Can I go through a carwash with a bike rack ?

Welcome to our ‘ Can I go through a carwash with a bike rack ? ‘
Bike Rack Beginners Guide

Although we highly recommend washing your bike rack for maintenance, Please DO NOT take your bike rack through an automatic car wash.

This type of car wash will definitely damage your bike rack and in most cases your car. Most manufactures of bike racks  do not include cover for this in warranties.

It might be tempting after a long day of Mountain Biking to just quickly run through the car wash with bike rack and bikes attached, but this quick method will soon turn in to a disaster rather than a shortcut.

What could happen if I went through an automatic carwash with a bike rack ?

Automatic car washers are built and designed for your car only. The sensors can detect edges of your vehicle and know when to move, rotate. Just like some car washes ask you to remove a car ariel in case it catches on the big spinning brushes.

The same could happen with your bike rack, the roller may start to descend down your rear window and not detect the rack and forcible pull the rack off. 

Which would certainly damage the bike rack and in most cases your vehicle.

Can I go through a touchless carwash with a bike rack ?

Can you keep a bike rack on your car if you go through one? YES!

Of course you can leave your bike rack on the car if you go through a touchless carwash.

Touchless car washes don’t use brushes to clean your car and are a much safer alternative. 

They use high powered jets of water and detergents to clean your car. Nothing will come into contact with your car or bike rack that could cause any damage. 

Warning: Please do not use jet washers / touchless washers if you are carrying ebikes / electric bikes etc. This can damage the bikes motor and or electrical components.