If you love biking, then we are sure that you would also love to get a bike rack for yourself. Even if you love to ride occasionally, the bike racks can give you the freedom to take your bike to the place you want and enjoy it the way you like. There are multiple types of bike racks available in the market, including rear bike racks, roof-mounted bike racks, hitch-mounted bike racks, and trunk-mounted bike racks. The most popular of them remains the first choice of the people. The rear bike racks are so popular because they don’t impact the fuel economy of the car.
Rules To Be Followed Before Using Rear Bike Rack
Since the roof-mounted and spare tire-mounted bike racks can impact the fuel economy, people prefer the rear bike racks more than any other type. Let us now move on to the next section and find out if the rear bike racks are legal or not? The rear bike racks are legal to use in any state, but certain conditions are attached to them. So, you need to ensure that you meet all the conditions; otherwise, you may attract a traffic penalty or legal action. So, what are these conditions? We will tell you more about these in the next section of the page.
Caveats Associated With Rear Bike Rack
As mentioned earlier, there are certain conditions associated with the legalities of rear bike racks. Check out the pointers to find out more about them.
Tail Light
The first important thing associated with using the rear bike rack is that they should not obstruct the tail light. This may impact the visibility of the vehicle behind, and they may not be able to stop in time if you apply brakes. So, you need to ensure that the tail lights & indicators are properly visible.
License Plate
The next important thing is to ensure that the license plate is not obstructed. It should be clear. Check the state regulations check for additional pointers. In some cases, the state allows you to mount a colored print of a number plate on the rear windshield while using a rear bike rack. Some states may also give you a temp license plate while using the rack.
Empty Bike Rack or Unsecured Bikes
In most states, it is illegal to move around with an empty bike rack or the bike rack with unsecured bikes. So, you must always avoid doing that and ensure that you have properly secured the bikes.
Additional Conditions
Lastly, the legalities may vary from one state to another. You can check the road transport website of your state to get more information about the laws associated with the use of rear bike racks.
Conclusion
If you keep the points mentioned above in your mind, you can drive around with the bike racks with no problem. In this case, no one will stop you from carrying your bike on the bike rack. Additionally, you can check the state laws and abide by them for proper adherence to the law. We hope this information helped you in answering your questions.
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