Fatbikes are awesome. A blast to ride in the snow or on muddy trails, their only drawback is that they’re not really efficient enough to use as transportation to the trail (unless you’re feeling particularly hardcore). Thus riding a fatbike invariably involves loading it onto a vehicle for transportation to the next adventure, and that’s where Yakima’s line of bike racks comes into play.
Your vehicle is a bike carrier.
It really doesn’t matter what you drive these days, your vehicle can transport bikes. Before you choose your preferred mode of attaching your two-wheeled steed to your multi-wheeled one, it’s best to visit Yakima’s fit lookup site to check their recommended list of racks for your vehicle.
Where to mount your bike:
There are 3 basic mounting points for a bike. The roof of the car, the trunk, or on a trailer hitch (pickup beds we’ll group in with the roof option).
Roof
Pros:
Looks super cool. Admit it, that’s a factor.
Doesn’t affect the length of the vehicle
Totally out of the way of the doors and trunk, meaning easy access and loading/unloading of other cargo
Roof Racks that will fit Fatbikes: None will fit larger than 3″ tires.
3″ and under tires? Check out the Yakima Frontloader and Highroller racks!
Trunk:
Pros:
-Temporary- you can remove it and store it when not in use
-Inexpensive. These racks start below $200 for up to 3 bikes
– Low Drag- well hidden behind the vehicle so has less of an effect on fuel economy
Trunk Racks that will fit Fatbikes:
Yakima Fullback
Yakima Fullback
Fits up to 3 bikes
$259.99 MSRP
LTP part number 153458-01
Yakima Kingjoe
Yakima Kingjoe
Fits up to 3 bikes
$179.99 MSRP
LTP part number 153704-02
Hitch:
Pros:
Very secure, low to the ground, and stable
The easiest to load bikes onto
Very low drag signature
Semi-permanent (hard to steal, and doesn’t sway)
Hitch racks that will fit Fatbikes:
Yakima Fourtimer
Yakima Fourtimer
Fits up to 4 bikes
$599.99 MSRP
LTP Part number: 153609-03
Requires Fatstraps: 153609-10
Yakima Fatstraps
Yakima Fatstraps
Allow larger volume tires to fit on Tray racks!
$14.99 MSRP
LTP part number: 153609-10
We hope you’ve found this guide helpful in getting you motivated and prepared for your next adventure!