# 1
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.
# 2
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
I like the overall design of this rack, but unfortunately after hauling a couple bikes around for a while the point where the crossbar connects has apparently rounded off so the rack swings back and forth. I've used rope to tie the ends of the rack to the car to stop this from getting worse, but it's inconvenient. Note: the hitch connection itself is good and solid, but the point where the crossbar connects to the bar coming from the hitch has gotten loose and there's no way that I can see to tighten it.
It works great! Easy, quick, you know. One needs to screw in the hitch bolt, for some reason, before latching it. Other than that, it makes going bike riding way easier.
# 3
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!
# 4
Thule Passage 3 Bike Carrier - Trunk Mount
Fits perfectly on our Lexus CT200h. Only on the old LS400, the side straps have to be fastened to the wheel arch edge, since the upper trunklid gap is to narrow for inserting the strap hooks. Mounting of two bikes is (with some routine) quickly done, and they stay safe even for longer and faster routes. For transporting three (mountain) bikes, though, the design doesn't seem big and robust enough. Nevertheless, the price-benefit-fun ratios are way better than reasonable.
We are very pleased with the quality and ease of use for our like-new purchase. From the online shopping experience with etrailer.com through multiple outings already, this bike carrier more than meets our needs. Thank you!
# 5
Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Black
All in all pretty good. The arms that grab the front wheel have loosened a little bit and move side to side. They have never failed, just feel a little wobbly. The hitch receptacle is also hard to tighten but might be due to the receptacle it self. Used rack on a long trip and the bikes moved slightly side to side, but nothing serious.
Car: 2017 Honda CR-V This is a great rack! There's not a lot to the assembly, other than getting the first two long bolts in, those were tricky. Once those were in there, aligned properly, the rest of the assembly was pretty easy. Attaching the rack to the hitch receiver was the easiest part of the whole thing! The rack is really nicely portable, and will easily store in our apartment during the off season. It takes less than a minute to get it loaded into the hitch receiver. The cable lock is a little bit flimsy, but should hopefully deter casual thievery. What I would have loved to have seen were locks in the retaining arms as well, so those couldn't be messed with by strangers. Otherwise, this rack is really great, and I would highly recommend it.
# 6
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.
Hitch pin broke before I got it. Looks like a poor design for the locking pin, they might want to consider a different design. I got a 3/8 shear pin from Home Depot to replace and it works great. Bike rack is great!
# 7
RockyMounts MonoRail Solo Bike Rack for 1 Bike - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount
I just finished installing this rack on my 2017 Subaru Outback. I've been researching platform racks for about 2 months now, and the most important things to me (other than a reasonable price) were no frame contact, ease of getting the bike on and off the rack, not too heavy for me to take it off the car, and enough clearance in the back for me to close my garage door. This rack is perfect for me. And I like that it's expandable to two bikes if I want to do that down the line. It came very well packaged. I am a single gal and not handy AT ALL, but I was able to do the installation with no problem. I did put my bike on the rack and took a short test ride, it was very stable. Very solid well made product!
could have been so much better if the front wheel backstop had been designed to fold back to allow easier loading of front tire. almost a deal breaker. the install was straight forward, all parts accounted for and decent materials for the price. but like I said with a bit of thoughtful engineering with that front backstop it would have rated a 4 that's if no surprises come up traveling a distance with the bike loaded. My bike is RadCity 5+ and weighs about 55 pounds without the battery. The weight compounds the awkward loading with that tall front backstop in the way. I doubt I would have noticed if I had been loading a light weight road bike.
# 8
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.
# 9
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!
# 10
Rhino-Rack Hybrid Roof Bike Rack - Wheel Mount - Clamp On - Aluminum
Great bike carrier! Etrailer always provides me with high quality products with fast deliveries.
I love the racks, instructions were understandable, one of my end caps came in bad, it can wiggle off after locking but I emailed etrailer and they arranged a replacement quick with rhino rack, pretty nice of them, comes with rhino rack decal and just have to decide where to put it, out my bike up and took it for a test drive and it was very nice, I love their package because it comes with locks and way cheaper than the competitors, very satisfied
# 11
RockyMounts MonoRail Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount
Absolutely love it. Put it on the car the first day and took it out with the bike. Was a little iffy about it at first but after a few minutes my fears were eased. This rack is rock solid and I’m so glad I purchased it.
This is a great bike rack. I was rear ended a few weeks ago, which damaged the bike rack, but I liked it so much I bought the exact same one.
# 12
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.
# 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
Saris Bones 2 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
Seemingly well-constructed and supported bike rack. It fits my 2018 Toyota Camry SE just fine and I haven't had any issues with sway or even feeling my bike while driving. I've only carried one bike on it and have used it a limited number of times, so I cannot speak on durability and longevity. Although you shouldn't open your trunk while the rack is attached, I have been able to do so with no issue (without the bike attached).
While getting a bike rack for a sports car isn't ideal, I really wanted to transfer my bike with my own car instead of borrowing my friend's pickup truck. After hours of trying to find a bike rack that would be good for my 07 Mustang, I decided to give this one a try and I gotta say, it has been pretty good so far. It fits very well over the factory spoiler. One of my biggest concerns I was worried about when ordering a rack for my Mustang was ruining the paint, but the feet on the legs haven't left one scratch. I have used this to transfer my bike at freeway speeds (up to 80 mph) on car rides that typically last an hour and my bike was perfectly secure throughout each ride. For extra security, I wrapped both bike wheels with a ratchet strap so the wheels and pedals wouldn't shift in transit. So far, I am very pleased with this bike rack for the price and quality. I would highly recommend this if you want a rack that is affordable and durable.
# 15
Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Gray
I’ve had the Kuat Sherpa for about a year now and could not be more happy with this bike rack. When not in use I keep it safely in the garage- it only takes a few minutes to install it to my Honda Civic and safely secure two bikes using its exquisitely engineered and designed system. I’ve used this for 900+ mile trips with no issues whatsoever - the perfect bike rack!
After doing extensive research before buying my first ever bike rack, I chose the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 platform rack. I considered trunk mounted, hanging and platform racks before settling on a platform rack. I like the stability, the ease of loading and unloading and very importantly, the absence of contact with the frame of my bike. My bike has a beautiful paint job that I want to preserve. I looked at lots of racks online and at a bike shop and opted for the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 because of the excellent engineering, including the design of the packaging that becomes a work bench for assembling the rack, the relatively light weight (32 pounds), the inclusion of a hitch lock and a bike lock, the stability of the platform, even with a 1.25" connection and a class I hitch, and the ease of operation. Additionally, the overall appearance of the rack suggests high quality. Time will tell how well it ages but I'm pretty confident that I'll be pleased with it. I was very fortunate to find a used, like new Kuat via Etrailer at a meaningful discount that still qualified for the manufacturer's warranty! Thank you Etrailer! A tip to pass along that was shared with me, U-Haul is an excellent source for buying and installing hitches to accommodate bike racks - very attractive pricing, high quality installation and a super unlimited lifetime warranty. Can't wait for Spring and the chance to transport my bike to inviting riding venues!! PS The hitch and bike rack work very well with my 2011 Honda Accord Coupe, EXL V6 model that remains in excellent condition.
# 16
Kuat Beta Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Trailer Hitches - Tilting
I was looking for a light weight bike rack for my 2015 Honda Accord. Your videos stated that the Kuat Beta was light and easy to install. You were right. I opened the box, read the instructions, and had it installed in about 10 minutes. I don't use a rack lock. It is so easy to pop on and off the hitch that I keep the rack in my car trunk.
We've been using this bike rack with a 1.25" Draw-Tite receiver hitch (also purchased from etrailer) on a 2012 Prius C for a month with no problems. As shown on the pictures, it fits two bikes very well, even one with a baby carrier. I chose this model based on recommendations from etrailer that it can be easily detached from the car without tools. True to their word, it is very easily detachable from the hitch and folds up nicely to fit in your garage/closet/storage area. Basically, it uses a hand tightened ball bearing mechanism to secure itself into the hitch receiver, and then uses a 3/8" hand locked pin as a safety device. You can install and de-install this rack in just a few minutes. During driving, there is little noticeable vibration from this rack, even on rougher roads or speed bumps. The only downside is that the holes on the receiver hitch do not align perfectly with the holes on the bike rack (see picture). I believe a few other reviewers also noted this issue. There is enough room to fit the safety pin, but not quite enough to fit a 1/2" hitch lock. I called Kuat to ask them about this and the rep told me that not all hitches will line up with this rack. Kuat, coincidentally(?), sells a hitch lock that is also 3/8" (same size as the safety pin) and still fits.
# 17
Curt 2 Bike Platform Rack - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount - Tilting
I installed this rack onto a Curt trailer hitch which is mounted onto a 2017 Honda Fit. I have been using it intermittently for several months, probably about 5 times with one bike and twice with two bikes. I give some pros and cons below and then elaborate. Pros: easy to assemble, easy to mount and dismount bikes, easy to lock and unlock, how to put the rack into different positions is intuitive Cons: inconvenient to put the rack into different positions, inconvenient to mount the rack onto the hitch, rack protrudes about 15 inches from bumper when in flipped up position (seems very vulnerable to someone backing into it in a parking lot, very inelegant looking I say the repositioning is intuitive because there is really only one way you could possibly place the pins for each position. But removing and replacing two pins is much less convenient than turning a knob or a lever, like some racks do. Also many racks fold and flip in such a way as to look very unobtrusive when in non-use mode. This one looks like kind of a monstrosity. That does not really bother me but it might bother some owners. The part that does bother me is how far it protrudes from the car. I back into parking spaces whenever possible to avoid someone bumping into the rack and damaging it (which happened to a friend). My number one suggestion for Curt is related to mounting the rack onto the hitch. Make it easier to tell when the holes are lined up so that the bolt/pin will fit and thread. As it is now, if you insert the rack as far as it can go it is way too far in. Ideally, it would be exactly lined up. Failing that, maybe some kind of click or other feedback to know at least that you are in the neighborhood. It would also be great to have an attaching device that is easier to fasten and unfasten than is the bolt/pin. Tip for mounting the rack onto the hitch: I assumed that it would be awkward to hold, what is it 46 pounds?, while trying to line up the rack probe with the receiver. If you have a garage with exposed collar ties, my solution could work well for you. I looped a cargo strap over a collar tie. Then I hooked both hooks of a bungie onto that loop. The idea is that you hook one of the bike frame holders of the rack onto the bungie, suspending the rack a few inches off the garage floor. This takes most of the weight of the rack so that you can just pull up or down and forward until you line up with the receiver. Tip for mounting bikes. Don't put the little screw into the post that prevents you from completely removing the bike frame holders. Remove both holders. Position the first bike, slide the holder into place, position the second bike, slide the holder into place. I found this makes it much easier, because you avoid parts of the bike hitting the holder as you are trying to get the wheels into place. The trick is that if you are mounting only one bike, don't forget to put the second holder back on - or maybe just stick it inside the car right away.
I had a 1 1/4" hitch installed on my 2016 toyota camry (the only size offered on the camry). I was very pleased with the ride. I expected to hear alot of noise like experienced when towing a trailer, but I heard almost nothing accept when going over speed bumps. I had to extend the tire supports to their widest position because having mountain bikes with a step through angled bar, they were more secure the closer i could get the upper and lower support arms to the seat post. The bikes were mounted in opposite directions and only stuck out maybe 6 inches or so. One locking barrel on the lower support arm was malfunctioning and gave me trouble but i called etrailer and they sent a replacement as soon as they were in stock. It comes with a anti rattle hitch pin but I highly recommend purchasing an anti rattle hitch pin with a lock on the end instead of just a clip for more security when unattended. After a few times mounting the bikes and figuring out the best way they should be positioned (pedals positions, direction of bike, and that my wife's smaller bike fit better going on first with my larger bike on the outside) I can mount the rack and bikes and be ready to go in just 5 minutes. (70 pounds on a torque wrench recommended for the hitch pin) I am overall pleased with my purchase i would recommend this product.
# 18
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!
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2021 Volkswagen Golf
Hi everyone, it's Evangeline here at etrailer. And today we are looking at the Kuat Transfer V2 two bike rack, here on our 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI. Now the Kuat Transfer is one of my favorite bike racks, especially in the affordable area of bike racks, because of its unique roll post design, which makes it really easy to mount and dismount your bikes, as well as it clears up space behind your vehicle. So let's take a look at one of the features of the Transfer, which is that you can tilt it away. What I like to do is just to move this arm to the side, that way I can step right into that goal post. Step on that lever and then drop this down to a tilt.
Hollywood Racks Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2021 Volkswagen Golf
Hi, everyone, it's Evangelina here at etrailer, and today we are looking at the Hollywood Racks Destination Two Bike Rack here on our 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI. Now, the Destination Bike Rack is one of our lightest bike racks. If you want something that is super lightweight, doesn't weigh down your hitch, and fits an inch-and-a-quarter hitch, this might be one of the best options for you, especially with how it balances functionality with affordability. So first let's take a look at the way our bike is mounted to this bike rack, so we have one, two straps holding the wheels in place. Then we have this frame mount. Now, the frame mount is very interesting because it has a 360 degree of rotation, so depending on your bike's frame, you can move it up or down, left, right, and around.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2019 Volkswagen Golf
Hey everyone, it's Evangeline here at etrailer. And today we're taking a look at how the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 fits on our 2019 Volkswagen Golf. So, this bike rack is great because it is pretty much the best of both worlds. It's not as pricey as the Kuat NV it has those really smooth movements and it looks really good too. So, we'll take a look at its features, but we're gonna focus on how it works with our Volkswagen Golf. So, the very first thing we're gonna take a look at is a tilt away feature.
RockyMounts Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2019 Volkswagen Golf
Hey everyone, it's Evangeline here at etrailer. And today we're taking a look at how the RockyMounts MonoRail 2 fits on our 2019 Volkswagen Golf. So the MonoRail has pretty much everything you need, a great wheel base, a weight capacity of 60 pounds per bike for heavy bikes. You can fit carbon fiber frame bikes. So pretty much if you wanna carry any type of bike and not have to worry about it, this is a good way to go. Especially since it's a little bit more affordable than some of the other bike racks that do the same thing.
Thule Helium Pro 2 Bike Rack Review - 2018 Volkswagen Golf
Hey everybody, Ryan here at etrailer. Today on our 2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI, we're going to be taking a look at the Thule Helium Pro bike rack. This rack can hold up to a total of two bikes. However, if you need to carry an additional one, there's a three bike version available as well. One of the really big questions we get asked in regards to hitch mounted bike racks, is if you're still going to be able to have full access to your GTI's hatch. Now, this one does fold down out of the way and allows us to do that.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2017 Volkswagen Golf
Speaker 1: Today, on our 2017 Volkswagen Golf, we're gonna be taking a look at the Kuat transfer 2-bike platform rack, part number TS02G. Now, it's also available in black, using part number TS02B. Our Kuat transfer 2 is gonna be a 2-bike platform rack that's gonna have a lot of features that are gonna come in handy.I know a lot of times, we'll have our bikes loaded up and we're either getting ready to leave or getting ready to go out riding our bikes and we forget something in the back hatch. So, instead of taking all the bikes off and having to deal with all that hassle, if we come to the foot lever here, we can push down and with our bike still loaded, we can tilt the rack away from our car and we'll be able to get into our hatch and get anything in or out that we may need. And it's simple to put it back in place. We can simply just lift up and it'll latch back in.Now, our bikes are gonna be held by two points of contact.
Thule Roof Bike Racks Review - 2015 Volkswagen Golf
Today, in our 2015 Volkwagen Golf, we're going to be test fitting the Thule Circuit XT Bike Rack, Part Number Th526XT. We already have a bike installed on the rack. Let's go ahead and take a closer look and show off some of the features. Now how this is actually attached to the bike rack, we're going to have no frame contact at all. Instead, we're going to have two points of contact. We're going to have a rear wheel strap here at the back. Then we're going to have this skewer up at the front which grabs the bike by the forks.
Thule Roof Bike Racks Review - 2015 Volkswagen Golf
Today on our 2015 Volkswagen Golf, we're going to be taking a look at the Thule side-arm roof-mounted bike rack, part number TH594XT. We already have a bike installed on the rack. Let's go ahead and take a closer look and show off some of the features. Now how this bike is actually attached to the rack, there's going to be no frame contact at all. Instead, it has 2 other points. We have a padded wheel hook up at the front here and a wheel strap here at the rear.
Thule Passage Trunk Bike Racks Review - 2015 Volkswagen Golf
Today on our 2015 Volkswagen Golf, we're going to be test fitting the Thule Passage 2-bike rack, part number TH910XT. We already have a bike installed on the rack. Let's go ahead and take a closer look and show off some of the features. The cradles themselves are adjustable along the length of the arms. This is going to make it easier for installing 2 bikes to give you a little bit of adjustability there. It grabs the bike at 3 points. We have 2 straps up at the top too, 1 off to the side here, and that's going to serve as an anti-sway strap to keep the bike from moving too far back and forth, possibly hitting the bike in front of it.
Saris Freedom SuperClamp Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2015 Volkswagen Golf
Today on our 2015 Volkswagen GTI, we're going to be doing a test fit of the Saris Freedom Super Clamp. This is going to be your platform styled 2 bike rack, part number SA4025. As you can see, we've already got our bike up here, you can see what it's going to look like. Once you have it fully assemble with the bike in place on the back of your vehicle. This bike rack does come with your inch and quarter shank as well as the 2 inch adapter. We'll fit your class one, 2 and 3 receivers. Note also that on the bottom side where your shank is connected to your receiver, you're going to have a 3 quarter inch anti-ratible, that's going to help to reduce a lot of the sway, rattle and wobble that you would normally have.
Saris Axis Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2015 Volkswagen Golf
Today on our 2015 Volkswagen GTI, we're going to be doing a test fit of the Saris Axis. It's going to be the hanging style 2 bike rack, part number SA832. As you can see, we've already got our bike in place so you can see what it's going to look like once you have it fully assembled and on the back of your vehicle. This rack does come with an inch and a quarter shank, as well as a 2 inch adapter. It will fit your class 1, 2, and 3 receivers. We have it in a class 1 today, attached using a 3/4 inch anti-rattle bolt to help reduce the sway, rattle, and wobble.
Swagman Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2015 Volkswagen Golf
Today, on our 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI, we'll be doing a test fit of the Swagman trail head. This will your hanging style four bike rack, for 1-1/4" and 2" hitches. It's going to be part number S63380. With this class 1 receiver that we have here today, which is 1-1/4", it's only going to be able to hold a max capacity of two bikes on this four bike rack. Let's go ahead and plug it into our receiver that we have here. Once you get it inserted, let's go ahead and line up our pinholes and insert our anti-rattle bolt. This anti-rattle bolt's going to help to eliminate a lot of the sway, rattle, and wobble that we may have in our bike carrier.
Thule Gateway Trunk Mount Bike Rack Review - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
Today on our 2010 Volkswagen Golf we'll be test fitting the Thule Gateway 2 Bike Rack, part number THN006XT. Please be aware that with this bike rack installed you'll be unable to use your rear wiper. To begin our test fit we'll go ahead and move our rack towards the rear end of our vehicle. We'll want to set our dial to fit #8. We can do this by clamping the levers on the ends and raising up on our upper bar. The lower arm of our bike rack should be resting on the upper tier of our bumper. We'll place the top clips in the gap at the front edge of the top of the hatch and we'll place the side clips on the side of our rear hatch underneath our tail lights.
RockyMounts TieRod Stretch Roof Bike Rack Review - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
Today, on our 2010 Volkswagen Golf, we'll be test fitting the Rocky Mount's Tie Rod Stretch roof mounted bike rack, part number RKY1011. With the Thule Rapid Traverse roof rack system already assembled onto our vehicle, we'll begin our test fit by placing the bike rack onto the vehicle's load bars. We'll bring the rubber coated steel straps around the underside of the front bar and move to the rear. We'll loosen up one of the Allen bolts to bring the rear bracket around the underside of the rear bar. Let's run it back through and tighten it down with a wrench. We will then move back up to the front where we will remove the black plastic cover. We'll then hook the rubber coated steel straps into the connection points, and use the Allen wrench to turn the silver bolt to tighten down the straps up against the front bar.
Thule Archway Trunk Mount Bike Rack Review - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
Today on our 2010 Volkswagen Golf, we'll be tested in the Tule Archway two-bike rack, part number th9009 XT. We'll begin our test fit by placing our archway on the rear of our vehicle. We need to make sure that our dial is set at number 8, and that the lower arm of our bike rack sits on the upper tier of our bumper. The upper arm has bumper pads on it that will rest on the window of our rear hatch. We'll take our top clips and slide them into the gap at the top of our rear hatch. We'll take our lower clips and set them at the very base of our rear hatch door.
RockyMounts TieRod Roof Bike Rack Review - 2010 Volkswagen Golf
Today on our 2010 Volkswagen Golf, well be test fitting the RockyMounts Tierod Roof Mounted Bike Rack, part number RKY1014.With the Thule Rapid Traverse Roof Rack System already assembled onto our vehicle, well begin our test fit by placing the bike rack up on to the load bars. Well bring the rubber-coated steel straps around the underside of the front bar and then move to the rear. Well undo one of the Allen bolts to bring the rear bracket around the underside of the rear bar; well then thread in the bolts and tie them down with a wrench.Well now move back up to the front, where we can remove the black plastic cover and hook the rubber-coated steel straps into the connection points. We will then use the wrench to turn the silver bolt to tighten down straps up against the bar. With everything all tighten down secured were ready to load up our bike. Well double check to make sure that the skewer is loose at the front and well undo the strap at the rear. Well place our bike up on the bike rack sliding the forks down onto the skewer.
What our customers are saying:
"I needed a hitch and bike rack for my 2006 Toyota Highlander. Placed the order for hitch kit, wiring harness, and Rola Bike Rack. Three days later the parts arrived. I installed and tried everything the following weekend. Everything fit and worked as expected. Great products and fast delivery. Thanks."