BMX bikes are irresistible, and consequently, it’s understandable to want to have your favorite bike in your car each time you go on a road trip. But the question is, can a BMX bike fit in a car?
Most BMX bikes, especially standard size (20-inch BMX) and kids’ options, can fit in the car as long as the vehicle has a spacious boot or rear seat. If that’s not the case, you can mount the bike on a car rack.
Overall, BMX bikes are likely to fit in a car because of their slight build. These bikes have a more petite frame than most and come with smaller wheels and lower seats.
But again, it depends on how you pack the bike in your car. So, it’s paramount that you know how to use the available car space. Let me explain where and how you can fit a BMX in a car and why it’s possible.
Here we go!
Where and How Can A BMX Bike Fit in A Car?
Generally, there are two areas in your car where you can fit a BMX bike. They are:
1. In the Car Boot
The car boot is probably the most practical way to safely and conveniently carry your BMX bike in your car. Ordinarily, that’s because car boots are spacious.
However, you have to ensure that:
- There’s enough room for the vehicle to fit
- You fasten the bike properly to avoid any shakiness
- Keep the BMX bike in a travel bag like the Calloway Odyssey BMX Travel Bag (View on Amazon). The travel bag will not just hide the BMX bike from plain view, but it’ll also protect it and your car’s boot when the two rub against each other.
2. On the Back Seat
If your car boot is too small, you can try carrying the BMX bike on the rear seat. That’ll work perfectly if you aren’t planning to have any passengers on the back seat and if the back seat is collapsible.
Other cars even allow you to fold the back seat and create a more extensive boot area. If that’s the case with your vehicle, you can haul even the most giant BMX bike, such as a size 27.5 or 29 inches.
Just ensure you protect the entire boot and back seat area from the bike’s grime and dirt. You can do that with a boot liner such as the 4KNINE SUV Cargo Liner (View on Amazon) if you own an SUV.
The boot liner comfortably covers the folded-down rear seat and the boot. It has an anti-slip backing that protects your BMX from sliding and rubbing against the boot’s interior.
Even more critical, it cushions your bike from scratching the car.
Why BMX Bikes Can Fit in a Car
Generally, BMX bikes are smaller than other bikes. As a result, they can fit in a car boot or on the rear seat for easy transportation. And while speaking of BMX bikes being small, we are talking about these highlights:
- More petite frame – BMX bikes’ frames are much smaller to allow you to fit the bike in the car comfortably. You don’t even need to disassemble the bike unless it’s massive.
- Smaller wheels – A standard BMX has 20-inch wheels, smaller than the road bike’s 700c or an MTB’s 26-inch or 29-inch wheels. For that reason, you can easily fit a standard BMX with its wheels in the car. Of course, the exceptions are 26-inch, 27.5-inch (rare models), and 19-inch BMX bikes, which have larger wheels.
- Lower seat post – BMX bikes have lower seats that effectively enable you to do stunts. And when it comes to hauling the bike, the lower seat post reduces the bike’s overall size, making it easy for you to fit the bike in the car.
What if the BMX Bike is Too Big to Fit in the Car?
If your BMX bike is a size 26-inch or more extensive, you have to make a few adjustments to enable it to fit in the car. These adjustments include the following:
a) Take off its wheel (s)
The wheels occupy a lot of space. So, it may be wise to take one or both wheels off to reduce the bike’s overall size. This is a brilliant idea when going on a long trip but may become cumbersome if it’s a short trip.
Ordinarily, you wouldn’t have to take off the wheel if it’s a minivan or SUV, but if it’s any other car with a smaller boot, you can consider the idea.
b) Fold down the rear seat
If your car’s rear seat is collapsible and allows you to access it from the boot area, fold it down. That lets you have much space, so you wouldn’t have to remove the wheels.
Remember to protect your rear seat and boot, preferably using a boot liner.
c) Reposition the handlebars
The handlebars can take as much space as the wheels. So, it’s a brilliant idea to position them so that they don’t occupy a lot of your car boot space and rear seat.
What If You Cannot Transport Your BMX Bike in the Car?
If you cannot transport your BMX bike in the car, then you should consider mounting it in the car. That means you should invest in a good car bike rack.
While there are many decent car bike racks out there, here are the most typical choices:
1. Trunk-Mounted Car Bike Racks
Trunk-mounted bike racks are mountable on the car’s trunk, as the name hints. These racks come with stronger straps to hold the bike onto the car’s trunk.
They are generally lightweight, easy to mount a bike, and portable. They are also affordable and allow you to load and offload your BMX bicycle quickly.
Their major downsides are that they may allow the bike to sway and rub against the car and often obstruct trunk access.
One impressive strap trunk bike rack for your BMX bike is the Yakima Full-Bar Premium Trunk Bike Rack (View on Amazon). This bike rack works perfectly on passenger cars and can hold two bicycles.
The best part is that it’s removable and easy to install, thus portable.
2. Hitch-Mounted Car Bike Racks
Hitch racks are mounted onto the hitch receiver of your car. If your car lacks a hitch receiver, you should install it before mounting a hitch rack.
Overall, hitch bike racks are easy to install and allow you to seamlessly load and offload your BMX bicycles. Thus, they are ideal when you want to use your bike frequently.
They are, however, costlier than most racks and often interfere with your car’s trunk.
One fantastic hitch rack for heavy and big-size bikes is the Thule EasyFold XT 2 (View on Amazon). The hitch rack has a 130-pound load capacity, thus best for heavy bikes.
It is collapsible when not in use, and unlike most hitch bike racks, it’s tilt-able to allow trunk access and enable you to lock your BMX bike.
3. Spare Tire Car Bike Rack
Spare tire bike racks are fitted onto the car’s exterior spare wheel. They are as lightweight as trunk racks and often the cheapest overall.
These racks allow you to mount your bike with ease, and unlike hitch and trunk racks, they permit easy access to the car’s trunk.
Their downside is that they can only haul one or two bikes and may allow your BMX to sway. Additionally, they only work on cars with spare tires.
Overall, if your car has an external spare wheel, you cannot go wrong with the Hollywood Racks Bolt-On Spare Tire Rack (View on Amazon).
The rack can haul two bikes and is generally solid and easy to use.
4. Rooftop Car Bike Rack
While the other bike racks interfere with the trunk access or allow the bike to sway, the rooftop rack doesn’t suffer those challenges. The only challenge is getting your BMX bike to the roof and riding against the wind or under-tunnel roads.
But overall, these racks are secure and versatile to serve as a carrier for your cargo and boat. One rooftop bike rack that does just that is the Thule UpRide Roof Bike Rack.
This roof carrier can haul your bike, including BMX. It doesn’t touch the bike frame to protect it from scratches.
The roof rack is easy to fit and is generally best for delicate cycles, especially those with carbon frames.
Transporting a BMX Bike in a Car Vs. Using a Bike Rack – Pros and Cons of Each
Now that I’ve shared transporting your BMX in the car and using a rack, which one is better? There is no better or worse as both have their pros and cons.
Transporting Your BMX in the Car
Pros
- It’s cheaper as you only need straps and probably a bike travel bag
- It takes minutes to load and unload the bike unless you have to take off the wheels
- Discreet – No one will know that there’s a bike in your car while on transit unless they access the trunk
Cons
- Potential bike dame
- Potential car damage
- The bicycle can soil your car if dirty
Transporting the Bike Using a Bike Rack
Pros
- Less likely to dame your car or bike
- It doesn’t soil your car’s interior
- Easy to install
- Easy bike mounting
Cons
- Costlier
- Non-discreet
People Also Ask
1. How Do You Transport A BMX Bike?
You can transport a BMX bike in the car, either in the boot or in the rear seat. And if it’s an SUV, you can fold the back seat to stretch the boot’s storage space. Alternatively, you can mount your BMX on a car’s bike rack.
2. Can A Bike Fit in A Car Without Taking It Apart?
A bike can fit in a car’s boot without taking it apart if the boot space is ample and the bike is small. You can also try collapsing the rear seat to create a spacious boot space.
3. Will A Bike Box Fit in My Car?
You’ll likely have no problem fitting a bike box in an SUV’s boot, especially if you can collapse the rear seat. It’s essential, however, to assemble the bike wheels before organizing them in the bike box to save on parking space.
Can A BMX Bike Fit in A Car? Closing Remarks:
You now know that it’s possible to fit a bike in the car’s boot, rear seat, or both. What’s important is that your vehicle has enough space. But if that doesn’t work, you can always mount it on a car’s bike rack.