# 1
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.
# 2
Thule Spare Me 2 Bike Rack - Spare Tire Mount - Folding Dual Arms
I have aftermarket ExpeditionOne bumpers for my 2020 Ford Ranger. My spare tire is on a rear bumper swing arm (see photos). In my install what worked best was the short arm only, no spacer. If you read the instructions, that will make more sense. I think the instructions are for a Jeep, but my spare tire mount is different, considering I have 265/60 tires. Negatives The thule cable lock for the bike doesn't engage enough to lock, but looking at the design, not sure how robust it is anyway, so I'll just use a bike lock I already have through the swing arm frame and spare tire. Also, for offroading, I think it may be safest to take off both bike wheels and strap the frame separately. I drive on very narrow jeep trails, so I don't want a bike wheel catching on brush/branches that I'm driving by. Those two things are why I only gave 4 out of five stars. Positives The light weight of the rack (15lbs) and the thule bolt lock to the spare tire (different lock vs the bike, see photos), are why I got this rack. Really like that I could offset the rack some, so it's more centered. Really like the spacers that add more contact between the tire and the bike rack, see photos. Summary/Observations I'm lazy, so will try the orange tape, instead of always lowering the arms (see photos) I'm tall, so that should keep me from walking into them. My truck tires aren't huge, so I'm still in the weight range of the swing arm, keep that in mind too, but I'm happy to avoid a hitch bike rack, I didn't want to lose departure angle for off roading. I'll update the review if it doesn't perform like I expect, but I think it'll work well enough. I've had lots of different racks (roof, hitch, rear trunk, etc), so I'm not expecting any surprises.
I needed a solution to put a bike rack on my Jeep where I could open the back door. I also have a backup camera. This works with my back-up camera, because mine is mounted not in the center hole, but in the larger tire hole above it with a bracket. This rack hit all my marks including weight as my e-bike is 43 pounds - so I'm carrying one bike, although my mountain bike probably would still keep it under 75lbs. I had my friend's husband help me install and it was pretty straight forward. The only issue we had is that the safety strap which is sewn (attached) to the handle is not long enough. I have 265 tires, so medium size and there are adaptors for bigger tires included. We tried every possible configuration and could get it attached, but only with an inch of strap left so no tie off. The safety strap is needed, but not long enough. I contacted Thule and they are sending me two straps with metal buckles to extend it. Good customer service.
# 3
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
First-time rack buyer / owner / installer. The rack arrived in a timely fashion, maybe a day or 2 ahead of schedule. It was well packaged. I’m LOVING this bike rack. It was easy to put together and to mount on my new Honda Passport. Thus far, no squeaks in my 2” receiver. Hardest part of initial set-up is figuring out the best way to position two bikes. Trial & error and some patience. The directions weren’t clear as to where the 2 left-over screws went. I found the answer in another review and have posted a pic in case others have the same problem (photo with pen pointing at screw). These screws go in the underneath side of both of the folding arms. They appear to keep the wheel wells from sliding off in case in you drive with an empty, un-folded rack, and forgot to tighten down the wheel wells. The folding arm push / pull pins can be difficult at times. I coated the tips with some lube. That and a little jiggling seems to solve that issue. I guess it’s better for the pins to be snug vs popping right out. I added a small Master lock to the hitch pin (in lieu of the provided cotter pin) as a theft deterrent. I read that a 3/16 shackle lock will fit into the bike clamp down arms to also act as a deterrent. I had an old 3/16 lock that did snugly fit and appeared to be locked. HOWEVER, I yanked on the lock and it came open as there isn’t quite enough clearance for the shackle to lock. I discovered that longer 3/16 shackle locks are hard to find. Have attached a photo of the lock that actually fits and works (Ace Hardware). One lock on the upper clamp down arm will secure both arms as the lower arm can’t be removed without removing the upper arm. The clamp down arms appear to be coated to prevent damage to your bike. I’ve tried a simple rag and ultimately settled on pool noodle pieces as a precautionary measure. I CAN NOT open my tailgate (regardless of whether or not the rack is fold up and in the bike carry position). If that’s a concern for you, then spring for the more costly titling version. My back-up camera still functions.
The Swagman XTC-2 platform bike carrier arrived very quickly from etrailer and in good shape, the actual carrier box is inside another shipper box, which I'm sure helped with its condition. Assembly was relatively quick and painless, even though the instructions could be a little more thorough. Installing the carrier on the back of our Jeep Patriot also was quick, it helps to have an extra ratchet & 3/4" socket laying around for just this purpose. Installing the bikes takes a little patience and trial and error the first time you try and put them on the carrier. It's easy enough to adjust the wheel holders to fit the wheelbase of your bikes, but for us at least, the challenge was trying to swing the vertical support bar up into position after putting on the first bike (closest to the Jeep). We couldn't angle the bike enough toward the Jeep to have the bar clear the bike. We learned that the easiest way to secure the first bike was to remove the ratcheting frame hooks altogether, put the bike in the carrier, swing up the vertical support bar, put in the pin, and then slide one of the frame hooks down on the bar. The outside bike is much easier because you can set the bike in the carrier at whatever angle you need, not being limited by the back of the vehicle. One thing we did to protect the bike frames was to use some foam pipe insulation as cushion between the frame hook and the frame (see pictures). Once you get a system for installing the bikes, it is very quick to load/unload them. The rack seems to be well made and doesn't wiggle excessively when traveling. All in all a good product for a good price, would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a platform bike carrier.
# 4
Yakima FullBack 2 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
Perfect for my 2019 RAV-4. I like this product because it allows me to drive and park without having to worry about height clearances in the city and parking was still navigable. Definitely worth the money!
First, etrailers.com is the BEST! Okay, this rack is amazing. If it was made in the U.S.A, I believe it would be closer to $ 800.00+, it's not, thus the incredible price point, imo. Incredible craftmanship, sturdy, versatile, nice to look at, as well. Very detailed instructions included. Fits my 2015 Prius 4 perfectly. Our beach cruises both required adaptor bars. I opted to wait on the bike rack, to ensure a good fit, etc. then purchase the adaptor bars. After much research, I went with Delta adaptors, I wish etrailers.com carried them, but they do not. Nevertheless, this rack is tops, highly recommend. Thank you for reading!
# 5
Thule Passage Trunk Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - Hanging Style
Excellent and prompt customer service! When I first ordered my product it wasn’t in stock— staff were quick to let me know and offered me comparable products. I ended up waiting for my original order and shipping quick and they stayed in touch with ideas! Thule: The instructions could be a little more detailed. I ended up watching YouTube videos to help me instal. Overall it was easy, and this was the first rack I’ve ever installed and I did it by myself! I was surprised to learn the bike rack is in no way secured inside your vehicle, so.. I store it in my garage when it’s on.
Positive: The product is well thought out and works for a wide range of automotive vehicles. It comes with interesting dampers that i think work. Instructions seem to be translated from another language, but are quite good, accompanying pictures make installation straightforward. A test drive over speed bumps shows that the rack will support the bike for all travel needs. It can be disassembled , collapsed and stored in the trunk. Downside: The rack is made for the classic triangular shaped frame: horizontal cross bar, "male" bike. For bikes without the horizontal bar, mounting is a little less satisfactory. Such a bike can only be mounted on the outside mounts. Cannot use the damper on one side. Picture shows the mounting. as to a design solution, maybe brackets could be replaced with smaller profile, some adjustability? however, as it is, vibration control is good and adjustability with smaller profile would have vibration concerns.
# 6
Hollywood Racks SR1 2-Bike Carrier - Spare Tire Mount
This HRSR1 bike carrier will not fit a 2023 Jeep Wrangler JL UNLESS you remove the stock Liddy Light and associated bracket. Upon discovering this, I was able to locate an aftermarket kit which allows for the relocation of the light to just above the rear camera. The kit was easily installed and the bike mount was installed just as easily as the directions explain. The new location of the light is partially obscured with the bikes mounted and, although not ideal, it is adequate and certainly better than total removal. I was unable to find any mention of this situation in the install instructions or reviews prior to purchase of the rack. I just wish I had been aware of this before purchase. I would have rated 5 stars for this product were it not for the slight hiccup. Kudos to etrailer. It is always a pleasure to do business with them. They are very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable.
It's sturdy even off-road, and it's simple to take on and off. I've had to use my spare tire twice since owning this rack, and although I have to remove my bike and loosen the bike rack bolts a bit, it comes off and goes back on with minimal effort, which is nice when you're on the Alaska Highway and it's snowing. I've carried my full-suspension bike on this rack for 35k miles all over the U.S. and Canada. I like how my bike fits close to the tire, where I lock it. My tailgate opens without the bike touching the side of my Jeep. Great bang for the buck.
# 7
Swagman Upright Bike Rack for 1 Bike - Roof Rack Crossbars - Frame Mount
Planning on bringing bikes while camping. I mounted 2 of the Swagman bike racks to my new Sportrack on my pop-up camper. The bikes fit perfectly. The racks seem sturdy enough. Not heavy duty, but for my needs they should be fine. Assembly was relatively fast and easy.
We have used the Swagman Roof Rack a number of times when we have needed the additional bike carrying capacity. It took a couple attempts to get the initial spacing of the bike rack properly balanced on the van’s roof rack as recommended by the instructions. But it was easy to do and once set was very easy and quick to put on and take off. The rack works great, the bike is easy to put into place and secure. The bike and rack are very stable and quiet and haven’t required any mid-trip adjustments. We always put the cheapest bike on the roof (lol) but do use a bit of duct tape to protect the finish just Incase. We are very satisfied with the rack and consider it quite a deal for the money.
# 8
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!
# 9
Yakima FullBack 3 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
Performed perfectly on a 140 mile round-trip in my 2017 Acura MDX. It took me a few tries to position the anchors inside the top of the hatch, but I got the hang of it and the rack did not shift at all while driving 50-60 mph on the highway.
Excellent quality! Bike rack comes fully assembled. Cam locks hold the upper support and the bike arms in position and are very easy to use.fairly useless included cable lock. Will only work if you always carry 3 bikes. I just used my cable lock and had no problems transporting my bike to the trails.
# 10
Malone Runway Spare Tire Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - Adjustable Arms
The eTrailer has been a God send and we are so grateful. Our son-in-law died from COVID last year which left our daughter and two grand-daughters alone. This eTrailer was a gift which allows the three of them to get out for bike rides whenever they need to “clear their heads” and be refreshed in God’s glorious creation. This is the ONLY three bike carrier we know of… and Thank You for making it available. God bless.
I was excited to get this and eager to just pop it onto my spare tire like it shows in the video. 45 minutes later and I'm resigned to drilling an extra hole where the buttons are in order to tighten the hold over the tire, and chagrined that I had to "rear" my smaller bike frame angled upwards in order to seat it on the red rack receivers. This was because there wasn't enough room vertically on the frame or horizontally on the frame. Not sure how I would have been able to prepare for that, maybe there is some comment about smaller bike frames somewhere? One strap to secure the bikes is not enough in this situation, so things were strapped every which way, including the front tire of the bike so it wouldn't wobble everywhere. The bike and rack made it home for the maiden 60 mile highway trip, but I was not totally confident with it.
# 11
Yakima SpareRide 2 Bike Rack - Spare Tire Mount - Folding Arms
After a couple of weeks of researching which type of bike rack I wanted for my Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JK (hitch mount or spare tire), I decided on the spare tire mount. And after a 4hr (roundtrip) mountain biking weekend escape, I'm very happy with my decision. What I like about the rack: well built, very sturdy with bike(s) mounted (no sway or rattle), arms fold down and lock in place when not in use (looks slick), full access to cargo area without needing to remove rack, rack and bike cable locks included, economical, lifetime warranty and of course the dual bottle openers ; ) What I would improve upon or revise in a future model: arms should be longer (even just an inch because bikes rub slightly so I had to add padding), more use of aluminum rather than plastic (thinking long term durability of the plastic locking teeth and arms) Thanks eTrailer
This bike carrier is great! It is very well made and is secured to the vehicle with a keyed lock. It comes with a locking cable for the bike as well. I can open the tailgate and access the trailer hitch while the bike is on the carrier. I could not be more pleased!
# 12
Yakima RidgeBack Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
This two bike rack has been great for the occasional bike ride outside of our home area. I like the sturdy construction, but beware that it is a little heavier than it looks (I’m retired and a bit older so maybe not as strong). Easy to fit into the factory trailer hitch on our 5 passenger SUV and no problem securing the bikes for transport. My only complaint is, the stick on Yakima Graphic started coming apart the day we got it. Sorry, no free advertising for Yakima.
I used this product twice to go back and forth on a 700 mile trip (1400 miles total). My initial impression was that it was sturdy because it was larger than most 2 bike carriers I've seen. The strapping system is convenient and the locking system worked great. The only flaw so far is that one of the locking mechanisms actually broke off. After closer inspection, I realized that the parts are plastic. I'm not sure what actually caused it to break other than the force of hitting a pothole causing the bike to bounce on the rack. Those types of forces should be expected with normal driving however and I expected the locking mechanism to hold up. I was fairly disappointed that it happened given the asking price and the reviews I read prior to my purchase. Other than the locking mechanism on the actual bike rack, I wouldn't put to much faith in the red handled locking pin that inserts into the trailer hitch and insertion bar portion of the bike rack. It is understood that the pin does not go all the way through the insertion bar as the locking mechanism is inside and prevents further advancement. Yakima could probably improve this aspect of the product. I will be contacting Yakima to see if they will replace the broken part. One thing I did notice was that the broken bracket is screwed in and can be removed/replaced fairly easily. I have included pics of the broken bracket and working bracket for comparison. Hope this helps in your decision!
# 13
Swagman Chinook Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Truly grooving on my wife's new Swagman Chinook bike rack. She wanted to be able to transport her nice road bike easily without throwing it in the back of her car, and since a roof rack is out of the question, this Swagman model fit the bill perfectly. It arrived quickly on the anticipated date. Kudos to etrailer.com for the email updates to keep me informed of my purchase. Within one hour, it was installed on my wife's 2014 Mazda3 hatchback. The Swagman is heavy and solid, which is reassuring as it makes me feel confident that it will keep the bikes secure. It also makes me feel like I got my money's worth. A ratchet wrench and Phillip's head screwdriver were the only tools required for the easy install. I did my research before purchasing the Chinook model as I was also eyeballing a very similar Thule rack that was slightly more expensive. I spoke with an etrailer.com expert who gave me the lowdown on both models. Ultimately, the Swagman won out because it has a smaller 'footprint' while extended or folded up ... and also can tilt away from the car for easy access to the hatchback area. Very convenient! FYI: Mazda doesn't make a trailer hitch for the Mazda3 as it's a small car with a small engine and has no business towing anything. Thankfully, the Curt company makes an aftermarket frame and trailer hitch that fits the Mazda3 hatchback perfectly with no drilling. Stupidly, I purchased it from another online company thinking I was getting a good deal. Turns out etrailer.com had it for less with FREE shipping. Oh well ... live and learn. Now I know that etrailer.com is one-stop shopping for bike racks AND trailer hitches. (Full disclosure: I had the garage down the street install the frame as it's easier with a lift) Only snafu: the shipment contained an extra set of keys that I assumed was for the hitch bolt lock (there was also a set of keys on the bolt itself). I spent 15 minutes using those keys trying to figure out how to remove the lock from the bolt to install it on the hitch. The keys just wouldn't turn in the lock. I called etrailer.com and Kevin told me to try the other set of keys ... and they worked. So an extra set of keys came with it that did absolutely nothing ... weird! Obviously, I can't speak to the longevity and durability of the Swagman Chinook 2 Bike Platform Rack as I just installed it. What I can speak to is the sturdiness of it, the ease of the installation and my complete satisfaction with the good folks at etrailer.com.
I ordered the Swagman Chinook 2 Bike Platform Rack on line from etrailer and so far have been very satisfied. The bike rack was delivered in less than a week. Unpacking the rack and assembly was fairly straightforward. I have read some reviews that complained the assembly instructions were a bit vague. I didn't have a problem but can see where others without a mechanical background get confused. The rack is very sturdy, but there is some side to side play in the tilt mechanism. I'm not sure this can be avoided with a rack that folds down. Installing the Curt trunk stabilizing strap takes most of the sway out of the rack. Installation is fairly easy and quick. It takes me 6 - 7 minutes to install the back on my hitch, and to install the bike and be ready to drive away. That seems reasonable to me. So far I've only loaded 1 bike. I've included pictures of my installation on a 2014 Mercedes Benz E350 sedan. Clearance between the bikes, the rack and the car are good. With the bike loaded in the inside, most forward position, I have 6" clearance between the pedal and the bumper. With the bike removed, the center support folded flat and the rack folded up in the storage position, I have 4" clearance between the closest part of the bike rack (the fold down hinge assembly) and the back bumper of the car. I am able to open the trunk of the car without removing the bikes or using the tilt feature, but I do have to remove the stabilizing strap first. Overall, I'm very pleased with the bike rack and think it will serve me much better than my old strap on rack. Since the weather has been cool since getting the bike carrier, I haven't taken any long trips to give it a real workout.
# 14
Swagman Fork Down Roof Mounted Bike Carrier - Fork Mount
Goes together quickly, appears that it will fit my needs in terms of being cross-compatible on a variety of vehicles. Fit on a Subaru Outback factory crossbar and transported bike locally with no issues when I got it out to set up and test (not quite warm enough to ride much yet where I live). Instructions are not super, but the assembly is pretty straightforward so that is not a problem. At the price point, if this rack indeed holds up to swapping onto multiple vehicles and lasts me a few years, I'll be thrilled with the purchase.
I purchased two of these racks, along with another rack that is meant to hold bikes with both tires still installed. I am extremely happy with all three of them. This rack specifically is very sturdy. Installation was sort of a pain, but that was mostly due to me installing it on the top of my 2004 GMC Yukon XL...it is so high that it was a little hard to install. But now that it's installed, it's actually very simple to take the bikes on and off. I've made one round trip with these racks, so I've put the bikes up there and removed them twice. Both trips (about 100 miles each way) they bikes were super sturdy and I had no concerns about them falling off or anything like that. I would definitely recommend this rack if you're looking for a fork down roof mounted bike carrier. In fact, I will very likely get another one when we add another bike to the family. I think I'll be able to fit four racks on the top of my Yukon easily. One last note - I was initially concerned about the height of my vehicle when bikes were on top of them. I brushed a couple of tree limbs when pulling into my camping spot, but it was no big deal. I think the total height of my load was about 10 feet, which was lower than the camper that I was pulling.
# 15
Surco Spare Tire 3-Bike Carrier
Hi This is an Excellent Bike Rack, It came in no time, Nicely Plastic Wrapped incase of Rain, The Instructions were an Easy Read. I Installed it on my 2001 Honda CRV which was a Breeze, I do think that People Who are too week to lift a Tire shouldnt attempt this alone Though. When You install it you have one hand to hold the tire and one to Screw in your bolts. It does require Strength and Dexterity, and we who ride Bikes already Have that I would Think. I put My Trek Bike on the Rack it Fits Great ! , and Im Ready to tour the Countryside. Thanks etrailer.com You Guys Know your Stuff Alan J
Very easy to install, looks great on my jeep. Very strong materials used to make. Looks to last me several years of riding trips. Bonus is that I can also mount it on my pop up tent trailer when I go camping. Very satisfying. Price was decent too. Thank you for prompt delivery. Sincerely, Mr. Mendez
# 16
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.
Hollywood Racks Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4
Hi, everyone. Aiden here with etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE and seeing how it fits on the back of our 2023 Toyota RAV4. This is gonna be a platform style bike rack capable of carrying some of your heavier e-bikes. It does have an 80 pound capacity per bike which is really impressive, more than you're gonna find with most hitch mounted bike racks. So if you have a heavier e-bike then this could be a great option for you.
Hollywood Racks Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4 HLY66ZR
Hi everyone, Aiden here with E-trailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Hollywood Racks Destination E-bike rack, and seeing how it fits on the back of our 2023 Toyota Rav4. This is gonna be a great option to carry your E-bikes if you need something that's going to be easy to use. Now it does have a lot of touch points, a lot of little straps and things to hold the bike in place, so that can be a little bit unfriendly at first while you're getting used to the bike rack. But I think it does a number of things really well. It holds the bike in place really solidly, that grants it a 70 pound weight capacity per bike.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4
Hey, everybody, Cooper here at etrailer. Today, we're going to be taking a look at the Kuat Piston Pro on our 2023 Toyota RAV4. Now, the Piston Pro is going to be a platform-style bike rack, able to accommodate up to two bikes with an individual weight capacity of 67 pounds each. Our two main points of contact are going to be on our front and back tire, this dual wheel mount design that have two ratcheting arms that hold it by the tires. So what all that means together is that we're going to be able to accommodate a wide variety of bikes, whether it's an e-bike, a carbon frame bike, or even our alternative frame bikes. One thing really nice about the Piston Pro is it does come with a tilt away feature, has a lever that sits in the middle of the rack, and as we slowly tilt our rack away from our vehicle, we do have the full hatch access.
Hollywood Racks Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4 HR4000
Hey, everybody, Cooper here from etrailer. Today we're going to be taking a look at the Hollywood Racks Destination 4 on our 2023 Toyota RAV4. Now the Destination series of bike racks is actually going to be my preferred series of bike racks when it comes to entry-level, and the Destination 4 actually does a really good job at holding up to four bikes individually, with a individual weight capacity of 35 pounds each. Because it is a more entry-level bike rack, it does lack some of the advanced features, like a tilt-away, and other things that we'll get into a little bit later. But overall, I am very happy with the rack itself. It's a very easy way just to throw on four bikes and hit the road.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4
Hi, everyone, Aiden here at etrailer. Today, we're gonna be taking a look at the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 and seeing how it fits on the back of our 2023 Toyota RAV4. Now, this is going to be a platform-style bike rack, and this one is going to be a really nice one. It's really easy to use, it works with a pretty wide range of bikes, not as many as some others, but a pretty good range. And it's going to have some unique things like color options, you don't get that with every bike rack around, so if you wanna get this matched to your vehicle and have it look really nice on the back, you can do that. We've got the gray version on display right now, you can also get it in a black color or a pearl color, which is a more white material.
RockyMounts Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4
Hi, everyone, Aiden here at etrailer. Today, we're gonna be taking a look at the RockyMounts GuideRail Platform-Style Bike Rack and seeing how it fits on the back of our 2023 Toyota RAV4. Now, it's going to be a more high end platform-style bike rack, very easy to operate and works with a wide range bikes. This particular one is gonna be a dual wheel mount style, which means we're holding the bike by the tires on both sides using these integrated wheel hoops. Now, for this type of style, it's not gonna make any frame contact, making this a good option for carbon frame bikes, alternative frame bikes, and with a 60 pound weight capacity per bike, good for some of our e-bikes too. Like many other platform racks, you do have the ability to tilt this away with the bikes loaded.
RockyMounts Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4 RKY10004
Hi everyone, Aidan here with etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the RockyMounts Monorail two bike rack and seeing how it fits on the back of our 2023 Toyota RAV4. This is going to be a really great value bike rack. It's a platform style which makes it very easy to load and unload. It holds the bike by the wheel, which makes it good for carbon frame bikes and alternative frame bikes because we're not relying on frame contact to hold the bike. And it has a 60 pound weight capacity per bike making this a good option for some e-bikes.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4 nv22b
Hi everyone, Aidan here with etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Kuat NV 2.0 on the back of our 2023 Toyota RAV4. The NV is a platform-style bike rack capable of carrying up to two bikes, and it's going to make it really easy to do so because it's a very nice premium bike rack. This one holds the bike by the tire using this wheel hook up front, and that means it doesn't make any sort of frame contact on the bike. That makes it good for carbon frame bikes, alternative frame bikes, and with the 60 pound weight capacity per bike, it's gonna work well for some of our e-bikes too. With this working with so many bikes, the other nice thing is it works well with our vehicle.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4 KU98VR
Hi everyone, Aidan here with etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Kuat Piston Pro X two bike rack and seeing how it fits on the back of our 2023 Toyota RAV4. Now the Piston is going to be a really premium bike rack. Lot of really nice features with it and some pretty unique ones too. It's not gonna be for everyone, but if you're looking for something that's gonna be very unique, easy to use, then this is your option right here. And I think it does fit pretty well on the RAV4.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2023 Toyota RAV4
Hi, John with etrailer. Today we're taking a look at the Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack on our 2023 Toyota RAV4. Now, right off the bat, I do wanna let you know that if you have a carbon-fiber frame bike, this is not the bike rack for you. Now, this has three points of attachment on your frame. Now they are rubber and they're nice, but they're not made for carbon fiber. Now as far as function goes, if you want to remove your bike, it's pretty easy.
Kuat Piston SR Roof 1 Bike Rack Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
How's it going, everyone It's Ethan here with etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Kuat Piston SR, on our 2022 Toyota RAV4. This is gonna be a premium option for if you want to get a bike, up to 67 pounds, where you need it to go, but you don't have a hitch, or maybe you're towing something already. This is going to hold on our bike by dual-wheel mounting, using two arms on either side that we can activate with these piston arms. There's no straps needed. Everything is done right there.
Curt Premium 4 Bike Rack Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
Hey, it's Ethan here at etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Curt Premium four bike hanging style bike rack and how it fits on the back of our 2022 Toyota RAV4. This is a hanging style bike rack and it does taper towards the end, which we'll get to in just a little bit, but it might be a good option for you if you're trying to transport up to four bikes, at 180 pounds total, where you need 'em to go. Our bike is held in place by these cradles, two on either side with these rubber straps as well as this rubber strap to prevent it from swaying in the back. So it will make frame contact with your bike which is important to keep in mind cuz if you do have a carbon frame bike it could potentially damage the frame while you're driving. Like I mentioned, you can see that it does taper here towards the end.
Kuat Transfer V2 Bike Rack Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
Hey, it's Ethan here at etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Kuat Transfer bike rack on the back of our 2022 Toyota Rav4. This is the two bike platform version, but we also have one through four available, so we can pick whatever suits your needs. This bike rack is capable of supporting up to 40 pounds per bike. And it's gonna hold onto our bike primarily by the wheel here, with this wheel hook, and one extra strap at the back, which is nice 'cause it doesn't make any frame contact. So if you wanted to transport some carbon frame bikes, you wouldn't have to worry about damaging the frame.
Yakima HighRoad Roof Bike Rack Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
How's it going, everyone It's Ethan here at etrailer. Today we're going to be taking a look at the Yakima HighRoad Roof Bike Rack on our 2022 Toyota RAV4. This is gonna be a good option to get a bike, in this case up to 45 pounds where you need it to go, in the event that maybe you don't have a hitch or you're towing something already, or, you know, you just don't wanna add space to the back of your vehicle, this is a great way to get it on top of the roof and get it to where it's gotta go. This bike rack holds onto our bike by the front tire using these two hoops, rather than making you take the front tire off, which is nice. In addition, there's no frame contact, so if you do wanna put a carbon frame bike up here, you can 'cause it won't damage the frame while you're driving. All you do is you load it up.
Hollywood Racks Destination 2 Bike Platform Rack Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
How's it going everyone It's Ethan at etrailer here, today taking a look at the Hollywood Racks Destination on our 2022 Toyota RAV4. How this rack's actually gonna hold onto our bike is by using these padded rotating cradles that also have a zip strip on the end of them, they rotate 360 degrees, and they can support alternative frames, but if you we're to have a carbon frame bike, it's something you probably wanna avoid. Our bike is then held on by two secondary points of contact at the bottom here, these straps, one goes through the front, one goes through the back. The bike rack itself doesn't tilt away, which is something you're gonna wanna keep in mind, but we'll go ahead and show you how the bike comes off. So you're gonna go ahead and release this back strap first, come around to the front side, release this other strap. And this is where it can get a little bit tricky with this one, because you're gonna have to hold the bike while you manipulate this, and for our mountain bike here, it's actually going through the cup holder, so it's something to keep in mind, is that it might not be the perfect fit for all of your bikes, but if you just bear with me, should come out eventually, there we go.
RockyMounts MonoRail 2 Bike Platform Rack Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
How's it going everyone Ethan at etrailer here today to talk to you about the RockyMounts MonoRail on our 2022 Toyota RAV4. The RockyMounts MonoRail is a two-bike platform style bike rack that holds onto our bikes right here with the wheel hook, and another point of contact right down here with this wheel strap. So because it holds the bike by the wheel rather than the frame, it's gonna be a good bike rack for your carbon fiber bikes or your alternative style bikes because there won't be any frame contact like I mentioned before. And it supports up to 60 pounds per bike, so it should be fine for any of your higher range mountain bikes. Another thing I like about this bike rack is that if you come down here and pull this blue lever, it allows you to tilt the bike rack towards you and in doing so you can actually come around and access the cargo area. And as you can see, plenty of clearance.
Saris Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
Hi everyone, Aidan here with etrailer. Today we're taking a look at the Saris SuperClamp EX on our 2022 Toyota RAV4. This is gonna be a platform style bike rack that can hold up to two bikes and it's gonna hold them by the tires. We have wheel hooks on here to keep it in place. That means zero frame contact, making it good for carbon frame and alternative frame bikes. And with a 60-pound weight capacity per bike, it's gonna be good for some e-bikes too.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
Hi everyone, Aidan here with etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Kuat NV 2.0 on our 2022 Toyota RAV4. This is gonna be a platform style bike rack. It holds the bike in these trays and primarily by our tire using the wheel hook. It doesn't have any frame contact, so it's gonna be good for carbon frame and alternative frame bikes. And with a 60 pound weight capacity per bike, it's gonna be good for some e-bikes too.
Saris Freedom Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
Hi everyone, Aiden here with etrailer. Today, we're taking a look at the Saris Freedom on our 2022 Toyota RAV4. The Saris Freedom is a platform-style bike rack. It's gonna hold the bikes in these wheel cradles and primarily by our frame up here. That is gonna mean frame contact, so you wanna avoid your carbon frame bikes, but with alternative frame bikes, you should be fine. These cradles are height adjustable by loosening this knob, sliding it up and down, and they do rotate 360 degrees, so you can kinda mix it and match it and get it to adjust to your frame.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
Hey everybody, Ryan here at etrailer. Today on our 2022 Toyota RAV4, we're gonna be checking out the Thule Hitching Post Pro hitch on our bike rack. First impressions of the rack on the back of the RAV4 is I think it looks really good actually. And honestly, I think there's yet to be a vehicle that I've put this rack on and it, it hasn't looked good. Kinda has a timeless design almost if you ask me, and one of the best things about this setup is the simplicity of it. Very easy to use and live with and figure out.
Yakima RidgeBack Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2022 Toyota RAV4
Hey everybody, Ryan here ar etrailer. Today on our 2022 Toyota RAV4, we're gonna be checking out the Yakima RidgeBack Hitch Mounted Bike Rack. So the first impressions of it on the back of the RAV4, I actually think it looks pretty good, especially in this color combination. It matches nice, and it holds the bikes up about where I would want 'em personally. So not up so high where it's gonna completely obstructive the view out of the back window, but up enough to where you can kind of keep an eye on 'em. With that said, this particular rack can hold up to a total of four bikes, but if you need to carry an additional one, there's a five-bike version available.
Swagman Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2021 Toyota RAV4
Hi everyone. Aiden here with etrailer and today we're gonna be taking a look at the Swagman Dispatch Platform Style Bike Rack and seeing how it fits on the back of our 2021 Toyota RAV4. Now this is going to be a bike rack capable of fitting on a lot of different types of vehicles, not only our RAV4, but it's rated to be used on motor homes, fifth wheels, travel trailers. So if you maybe did have a second vehicle that was towing a trailer that you also wanted to use this bike rack with, you could. But personally, if you're just putting it on the RAV4, I think there are some better options out there and we'll talk about that a bit later. You can make that decision for yourself.
Swagman Skaha 2 Bike Rack Review - 2021 Toyota RAV4
Hey everybody, Cooper here at etrailer. Today, we're going to be taking a look at the Swagman Skaha 2 for our 2021 Toyota RAV 4. Now, the Skaha 2 is going to be a platform-style bike rack, able to accommodate up to two bikes with an individual weight capacity of 60 pounds each. That does mean that our heavier e-bikes are going to be an option for this one. Our two main points of contact are going to be a hook on our front wheel and just a strap on our back wheel. But since we are making no frame contact, that does mean that our alternative frame bikes and our carbon fiber frame bikes are going to be an option for these as well.
Saris SuperClamp EX 2 Bike Rack Review - 2021 Toyota RAV4
Hey everybody, Cooper here at Etrailer. Today we're going to be taking a look at the Saris SuperClamp EX on our 2021 Toyota RAV4. Now the SuperClamp is going to be a platform style bike rack, able to accommodate up to two bikes, individual weight capacity of 60 pounds each. Meaning that our heavier e-bikes are going to be an option. Our main two points of contact are actually these J style hooks on either side of the bike, meaning we're not making any frame contact. So if you have an alternative frame bike or a carbon frame bike, we're going to be able to use this here, too.
Hollywood Racks Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2021 Toyota RAV4
What's going on everybody Adam here with etrailer, today we got a 2021 Toyota RAV4, and we're gonna be taking a look at the Hollywood Racks Destination 2 bike rack. So, this gonna give you a good place to put two bikes and bring them to, and from the trails. And we are gonna have a little bit of limitations, one, this isn't gonna be best for the carbon fiber bikes, just 'cause we do have some frame contact, and it's not gonna be the best for some of the heavier bikes like e-bikes, fat tire bikes. One, these cradles are only gonna accept up to three inches in width, so no fat tire bikes. And it's gonna have a capacity of 35 pounds per bike. So your e-bikes definitely are not gonna be ideal for this rack.
What our customers are saying:
"I ordered a trailer hitch and a bike rack carrier the order was shipped with in three days. To put the hitch on only took about 30 mins. only had to drill two 1/2 holes. fit like a glove."