I have a 2018 Jeep JK Rubicon 2 door and need a bike carrier. I am undecided between the Thule SpareMe spare tire one or their model that would attach to my already installed trailer hitch.
It will only be for up to two bikes and I am wondering if one is better than the other in respect to bike security and/or if one is easier to use or has some other advantage I am unaware of.
Thanks in advance!

Personally, I don't like the rack to touch my frames.....so I would lean towards a hitch mounted rack.

Curious about this question also. Needing a 2 bike rack and was thinking a hitch mount.

I went cheap:

https://allensportsusa.com/collectio...uxe-hitch-rack

Having used cheap racks, spare tire mount racks and really good hitch racks, do yourself a favor, one that you will appreciate each time you use the rack, and get a good one. Thule XT 2 is a good one, or Kuat Sherpa 2 is another good one.

I'd spring for either a hitch rack or a roof rack.

My last trip, I did neither as I could fit two bikes, two people, and a dog (plus bags) into the back of my station wagon.

If I did mostly short drives and only carried the bike(s) from home to trailhead, then I would consider the Thule Spare Me. Saris makes a Freedom Spare rack that is a tray style too, for what its worth.
If I carried my bike(s) around thru the day on the rack, then I would want a tray rack mounted to a hitch.

A tray with arm that locks to the front wheel means less swaying and no rubbing/contacting of frames and I want that if I am towing the bike(s) around for many miles or many trips before use.
Note that the spare racks can only handle bikes that weigh under 35# each. Not sure if that matters to you too.

So you are saying that spare tire mounted rack design has the frames touching each other but the hitch mounted rack does not?

No, rather, the rack touches and potentially rubs each bike frame. Most hitch racks only touch the bikes’ tires.

A hitch mounted tray rack keeps the bikes separated and nothing touches the frame tubes. The best design so far, and the only style rack I will ever use.

Kuat or 1Up. In terms of features, quality, and just plain stability, there isn't much competition. Yes Thule or Yakima...but knowing people that own them, they drool at my Kuat.

I didn't even pay retail for my Kuat NV2, CompetitiveCyclist has 20% off codes all the time.

1upusa

Thanks all for the info!
Will have to check out those other brands now

I have a One Up rack and I’ll never own another brand. They’re expensive, but they’re worth it.

1up or Saris, personally I like Saris, made in USA , Kuat Chinese: Yakima Mexico; not sure about Thule's current manufacturing, some used to be USA .

I’ve been planning to use the hitch-mounted Thule Easyfold XT 2 for our 2 fatty ebikes but I’m not sure it can be done if the car’s spare tire is mounted on the rear. It would need an extension, right? So would it be strong enough for, what is it, maybe 200 lbs of bikes and rack?

We like the Thule because you can buy an extended ramp for the bikes.

Also, we’d need to be adding a hitch. Do you know what hitch would be appropriate for that rack? I’ve seen conflicting advice.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance! New here.

Have you spoken to U-Haul or your car shop about what hitches you can even mount to your vehicle? It matters, because a Class I trailer hitch is only rated for 200lbs of tongue weight--AKA a bike rack plus load. That is it. If your vehicle can only fit a Class I hitch, you either need lighter or fewer bikes or you need to use a trailer. Remember you're talking about retrofitting a 3000lb moving weapon--so no eyeballing it or guessing.

If you check Curt's site they have a fit calculator on the front page that will find what hitches actually can fit your vehicle.

We’re looking at Monteros to buy but they aren’t represented in Curt’s tool, which is great, BTW, thanks. The Montero has a rear-mount spare and is still sold in Mexico where we are.

Thule’s site seems to suggest that we need a class 5 hitch. We are researching the car now. But does class 5 automatically mean it can support the leverage of 200lbs on an extension long enough to get it past the rear-mounted spare tire? I’m unacquainted with hitch class.

And I’m not clear on whether it has to be a 2” or a 1.25 inch hitch.

Thule doesn’t seem to welcome customer questions like these. They just have canned Q&A.