Unlike men’s bikes, women’s bikes don’t have a horizontal crossbar or top bar. As a result, it’s hard to mount them on a bike rack unless you first fit a crossbar adapter, also known as a top tube adapter.
Once you have the top-tube adapter, here’s how to mount womens bike on bike rack:
Start with fitting the top tube rack on the bike and then check it to ensure it is firm. Then lock the rack arms in place and carefully place the bike on the rack. Lastly, secure the bike by clamping down the rack arms.
I’ll explain the above process more. I’ll also help you find the best bike rack and crossbar adapter. What’s more, I’ll share other things you may need to appropriately transport a women’s bike.
Let’s start with the guide!
How to Mount Womens Bike on Bike Rack (5 Steps)
Generally, here are five steps for mounting a woman’s bike on a bike rack:
Step 1 – Fit a Top Tube Adapter (Crossbar Adapter)
Fit a crossbar adapter on the bike to create a top tube that you find on a men’s bike. That’ll allow you to mount the bike on the rack easily.
Step 2 – Assess the Rack’s Firmness
Your girls bike rack must be firm. It shouldn’t move sideways when the car is in motion.
That’s more important when turning, accelerating, and braking. So, if you notice that your bike rack is shaky, tighten its fasteners.
Step 3 – Lock the Rack Arms in Place
Once the bike rack is firm, locate its arms and lock them in place. The rack arms hold the bike in place (more like natural arms).
You can pull them up to lock them in place.
Note that some arm locks have a screw, which you’ll need to tighten. And when locking the arm, ensure they are slightly tilted upwards not to allow the bike to come into contact with the car’s body.
Step 4 – Place the Bicycle on the Rack Arms
Carefully place your two-wheel on the rack arms. You shouldn’t damage your car or the bike when doing it.
You can start by positioning the frame’s top part. While at it, check the bike’s weight to ensure it is evenly distributed on the bike rack for ladies bike.
You can place a rag or any other soft barrier between the rack and the bike to avoid damaging the car’s painting.
Step 5 – Secure the Bike
Lastly, clamp down the rack arms to secure the bike on the rack. If you feel that the bike is not secure after doing that, you can lock or strap it.
A Guide on How to Put a Female Bike on Rack without the Top Tube
Note that you can still mount a woman’s two-wheel on a bike rack without the top tube if you have the right wheel fasteners.
Here’s a quick guide for doing it.
- Test the rack’s strength to ensure it is firm enough to hold the bike
- Lock the rack arms before placing the bike on the rack
- Keep the bicycle’s weight balanced
- Strap both wheels on the rack and ensure you do it firmly around the rack arms
- Once you are convinced that none of the wheels is hanging or swinging, you can drive away
What Do I Need To Learn How To Mount A Women’s Bike On A Bike Rack?
Essentially, you need any of these two things to mount a woman’s bike on a rack:
1. A Car Bike Rack
Logic states that you need a bike rack for women’s bike to mount a women’s bicycle on a car. Don’t panic, however, if you don’t have it. You can get one online and mount it on your vehicle.
Overall, we’ve bike racks that you can mount on your car’s roof, trunk, spare tire, or hitch. So, it’s a matter of preference.
I particularly like hitch racks as they allow me to dismount and mount my two-wheel easily. Plus, most are super strong to carry multiple bikes.
One such bike rack is the Allen Sports 4-Bike Hitch Rack. This bike rack lets you mount up to four bikes on your vehicle’s hitch.
You’ll, however, need first to install a Class II or Class III 2-inch hitch before you can use this hitch rack.
Overall, the rack’s setup takes minutes as it comes with all installation supplies.
2. A Top Tube Adapter (Rack-Bar Adapter or Cross-Bar Adapter)
Knowing that women’s bike racks don’t feature the top bar, it may be hard mounting them on regular bike racks. That’s why a womens bike rack adapter is a must-buy.
It allows you to introduce a crossbar onto your bike and mount it like any other bike.
When picking a top tube adapter, ensure you get an option that can fit your bike. Well, that’s what you get from the Allen Tension Bar Bicycle Cross-Bard Adapter (View on Amazon).
This crossbar adapter doesn’t just suit women’s bikes but also kids’ bikes and BMX. It only weighs 500g, thus lightweight.
But despite its lighter weight, it comes in steel construction, therefore extra solid and reliable.
And thanks to its robust internal spring, this rack bar adapter promises to secure your bike on the rack firmly. The bike, however, has to measure 16-27 inches from its seat post to its stem.
Impressively, it features plastic hooks that protect your bike’s finish.
What Else Do I Need to Learn How To Put Bike On Bike Rack?
Depending on preference, you may need any of these three supplies to secure your bike on a rack:
a) Bike U-Lock
A U-lock is a fantastic supply for locking a shaky bike in place. It’s incredibly strong, hard to cut or break (even with a heavy-duty tool), and easy to open with the right combinations or keys.
Preferably, consider a hardened steel bike u-lock like the Kryptonite New York Standard Heavy-Duty U-Lock Bike Lock (View on Amazon)
This hardened steel u-lock resist cutting and breaking and allows you to lock it with combinations or key.
So, it’s pretty safe.
b) Bike Lock Cable
You can also fasten your bike on the rack using a bike lock cable. It offers you the same service as a u-lock.
However, the difference is that someone can cut a locking cable. Therefore, it’s not theft-proof but only fastens your bike on the rack.
One fantastic bike lock cable worth checking out is the Titanker Bike Lock Cable (View on Amazon).
This 4-6ft bike lock cable coils around your bike to secure it on the rack. You can lock and unlock it with 4-dit combinations.
Impressively, the keyless lock cable comes with a mounting bracket to encourage easy transportation.
c) Wheel Straps (Stabilizer Straps)
Lastly, if you want a cheaper way to fasten your bike on the bike rack, get wheel straps. You only need to tie down the wheels on the rack to retrain them.
Check out the SIGSIT Reusable Bike Wheel Straps that you can bring to all road trips. These nylon stabilizer straps feature non-slip gel add-ons that prevent them from slipping off.
The straps are made of a vector and elastic layer to guarantee strength and elasticity at the same time.
FAQs on How to Mount Female Bike on Bike Rack
1. What Is The Best Way To Hang A Bike?
If you use your bike regularly, hang it in a way that allows you to grab it by its frame and put it down.
You hang it by the wheel if it doesn’t feature hydraulic disc brakes, but ensure the handlebar doesn’t scratch anything.
2. How Do I Stop My Bike From Hitting Each Other On A Rack?
The most straightforward hack for stopping your bikes from hitting each other or the rack is to place a smooth barrier like a rag between them.
You can also get a detachable bicycle bumper like the Bopworx Detachable Double Bumper and use it at the contact point.
3. Does Hanging A Bike By The Wheel Damage It?
Unless the bike has a hydraulic brake system, there is nothing wrong hanging your bike by its wheel. Just ensure you use a more robust mount to prevent the cycle from slipping off and falling.
4. How Do You Secure A Bicycle To A Hitch Rack?
The easiest way to secure a bike on a hitch rack is to lock using a bike u-lock or bike lock cable. Alternatively, you can strap it on the rack.
5. Is It Okay To Hang A Bike Upside Down?
Some manufacturers advise against hanging the bike upside down as that could damage the brake, more so the hydraulic brakes. So, if your bike has disc brakes, don’t hang it upside-down.
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Closing Thought:
Now you know how to mount womens bike on bike rack. You can thus use the above guide to secure your bike and transport it conveniently. If done well, you won’t have anything to worry about.