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Putting your bike in the bed of your truck may seem fine, but it could be doing more harm to your bike than you think. A high-quality truck bed bike rack will keep your bike and truck safer. Plus, it gives you access to your hitch in case you need to hook up a trailer or camper. Check out the best truck bed bike racks to consider the next time you plan on riding the trails.
Summary List
- Best Overall: Heininger Automotive 2025 Advantage SportsRack BedRack
- Best Value: Inno Truck Bed Bike Mount System
- Best for Two Bikes: Swagman Pickup Truck Bike Rack
- Premium Pick: Thule Insta-Gater Pro Truck Bed Bike Rack
- Honorable Mention: MBP Alloy Quick Release Fork Mount Bike Block
- Honorable Mention: Top Line Uni-Grip Truck Bed Bike Rack
- Honorable Mention: EVO Quick Release Fork Mount Truck Bed Bicycle Carrier
- Honorable Mention: Pipeline Racks Truck Bed Bike Rack
- Honorable Mention: RockyMounts LoBall Track Quick-Release Bike Rack Pick Up Truck
- Honorable Mention: Delta Bike Hitch Pro 2 Locking Fork Mount
Best Truck Bed Bike Racks: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall
Heininger Automotive 2025 Advantage SportsRack BedRack
Best Value
Inno Truck Bed Bike Mount System
Best for Two Bikes
Swagman Pickup Truck Bike Rack
Premium Pick
Thule Insta-Gater Pro Truck Bed Bike Rack
Honorable Mention
MBP Alloy Quick Release Fork Mount Bike Block
Honorable Mention
Top Line Uni-Grip Truck Bed Bike Rack
Honorable Mention
EVO Quick Release Fork Mount Truck Bed Bicycle Carrier
Honorable Mention
Pipeline Racks Truck Bed Bike Rack
Honorable Mention
RockyMounts LoBall Track Quick-Release Bike Rack Pick Up Truck
Honorable Mention
Delta Bike Hitch Pro 2 Locking Fork Mount
Our Verdict on the Best Truck Bed Bike Racks
For an easy-to-use truck bed bike rack that holds your bike securely in place, check out the Heininger Automotive 2025 Advantage SportsRack BedRack. Or, if you want to save some cash and still get a high-quality mount, consider the unique Inno Truck Bed Bike Mount System.
Benefits of Truck Bed Bike Racks
- Take your bike anywhere. You don’t have to worry about how you are going to transport your bike. A bicycle rack for pickup truck beds is a great way to haul one or more bikes. This gives you the freedom to load up the bike and hit the road without having to ride all the way to the nearest trail.
- Protect your bike and truck. You could simply set the bike down in the truck bed, but that could damage it during the drive. The force from turns or sudden stops could toss it around or fling it out of the bed itself. It could also scratch or dent the truck’s paint. The best truck bed rack will keep the bike secure and prevent it from falling down or out of the bed.
- Haul other equipment. A bike stand for trucks frees up the trailer hitch, leaving you room to pull a camper, RV, or small trailer. You can also store other equipment and gear in the bed around the bike. Just make sure everything is secure to prevent any damage.
- Use them outside of the truck. Many mountain bike racks for trucks can be used out of the bed as well. If you need to stow your bike in the garage or on the ground, you can place the mount on the floor and simply mount the bike to it. This gives you the ability to service the bike or leave it there for another day.
Types of Truck Bed Bike Racks
Fixed
These racks are quite popular and can be fixed in place to hold the bike. They typically consist of a long metal rod or pole that extends to the width of the truck bed to hold it securely. To lock down the bike, remove the front wheel and insert it into grooves where the tire would go. These racks can also attach directly to the side of the bed to hold the bike frame. The designs can vary, depending on the number of bicycles they are able to hold, and they are simple to set up.
Adjustable
Adjustable mounts come with extendable arms to lock down the bike’s tire or frame. With these racks, you shouldn’t have to remove the front tire at all, since it clasps on to the rubber. However, adjustable frames can be trickier to set up and are a bit on the bulky side compared to fixed racks.
Truck Bed Bike Rack Pricing
- Under $100: Here you will find smaller and a more simple selection of truck bed bike mounts. They will typically hold just one bike, but you can find some that accommodate two. You may also have to drill holes into the truck bed to properly connect them.
- $100-$200: This is where you will see the quality of the material increase as well as the number of bikes the racks can carry. They are also equipped with more robust frames and enhanced locking mechanisms to lock them down when the bikes are off.
- $200 and up: In this range, you will find large, durable, and sturdy mounts that are capable of holding a lot of weight. They are also designed to carry larger equipment, such as kayaks, surfboards, and rooftop tents.
Key Features
Bike Mount
Truck bed bike mounts lock your bike down in one of two ways, either by the forks or the wheel. Both offer a secure way to prevent the bike from tipping or swaying during travel. With bed bike racks that are wheel-mounted, you do not have to remove the front wheel. They come with an armbar that clamps to the wheel, holding it in place. Those designed to fit in the fork grooves will require you to take off the front wheel. You can then use straps or a bungee cord to hold down the wheel or place it inside the truck.
Truck Bed Mount
There are multiple ways truck bed bike mounts attach to the vehicle, but not all of them will necessarily work in your truck. Some can be extended from one side of the bed to the other to hold it tightly in place. Others slide into the gap between the bed and the tailgate to prevent them from sliding around. However, you may want to get a lock for your tailgate in order to prevent anyone from lowering it and stealing the rack. You can also find racks that require you to drill holes in the frame of your truck. Many bike mounts will not fit on your truck if you have over-the-rail bedliners.
Other Considerations
- Bike Capacity: Your truck bed is limited to the number of bikes it can hold. The wider and longer the bed, the more it may be able to accommodate. The length and width of the mount are important. Larger ones will take up more space but may hold fewer bikes.
- Additional Accessories. Many mounts offer you the ability to carry more than just bicycles. Certain brands can hold surfboards, tents, and kayaks as well. These tend to be more expensive.
Tips
- Be aware of the weight restrictions on bike racks. While most can carry mountain and road bikes with ease, many won’t be able to hold the weight of recumbents, cargo bikes, or tandem bikes.
- Check the size of your bike’s wheelbase before purchasing a rack. Many can easily fit normal-sized wheels, but anything larger than 29 inches may be too large.
- If you end up having to remove the wheel of a bike, you can store it in the truck. You could also leave it in the bed and use bungee cords or ropes to hold it in place.
- Remove the bike’s seat and pedals to reduce the weight of the bike and decrease the amount of wind noise and resistance during the drive.
- If you feel uncomfortable with the way your bike sits in a rack, you can use extra tie downs or straps to hold it in place.
FAQs
A: While many do come with a locking mechanism to prevent theft, many do not. You can buy a locking kit for your mount or use a strap to tie around the bike then lock it with a regular lock.
A: This depends on the style of the mount you have in mind. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes if all you have to do is extend a bar between the bed or insert it between the tailgate. Larger, more robust racks may need more time and may also require you to drill holes into the truck bed.
A: They should fit in any type of truck bed. The problem you may run into is the size and length of the bike in addition to the rack. If you are having issues fitting the bike into the bed, you can try angling the bike while keeping the front wheel in place. As long as the wheel is facing straight, you should be able to fit the bike inside the bed. However, this only works with some racks.
