Riding a bike is one of the best ways to explore the outdoors and travel in places that cars and other means of transport just don’t allow. Not to mention, the health benefits that come with bike riding. What a great combination of physical exertion and fun while soaking in a bit vitamin D and breathing in the fresh air to clear the mind.
Biking to work or your local terrain is easy enough by simply hopping on your bike and off you go. However, a challenge arises when you want to transport your bike/s. Say, for a ride along a path by the ocean, or for a fun and easy way to explore a city, or go off-road in the mountains, or pack them for a family vacation. You know what I’m talking about. That’s the whole reason you’re reading this article, right?!
So, after much research, digging through reviews, and videos, we have found the Bell bike rack that “racks” up the most overall points. We’ll give you the spill on what these racks have going for them, where they may fall a little short and which one will best suit your personal needs.
What's Included in this Article
A little bit about Bell
Bell has been around the block a few times, probably on a bike. They’ve been in business since 1954. They found a niche of wheels and speed, as well as a few things to go along with that, and they’ve stuck with it or took off with it should I say?
Sticking with a small range of products and really making those the best they can be is a more admirable business model than say trying to make everything under the sun but not really focusing or specializing in anything.
Any business that has been around for more than sixty years has more than a good thing going for it. They back up their products with a limited warranty which always gives a little more peace of mind when making a purchase. You can find the warranty info here.
Best Overall: Right Up 350 3-Bike Hitch Rack
The Bell Right Up 350 3-Bike Hitch Rack has made it to the top of the list for several reasons which we’ll include in the article. It can be used with a variety of bikes, it has solid all steel construction, and it offers features that are functional and practical for hauling bikes.
Platform hitch rack – Platform hitch racks are the sturdiest and offer the most stability of all the Bell bike racks. The Right Up 350 offers large tire trays/cradles for bikes up to 29” in diameter and up to 3” thick fat tires. Platform hitch racks accommodate more types of bikes than the traditional hitch racks. Women’s, children’s, and non-traditional men’s bikes can all be easily mounted on the platform hitch rack.
Three bikes – It can accommodate up to three bikes, 105 lbs total weight. More often than not, you’re going to be doing life with someone else so allowing for more than one bike is great for families or biking with a friend.
Folds up. This rack folds up towards the vehicle, so when it’s not in use, it’s easy to tuck away for parking convenience.
Construction – This rack consists of all steel construction for durability and quality. It also includes padded straps for securing the bikes without scuffing them up.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Fits most vehicles with 1-1/4″ and 2″ hitches
- Easy to assemble
- Tilts away from the vehicle
- Folds up when not in use
- Free Bilt app with video instructions for assembly
Cons:
- A little pricier than some other models
- Accommodates 3” tires but NOT 4”
Bottom Line
The Bell Right Up 350 is a great option for families or anyone who wants to transport two or three bikes. It offers great stability with the platform hitch design, the all steel construction, and the padded hooks and straps to secure the bikes. It is a little more in price than the others but you are, however, getting more in features and capacity.
A PDF of the manual is available here.
Best Bang for your Buck: Right Up 250 2-Bike Platform Hitch Rack
The Bell Right Up 250 2-Bike Platform Hitch Rack gives you just as much as the Bell Right Up 350 with the exception of the third bike option. The Right Up 250 can hold up to two bikes with a total weight of 70 lbs.
Platform hitch rack – The sturdiness and stability of this platform hitch rack is spot on due to the large tire trays and the padded hooks and straps that securely hold the bikes. A huge bonus to platform hitch racks is the ability to accommodate different styles of bikes and bikes that do not have a straight crossbar. For instance, women’s bikes, children’s bikes, and even some non-traditional men’s bikes have slanted bars. Trying to attach these types of bikes to a traditional hitch rack is one pain in the rear.
4” tire width – This rack allows for any bikes from 20” to 29” with fat tires up to 4” thick. This is where the Right Up250 offers a bit more than the Right Up 350 as the Right Up 350 tops out with allowance for a 3” tire width.
Tilt Down – The rack pivots down to allow access to the rear of the vehicle. This is a nice feature especially for longer trips where you know you’re inevitably going to need to get to that snack cooler in the trunk of the vehicle.
Pros:
- Lightweight,
- Fits most vehicles with 1-1/4″ and 2″ hitches
- Folds up when not in use
- Less expensive than the Right Up 350
- Easy to assemble
- Free Bilt app with video instructions for assembly
Cons:
- A little pricier than some other models
Bottom Line
The Right Up 250 has a lot to offer and if you are hauling no more than two bikes this is the rack for you. It offers great stability and construction and allows for slightly more versatility than the Right Up 350 by accommodating bikes with fat tires up to 4″. The Right Up 250 also has a lower price point than the Right Up 350 which helps make this rack the “Best Bang for your Buck” Bell bike rack.
A PDF of the manual is available here.
Best on a Budget: Compact Folding 3-Bike Rack
If you’re on a budget or if you like to bike but simply don’t bike often enough to want to invest a chunk of change into a bike rack then look no further than the Compact Folding 3-Bike Rack also known as the Overpass Trunk Strap Bike Rack. This bike rack made the list not only for its lower price point but also for all of the features it offers.
Three Bikes – Don’t be deceived by the fact that it’s compact, can fold up, and it’s a strap-on bike rack. This Bell Trunk Strap 3-bike rack holds its own when it comes to holding your bikes.
Construction – The Trunk Strap rack is made with powder-coated steel and offers rubberized cradles to hold the bikes in place. It uses six straps that secure the rack nicely to the trunk of most vehicles.
Compact: Great for storage This rack folds down to a compact size of, 14.25″ x 6.5″ x 4.75″ to be exact, when not in use so it’s easy to store in the trunk or the garage and not take up valuable space.
Pros:
- Cost-effective
- Easily straps to the trunk
- No tools required for assembly
- Super lightweight (less than ten pounds)
Cons:
- Not as stable as a platform hitch rack
Bottom Line
The Trunk Strap 3-Bike Rack by Bell is budget friendly, space friendly, and user-friendly. If you need a bike rack for the occasional, spur of the moment adventure, then a compact, cost-effective trunk rack will suit your needs. You’ll be able to have the flexibility of taking your own bikes on an adventure without a huge investment of cash and without taking up too much precious real estate in the garage.
A PDF of the manual is available here.
Worth Mentioning:
The Bell Hitchbiker 450 4-Bike Rack is a traditional hitch style rack that offers stability when hauling your bikes. It can hold up to four bikes, which is a feature that can be hard to find and the reason why it’s worth mentioning.
It also folds down when not in use and has the tilt back feature which allows for trunk access. This rack is great for bikes with straight crossbars but has its limitations for hauling bikes that have slanted bars.
So, if you have several straight crossbar bikes that you want to take out for a ride, this rack is up for the adventure.
The Cantilever 200 2-Bike Rack is a trunk strap rack that’s quick and easy to attach to most any vehicle. It holds up to two bikes and easily folds down for storage. This rack offers a cost-effective price point that makes for an easy choice for those spontaneous bike outings.
So the real question now is, where will you ride next?
