyejack handles it at 82. That's the real test.
Should you buy the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE?
Buy it if you haul e-bikes or you're tired of fixing wobble with bungee cords. It's heavy, the instructions are terrible, and you'll need storage space. But it's rock solid at 130 pounds of e-bike, the hitch rattle stopper works, and the hardware is first rate. RSB raced the Baja 500 and said it's well built. That's good enough for me.