Mountain biking is a lot of fun, but transporting the mountain bike can be a bit of a hassle. This is especially true if the bike doesn’t fit inside your vehicle. One vehicle that many people want to transport mountain bikes in is a Jeep Wrangler. This begs the question, will a mountain bike fit in a Jeep Wrangler?
You can fit a mountain bike in a Jeep Wrangler. However, fitting your mountain bike inside a Jeep Wrangler will be a bit difficult. If you have a 2 door model, you will certainly have to take off both wheels before putting the mountain bike inside the vehicle. With a 4 door option, the bike will more likely fit, but you may need to remove one wheel, depending on how you want to load the bike up.
Still, there is a lot more to know about transporting your mountain bike in a Jeep Wrangler. In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about fitting your mountain bike in your Jeep Wrangler. Let’s get started so that you can start transporting your mountain bike today.
Transporting Your Mountain Bike in a Jeep Wrangler
Generally speaking, transporting your mountain bike in a Jeep Wrangler can be a bit of a hassle. Jeep Wranglers come in two different sizes: a 2 door and a 4 door. For mountain biking purposes, the 4 door is the better option simply because it offers more space in the back seat.
If you have a 4 door Jeep Wrangler, you can lay the mountain bike on its side to keep both wheels on while transporting inside the vehicle. However, you may still need to remove the front wheel for the bike to fit properly inside the vehicle.
For those with a 2 door Jeep Wrangler, there is no way that you can put a mountain bike inside the vehicle while keeping the wheels on. Instead, you will need to remove both the wheels to fit it inside properly. Although this allows you to transport the bike, it certainly makes transporting it a hassle.
How to Fit Your Mountain Bike in a Jeep Wrangler
Most likely, you will need to remove the wheels of your mountain bike in order to fit it into your Jeep Wrangler. Even with 4 door options, as we learned, you will likely need to remove at least one wheel, if not both.
Most people find the easiest way to transport their mountain bike inside a Jeep Wrangler is to remove both wheels. They will then remove the back seat of the Jeep Wrangler and place the body of the bike where the seat should be. After that, they place the wheels in the back seat as well.
In order to prevent the mountain bike frame from moving about, you would need to strap it in place. If not, it can move around, causing damage to the interior of the vehicle or the frame itself.
We recommend using a mountain bike multi-tool like this one to easily remove the wheels and seat on your mountain bike.
Pros
The biggest benefit of this option is that it is very cost-efficient. You don’t have to buy additional transportation parts. If you are on a budget, this certainly is the best option for transporting your mountain bike inside a Jeep Wrangler.
This option is really convenient too. You don’t necessarily have to continually attach or reattach the mountain bike to your vehicle. If you mountain bike enough, you can simply leave it in the vehicle in between uses.
Cons
At the same time, this option does come with some drawbacks. Most notably, it can be annoying to remove and replace mountain bike tires. This is especially true after you have been mountain biking and are likely tired.
Additionally, traveling with your mountain bike inside your Jeep Wrangler can get messy really fast. Unless you go through the efforts of putting some sort of tarp down in the back of your Jeep or wash your mountain bike before putting it in, you can easily get dirt, mud, and other debris all inside your Jeep Wrangler, which no one likes.
Transporting Your Mountain Bike With a Tent Trailer
Of course, there are other ways you can transport your mountain bike with a Jeep Wrangler. Above, we described what to do if you want to place your mountain bike inside the vehicle. As you likely know, you can also transport the mountain bike attached to the outside of the vehicle.
Another way to transport your mountain bike when you have a 2 door Jeep Wrangler is to purchase a Springer or some other type of tent trailer. With this method, you will need to purchase a whole other trailer to attach to your Jeep’s hitch.
From there, attach the trailer to the hitch as described in the instruction manual. Then, attach the mountain bike to the top of the trailer. This will make traveling with your mountain bike a lot easier since you don’t have to remove any wheels and you can easily access the bike once you have reached your destination.
Pros
The biggest benefit of this option is that you don’t have to go through the trouble of removing and reattaching the mountain bike tires to the frame. This will especially be a great benefit after you are tired from your day of mountain biking and need to head home.
Another benefit of this method is that it keeps your vehicle free from dirt and debris. Since the mountain bike is not placed inside the vehicle, it simply eliminates this issue entirely.
Cons
At the same time, this option comes with drawbacks as well. For example, you have to attach and disconnect the hitch whenever you want to go or are done mountain biking. Although you won’t have to do this immediately before or after your trip, you will need to do it eventually.
More so, this option is much less financially feasible for those on a budget. You will need to buy some sort of a Springer or hitch compartment. Although these devices aren’t insanely expensive, they still might be out of certain price ranges.
What We Recommend
Overall, we recommend removing the wheels of your mountain bike if you need to transport it on a budget. Simply place the frame and separate tires in the back of your Jeep, and you have a cost-efficient yet slightly time-consuming way to transport your bike.
For those with a little bit more money to spend, buying a Springer is a great option instead. It saves you from removing and reattaching the tires every time you want to go mountain biking. Plus, it saves the interior of your Wrangler.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, Jeep Wranglers are not necessarily big enough to transport your mountain bike in. However, you can remove the wheels so that you can place the frame and separate wheels inside the Wrangler. Although this option is time-consuming, it is cost-efficient.
If you hate the idea of removing the wheels every time you go mountain biking, you can purchase a Springer instead. Attach the mountain bike to the top of the Springer and attach it to your Jeep’s hitch. This, of course, will cost more money, but it saves you from having to remove and reattach the wheels.
With all this in mind, you certainly can transport your mountain bike with a Jeep Wrangler, even though they are on the small side. You just need to know how to do it, and your mountain bike will be ready to go.
