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The 8 Best Tailgate Bike Pads of 2022

By: Jon Kennedy | April 29, 2022

Looking to carry bikes in the bed of your truck, without scratching up your truck or your bike? A tailgate bike pad is the simplest, and most affordable way to carry bikes in a truck. It’s easy to load and unload, holds bikes securely, and protects both the truck and your bike from damage.

New This Year:

The best bike tailgate pads are sturdy and durable to stand up to years of use, with reinforced padding in key areas. They’re designed with a strap system to lock your bike down so it doesn’t bounce around, even on the bumpiest shuttle roads. Some even come with added features like waterproof pockets, and gear storage areas. If you’re looking for your first tailgate pad it’s important to shop for a pad that will fit your truck. Most brands make several sizes to ensure a good fit. Then you just need to think about how many bikes you’d like to carry, and what extra features you need. Use your backup cam a lot? Make sure to get a pad with an opening for the camera. Worried about really bumpy roads? Some pads have more padding than others. There’s a pickup pad out there for everyone, and this guide will help you find yours.

This Year's Best Tailgate Bike Pads:

evo Tailgate Pad

Dakine DLX Pickup Pad

Dakine DLX Curve

Yakima Gatekeeper

EVOC Tailgate Pad

Thule Gatemate Pro

Dakine Halfside

RMU Tailgate Locker 2.0

best affordable tailgate bike pad

evo Tailgate Pad

Lookin' for a trusty tailgate pad to help ferry your squad's bikes around to your favorite zones? Give the evo Tailgate Pad a hard look. It's burly, will protect your truck and bike from the inevitable clanks, and is incredibly easy to use. Attach your bike to the tailgate pad using the velcro straps, load up the gang and get after it! The evo Tailgate pad is simple, bombproof, and one of the best tailgate pads for affordability. If you’re looking for a straightforward pad that just gets the job done, this is our top choice.

Max Capacity	Special Features	Original Price
7 Bikes	Backup cam flap	$99.95

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best mtb tailgate pads

Dakine DLX Pickup Pad

Designed to fit modern tailgates with backup cameras, the Dakine DLX Pickup Pad belongs to the true shuttle king or queen. With two sizes for both full and mid-sized tailgates, the Dakine DLX Pickup Pad is essential for a day out with the crew. Dakine’s pickup pads are ubiquitous for good reason, they were one of the first brands to build pickup pads giving them a good head start to designing the best mtb tailgate pads, and the DLX offers a great mix of price, features, and durability.

Max Capacity	Special Features	Original Price
7 Bikes	Cable lock compatible	$149.95-$174.95

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best truck bike pads

Dakine DLX Curve Pickup Pad

Designed for late model, full-size Ford, and Dodge trucks, the Dakine DLX Curve Pickup Pad is what shuttle dreams are made of. This durable, easy-to-use pad fits up to seven bikes so you and the crew can hammer out lap after lap until your forearms give out. If you’ve got a big truck with a curved tailgate, the Dakine DLX Curve is the best truck bike pad for the situation, designed to fit it perfectly, while delivering the performance you’d expect from Dakine.

Max Capacity	Special Features	Original Price
7 Bikes	Specially tailored to curved tailgates	$159.95 - $184.95

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most secure tailgate bike pads

Yakima GateKeeper Tailgate Pad

You've got the truck, the bike, and the squad. Now all you need is the tailgate pad. The Yakima GateKeeper Tailgate Pad easily slides over your truck's gate and comes with handy features like cradles and a tuck-away cover for trucks with backup cameras. Now get after it! The Yakima GateKeeper is one of the most secure tailgate bike pads on the market, it locks bikes down with its special combination of straps and padding.

Max Capacity	Special Features	Original Price
6 Bikes	Padded bike cradles	$179

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premium tailgate covers for bikes

EVOC Tailgate Pad

Shuttles have never been easier thanks to the EVOC Tailgate Pad. Offered in two sizes for both mid and full-size pickups, this pad features a fold-away rear camera flap, velcro frame loops, and foam protection to keep everyone's bikes securely fastened on the way up that bumpy back road. The Evoc Tailgate Pad is one of the most premium tailgate covers for bikes on the market, it holds bikes securely, and is easy to wipe down and keep clean.

Max Capacity	Special Features	Original Price
6 Bikes	Fold-away camera flap	$160-$180

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durable tailgate bike pad for mountain bikes

Thule Gatemate Pro 54" Tailgate Pad

Get your bike in the truck and get your butt out on the trail with the Thule Gatemate Pro 54" Tailgate Pad. Fully equipped to get you and your buds' bikes to the trailhead with ease thanks to knock-block dividers and downtube straps keeping everything in place. Plus, a snazzy access panel means you never have to take the pad off to use your tailgate. Thule’s Gatemate is a very durable tailgate bike pad for mountain bikes with clever features like storage pockets and tailgate access that make it practical for use year-round, even without bikes.

Max Capacity	Special Features	Original Price
6 Bikes	Water-resistant pockets	$209.95

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best truck tailgate bike pad

Dakine Halfside Pickup Pad

Dakine Halfside Pickup Pad keeps the trailhead commute simple. Fit for any pickup, this pad covers half of the tailgate, leaving the handle and backup camera clear for use. If you’re looking for the ease of use of a tailgate pad, but only ever transport a couple of bikes and don’t want it to get in the way of using your tailgate normally, the Halfside is the best truck tailgate bike pad for you.

Max Capacity	Special Features	Original Price
2 Bikes	Smaller pad doesn’t hinder tailgate use	$84.95-$99.95

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best mountain bike tailgate pads

RMU Tailgate Locker 2.0

Get to your post-ride beverages immediately with the RMU Tailgate Locker 2.0. This pad is a favorite of shuttlers everywhere, with storage inside the bed for those frosty drinks: you can secure your bike and grab that hydration in one step! It carries a lifetime warranty, along with your precious bikes. Five fleece-lined straps hold your bikes' downtubes so they don't bang around or get scratched up, and there's even a window for your big rig's backup camera. Solid stuff! The RMU Locker is a premium pad with all the premium features you’d expect. If you spend a lot of time shuttling, this is our top choice and one of the best mountain bike tailgate pads money can buy.

Max Capacity	Special Features	Original Price
5 Bikes	Integrated drink pockets	$229-$239

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Shop All Tailgate Bike Pads

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The Selection Process:

Our bike buyer has an endless amount of knowledge on all things bike stemming from years of experience in the bike industry in tandem with their countless hours out on the dirt, gravel, and tarmac. evo's buyers assess all products coming to market, lean into this knowledge, and put together this selection of the best products. They have a unique perspective as they truly see everything offered across the category.

Jon Kennedy

Jon is a Bike Buyer and joined evo in 2015 to help launch the category. He has a long tenure in the bike industry bringing over 20 years of experience.

Jon was formerly the Marketing Manager for Diamondback bikes and was the Executive Director for the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance prior to that. His broad experience in the bike industry from the brand, advocacy and retail side has contributed to a well-rounded understanding of trends, needs and opportunities.

Jon grew up in the Seattle area and currently resides there with his wife Ilana, kids Erez and Lilah, and his Boston Terrier Marley. He is a daily rider packing countless miles in every year, loves all disciplines, and simply considers himself a cyclist… a title he embraces with great passion.