In recent years, bike riding has become increasingly popular again, which means more now than ever, people are scouring the internet for high-quality bike racks for their cars.
Previously, this would’ve meant looking in your local cycling store, or ordering one through your car’s manufacturer. However, the internet, and places like Amazon, have made finding products such as bike racks even easier.
But, with so much choice available it can be difficult to know which of these products is the best one for you.
Some of the cheapest options are the Allen Bike Racks, which are available in a few different sizes, but in this review, we’ll be aiming to cover the quality of the functionality of this product since they’re all relatively similar.
So if you want to see how the Allen Bike Rack compares to the other big brands in the market, then read onwards!
Table of Contents
About Allen Sports
Whilst they might not have the same reputation of some of the bigger brands on the market, Allen Sports still make an excellent choice for when it comes to choosing a great bike rack if you’re looking for a way of transporting your bikes with you on your journey!
Allen Sports are focused on providing customers with high quality products that don’t cost as much as some of the bigger brands, however, with all budget options, opting for them does mean that you’ll have to sacrifice a certain amount of functionality, so it’s important to research exactly what sort of features the bike rack you’re buying has before you decide to purchase it.
So whether you’re looking for an excellent new hitch rack for your bikes, or perhaps a suitable new trunk mounted bike rack, Allen Sports has plenty of options when it comes to ways of transporting and mounting your bike, so you should have no problem in choosing one that’s going to be right for you!
Who Are Allen Sports Bike Racks For?
It’s worth noting that there is a certain demographic that Allen Sports attempts to cater for, and that they certainly aren’t a brand that will be everyone’s first choice.
Allen Sports’ Bike Racks are best suited for those who want a simple, no frills bike rack that can be attached and removed from their vehicle with a moment’s notice.
Because Allen Sports Bike Racks come in a variety of different sizes, it also makes them a great option for families who are looking for a way to transport multiple bikes with ease, and more importantly, without breaking the bank.
However, there are a few cases in which some of the Bike Racks offered by Allen Sports might not be suitable for you.
For example, if you’re someone who likes to be able to remove their bikes quickly from their car mounted racks, then these racks are probably not going to be suitable for you.
If you’re someone who has particularly expensive bikes, then the Allen Sports Bike Racks probably aren’t going to be suitable for you, as the bikes may clash slightly when stored next to one another once they’ve been loaded onto the bike rack, which could cause some damage.
So if you happen to have a number of expensive bikes, then you’re much better off opting for a bike rack that keeps your bikes more secure.
However, this does not mean that the Bike Racks that are offered by Allen Sports are bad quality at all, and they still make for an excellent choice if you want a bike rack on a budget!
Why A Hanging Rack?
Hanging racks might seem somewhat more of a hassle than tray racks, especially as it can sometimes take a while to work out the best way to arrange your bikes on the rack.
However, hanging racks like those offered by Allen Sports are a great choice for those looking to transport their bikes for a number of reasons.
Firstly, hanging racks tend to be a much cheaper option than tray racks are, which is especially great if you have a larger family.
Hanging racks are also much lighter, which means that anyone is able to attach and remove these racks without having to ask someone else to help them in order to do it.
If you’re someone who makes frequent use of their trunk space, then a hanging rack is going to make for a much better user experience than a tray rack, as they can be removed and attached with relative ease for access to the trunk.
Finally, if you feel like your garage space often gets dominated by all of the different things within it, especially stuff such as bikes, tools, and other sports equipment, then a hanging rack is perfect as it takes up much less floor space than a tray rack would!
Allen Sports Bike Rack Features
- Model 102DB
- Trunk mounted
- Carries up to 2 bikes
- Designed to fit sedans, hatchbacks, minivans, and SUV's
- Patented tie-down system protects bicycles
Last update on 2024-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Spacing On The Bike Rack
One of the best things about these bike racks is that they will be able to fit most, if not all, bikes.
This is particularly surprising, especially as even more expensive bike racks often struggle with being able to hold some types of bikes, but this is something these bike racks from Allen Sports do with relative ease!
As a general rule, you should always buy a size up from the amount of bikes you want to carry. For example, if you want to carry 3 bikes, buy a 4 bike rack, and so on.
This will ensure that you have plenty of room and won’t have to stress too much about the way in which your bikes are held!
On the rack itself, you’ll find that each cradle has a 6.5” spacing between each other, which is the same sort of spacing you’ll find on more expensive bike racks, so you shouldn’t struggle too badly for space!
Bike Sizes
When it comes to sizing, it is worth noting that these bike ranks will be best suited for bikes that are 20” and larger, but you should also note that some 20” bikes will need to make use of an adapter, whereas some won’t.
The issue is if you have a bike under 20”, as you’ll find that these bikes don’t have frames that are long enough to carry the frames inside of them.
Ultimately, these racks are much more suited if you have bigger bikes, and you’ll be able to make use of their larger frame to slide them along the rack arms for the optimal storage position!
Weight And Quantity
Allen Sports bike racks come in a variety of different sizes, starting with a 2 bike sized rack, and then finishing at a 5 bike rack, which means that you should have no issues in taking bikes for the whole family with you on your journeys!
Each rack is designed to withstand 35lbs of weight per bike, so you should keep this in mind before you decide on a rack, and you should also weigh your bike so you’re aware of how much it weighs!
Accessibility
All of the bike racks offered by Allen Sports feature arms that can be folded down as well as masts that can be tilted away from the hatch when not in use.
How this is achieved is dependent on the model, as some feature pull levers and release buttons, whereas others feature quick release pins.
In order to access your trunk, on the QR based bike racks, you simply remove the QR pin and then tilt the post to the side for you to be able to gain access to the trunk.
The maximum angle the post can tilt is about 45°, and you should also avoid tilting the post whilst it’s loaded, as this could affect its structural integrity.
Premier Vs Deluxe
These bike racks also come in two different forms, Premier, and Deluxe, with some differences between the two.
• Spine Shields: The premier models offer a spine shield, which helps by protecting the bikes from the metal rack.
• Tilt Away Mast: Premier models feature a one handed pull lever to tilt the mast, whereas deluxe versions use a quick release clip.
• Quick Folding Arms: Premier versions have two release buttons that can be pressed to fold down the arms, whilst the deluxe versions feature the standard quick release clip.
• Secure Straps: Upgraded rubber straps can be found on the premier models, which are then hooked onto a knob in order to secure the bike in the cradle. The deluxe models make use of a fabric strap instead.
Final Words
It’s clear then that the Allen Sports Bike Rack range is not the final say in terms of quality when it comes to bike racks. However, they do provide some good options at the lower end of the budget scale!
