Title. Looking at hitch mounted bike racks, specifically two types: racks that have a vertical bar and the bike hangs down by the frame, and racks with a horizontal platform that the wheels sit in. Think things like Thule.
I see heavy ebikes being held by heavy duty racks, or multiple MTBs on one. How is it that they are stable? I would think that – especially the hanging ones – they would act like a giant breaker bar against the hitch opening. I know that they are designed not to really wobble right and left, but how does that little 1.25 or 2” square slot stop 3-4 feet of steel bar with 30-100lbs of weight on the end from breaking loose?
Definitely not asking because I’d like a hitch rack for my bike and have trust issues. Lol. I can’t fathom how these work, and why they don’t need to be secured from the top at least.
In: Engineering
The receiver on my 24 year old truck is rated to tow 10,000lb with a tongue weight of +1,000lb.
The people who designed the hitch built it with the strength and safety in mind to be able to tow everything from a lawn mower all the way up to a 30-40’ long camper trailer. They had FAR more than the weight of a bicycle or eBike in mind when they engineered that hitch. Additionally, automotive hitch receivers are standardized to certain class ratings, so it makes it easier for the companies who build hitch accessories to design their equipment with a certain size hitch receiver in mind.
The steel that these hitches are made of is very thick and welded to a crossbar in such a way that it transfers the entire load of the hitch into the tow vehicle instead of twisting or breaking.
As long as you follow the instructions included with your bike rack you should have no issues with the load.
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