Using a surfing bike rack helps you to avoids parking fees and traffic jams, is eco-friendly and is simply just more convenient if you live locally. We reviewed the best bicycle surf racks available and discovered that the Moved By Bikes provides the best overall experience. We judged this based upon ease of use, quality of materials, price and how easy the rack was to fit.
Whilst the Moved By Bikes rack is number one, coming in a close second is the Carver rack which provides a similar user experience with it’s side mount design. There’s also the rear mounted surf rack from Bike Balance and the Mule rack for paddle boarders. Check out the reviews below to help you determine which bike rack to buy.
Surfing Bike Rack | Our Rating |
|---|---|
Surfboard Bicycle Rack from MBB   | |
Carver Surfboard Bike Rack   | |
Shortboard Bike Rack   | |
Bicycle Surfboard Rear Rack   | |
The Mule Paddle Board Bike Rack   |
Buying factors to consider
There’s a number of things you need to think about before making a surfing bike rack purchase.
Type
There are 3 main types of surfboard bike racks available:
Side mount
The most popular type that gets designed with either single or double attachments points. These are easy to install onto the side of your bike and work with pretty much all bike types.
Rear mount
Provides a better central balance, the rear mount is a great choice if you don’t like having to counter balance as you cycle (like with side mounts). The main drawback is that they don’t fit some bikes and they tend to only work with small surfboards.
Trailer mount
These are wheeled devices that are attached to the back of your bicycle. They are the best option if you have larger sized longboards or Sup paddleboards. They also work well as handheld devices also.
Size of surfboard
Think about the size of your surfboard before purchasing a surfboard bike rack as bigger sized boards only work on certain types of racks.
- Shortboards – are the smallest boards and will work with side mounts, rear mounts and trailer mounts.
- Longboards – tend to only work with side mounts and trailer mounts. However, small mini-mals might be able to fit on rear mounts.
- Sup paddleboards – are very large and so typically only work with specialized side mounts but normally are best with trailers.
Easy of installation
Setting up a bicycle surf rack isn’t difficult, however some products provide easier and clearer instructions than others and their design is simply better.
You’ll want to consider the number of attachment points that the rack requires (either 1 or 2) and whether they’ll be able to fit your bicycle. Also, look at whether these can be easily clipped on or if they’re permanently installed. An example of a typical installation can be seen in this video below from Moved By Bikes:
Strength and quality of the materials
Most surf bike racks are made from aluminium or stainless steel parts. This is because you need the rack to be both lightweight and strong so that it is easy to cycle and can hold the boards. Plus the materials needs to be rust resistant in case it rains. Avoid anything that doesn’t have these properties.
Price
The typical longboard surf rack for bikes goes for $100 to $130 whereas the shortboard version is generally around $80 to $100. Rear mounts are also in the $80 to $100 range whereas trailer systems are usually $100 to $150 and sometimes much more.
Reviews of Bicycle Surfboard Racks
Review Of: The Surfboard Bicycle Rack from MBB
- Name: Surfboard Bicycle Rack
- Company: Moved By Bikes
- Type: Side mount
- Sizes: Longboard and shortboard
- Individual adjustable arm heights.
- Clear instructions and easy to install.
- Solid, adaptable design that’ll fit most bicycles.
- Made from strong, durable materials.
- Lightweight.
- Keep in mind that it won’t fit paddleboard, instead try this.
BOTTOM LINE
One of the best selling and highest rated bicycle surfboard racks available – and there are many good reasons. It performs in every factor you could want: easy installation, simple adjustments and quality materials. The best rated bicycle surfboard rack that we came across. As a default choice we highly recommend the longboard option over the shortboard one because it provides more space.
Review Of: Carver Surfboard Bike Rack
- Name: CSR Max
- Company: Carver
- Types: Side mount
- Sizes: Longboard and shortboard
- Stable, strong design that attaches easily to your bicycle.
- Hardware is made from a high quality, lightweight metal alloy that doesn’t rust.
- Single point of installation design, instead of 2 separate points (even on the longboard version).
- Comes with pre-installed bungee cords.
- Some customers have had issues with the rack fitting certain types of bikes.
- Others have reported that the provided instructions are not very clear.
BOTTOM LINE
A good runner-up, the Carver surfboard bike rack differs in that it uses a single point of installation (even for it’s longboards), has handy pre-installed bungee cords and strong quality materials. However, installation issues have caused problems for some users and so the bicycle rack loses half a point because of this. Available in both longboard and shortboard sizes.
Review Of: Shortboard Bike Rack from Ho Stevie!
- Name: Shortboard Bike Rack
- Company: Ho Stevie!
- Type: Side mount
- Sizes: Mainly shortboards and small mini-mals
- 30 day refund if the rack doesn’t fit your surfboard or bicycle.
- Thick, heavy duty bars that come with bungee cords for extra security.
- Rotatable arms for when you’re not surfing.
- Only takes a few minutes to install.
- Only fits surfboards up to 8ft in length.
BOTTOM LINE
Aimed mostly at shortboards, this bicycle rack looks very stylish with it’s anodized paint finish. A good side mount choice for shortboard surfers.
Review Of: Bicycle Surfboard Rear Rack from Bike Balance
- Name: Surfboard Rack Kit
- Company: Bike Balance
- Type: Rear mount
- Sizes: Shortboards
- Unique design means that you don’t have to counter-balance your weight to one side of your bicycle when riding.
- Lightweight design with aluminium construction that’ll still hold up in windy conditions.
- Can carry up to x2 shortboards at once.
- Works better with shortboards, though can be used with small longboards.
- Cannot be mounted on bicycles with existing rear racks.
BOTTOM LINE
A unique take on the traditional surfboard rack design with this rear mount. Whilst you gain a more balanced ride, you lose in the carry capacity department. Ideal for shortboards but not so ideal for longboards.
Review Of: The Mule Paddle Board Bike Rack
- Name: The Mule
- Company: Mule Transport Systems
- Type: Trailer
- Sizes: Shortboards, longboards, SUP paddle boards
- Very easy to setup and install – simplistic.
- Designed to carry pretty much all sized boards.
- Can be handheld when walking around as well.
- Some users have reported designs issues with the nose and tail not attaching properly.
- Have to be careful when turning due to the wide turning arch it creates.
BOTTOM LINE
Designed to work with much larger longboards and paddle boards that are simply too big for traditional bicycle racks. Whilst a great design idea, whether you like this rack or not will depend upon the board and bicycle that you’re using.
Recommended Surfboard Racks for Motorcycles
In addition to bicycle surf racks there’s also a few motorbike surf racks that you might want to consider.
CSR Scooter Surfboard Rack from Carver
This motorbike rack attachment works by clipping to the rear cargo of your motorbike. Rust-resistant and made from aluminium, it mounts to almost all motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. Made from solid materials and looks stylish as well.
Moped Surfboard Rack from Ho Stevie!
Easy to install and lightweight, this surf rack works with surfboards up to 8ft in size and clips on to the rear cargo compartments of almost all types of motorbike.
Accessories for bike surf racks
You might also want to consider a few accessories below for your bike surf rack.
Bungee cords – one or two bungee cords will provide extra security when attaching your surfboard to your bicycle.
Related posts
On a tight budget and handy with tools? Then check out our guide to DIY bicycle surfboard racks.
Alternatively, if you’re travelling with your surfboards over a distance then you might want to look into surfboard bags.
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