You have bicycles and a Toyota RAV4 in the garage, but you don’t know you can carry your bikes on the RAV4 with bike racks on a road trip and enjoy cycling time while driving out across the country. Consequently, we recommend some compatible bike racks for your Toyota RAV4.
As we know, car bike racks are not universal, so you better consult the local auto dealer or the rack manufacturer to check compatibility before putting one in the shopping cart. We have done the work for you, and you can find compatible bike carriers for your RAV4 without further research and learning.
You can find three styles of bike racks: roof-mounted, hitch-mounted, and trunk-mounted. If you want to know their differences, advantages, and drawbacks, you can follow this article to find more information about the detail of the three types of bike carriers.
If you consider using rooftop bike racks to carry bicycles on your RAV4, you should know that roof-mounted bike racks mount on roof racks; thus, you must have compatible roof bars for using roof-mounted bike carriers.
Start From Roof-Mounted Bike Racks:
When you decide to use roof-mounted bike racks, you should first check what type of roof your RAV4 has and choose compatible rooftop crossbars; thus, we choose three sets of items to fit three types of car roofs you may see on your Toyota RAV4.
Roofs with factory roof rails:
If you find a pair of factory-installed roof rails that run from front to back on your Toyota RAV4, you can consider using the crossbars below to create a platform for roof-mounted cargo carriers, including rooftop bike racks.
Malone AirFlow2 Universal Cross Rail Roof Rack (50 inches)
It is a pair of aluminum roof bars that can hold up to 165 lbs of items, but you should always follow the RAV4’s roof loading limit. If you are new to this topic, you can follow another article to learn How Much Weight You Can Load On A Car Roof.
You can use 4 mounting towers to attach the bars on the roof rails and use integrated locks on the towers to lock the bars in position and prevent thefts when you are away from the car. It is super easy to use and install for most people, and its aerodynamic design cuts the airflow in motion to reduce wind noise and decrease waste of gas consumption.
It is suitable for Toyota RAV4 with factory-installed roof rails.
Roofs with Flush Rails
If your RAV4 has flush roof rails, you can use the roof racks below to build a platform for supporting roof-mounted cargo carriers like cargo boxes, baskets, bags, and bike racks.
Thule Wingbar EVO 53 inches is a perfect solution for Toyota RAV4 with flush roof rails, but you need to get two more accessories to connect the Thule roof bars to the roof rails.
Before adding a set of Thule Wingbar EVO crossbars to your Toyota RAV4, you should get the Thule Rapid Podium Foot Pack and the Thule Roof Rack System Fit Kit 3177 because these three items work together to hold up the entire cargo on your RAV4.
It is a combination of three different items, and you must get all these things to build a complete roof rack system for Toyota RAV4 with flush rails and fixed mounting points. As a result, if you don’t like any of these things, you should not take only one because they won’t work separately.
Toyota RAV4 with Naked Roofs or Bare Roofs
If you cannot find anything on your RAV4’s roof, it has a bare roof that requires a different rack system than the above examples. Thus, we recommend a set of items that can create a sturdy, waterproof, aerodynamic, and durable rack system for Toyota RAV4 with bare roofs.
You can use Rhino-Rack Vortex Aero 49-inch crossbars to hold cargo or support all the weight on the car roof. Rhino-Rack Vortex crossbars are aluminum-made roof bars that can hold up to 165 pounds of luggage, and their rounded shape makes them better aerodynamic roof racks that create less wind noise. You can find black and silver options to match the style of your RAV4.
You must add Rhino-Rack Legs and a set of Clamp Kits to the Vortex Aero 49-inch crossbars to make it possible to stand and lock on your RAV4’s roof frames. When choosing the Clamp Kits, you should consult the manufacturer about the compatibility and find the most suitable model for your vehicle.
After getting all these things for your Toyota RAV4, you can build a roof-mounted cargo system and carry bikes or other outdoor-needed luggage. If you want to carry luggage for a road trip, you should consider using hardshell cargo boxes because they are waterproof, durable, and easy to use.
These roof racks are for roof-mounted bike racks, so if you decide to use trunk-mounted or hitch-mounted bike carriers, you can ignore the above section and jump to the below section to pick one that fits your situation.
Quick-Pick List of 5 bike racks for your Toyota RAV4
| Image | Product | Weight | Capacity | Mounting | Dimensions | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Yakima FullBack Premium Bike Rack | 22 Pounds | 2 to 3 bikes | Trunk-mounted | 3.94 x 0.79 x 3.94 inches | Check Price |
 | Thule 963PRO Spare Tire Bike Carrier | 18 pounds | 2 bikes up to 75 lbs of weight | Spare tire mounted | 38.5 x 18.5 x 16 inches | Check Price |
 | Hollywood Racks Sport Rider Bike Rack | 56 pounds | 2 bikes up to 160 pounds | hitch-mounted | 37 x 22 x 8 inches | Check Price |
 | CURT 18064 Trailer Hitch Bike Carrier | 41 pounds | 4 bikes up to 180 pounds | hitch-mounted | 40 x 9 x 18 inches | Check Price |
 | Yakima FrontLoader Rooftop Bike Rack | 18 pounds | 1 bike up to 40 pounds | roof-mounted | 56.5 x 8.5 x 10 inches | Check Price |
Detail of 5 Bike Racks For Toyota RAV4
Yakima FullBack Premium Trunk Strap Bike Rack
It is a trunk-mounted bike carrier that you can use without roof racks or a hitch receiver, so it is a perfect solution for people who do not have enough money for expensive options. The Yakima FullBack Premium bike carrier can hold 2 or 3 bikes, and it has a folding design that allows you to fold it up when it is not on duty; additionally, you can store it in the trunk and use it when the time calls.
It weighs 23 pounds, so you can easily lift it for installation. A set of SKS locking systems protects your bikes from being stolen, and it is always a good idea to add extra locks on bike carriers. It has SuperCrush ZipStrip cradles on its two supporting arms, and you can use these cradles to lock bicycles and keep them in position. You can utilize more straps on most bike racks to enhance security and prevent bike swinging problems.
Thule Spare Me 2 Bike Spare Tire Bike Rack
It is an option that mounts on the spare tire and holds two bikes at the rear of your RAV4. It is an aluminum-made bike carrier, only 18 pounds, and its dimensions are 38.5 x 18.5 x 16 inches or 97.79 x 46.99 x 40.64 cm. You can use the measurement to know if you can store it in the trunk when it is not in use.
It has cradles and cages to secure bikes on the rack and prevent bike swaying problems, and it comes with two supporting arms, which are foldable; thus, when you don’t load bikes, you can fold the arms down to save space at the back of your RAV4.
Hollywood Racks Sport Rider Hitch Bike Rack
It is a hitch-mounted bike rack that requires a 2-inch hitch receiver at the back of your RAV4. Hitch-mounted bike racks are perfect for loading heavy bikes like electric or fat bikes.
If your Toyota RAV4 has a 2-inch hitch receiver, you can consider using Hollywood Sport Rider to transport bikes on the roads. According to the manufacturer, you can put up to 160 lbs of weight on the rack, and each bicycle can be up to 80 lbs. However, if your bikes have wheels wider than 5 inches, you cannot load them on the Hollywood Sport Rider bike racks. (Find it on Hollywood Racks)
After a successful installation, you can fold the rack up to save space at the rear of your RAV4 when the bike carrier is not in use. If you have bikes on the loading trays, you can tilt the entire rack away to create easy access to the trunk. These convenient features make the Hollywood Sport Rider bike racks popular among outdoor enthusiasts.
CURT Premium Trailer Hitch Bike Rack
It is another option that we choose for your Toyota RAV4, but you must have a 2-inch hitch receiver to use it at the back of your SUV. It fits not only on your RAV4 but also on other vehicles with 2-inch hitch receivers. It is a perfect option for a family with multiple adult bikes and kits bikes, but you may need to change your driving habits after attaching it to your SUV.
You can use the CURT Premium Hitch-mounted bike rack to carry up to 180 lbs of weight or up to 4 bikes. When bikes are on the CURT bike carrier, you can use adjustable rubber cradles and extra straps to tighten bikes on supporting arms.
You can fold the holding arms down to save space at the rear of your Toyota RAV4 when the bike rack is not in use. Additionally, you should never exceed the loading limit of your existing hitch receiver, and you better find the accurate loading limit before adding hitch-mounted carriers to the receiver head. Overloading a trailer hitch receiver can cause significant damage to your properties, so you better keep in mind that don’t overload for any reason.
If your RAV4 doesn’t have a hitch receiver, you can use the CURT Class 3 Trailer Hitch 2-inch Receiver to connect with hitch-mounted carriers or a trailer. This hitch receiver offers 600 lbs of tongue weight loading limit, and it is enough for use on most bike racks, even carrying up to 5 bikes.
Yakima FrontLoader Wheel-On Roof-mounted Bike Rack
If you have roof racks or crossbars on your RAV4, you can use the Yakima FrontLoader rooftop bike rack to hold bikes on your car’s roof. However, you can only load one bike on each FrontLoader bike carrier, and if you require to transport multiple bikes, you must install more than one Yakima FrontLoader bike rack on the roof racks.
The Yakima FrontLoader bike carrier is a versatile device that can work with bikes that have 20 inches to 27.5 inches wheels and are up to 3 inches wide. You must confirm that the bar spread (the distance between front and back crossbars) is between 16 inches and 48 inches before choosing the Yakima FrontLoader as your bike carrier.
It works with most roof racks: round, square, factory, and aerodynamic crossbars. You better consult the manufacturer about the compatibility if you already have roof racks on your RAV4.
You can find 2 SKS locks on the Yakima FrontLoader. These locks can keep your bikes safe when you are away from the vehicle. Additionally, you can add extra chain locks on the bike racks to enhance security and prevent theft.
Conclusion
In this article, you can find compatible roof racks for Toyota RAV4 in the first section. When choosing roof racks, you better select high-quality ones because they are responsible for holding all the cargo weight. Then, you can find 5 compatible bike racks that you can use on your Toyota RAV4. These bike carriers are in different types, so you should consider your situation and pick the most suitable option for future bike hiking events. If you want to carry more luggage on a road trip with roof racks or a hitch receiver, you can utilize a roof-mounted cargo box or a hitch-mounted cargo carrier.
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