INTRODUCTION

Popularity of outdoor recreational activities has created increased demand for different ways to carry a variety of recreational equipment on vehicles. Bicyclists often want to transport multiple bicycles to a recreational area on a single vehicle. Some bicycles, for example mountain bikes, have wide ranges of dimensional and weight variations which may impose significant limitations on the carrying capacities of existing hitch racks. Hitch racks that carry bicycles with one wheel above the other, which may be referred to as a vertical orientation, offer a possible compact arrangement. However, each bicycle must be secured to prevent unwanted motion or contact with adjacent bicycles. A rack that can stably and securely carry multiple bicycles in a vertical position is therefore desirable.

