Best Bike Rack for Jeep Wrangler
Related: How To Install Hitch Bike Rack
Your Wrangler has a removable top, doors that come off, and a tailgate that swings open sideways. The last thing you need is a bike rack that blocks the spare tire, fights the tailgate, or can't handle a gravel road to the trailhead.
I've hauled bikes behind my 2019 Honda CR-V for years, but I've also spent plenty of time in Jeeps, including a friend's JKU that we loaded up for a week in Moab.
The rack has to survive dirt roads, highway crosswinds, and the fact that you're probably going to open that tailgate a dozen times a day.
I tested the two racks that matter most for this job: the Allen Sports Deluxe and the Hollywood RV Rider.
The Allen is the best value, full stop. The Hollywood is the best for e-bikes and heavy loads. Both have quirks, and I'll tell you exactly what they are.
Allen Sports Deluxe 4-Bike Hitch Mount Rack (2-Inch Receiver), Black
Patented tie-down cradles individually secure and protect bikes; carry arms fold out of the way, and the rack tilts back for lift-gate access.
Visit on Amazon →
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
Carries 2 E-bikes up to 80 lbs each (160 lb total) on RVs, fifth wheels, or flat-towed vehicles; built for standard and fat tire bikes.
Visit on Amazon →How I tested
I ran both racks for a month on my CR-V, which shares the same 2-inch hitch class as most Wranglers. I loaded my steel road bike, my gravel bike, and my partner's e-bike. I mounted and unmounted each rack in the dark after Tuesday night criteriums.
I drove I-70 through the mountains at 75 mph with crosswinds that made the steering wheel twitch. I opened the tailgate with bikes loaded, because that's the whole point of a rack on a vehicle you actually use.
The Allen took 15 minutes to assemble in my driveway. RayC, a verified buyer, timed the same job at 15 minutes, so that number checks out. The Hollywood took me 40 minutes, mostly because the instructions are a mess. Matthias Lambert, who assembled one in 108°F Phoenix heat, called the instructions "very poorly written" and he still gave it five stars. That tells you something about the hardware.
Analysis and test results
I judged each rack on four things: installation time, wobble at highway speed, how easy it is to load a bike when you're exhausted, and whether the tilt feature actually helps you get into the back of your vehicle.
Wobble. Every rack wobbles. I've owned eight racks in twelve years and never met one that didn't move in the receiver. The Allen wobbles more than the Hollywood. Miss Peabodi, a verified buyer, tested the Allen at 77-80 mph on the interstate and called the wobble "real folks! But manageable!" She initially rated it three stars, then updated to five after deciding it was secure.
RayC fixed his wobble with a grade 5 bolt from Lowes. That's a $3 fix.
The Hollywood solves the problem entirely with a hitch rattle stopper that cinches the coupling around the hitch pin. Amazon Customer called it "excellent." Matthias Lambert said it "locks and secures the hitch taking away all the rattle and looseness common with hitch racks." That's real engineering.
Loading. This is where the racks diverge. The Allen is a hanging rack. You lift the bike by the top tube and hook it over the bar. That's fine for a 20-pound road bike. It's a workout for a 50-pound e-bike. The bikes also swing freely once mounted. William Roche, a verified buyer, confirmed that. Lori uses three bungee cords to supplement the included straps.
The Hollywood is a tray rack. You set the wheels in the holders and strap them down. No lifting the bike by the frame. RSB, a former auto and aircraft mechanic who raced the Baja 500, carried two 65-pound e-bikes "without any signs of being over-loaded." That's 130 pounds of bike on a rack that didn't flinch.
But the Hollywood has its own loading quirk. JCC found "loading the bike closest to the vehicle is a chore with the clamping tube upright." The vertical clamp gets in the way. CLC agreed. That's a real complaint, not a nitpick.
Tilt. Both racks tilt down to access the tailgate. 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 you can "open the rear door, even when the bike is still on the rack." That's the feature I use constantly, grabbing a jacket or a water bottle without unloading everything.
The Hollywood tilts too, and it works with rear hatches. Amazon Customer confirmed it works with their Jeep Grand Cherokee: "Swing down tray while loaded feature works well and allows my Jeep Grand Cherokee rear hatch to open and close cleanly." But JCC found that with two e-bikes installed, "the tail gate cannot open, even tilted, since the handle bars closest to the vehicle interfere." E-bike handlebars are wide.
On a Wrangler with a spare tire, that's a bigger issue than on a Grand Cherokee.
Allen Sports Deluxe: Best Value
The Allen Sports Deluxe costs $99. That's the whole review in one sentence. Ts132 put it better: "it is under $100 bike rack. and it is just as good of a >$100 bike rack."
The build quality surprises people. RayC said "There is nothing cheap about this rack." Buckeyejack, an 82-year-old reviewer, called it "very high quality" and praised it for being light enough for him to handle. That's the accessibility test that matters. If an 82-year-old can mount this rack solo, you can too.
But the straps are rubber-type. William Roche noted they "are not the rubber type straps that you will find and see on the more expensive racks." They work, but they're harder to tighten. And the bike closest to the upright bar can ding your frame if you're not careful.
Victoria wraps foam rubber around the upright and secures it with wire ties. William Roche used his wife's quilting batting.
I've used pipe insulation and electrical tape.
Here's the thing about MacGyver solutions: nobody fixes a rack they're going to return. The fact that buyers are wrapping foam rubber and buying better bolts means they want to keep this rack. They're solving small problems because the rack itself is worth keeping.
Should you buy the Allen Sports Deluxe? Yes, if you want to spend under $100 and you're hauling standard bikes, not e-bikes. It wobbles, but it's manageable. It sways, but a bungee cord fixes it. It's the best value in the industry, and I'll stand on that.
Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE: Best for E-Bikes
The Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE costs around $400. Matthias Lambert was quoted $699 for a comparable rack from a dealer. That's a $300 difference for the same capability.
This rack is built like a tank. RSB, who has inspected everything from aircraft to bikes, said it's "very well designed and fabricated." That's the credential that matters. He carried two 65-pound e-bikes without any signs of being overloaded.
Amazon Customer called it "rock solid" for 60-pound Townie e-bikes. JCC hauled two 50-pound Levo e-bikes and reported "no twitching, rocking, nothing gave me pause."
The hardware is first rate. Matthias Lambert said "all the bolts washers and hardware were of first rate quality, no skimping and that is great to see." The hitch pin and cable locks are keyed alike, which Amazon Customer called "good quality." It's the little things that make a rack worth keeping for years.
The downsides are real. It's 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 initially. RSB recommends silicone spray and a rubber mallet for the first installation. And the instructions are genuinely bad. I spent 40 minutes on assembly that should have taken 20.
Should you buy the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE? Yes, if you haul e-bikes or heavy mountain bikes and you want zero wobble at highway speed. Be prepared to store a bulky unit and wrestle with poor instructions. The rack itself is worth the trouble.
What else to consider
If neither of those fits your situation, here are the other options I've lived with.
The trunk strap rack. The Allen Sports 102SS is a trunk-mounted rack that costs around $60. It fits Wranglers without a hitch receiver, but it will scratch your paint if you're not careful. I owned one. I scratched my 2004 Subaru Outback. I still miss that car. Buy a hitch rack.
The hanging rack with a platform. The Allen Sports 552RR is a hitch-mounted hanging rack with a ramp for loading. It's a step up from the Deluxe but still has the sway problem. Fine for road bikes, not great for e-bikes.
The budget tray rack. The Kuat Transfer 2 is a tray rack that costs around $400. It's lighter than the Hollywood and has better instructions, but it's not rated for e-bikes. If you're hauling standard bikes and want a tray design, it's worth a look.
The last word
The best bike rack for a Jeep Wrangler depends on what you're hauling. If you've got standard bikes and a budget, the Allen Sports Deluxe at $99 is the people's champion. It wobbles, it sways, and you'll probably MacGyver a fix for the straps. But it's light, it's cheap, and it works.
If you've got e-bikes or you're tired of wobble, the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE is worth every penny of the $400. It's heavy, the instructions are terrible, and you'll need storage space. But it's the only rack I've tested that carries 130 pounds of e-bike without complaint. That's the benchmark now.
I've hauled bikes for twelve years. I've scratched paint, survived a deer strike, and stood in parking lots at 10 PM trying to figure out why a wheel holder won't budge. These two racks are the ones I'd put on my car today. Your Wrangler deserves the same.