8 Best Tailgate Bike Pads in 2021

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Transporting your bicycles on your pickup truck through rough and unforgiving terrain is a tricky process that can easily cause damage to both your truck and your bikes. So, it’s always wise to have something in hand to keep your bikes securely tethered and prevent this from happening.

There are many different solutions that you can opt for, but the best, easiest, and most inexpensive one is buying a tailgate pad. It’s simply a must have tool in your possession if you own both a truck and a cycling or mountain bike- or any other kind of bike, for that matter.

To help you find the best tailgate bike pads that fits your needs, we’ve taken the time to review dozens of options on the market, and also listed down a helpful buying guide just for you.

Best tailgate bike pads

Take a look at these eight best tailgate pads for bicycles that offer an easy, convenient, and hassle free way to safely and securely transport your bicycles and other sporting cargo for a fun day out in the great outdoors.

We’ve reviewed many different options from various brands for you to choose from, and we’ve also taken the liberty to list down all our favorite features from each one so you can have an easier time choosing which tailgate pad for bikes is best for you.

Tailgate bike pads FAQs and buying guide

Mountain biking is a popular recreational and competitive sport that millions of people all over the world have been taking up in recent years. Before jumping on your bike to tackle the steepest mountains, make sure to gear up with these best MTB knee pads. Of course, with this often comes the need to figure out a way to bring the bike to a trail without having to ride from your house to the bike path that can be dozens or even hundreds of miles away.

There are lots of ways this can be done, such as by installing a bike rack on the roof or trunk of your car, SUV, or truck, or by using a trailer hitch. But, this can be quite expensive and even cumbersome.

Nowadays, there are plenty of different sorts of tailgate pads for bikes available, and even so, it can be hard to find one that is really versatile and meets all your needs and requirements. As such, it’s important to do thorough research so you don’t end up wasting your money on a substandard pad that fails to meet your needs.

What are tailgate pads?

To put it simply, a tailgate pad is a thick and foam filled padding that is folded over the tailgate of a pickup truck in order to protect both your tailgate and your bicycle from scratches, dents, and damage to paintwork as you transport your bike from one place to another.

This is important, since as opposed to just throwing your bike onto the truck bed, it doesn’t damage the expensive bike with its delicate frame and pristine paint job. A tailgate pad is simply an economical and effective way to safely transport bicycles.

It’s also accommodating to all bicycle types, from mountain bikes to road bikes and so on, and can even be used for plenty of other sporting equipment and large cargo. Whatever kind of item you are transporting in your truck bed, a tailgate pad is a great protective barrier for all these items and for your truck as well.

Pros of a tailgate pad

There are many undeniable benefits to using a tailgate pad when transporting bicycles and other gear. For one thing, it’s highly useful for people who typically shuttle their bikes when going on gravity runs, since it’s quick and easy to use, as opposed to a bike rack.

It’s also better than a bike rack in the sense that it can fit any type and size of bicycle, which is an important consideration, given that bicycles have largely gotten bigger and fatter in the recent years.

And of course, a tailgate pad is by far the cheapest option you will ever find, costing you just under a hundred dollars for something that can already hold up to seven bikes, as compared to a bike rack that can cost upwards of $600 for the same capacity.

The right fit

The first thing that you should take into account when buying tailgate pads is whether it will fit your truck, meaning, whether it conforms to the size of your tailgate. This way, it can effectively protect both your bikes and your truck from any damage that may occur during your drive.

Generally, tailgate pads come in two sizes- small and large, wherein small pads can usually hold five bicycles and fit in small and mid-sized trucks such as a Toyota Tacoma, GMC Canyons, and a Ford Ranger.

On the other hand, a larger pad can easily fit in a full-size truck like a Toyota Tundra, Chevy Silverado, or Dodge Ram, and can hold up to seven bikes. Now, there are also mini tailgate pads that are designed to be folded over just half of your tailgate, which is a good and cheap option if you’re just going to carry a single bike or two.

Durability

It’s also important to make sure that the pad is highly durable and long lasting, especially considering that it will often be exposed to harsh elements, and will be under the pressure of heavy bicycle frames for a considerable amount of time.

This is especially important if you will often be transporting several bikes during your drives, or lots of other sporting gear and other cargo such as construction materials. You don’t want a pad that wears and gets damaged easily.

The best options are all-weather pads that are designed to withstand even the harshest and ever-changing weather conditions. These are made with premium, heavy duty materials that are often waterproof, UV resistant, and protected against wear and tear.

Of course, you should always remember that the most expensive option isn’t necessarily the best and most reliable. And at the end of the day, proper maintenance is what really makes the tailgate pad (or any other item) last for much longer.

Ease of installation

You should also take into account how easy it is to set up and remove the bike pad from your truck, especially if you don’t want it to be a semi-permanent feature of your tailgate. Not only will it cause the pad to wear out faster, it’s also prone to theft, and it just doesn’t look that good.

As such, you should opt for a pad that is easy to install and just as easy to take off. This will mainly depend on its locking and strapping mechanisms, so common questions should be, where should this be strapped, and how?

Another important thing in relation to being easy to install and remove is whether the tailgate pad features a foldable cover that allows you to access the tailgate handle as well as make use of your rear camera. It’s also nice if the pad can be folded down flat and stored in a more compact manner when not in use.

Padding

This one’s a no brainer. The most important thing about a tailgate pad is its padding. This is what will protect your bikes and your truck from any scratches and dents as you drive. As such, the tailgate pad should be made of heavy materials with a soft inner lining so it does its job well.

Even better are pads made with extra padding on the sides and back that prevent your bikes from falling off and bumping into each other while in transit. This way, you don’t have to worry about potential costly repairs on dented bike frames and ruined paintwork.

It’s best to go for pads that are made of high quality materials such as polyesters and nylons, since these are extremely durable and heavy duty while remaining lightweight. It’s also ideal to opt for a pad that is designed for all-weather usage so it lasts much longer.

Straps to secure bikes

Of course, it’s just as important to take into account how the pads are designed in terms of keeping your bikes securely in place the entire time you are in transit. If you’re still experiencing bicycles knocking against each other during your drive, then you wasted your money on inadequate bike pads.

To prevent this, make sure that the tailgate pad fastens securely onto your truck’s tailgate, and keeps your bikes tethered in the truck bed at a stationary and upright position while being completely separate from each other.

This is achieved by using straps, frames, and anchors on the tailgate pad, so it’s a must to make sure that all of these are made with high quality materials, don’t come off easily, and are also simple and easy to use in terms of effectively securing your bikes.

Summary

Tailgate bike pads are effective and versatile in making sure that your bicycles and other cargo are safely and securely attached to your pickup truck’s tailgate. An excellent tailgate pad should be made with high quality materials, rigid on the outside and soft on the inside, and are durable and long lasting in order to give you the best value for your money. If you are a dedicated mountain biker with a pickup truck that you often use to transport your bike, you will surely love our top recommendations on the best tailgate bike pads for 2021. Happy cycling!

• Category: Buying Guide