# 1
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
etrailer has the best pre- and post-sales customer service I've ever seen! I started out not knowing anything about hitch-mounted racks. So I wrote to etrailer telling them about my car and type of hitch I was about to have installed. Samuel wrote back with lots of great information tailored specifically to my car. He even included a photo that looked just like my 2017 white VW GTI with a hitch and rack installed. Okay something of a coincidence. But the rest of the assistance I got from the crew at etrailer was just as prophetic. I went into this a novice and came out knowing lots more about hitches and racks and finding the rack best suited to my situation. I have a small car, a class 1 hitch and a heavy mountain bike. I got exactly what I needed. As to the Swagman rack itself, it works fine. If I had a different situation I would probably buy a platform rack as they are easier to load. There's no reason to buy a bike rack anywhere else.
First off, thanks to Jason T. or "Troop". The exemplary customer service he provided is rare these days. Troop made several calls to the various manufacturers to ascertain which bike rack would afford me the most ground clearance as my new VW Golf sits low to the ground and my old bike rack frequently scraped the ground when I went up even a slight up hill grade. His efforts paid off as he found me the best bike rack for my car, the Swagman Trailhead 2 Bike Carrier. It sits up off the ground just high enough that it doesn't scrape on my driveway. It is also sturdy and holds my bikes securely. And, the delivery was amazingly fast. I had my rack in about 2 days! Note to Troop, see my Pittsburgh Pirates Logo on my bumper in the attached pictures? Pirate Fans persevere! The Bucco's will be coming after your Cardinals this year! Thanks again Troop!
# 2
Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches
The good: I like the way the bikes are held in and the ability to add the upright adapters to the bike frame holders. The straps are quality too. For a jeep with a spare tire, this is the perfect length to clear it. This rack is 5 stars from the bike holders to the base of it. The bad: the 2"receiver adapter and bolt are insufficient. I wish they made this in a solid 2" hitch. The entire setup is held into the receiver by a very short bolt. It only goes about half way into the receiver tube. So your hitch is only "secured" on one side. A hitch pin or bolt should go through the receiver tube completely imo so it can be secured on the other end with a retaining clip or nut. Because this only goes in the one side, the entire weight of the rack plus bikes are held tight to one side of the receiver by the undersized bolt and washer. A few bumps down the road and that bolt loosens. Now instead of distibuting the weight of the rack and bikes on the receiver and post, it's completely up to the bolt to keep you from losing the rack. The bolt threads get damaged too. I took this down a dirt road and nearly lost everything. I had to buy my own bolt with hd fender washers and lock washers to correct this. Thule should've provided this from the start. The current short bolt design where only one side of the receiver secures the rack is unacceptable. This rack is 1 star at best for the connection to the receiver.
I bought this bike rack back in April but wanted to make sure I used it to give the best review. First I want to say I did a lot of research on bike racks and found this one to be the best one to fit my needs. The best price I found was on etrailer.com, at the time it was When I called the customer service to place my order, I spoke to Dan. He was very pleasant on the phone and took the time and listened to what I needed and understood my concerns. I ordered the bike rack and also ordered the Thule Snug Tite Hitch Lock and Anti-Rattle Device and the Thule Cable Lock w/ One Key System Lock. Dan suggested I also get the Thule Bike Adapter Bar, which I never even thought of getting. Delivery was in about two business days, which was really fast and at the time of order they were running a special free delivery over $99. When I went to put it together I noticed I was missing the flat cap screw M6 x 16mm, part number #853-5787-02. I emailed Dan and within 24 hours received an email that the part was sent out and also in the email their was a link to track the order. After I received the part I did notice that the flat cap screw was actually in the 2 inch adaptor sleeve. The instructions were very easy to read, and it took me about 20 minutes to put together. I did have an issue when I positioned the stinger into the cradle, with the 8mm locking nut, it was not staying tight and when I took it off I noticed the threads inside were gone, so I ended up going out to Lowes and buying a new one and its holds perfectly fine. I also had a question about that part because it is not a locking part and was worried someone would try to steal the rack. I contacted etrailer.com to find if they make a locking device for this and they said no but I can contact Thule to double check, I'm still waiting for an answer back from Thule. The weather finally broke and we installed the rack onto my hitch, tightened it and it doesn't rattle. When I finally used the rack and put my bike on, it did sway a little but at 50 mph I was very happy with it. The trailer comes out just enough away from my car that I do not have to fold completely out and I can open my trunk with no issues. I am very happy with my purchase and had a great customer experience with Dan. Would highly recommend ordering from them to anyone.
# 3
Saris Freedom Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
I had to put my electric bikes into this rack, backwards, to make them fit. Not ideal, but it works.The receiving 'trays' that are intended to provide support for holding the bikes, by being placed under the bike tires, are forced to be moved to a location that is not directly under the bottom of the bike tires. While it works in this manner, it is not ideal.For the support that attaches to the diagonal bike frame, we had to remove it from the vertical rail of the rack. We reinstalled it, upside down, because that's the only way we could make it fit, or 'grab', the bike frame. Again, we made it work, but it's not ideal. We chose to keep the rack because it was so much less expensive than the Thule rack we considered buying. The bike shop owner didn't agree with us. He observed that we are putting $3000 worth of bikes on the rack and risking that investment. So far, no problems, other than the ill-fitting installation.
With a few adjustments this rack has delivered. Needed to add additional strapping since the provide straps for securing the bikes to center bar were not long enough due to my ebike design (Velotric). My bikes are step through with a thick frame so provided straps won't fit. Simple adjustment with strapping resolved minor issue. Speed of 73 mph on the highway and some bumpy VT roads and this rack performed.
# 4
Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Pearl
I am very happy with my purchase!!! It all began with a pleasant experience contacting Etrailer to confirm that the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 would work with my Class 1 1-1/4" hitch on my 2011 Honda CRV. Roger answered my questions and assisted me with placing my order. I ordered on a Monday and I received it on Thursday in California! It did take me about 2 hours to assemble because I initially tried to follow the written instructions that were in the box. I remembered that several reviewers said that they recommend that you follow the You Tube videos for the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 assembly instructions. Once I followed the videos the assembly was a snap! The bike rack is very sturdy despite weighing in at 35 lbs. I am a 60 year old relatively athletic female and have no problem attaching the bike rack to my hitch! Here's hoping the bike rack holds up for years to come!
# 5
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Draw-tite Sportframe Trailer Hitch Receiver Class I - 1-1/4 Swagman Trailhead 3 Bike Rack - Tilting The Draw-tite Sportframe class 1 trailer hitch and Swagman Trailhead 3 bike rack were ordered for a 2017 Honda Fit. The online order and shipping went just as expected. The trailer hitch and bike rack are very heavy duty. I recommend watching the trailer hitch install video before installing, whereas the video is very helpful. The bike rack has triangles that you can rotate to find the best fit for your bicycle's frame. The rubber straps are thick and secure the bicycles when you pull them tight. This bike rack will stay on the vehicle for 6 months each year. The tilt feature and folding arm feature are must haves for a smaller hatchback. I am pleased with this purchase, it appears to be good quality and good value.
My previous bike rack was a hitch mounted Yakima. It was sturdy but not well suited for my low Subaru Impreza. It stuck out too far and hung too low so that I had to inch my way down the driveway or over speed bumps for fear of it bottoming out. A roof rack or a rear window mounted rack was not suitable since I wanted to be able to also carry two kayaks. First, I tried to modify my rack by shortening the part that sticks out of the hitch. I tried to saw off about 6 inches so it wouldn't stick out so far but the steel was much too hard. I ended up ruining several metal-cutting blades on my power saw before I gave up. I looked for other rack options. There weren't many out there. But eventually, I found something that met my needs. I purchased the "Swagman Trailhead 3 Bike Fold Down Bicycle Hitch Rack" in 2013 from eTrailer.com. The part that enters the hitch curves up to increase clearance from the ground. It is sturdy and sticks out far enough so I can still open my trunk hatch without having to lower the main vertical bar on the hitch (though I could if I wanted to). It isn't often I am really excited about a piece of gear but this hitch rack has made me worry-free when I transport my bicycle(s) via car. The only thing I don't like is that it is advertised as being a 3 bike carrier but it only fits 2 hybrid bikes. Maybe it will fit 3 skinny racing bikes but for the average rider, don't expect to fit on more than 2. But my experience is that is the case for all bicycle racks.
Inno Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2018 Hyundai Sonata
Hey guys, it's Randy here at etrailer.com. Today, we're taking a look at the Inno Tire Hold Bike Rack. We're gonna do a test fit on it, and see how it fits with our 2018 Hyundai Sonata.Now as you can see, the tire hold rack is a really neat design. It's a very popular design. This allows us to hold the bike on the rack without ever touching the frame. We don't have to worry about abrasions.
Thule Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2016 Hyundai Sonata
Speaker 1: Today on our 2016 Hyundai Sonata we're doing a test fit of the Thule Double Track Pro Platform Style 2 Bike Rack. That part number is TH9054. Now we already have our bike secured down, we're first going to show you how we secure it in place. At the front and back tire we're going to have straps. These are going to be cam buckle straps, we'll just push on the lever on the opposite side and pull our straps through. Same thing at the front.
Swagman Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2016 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2016 Hyundai Sonata we're doing a test fit of the Swagman XC Platform Style 2-Bike Rack. That part number is S64650. We already have our bike secured down, we're first going to show you how we do that. We have a front and rear cradle which is where our tires are going to be held into place, then we have our frame hook here in the center which is going to hold our bike down into those wheel cradles. To release that we're just going squeeze on the grey button there and lift it up, and then we just pull straight down to ratchet it down. You want to be sure you hang onto the bike whenever you pull that hook off.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2016 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2016 Hyundai Sonata, we're doing a test fit of the Kuat NV 2.0 Platform Style Two Bike Rack. That part number is NV12G. Now, we already have our bike secured down, but I'm, first, going to show you one of the key features of this rack. We're going to come here, and we're going to pull down on this lever. That's going to allow us to tilt our bike rack away from our vehicle. Now, we're going to try and gain access here. You'll see we're not going to have to worry about that making contact at all.
Thule Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2013 Hyundai Sonata, we're doing a test fit of the Thule Roadway Hanging Style 2-Bike Rack. That part number is TH912XTR. Now we already have our bike secured down, we're first going to show you how we do that and then we'll go over some features. We have two cradles in place with three straps, two on our frame and one as our anti-sway strap in the back. We'll pull down and lift up to release those and we can pull our bike off of our rack. We'll set this off to the side and then I always suggest that you replace your straps so you don't lose or damage them while you're heading down the road. Now we'll take a few measurements. First one's going to be overall what we're adding to our vehicle with our arms hanging out.
Saris Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2013 Hyundai Sonata we're doing a test fit of the Saris Bones Hitch Mounted 2 Bike Rack. That part number is SA882. Excuse me. We've already got our bike attached to our vehicle. I'm first going to show you how we do that. We have 3 straps altogether, 2 on our frame and 1 as our anti-sway strap in the back.
Swagman Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today, on our 2013 Hyundai Sonata, we're doing a test fit of the Swagman XC platform-style 2-bike rack. That part number is S64650. We already have our bikes secured down. We're first going to show you how we do that. To hold our bike in place, we have our frame hook, which is going to hold our bike down into our wheel cradles. Now, I know for a fact that you won't have any problems with your wheels coming loose or anything without those straps that you would usually see on your platform-style.
Thule Vertex 4 Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2013 Hyundai Sonata we'll be test fitting the Thule Vertex Four Bike Carrier, part number th9029. Now with our two inch adapter already removed from our carrier, we'll slide the shank into the opening of the hitch, line up our pin holes, thread our anti-rattle bolt through the pin holes and tighten with a wrench.Now with our Thule Vertex secured to our Hyundai Sonata we'll go over a few clearance measurements to see how they fit together. There's about 11 inches of ground clearance. Closest part of the carrier to the closest part of the vehicle here at the rear bumper is about four inches. With the cradle arms folded down we've added about 12 inches to the overall length of the vehicle.We'll now pull the gray lever at the top of the mast to swing the cradle arms out and we'll measure from the vehicle's trunk to the end of the carrier's cradle arms and we'll get a measurement of 41 inches. Now with this bike carrier and this vehicle you can access the trunk with the mast in its upright position or we can pull the handle at the bottom of the carrier to tilt the mast down.To load the bike we'll make sure that the mast is in its upright position, we'll undo the cradle straps, set the bike into the frame cradles and secure with the straps.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2013 Hyundai Sonata, we'll be test fitting the Thule Hitching Post Pro, part number TH934XTR. Now with our 2" adaptor already removed from our bike carrier, we'll begin our test fit by sliding the shank into our hitch, and line up our hitch pin holes. We'll then thread the anti-rattle bolt through the pin holes and tighten with a wrench, securing our bike carrier to our Hyundai Sonata. Now with the Hitching Post Pro secured to our vehicle, we'll go over a few clearance measurements to see how they fit together. There's about 11" of ground clearance. The closest part of the carrier to the closest part of the vehicle here at the rear bumper is about 7".
Thule Apex 4 Swing Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2013 Hyundai Sonata, we'll be test fitting the Thule Apex Swing 4-bike carrier, part number TH9027. Now with our 2" adaptor removed from our bike carrier, we'll begin our test fit by sliding the shank of the carrier into the opening of the hitch, line up our pin holes, insert the spring-loaded pin into the pin holes, and turn the black knob to engage the anti-rattle device. Now with our Thule Apex secured to our Hyundai Sonata, we'll go over a few clearance measurements to see how they fit together. We have about 10" of ground clearance. The closest part of the carrier to the closest part of the vehicle here at the vehicle's rear bumper is about 2". With the cradle arms folded down, we've added about 12" to the overall length of the vehicle.
Thule Apex 4 Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2013 Hyundai Sonata we'll be testing fitting the Thule Apex Four Bike Carrier, part number th9025. Now to begin our test fit with the two inch adapter removed from our carrier we'll slide the carrier shank into the opening of the hitch, insert the spring loaded pin into the pin hole and turn the black knob on the upper part of the shank to engage our anti-rattle device securing the carrier to our Sonata.We'll now go over a few clearance measurements to see how the Thule Apex and our Hyundai Sonata fit together. There's about 11 inches of ground clearance. The closest part of the carrier to the closest part of the vehicle here at the rear bumper is about two inches. With the cradle arms folded down we've added about twelve inches to the overall length of the vehicle.We'll now pull the gray lever at the top of the mast to swing the cradle arms out and we'll measure from the vehicle's trunk to the end of the carrier's cradle arms and we'll get a measurement of 41 inches. Now with this bike carrier and this vehicle you can access the trunk with the mast of the carrier in its upright position or you can pull the gray lever at the bottom of the carrier to tilt the mast down.To load the bike we'll make sure that the mast is in its upright position.
SportRack Escape 3 Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2013 Hyundai Sonata, we'll be test fitting the SportRack Escape 3-bike carrier, part number A30403. To begin our test fit, we'll slide the shank of the carrier into the opening of the hitch, line up our pin holes, thread our anti-rattle bolt through the pin holes, and tighten with a wrench. Now with the carrier secured to our Sonata, we'll go over a few clearance measurements to see how they fit together. There's about 9" of ground clearance. The closest part of the carrier to the closest part of the vehicle here at the rear bumper is about 6". With the cradle arms folded down, we've added about 13" to the overall length of the vehicle.
Thule Doubletrack Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on this 2013 Hyundai Sonata Ill show you how to install and operate the Thule Doubletrack platform style two bike carrier. To install slide the shank into the opening of the hitch tube and align the threaded bolt hole. Thread the anti-rattle bolt through the hole and tighten with a wrench. Now lets go over some clearance measurements. There is about eight inches of ground clearance. The closest part of the carrier to the closest part of the vehicle is about four and a half inches.
Swagman Titan Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2013 Hyundai Sonata Ill show you how to install and operate the Swagman Titan four bike carrier. As a reminder, this Hyundai Sonata is equipped with a Class I trailer hitch and this bike carrier will only be allowed to carry two bikes. To install, slide the shank into the opening of the hitch tube and align the threaded pin hole. Thread the anti-rattle bolt through the threaded pin hole and tighten with a wrench. Lets go over some clearance measurements. There is about nine inches of ground clearance.
Kuat Alpha Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
Today on this 2013 Hyundai Sonata Ill show you how to install and operate the Kuat Alpha folding white aluminum bike carrier. This Hyundai Sonata is equipped with a Class I hitch and allows the bike carrier to carry only two bikes. To install the carrier, slide the shank into the opening of the hitch tube and turn the black knob located at the base of the carrier to engage the anti-rattle device. Lets go over some clearance measurements. Theres about nine and three quarter inches of ground clearance. The closest part of the carrier to the closest part of the vehicle is about six inches.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
Today on our 2011 Hyundai Sonata, we are going to be doing a test fit of the Thule Hitching Post Pro, this is a folding and tilting four bike rack. It's been designed for use with inch and a quarter or two inch hitches. The part number on it is TH934XTR. Now today we are going to be installing this in a class one hitch, when doing so we are going to be limited to a two bike capacity. To begin our test fit, we are just going to slide the shank of the rack into the receiver tube of our hitch, then line up our threaded hole with our hitch pin hole. With those in line we've got a provided anti rattle bolt that we are going to thread in. This bolt is designed to draw the shank of the rack over against the receiver tube.
What our customers are saying:
"Sent out an e-mail to you earlier this week asking which hitch woudld be the best choice for installing on a 2000 Venture van for hauling a bike rack with two bikes. You suggested the one that would be easiest to install..received in a matter of days..installation went great ..very well thought out instructions. Everything went smooothly and the hitch is up nice and snug..doesn't stick out..looks great."