How To Transport A Bike Without A Bike Rack

Updated on September 25, 2023

Bikes are one of the easiest ways of transportation whether you go on a trip or want to visit the nearest convenience store. I know no one wants to take out their car to go to a place that is just a few minutes away, this is when we feel the need of having a bike. Most people take bikes with them while traveling.

Usually, people use a bike rack to take their bikes wherever they go but not everyone has a bike rack to transport their bikes. You should keep in mind that transporting a bike without a bike rack is difficult. So if you are looking for ways to transport a bike without a bike rack then keep reading this article.

How To Transport a Bike Without a Bike Rack

Are you one of those people who don’t own a bike rack and do not even want to invest money in it at the moment? Then you can try the following methods to transport your bike without a bike rack. No doubt, a bike rack is the safest way to transport a bike without damaging it. However, you can carefully use the following methods to ensure the safe transport of your bikes.

Inside a Car

You can use your car to transport a bike by putting it inside the car. Although the space inside the car is limited so you need to adjust your bike according to that. First of all, analyze your car space. If you think your car can accommodate the bike then you can go ahead. You should clean your bike before putting it inside your car so that your car does not get dirty. The most important part is to clean the wheels of your bike to remove any dirt or mud stuck to them. You can use water and a brush to clean the wheels. Use wet wipes to clean the frame of the bike.

If the bike is too big and you don’t have enough space in the car then you can remove one wheel of the car to make it adjust inside the car. You can take off any one of the wheels and keep it inside a wheel bag. To adjust the bike inside the car easily you can fold the back seat of the car to make it more spacious.

Tie It Up On The Car Roof

If you can not use the backseat of your vehicle because you have companions with you then you can tie it up on the car roof. Place it in an upside-down position and tie it using a rope to keep it fixed to one place. You can place a blanket under the bike to keep it safe from getting any damage during a bumpy ride.

Use a Car Truck

Luckily, if you own a car with a spacious trunk then you should utilize it for transporting a bike without a bike rack. This method is super easy, no need to disassemble your bike or do changes in your car. Simply put the bike in the car truck and tie it up so the bike doesn’t move from its place when your car makes sharp turns.

Storing In a Car Trunk

Car trunks are not very spacious. This is why disassembling your bike is important to make it fit inside the trunk. After disassembling the bike you can put all the bike parts in a big box that can easily fit all the parts inside it. Put some soft foam around the bike parts to avoid any damage.

Use a Bike Case

If any of the above methods do not suit your situation then you can think of buying a bike case. For this method, you need to disassemble your bike completely. Later you can put the disassembled parts inside the bike case. The purpose of a bike case is to keep all the parts in one place as well as protect your car’s seat from getting greasy.

To put your bike inside a bike case you need to remove the pedals, handlebars, and seat pillars, and deflate the wheel to let them slide in the bike case easily. Mind that, disassembling will take time but using this method to transport your bike without a bike rack is quite useful. You can easily put it in your car’s trunk, backseat, front seat, etc.

Find a Trailer

If you are planning a trip with family or friends and want to take bikes with you then a trailer is the best option. Finding a trailer can be difficult but it is the most secure out of all the options. All you need to do is attach the trailer to your car. After fastening your bike to the trailer, fix it with a rope to stop it from moving around while you drive.

DIY Method

Are you a fan of DIY methods and want to recycle your PVC pipe? You might not know that you can build a bike rack using PVC pipes, did you? Now you must be wondering what you need for this, right? Well, this does not require a long list of materials. You just need PVC pipes and a few connectors.

Take four 2 feet long PVC pipes, T-connectors, and elbow connectors. Assemble the rack by connecting T-connectors with the ends of two pipes and attach elbow connectors with the other ends of the PVC pipes. Once all the pipes are connected, you can attach them to your car. Fix the rack using ropes so it doesn’t move from its place while you are driving.

Foldable Bikes

If you don’t own a bike rack or a spacious car then you should choose your bike wisely. Only foldable bikes are car-friendly and can be easily transported without any distress. You can put a foldable bike in your car by removing its front wheel by loosening up the quick-release and a few frame bolts to get rid of pedals. It is necessary to remove pedals because they come in the way when you try putting the bike inside the car.

Is It Risky to Transport a Bike Without a Car Rack?

Although transporting a bike without a bike rack is not suggested. The risk of damaging the bike during its transportation through these methods is high if no care is taken. Before using any of the above-mentioned methods it is advised to take precautionary measures to protect your bike from getting damaged.

FAQs

What is the best way to carry a bike on a car?

The best way to carry a bike in the car is by disassembling a few parts of the bike. Opening up a few bike parts will ease your difficulty in putting a bike inside a car. Keep in mind that you need to disassemble a few parts of the bike to fit the bike inside the car or in the car trunk. However, there is no need to disassemble the bike if you are transporting it on the car’s roof.

How do you transport a bike without a rack?

You can use the following methods to transport a bike without a rack. You can try adjusting your bike inside the car by folding the rear seat to make room for the bike to fit in, using the car roof to mount the bike on it, and making space by folding the rear seats of your car to utilize the car trunk. If you own a pickup truck you can simply place your bike on the truck bed and fix it using a rope to avoid any unnecessary movements.

How do you transport a bike in a truck?

Transporting a bike in a truck is super easy. All you have to do is put the bike in the truck bed and secure it with rope or bungee cords.

Can a bike fit in a car without taking it apart?

Yes, the majority of bikes are designed in a way that can easily fit in a car. But sometimes you keep the bike and car safe it is recommended to remove the front wheel and use small rings to avoid getting any grease or stains on your car seats.

Conclusion

Many people prefer traveling on a bike over their cars because it lets you enjoy downtown alleys, narrow streets, and even forest trails. Many times we come across moments where we need to shift our home, cover a long distance to be at a picnic spot, etc. For this you need to transport your bike to the destination because going on a bike to these places is not an option. If you are going through a situation like this and trying to find out ways to transport your bike without a bike rack then you can try the following methods

• Transport it by putting it inside a car: remove the front wheel of the bike and fold the backseat to fit the bike inside the car
• Tie it up on the car roof: directly place the bike on the car roof and secure it using a rope
• Use a car truck: simply put the bike at the back of the truck and fasten it tightly with a bungee cord or rope

You don’t need to worry if you don’t own a bike rack and don’t even want to spend money on it. To ease this difficulty of yours you can try the above-mentioned alternate methods to transport your bike without a bike rack. I hope you find our article useful. Thank you for reading.