As an automobile enthusiast, it would be fanatic not to consider the Honda Odyssey as one of the best Minivans ever made. This is my go-to ride for work and a long drive with family.
I don’t know about you but I tend to take my off-road mountain bikes everywhere. Nothing beats some good ol’ bike riding up and down the hills. That is, if you have the perfect bike at hand.
Also, if people find the perfect bike racks to carry them.
Let me disclose a fact to you: Finding them is the toughest part. Because, it’s hard to find a place where you can learn the basics of different kinds of racks. At the same time, the guys should be able to provide you with a list of the best bike racks for Honda Odyssey to help you make an informed purchase.
Guess what? That’s what we’re gonna do here. In this article, I’ll be reviewing some of the popular bike racks people pick for Honda Odyssey and will give you guys a piece of my mind.
Thinking of buying a different rack that’s not on the list? Don’t worry, I’ll not leave you high-and-dry. Check out my buying guide at the end of the post to see how I selected my favs.
Best Bike Racks for Honda Odyssey – Quick Chart
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | KEY FEATURES | price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | AllenSports Bike Rack |
| |
 | Trimax Road-MAX Rack |
| |
 | IKURAM Bike Rack |
| |
 | MAXXHAUL 50027 Bike Rack |
| |
 | YAKIMA RidgeBack Racks |
| |
 | KAC S4 Bike Rack |
| |
 | Tyger Auto Trunk Rack |
| |
 | YAKIMA Roof Rack |
|
Top-Rated Bike Racks for Honda Odyssey– My Picks
I’d not lie to you. I picked five of these. Yes, you’ll find hitch bike racks, trunk bike racks, and a host of alternatives. Pick one that best suits you. Do remember to check on the benefits of each one before pressing the “Buy” button though. You’d NOT be willing to go in blind.
1. Trimax Road-MAX Hitch Mount Tray Rack for Honda Odyssey
- Dimensions: 42″x14.5″x9″
- Hitch Receiver: 2″
- Item Weight: 41.3 lbs
- Bike Capacity: 4
- Load Capacity: 132 lbs
- Brand: Trimax
A hitch mount bike rack slides into the receiver of a trailer hitch of your car. But you already know that. Probably. Several types of bike racks can be mounted to your car’s hitch. Tray rack is one of those kinds that can easily be installed to carry several bikes.
The first product on my list is from a renowned American company named Trimax. They have been manufacturing quality towing accessories for many cars. The Trimax Road-Max RMBR4 Hitch Mount Tray Rack is one of their premium products that enable the Honda Odyssey to carry up to four bikes.
This bike rack is a straightforward fit for any 2-inch hitch receiver. Compact but the lightweight design makes it easier for anyone to carry and install the item in quick time. The best thing about RMBR4 is that none of the carriers of this bike rack is dependent on another.
Just unbolt any of its racks to cut off unnecessary weight and space. People can even make it a single bike carrier when needed.
On top of that, they can also fold the hitch rack when not in use for gate access. Some of the hitch mount bike racks lack this feature which ends up requiring larger parking space.
Built quality is solid for this 34-pound masterpiece. It uses industry-leading steel material with rust-free black paint coating that ensures durability. A strong and trustworthy locking mechanism along with an anti-rattle threaded bolt won’t let you feel any rattling and swaying even on a bumpy runway.
The performance rating of a hitch mount bike rack often depends on how efficient it is in terms of holding the bikes tightly in place. Well, the Road Max Blade Runner 4 does the job quite flawlessly – thanks to the rubber-made high resistance wheel straps with Zamack buckles for a secured tie.
Adjustable soft wheel support pads make sure your bike rack is a good fit for most of the tire sizes. But you might find it a little tricky to strap off a fat, say a 20×2.8″, bike tire as the straps narrowly manage to escape its incapability.
Also, it will take a test of your patience while you load and unload your bikes through a lengthy process of strapping and unstrapping as much as 6 times for each bike. Nonetheless, it ensures the safety of your valuable bikes on the other side of the coin.
The available space between two bikes is fairly small for this tray rack. You may need to alter the positions of your bikes’ paddles to assist the circumstance for a better fit. The manufacturer has to make this move to cut off extra weight and make it almost half compared to any other standard racks.
One of the major concerns for any Honda Odyssey driver is the ground clearance that their bike racks should offer. Because hitch mounts racks for bikes often face difficulties while driving uphill or a slope coming inwards.
But not in this case of RMBR4. It has enough ground clearance and even the fully loaded rack doesn’t sag at all to create any issue. The maximum weight capacity for this powerful bike rack is 132 pounds while each of the four trays is equally capable of carrying 33 pounds of load.
The Trimax Road-Max RMBR4 could be a troublemaker given the fact that it doesn’t come pre-assembled. But its strong build quality and multiple bikes carrying capacity should be a good choice for anyone frequently transporting his bikes to a distance.
2. YAKIMA Ridgeback Tilt-Away Hitch Bike Rack for Honda Odyssey
- Dimensions: 12.2″x16.14″x44.09″
- Hitch Receiver: 1.25″ & 2″
- Item Weight: 33.1 lbs
- Bike Capacity: 2
- Load Capacity: 80 lbs
- Brand: YAKIMA
A Tilt-away bike rack is smarter in the sense that it lets you access the rear or trunk of the car even while the bike rack is in operation. You can also carry up to five bikes depending on the capacity of a tilt away hitch rack. It requires less space than a platform or a tray rack prototype.
The RidgeBack Tilt-Away Hitch Bike Rack comes fully assembled right out of the box and ready to install to the 2-inch hitch receiver of your car. No bolts are required to secure the tongue of the rack into the hitch receiver. Instead, you simply put a safety pin and tighten the knob to mount the rack firmly.
This model comes in three varieties to carry up to five bikes. The standard one weighs about 33 pounds and can carry 2 bikes. The only difference between the upgraded version and this one is the size of the rack arm. Other designs and features remain the same for all models.
The rack is primarily divided into three sections. The lower part of the tongue can be folded using the upper hand control to install the rack. The tilting mast in the middle and the strongest section of the bike rack. You need to pull the upper hand control to easily tilt the rack backward for clearance.
The upper section of this bike rack is the extendable arm where you mount your bikes using the zero-hassle zip strips. The red lever placed at the top of the tilting mast lets you fold the arm while the rack is not in use.
Here I should remind you about the vulnerability of the lower part of the RidgeBack. There is an additional locking system for the knob. It ensures the safety of the hitch but simultaneously weakens the overall tension of the hitch receiver tongue. Reportedly, this has been a concern for this unit.
But you shouldn’t worry too much as long as you put the heaviest bike first to ensure accurate weight balance. You should also make sure that the tilting mast is not leaning backward before you step on the gas. The expected load capacity of this bike rack (two bikes) is 80 pounds.
Any conventional bike is a good fit for this item. But in case your bike doesn’t come with a top tube or crossbar, you need to order a spare one from the vendor. The bike mounting method completely depends on the tube top of the bike.
Three ZipStrips come in place to secure the bike’s top tube and seat tube with cradles of the bike rack. The Zipstrips are the company’s trademark item which is different from any other zipping system. It’s easy to use and fully removable. It minimizes the loading and unloading time significantly.
The cradles also deserve affectionate treatment as it comes with an anti-sway design to reduce bike to bike contact. Since it’s a hanging bike rack, there is no tire pad to hold the tires of the bikes in place. So it’s better to use a safety strap to secure the front wheel of the bike to the frame to avoid instability.
Though the product has a weaker tongue receiver and reportedly failed on several occasions, it can be avoided by ensuring the proper arm angle with a balanced bike distribution. Other than that, excellent quick-release lever to tilt back the rack along with easy to mount ZipStrips worth it a shot.
3. KAC S4 Hitch Mounted Rack for Honda Odyssey
- Material: Alloy Steel
- Hitch Receiver: 1.25″ & 2″
- Item Weight: 35.65 lbs
- Bike Capacity: 4
- Load Capacity: 132 lbs
- Brand: KAC
KAC has been coming up with quality racks for cars, trucks, or SUVs for many years. The best thing is that their products are the manifestation of a serious passion for riding. They build solid, high-quality, and affordable racks that protect your gears in any condition.
KAC S4 hitch mounted rack is also a promising one from their bike racks line. It’s a good fit for any 2-inch tow hitch receiver. The rear trunk of the Honda Odyssey or any other minivan is always essential to carry things on tour.
Hence, this tilt-away bike rack should be really handy for you to maximize efficiency.
You can access your vehicle’s trunk or cargo using the upper quick release lever to tilt it backward without necessarily unmounting the whole rack from the hitch. Also, the foldable arm feature lets you save some space while the rack is not in use.
The built quality and design of the bike racks are up to mark. You will notice the signs of good craftsmanship on the welding and handles. Even the plastic fittings look sturdy and premium. A durable powder-coated finish makes the frame of the rack smooth and ensures rust-free service.
You may find the rack mast slightly thinner than other tilting bike racks out there. But don’t be worried at all because the KAC S4 is made of sturdy alloy steel. The patented Anti-Wobble System eliminates slack between the receiver and the rack and makes it more durable while driving on uneven roads.
The installation maneuver is very simple as the tongue of the bike rack uses locking hitch pin technology. You should easily carry the 35-pound rack set it up in two minutes (once you’ve assembled it). The rack can carry up to four bikes weighing 132 pounds altogether.
KAC has made some subtle modifications to its bike racks. These modifications draw the line between an average rack and the KAC S4. The rear reflectors, smart cradle receiver design, UV resistant straps are some of those changes that you won’t find in a typical bike rack.
The rear reflector is really effective while driving in low light. It alerts your succeeding driver about the hitch-mounted bike racks so that he can maintain a safe distance. The soft cradle receiver ensures firm grip as well as keeps your bike’s tube top scratch-free.
It comes with 8 bike holder straps. Some manufacturers like Yakima or Trimax use plastic-based hard straps to secure the bikes. But KAC uses an ultra stretchable rubber strap that needs to be pulled firmly to lock and mount rather than just pushing through the zips.
The good thing about the ultra stretchable rubber strap is you can mount even the thickest top tube bike frame. And it eliminates the gap between the straps and frame and results in anti-vibrant driving even with four bikes on board.
Dual arms accommodate a wide variety of bikes and vehicles. But you may need to purchase a top tube frame adapter separately for suspension, women’s, or kid’s bikes. But other accessories like safety straps, key for hitch locking pin, and installation hardware are included in the packaging.
Its smart outlook along with solid build quality makes it one of the premium 2-inch hitch-mount bike racks out there for any vehicle. If you want to make a quick note from this rack then there is always plenty of positive stuff to be included. But it’s confident service would always rank at the top.
4. Tyger Auto TG-RK3B203S Trunk Bike Rack for Honda Odyssey
- Mounting Type: Strap
- Dimensions: 25″ x 4″ x 3″
- Item Weight: 3 lbs
- Bike Capacity: 3
- Load Capacity: 99 lbs
- Brand: Tyger Auto
A trunk-mounted bike rack sits on the trunk or back of your car, held in place by heavy-duty straps. It is a good choice if you don’t have any hitch receiver mounted on your Honda Odyssey. Trunk bike racks usually require a crossbar-style bike to hold them in place.
The mechanism of a trunk bike is different from a hitch mount bike rack, however, the effectiveness remains the same. As the rack is highly dependent on the straps, the overall weight drops almost to one-third compared to a hitch mount bike rack.
Tyger Auto TG-RK3B203S is one of the front liner trunk-mount racks that can easily fit on your Honda Odyssey minivan. It offers reduced installation time and ensures a hassle-free bike-carrying experience on highways and beyond.
You would be happy to hear that the bike rack comes 100% pre-assembled and weighs just about 3 pounds. But you need to take off the spoiler from your Honda Odyssey in case you have installed it for decorative purposes.
However, Tyger Auto TG-RK3B203S lets you carry up to 3 bikes and has a maximum weighing capacity of 99 pounds. People using this type of rack tend to carry one or two bikes on most occasions for its mount and unmounting convenience.
You can hook up those six straps within 10 seconds. But it also becomes a concern since there is no rack locking feature. Even if you lock your bikes to the frame of the rack, it remains open for anyone to unhook the rack from the rear of your trunk and take away both the bikes and rack.
Well, that’s a worst-case scenario. Let’s come back to the brighter side of the Tyger Auto TG-RK3B203S.
It has additional rubber pads to either side of the rack’s frame that eliminates the chances of unwanted scratches on your precious car. It is really an important thing since the trunk ranks are highly dependent on the vehicle’s body and raise a potential concern of ruining cars’ paint.
The padded lower frame is long enough to protect the car’s trunk from hanging bikes. On top of that, you will get a complimentary safety strap to tightly secure all of your bikes together to minimize rattling while in use.
It gets more stable with the individual soft cradle design. There are six cradles – two for each bike – that hold the bikes in place firmly. However, it is recommended not to carry a single bike weighing more than 33 pounds to avoid potential damage.
The cradle straps are durable and made of stretchable rubber. It should fit any standard-size bike frame easily. The rubber straps are flexible enough to cover the frame in case it’s a little thick. But your bike must come with a tube top frame to be placed in the cradles.
A trunk mount gives you the liberty to park your vehicle because it barely needs extra space. In addition to that, the foldable arm option lets you save more space while the racks are not in use. You can access the rear trunk of your Honda Odyssey without necessarily unmounting the bike rack.
As the clips of the Tyger Auto TG-RK3B203S are made of metal, you may become curious to know its consequences.
Well, the clips have rubber coating and don’t bend the body of your vehicle even on the full stretch. But you need to tighten up the laces smartly since the loaded rack often leans backward.
However, all in all, it’s a trustworthy trunk mount bike rack for anyone looking for a quick solution to transport their bikes. On top of that, it comes cheaper compared to a hitch mount bike rack and requires so little space to perform its job flawlessly.
5. YAKIMA – FrontLoader Upright Roof Bike Rack for Honda Odyssey
- Material: Carbon Fiber
- Dimensions: 56.5″x8.5″x10″
- Item Weight: 18 lbs
- Bike Capacity: 1
- Load Capacity: 40 lbs
- Brand: YAKIMA
Well, it’s not easy to disassemble your bike and dashing the tires, seat, frame to the trunk of your car daily. Neither is it a viable long-term solution. This is why the YAKIMA FrontLoader upright roof mount rack lets you load and carry a fully assembled bike without even contacting its frame.
I believe you can sense that we are talking about a different type of bike rack.
Yes, I’ve stated in the beginning that products in this article cover a wide variety of styles. Accordingly, the last product on our list is the YAKIMA FrontLoader Upright Roof Bike Rack. It’s rather unconventional but safer compared to a hitch or trunk-mounted racks – for both vehicle and the bike.
Safer in the sense that it holds your bike firmly and the chance of a rack failure is smaller regardless of the road condition. The mounting mechanism differs significantly when we talk about a roof-mounted bike rack. It uses your vehicle’s roof crossbars to mount the bike rack using two strong clamps.
The universal mount ensures the rack is ready to be mounted on a round, squire, factory, or aerodynamic crossbars without requiring any adapters. The 18 pounds rack comes fully assembled in the box and has a dimension of 56.5 x 8.5 x 10 inches that should fit your Odyssey’s crossbars easily.
You don’t need any tool to mount the rack on the car. The rack uses two clamps to secure the platform to the crossbar of your vehicle. Both of the clamps look solid despite being smaller in size. You can easily tighten the T-bolts using your hands to secure the clamps in place.
The only drawback of the Yakima FrontLoader Upright Roof Bike is it doesn’t let you carry more than one bike. Other than that, it’s a good choice to carry any type of two-wheeler, be it a disc brake, thru-axles, or a funky suspension bike.
Durable and wide wheel tray holds tires from monster freeride bikes (up to 3 in. wide tires) to the skinniest of road bikes. It can firmly hold any wheel size from 20-29 in. You can now carry your mountain bikes as well without requiring the front wheel to be removed.
The FrontLoader firmly holds the front wheel to the rack and makes it easier to keep the bike upright while you tie the ZipStrap on the rear wheel. The extended length of the front loader eliminates any chance of rattling while driving on an uneven surface.
The Wheel on the mount ensures zero bike frame contact. So, it is highly recommended for a painted or carbon fiber bike frame in case you are worried about the scratches. In addition to that, a rooftop bike mount should sound more aesthetic when you are carrying your fancy bike.
However, the rear wheel is secured through ultra-resistant ZipStrips. The ZipStrip is movable so that you can carry even the smallest bike in your collection. The front wheel needs to be tightened with the frontloader using the knob control.
Though it is slightly more difficult for any thief to reach for your roof-mounted bike in your absence than it used to be in the case of a hitch-mounted bike rack, there is still some room for extra security measurements.
You can get the better of the SKS anti-theft lock facility. It can be mounted at the base of the rack but you need to pay extra money to get it from the same manufacturer. It will certainly make it a little harder for anyone to snatch your bike in broad daylight.
Among the different models of roof bike racks for Honda Odyssey, YAKIMA – FrontLoader Upright Roof Bike Rack is the best one that lets you carry any bike fully assembled. It should be a good fit for anyone looking for a rack that can offer hassle-free, zero frame contact transport flexibility for his lone bike.
Factors to Consider Before Choosing the Best Bike Rack for Your Honda Odyssey
Honda Odyssey is a vehicle that covers a wider range of bike rack models. Actually, there is no limit to installing any kind of bike rack unless you add a spoiler to the rear of your car. Other than this, you are all set to pick from a bunch of bike racks from manufacturers around the globe.
Having said that, it’s a matter of your own taste and convenience that should determine the ideal bike rack for your car. So, I should just mention the prospects of an ideal bike rack so that it can guide you in buying the best product.
So, here are some important facts that you should consider before picking your bike rack.
Durability is a Concern
First things first. The job of a bike rack is to carry your bikes. Not any ordinary bike, it’s your affectionate two-wheelers! So there is no option to compromise with the durability of the bike rack. Be aware of the fact that most of the racks fail from the hitch receiver tongue.
So, it’s wise to go through the tongue in the first place. Make sure it’s made of solid steel and stays to the basics at least in that particular area. Black powder finish and anti-rust coating are essential for any bike rack to promise a long-lasting service.
On top of that, try to opt for the ones that come with UV-protected ultra-stretchable strips. Ordinary rubber-made strips will wear out and lose temper quickly. Because, they are frequently exposed to hostile weather conditions.
Also read: Jeep Wrangler Bike Racks Review by Expert
Ensure that the Honda Odyssey is Compatible with the Rack and Vice-Versa
Though the Honda Odyssey is compatible with most of the bike racks out there, yet you need to keep one or two things into consideration for a perfect fit. First of all, match the size of the hitch receiver of your vehicle with the tongue of the bike racks.
Usually, a 2-inch hitch receiver is believed to be the standard for any car. But the size of the hitch can vary from 1 ¼ inch to 3 inches.
You might have noticed the items we talked about in this article are compatible with a 2-inch hitch receiver. If they don’t match your hitch, you can either look for different models of racks or can replace the hitch from your car to accommodate a 2-inch receiver bike rack.
Next, get information about the cradles of your bike rack and what technology it uses to mount the bike to the arm. Most of the hanging bike racks require a top tube frame bike to mount it to the cradles. I should say that the cradle mount racks are not ideal for carbon fiber frames.
Don’t end up buying the wrong product for your vehicle. Many frontline manufacturers offer a compatibility check window on their websites. So, don’t feel shy to use the feature before order.
Also read: Hitch Rack For 5-Bikes – Comprehensive Guide
Determine Which Type of Rack You Need
Learn the differences between the types of bike racks. Each type of rack comes with particular advantages. For example, a hitch-mount rack generally serves better for carrying multiple bikes. A trunk mount bike rack will let you save more space but it is not ideal to carry multiple bikes for a long time.
On the other hand, tilt away bike racks will help you access the trunk of your car. So, the bottom line is all of them have benefits in given circumstances. So, ask yourself why you need a rack before heading towards the shop.
Always Keep Options in Hand
The highest number of bikes you can carry using a bike rack is five. But not everyone needs to carry multiple bikes. So, what would you do? Would you go for the single one?
I reckon it would be better to buy a rack that can carry multiple bikes even if you own a single bike. Because you never know when your next family tour will take place. So, buy a rack that can carry at least 2 bikes so that you can lend a hand to your friend in times of need.
Some of you might argue saying that a rack that carries multiple bikes requires more space. But you shouldn’t face any problem in this regard if you get a rack that has a foldable arm.
Also read: Top-rated Honda CRV bike rack reviews
Measure Weight Capacity
Weight capacity and distribution remain important aspects of any bike rack. You should know that a standard bike rack that offers to carry four bikes should be capable of carrying up to 132 pounds. And the weight should be distributed equally to the cradles.
On the other hand, a standard bike weighs about 30 pounds. But if you have a mountain bike or cruiser bike then do calculate the weight beforehand to get the accurate bike rack. Though racks are generally capable of carrying a bit extra load than mentioned, who would want to take the bet?
However, the hitch mount bike racks would be better if you are planning to pile up multiple bikes. On the other hand, trunk or roof mount racks are ideal to carry a single bike.
Ease of Access Can Be a Concern
Bike racks save our time by transporting our bikes from place to place. But it can turn life into hell if you buy a rack that’s hard to use. So, always get bike racks that have multiple features to make things easier for you.
It’s better to get a bike rack that doesn’t need to be assembled every time you use it. Quick installation is also a key feature for a good rack. If you can’t install and detach your rack easily, you might lose the appetite for using bikes.
Mounting your bike to a rack could be tricky at times. Hitch mount bike racks are easier to access than stretching out for a roof-mounted one. Zip strips are time-saving and more comfortable for hands than ultra-stretchable strips.
Similarly, a bike rack that has features like foldable arms, easy-to-use strips, knob control can save your time and offer a friendly mounting experience.
Wrapping Up
The purpose of a bike rack is to make cycling more attractive and accessible. But not being able to pick the best bike rack for Honda Odyssey can turn things around in a quick time. So, stay to the basics and make sure your bike rack is a good fit for your Honda Odyssey’s hitch mount and your bike’s model.
Carrying something is always heavy-duty, and that’s how bike racks are made. If you can take care of your bike rack, it should give you a long-term service. So, no matter what you get eventually, be polite to your car, bike, racks, and you should be rewarded with a harmonious journey.
