Highland SportWing Aluminum Hitch-Mounted 4-Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number 1370400 from Highland. This is their SportWing Four Bike Bike Rack. This bicycle rack can hold up to four bicycles and you can take the back part of the rack off and only have a two bike rack if needed. It has eight movable nesting cradles two per bike. This will fit only a two inch receiver hitch and it also has a long extension tube that keeps the bikes away from the back of the vehicle so you do not have to worry about them bouncing around back there. The arms that hold the bikes are actually made of a lightweight aluminum. So it saves weight whenever possible for the bicycle rack. Movement and noise is virtually eliminated by securing the bicycles by the wheels and using the pedal straps that are included with the bike rack. 00:38 more

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Posted: 11/16/2009 4:14:24 PM

Softride Access Dura Bike Rack Manufacturer Review - Video

Softride Access Dura Bike Rack offers the ultimate combination of features in a hitch mounted rack. The rack lowers for easy access to the rear of your vehicle without removing your bicycles. Simply pull the pull pin on the side of the rack to lower for cargo access or to load the bike. more

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Posted: 10/5/2009 11:06:39 AM

Softride Access Versa Bike Rack Manufacturer Review - Video

The Softride Access Versa Bike Rack offers superior design and function making it the ultimate two bike solution. This rack lowers for easy access to the rear of your vehicle without unloading the bicycles. Simply pull the lever to release the pin and lower the rack. This provides clearance between the bikes and items in the back of your vehicle. The Access Versa bike rack is different from others in its class. Its aluminum tubing expands to accommodate virtually any bike. A steel powder coated frame completes the structure making the Access Versa the ultimate in strength with bikes. The Access Versa has the impressive ability to compress to the size of a temporary spare tire when it is not in use. Simply fold the Access Versas hoop arm down, slide the frame tubes in, and the rack is snuggly stowed and ready for transport. Choose the Access Versa bike rack for the ultimate in design and function. more

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Posted: 10/1/2009 5:09:21 AM

Kuat Alpha Bicycle Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you the Alpha bicycle rack from Kuat. As shown here we have it in an 1-1/4 inch version in the chrome black. It is constructed completely out of aluminum, it is very light weight and you can practically toss this anywhere you want. Also available is in the white color as shown here in the 2 inch version bicycle rack. more

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Posted: 8/28/2009 11:56:20 AM

Thule Helium Hitch Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to review part number TH971 from Thule. This is Thules Helium, aluminum, 3-bike, hitch-mounted bicycle rack. This rack will fit 1-1/4 inch Class II hitches only, and 2-inch receiver hitches. First off, what makes this bicycle rack called the Helium is because of its ultra-light, aluminum construction. It is basically half the weight of a traditional carrier, yet the part that goes into your hitch is still the steel product, so you have durability there but you also have the benefit of lightweight construction on the rest of the carrier. It does come standard with sliding, anti-sway cradles. The cradle arms are made a little bit more narrow than on traditional bicycle racks. And it also comes standard with the quick-release lever, which allows the bicycle rack to tilt away from the vehicle so you can get in the back of your SUV or car. It also comes with an integrated locking cable and receiver lock for security. So you have two locks, one for the bicycles and you also have one for the hitch itself. And with the lock on the hitch, it also comes with a built-in anti-rattle device, also. more

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Posted: 8/10/2009 1:06:48 PM

Yakima SprocketRocket Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02090 from Yakima. This is their SprocketRocket bicycle rack, and what this rack is intended to do is carry your bicycles by their front forks. And this will mount onto round roof-rack bars or square roof-rack bars. A couple of features of this bicycle rack is a sliding adjustable wheel tray for the rear wheel itself, so you can accommodate bikes of varying lengths. On that wheel tray are also the double-sided straps. It has ratchets on both sides to help keep the rear wheels securely in place. And the best feature about this bicycle rack is the easy-to-use, one-handed, front fork skewer. We will go ahead and show you some more details of this bicycle rack and give you a better idea of how it looks. more

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Posted: 4/27/2009 1:56:45 PM

Yakima SpareJoe Spare Tire Mount Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02618 from Yakima. This is Yakimas SpareJoe tire-mounted, two-bike carrier. This rack obviously will mount onto the spare tire on the back of most SUVs. It does fit a variety of tires. And it comes boxed in a formation just like this right here, all folded up. And this does unfold to sit across the tire. This is the actual top of it, and your tire would be inside of here. more

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Posted: 4/20/2009 4:22:46 PM

Swagman XC2 Wheel Mount Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to be showing you part number S64650, the XC2 Bike Rack from Swagman. It has easy loading, with up to two bikes carrying capacity. It has a new, push-button ratchet arm that easily adjusts to secure your bikes. The ratchet arms have a soft, frame-friendly coating to protect the bikes finish. And it easily adjusts to different bike frame sizes with a simple movement of the wheel holders. The XC carries a wide variety of bike frames without the hassle of removing wheels. And the rack folds up for easy storage or when not in use on the vehicle. This can be used for both 1-1/4 inch and 2 inch applications. Right now, you see it on the 1-1/4 inch version. Now, to make it a 2-inch, you have to put these pieces on. They fit on like so, and then you just simply put this bolt through. Now, it does not come with this, so you are going to have to have the right Allen key to tighten this down. Now it is ready for 2-inch applications. more

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Posted: 4/20/2009 3:47:02 PM

Yakima SideWinder Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02071 from Yakima. This is their SideWinder Bicycle Rack. It is specially designed for tandem bicycles. It mounts on a normal roof rack - either round bars or square bars. It actually pivots out away from the vehicle, making it a lot easier to load your tandem bicycle on it. At this point, we will go ahead and mount this on a typical roof rack and give you a little bit better idea of how it works. more

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Posted: 5/26/2009 12:23:27 PM

Yakima KingJoe Trunk Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02619 from Yakima. This is their KingJoe 2, two-bike, trunk-mount bicycle rack. It does strap onto the rear of your car and uses six straps to do so. It actually grabs it from the top edge of the trunk lid, the bottom edge of the trunk lid - or, in some cases, around toward underneath the bottom edge of the bumper - the side of the trunk lid itself, usually typically around the tail lights. Now, we are going to show this on a car, but this rack can also be used on SUVs and minivans. The way this adjusts is that this arm here and this arm here pivot from each other if you pull this knob out to the side like that. And the one on the opposite side you can you make it wider for like flat vehicles like on a van or like we had it for a car trunk application. And when you find a position you like, you can just go ahead and put the knob back and give it a little bit of a nudge and it will snap back in position. And the same thing applies for the arms that carry the bikes. Again, pull out the same knob on the interior. Pull it out and give it a little bit of a twist, and you can move it as needed. And when you find a position you like, again, just put the knobs back in. Sometimes you rock it to help it snap in, too, if it does not snap in right off the bat. Let us go ahead and install it on our Dodge Neon here. more

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Posted: 4/14/2009 3:24:45 PM

Yakima Roof-Rack System Review - Video

Today we are going to cover the typical components of a Yakima roof-rack system. We will start from the bottom and work our way up. On the bottom part are the actual pieces that are going to make actual contact with the vehicle, and those parts are referred to as Q Clips, part number Y0605. They actually adapt the rack to the car itself. And this is a set of the Towers right here, part number Y00124. These go from the roofline to the crossbars. And the Q Towers are lockable, so no one can take them off your vehicle. They do come with the cases for the locks themselves. These do not have the key lock inside them you do have to add the cores to them yourself. And that is part of Yakimas SKS System. And then the last part is the crossbars themselves, part number Y0408. And these bars come in various lengths, designed for specific applications. What we will do now is go ahead and assemble these components and actually install them on a typical application. In this case, we are actually going to install this on a 2005 Volkswagen Jetta. more

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Posted: 4/20/2009 3:22:13 PM

Yakima HighRoller Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02091 from Yakima. This is their HighRoller Bicycle Rack. This actually will fit the widest range of bikes, from the small wheels on a road bike to the big wheels that you find on a downhill race bike. One of the best features about this rack is, you do not have to take off the front wheel, so it is great for bikes that do not have an easy-to-use front skewer or a quick-release mount. So let us go ahead and install it on a typical roof rack, and we will give you a better idea of how it works and how it looks. more

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Posted: 4/20/2009 3:21:54 PM

Yakima CopperHead Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02064 from Yakima. This is their CopperHead Bicycle Rack. What this rack does is, it is designed to fit on your aftermarket roof-rack bars. This is a very simple, easy-to-use device. Basically, what it does is it clamps onto the front bar of your vehicle, and there is a simple clamp on the back that ties the other half down. Now we will go ahead and install this on a typical application and give you a better idea of how it works. Let us go ahead and put our simple bike rack on our car. more

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Posted: 5/26/2009 12:29:34 PM

Yakima BeddyJo 2 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y01116, Yakimas BeddyJo. This is a two-bike carrier that will fit in the inside of the bed of your pickup truck. It is pretty easy to use, pretty neat. We will go ahead and install it and show you how it works. First, we will cover some of the features here. First off, it holds two bikes it holds them by the forks. The forks will fit inside of here it works just like a regular bicycle skewer. And next, you have these straps here that actually hold it against the tailgate itself. They go between the tailgate and the bed of the truck and anchors against that. There is generous padding on the sides of the bars in case you do not have a bed liner, like we do in this case, to keep it from marring up the finish in the bed of your truck. Let us go ahead and install it. more

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Posted: 5/26/2009 12:25:50 PM

Yakima King Cobra Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to cover part number Y02084 from Yakima. This is Yakimas King Cobra bicycle rack. And what this bicycle rack does is, it mounts to the roof rack of your vehicle and this will fit both round bar and square bar roof racks. And one of the best parts about this design here is it does not require you to take off the front wheel of your bicycle. This is the type for BMX bikes or cruiser bikes that do not have a quick-release skewer. This will fit 20-inch wheels, all the way up to 29-inch mountain bike wheels, and 700c road wheels, too. And you do not have to worry about disc brakes or thru axles or funny suspension bikes, too. We will go ahead and cover the parts in more detail and give you a better idea of how it works. more

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Posted: 4/20/2009 3:21:24 PM

Yakima ForkLift Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02098 from Yakima. This is their ForkLift Bicycle Rack. The best part about the ForkLift Bicycle Rack is that it will fit directly straight to your factory roof-rack crossbars without having any adapters. It does not require tools at all to install onto the vehicle. Actually, on the front fork, it has a clamp style, which allows it to fit a variety of roof racks. The skewer itself is lockable, so you can lock your bike to the bicycle rack itself. All right, we will take a closer view of this bicycle rack and give you a better idea of how it works. more

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Posted: 4/20/2009 3:20:42 PM

Thule Complete Crossroad Kit with Long Bars and Locks Review - Video

Today we are going to review part number TH45050 from Thule. This is Thules Complete Crossroad Kit with 50-inch Long Bars and Locks. What this is designed for basically is, if you have got a factory roof-rack system that does not have crossbars, just the bars that go from front to rear, this will complement what you have, and you can use a variety of Thule components on top of it. This is all you need. You have got the factory roof rack. You do not have to buy any other parts, aside from the objects that you want to attach to the bars themselves. more

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Posted: 3/13/2009 2:51:34 PM

Yakima Boa Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to cover part number Y02065 from Yakima. This is their Boa bicycle rack. This product will mount onto your existing crossbars on your roof rack of your vehicle. This will fit either the round or square bars. It is pretty simple to use. We will go through some of the features and show you how it works. more

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Posted: 5/26/2009 12:28:58 PM

Thule Tandem Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number TH558P from Thule. This is Thules tandem carrier, pivoting model. And what this carrier does is, it mounts on the very end of your roof-rack bars and what it does is, it allows you to load up either a long, recumbent bike or a tandem bicycle. And what happens is, you put your bicycle on the vehicle at a 90-degree angle first, lock it into place with the front fork skewer, and then just push the rest of this bike onto the back of this carrier. We will go ahead and show you the components. We will cover some of the parts that are involved in the kit. more

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Posted: 3/2/2009 4:24:42 PM

Thule Criterium Roof Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to review part number TH598 from Thule. This is the Thule Criterium roof-mounted bike rack. And what this rack does is, it mounts to a variety of different rooftop racks on vehicles, be it a factory roof rack or other brands that are out there. We will go ahead and cover the points of this bicycle rack and show you how it works, how it gets connected, and how it looks on a typical application. more

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Posted: 3/2/2009 4:19:26 PM

Thule Roof Rack System Review - Video

Today we are going to install a roof rack from Thule on a 2008 Honda CRV, and we will be using the following part numbers: THLB50 we are going to be using the Podium Roof-Mounted Foot Pack, part number TH460 and then we will use the Fit Kit, part number THKIT3042. That will connect the roof rack and the foot to the actual roof of the CRV itself. On the table here we have got the assemblies needed to assemble on the roof rack. This is actually one-half of the kit all these part numbers include two of everything. So you have two Load Bars here, two of the Foot Packs, and two of the Fit Kits. As you can see, we have one already installed on the front half of the vehicle. We are going to put this one together for you and show you how it will install on the back part of the vehicle. more

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Posted: 2/23/2009 3:51:57 PM

Thule 44 Long Fairing for Roof Racks Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number TH872XT from Thule. This is their fairing. This is a fairing that will fit any Thule roof rack that is out there. What it does basically is function to reduce wind noise by taking the wind and blocking it and pushing it over the bars so it does not create a whistling effect or any additional road noise. To prove the point, what we will do is, we will take this car and actually drive it down the road with the sunroof open where you can hear the noise of the wind coming over the bars themselves. Next we will go ahead and install the fairing and then you will see how much of a reduction in noise we have after that. more

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Posted: 2/23/2009 3:28:59 PM

Yakima HoldUp 2 Bike Rack Review - Video

This is the HoldUp, part number Y02419, from Yakima. This is their hitch-mounted bicycle rack that holds two bicycles by the wheels. We will cover some of the main features about this bicycle rack. First off, this does fit only a 2-inch receiver hitch. This also has a tilt feature so you can fold it up while it is on the vehicle while you are riding your bike. And it also has a nice, compact design. You do not have to worry about bars sliding in or out because the wheel mounts are stationary, but they do tilt from left to right to accommodate a variety of different bicycle lengths. And also it comes with the built-in security feature of a cable that wraps around the bicycles rack itself and around your frames, and it has an attachment point to the actual bicycle rack itself. This will actually fit virtually any bike out there because it does not grab the bikes by their top tube, or anything like that. Basically, it just has one clamp that goes over the top tube. You do not have to worry about the bike being level, or anything like that, because it holds the bicycles by the wheels. All right, let us go ahead and install this on a typical 2-inch receiver hitch and give you an idea of how it works. more

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Posted: 2/13/2009 2:11:10 PM

Yakima DoubleDown 5 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to review part number Y02425 from Yakima. This is their DoubleDown Hitch Mount Bicycle Carrier. This bicycle carrier does carry five bikes. It will work on a 1-1/4 inch and a 2-inch receiver. Next, we will show you the main points about this bicycle rack. First off, it does come with a standard anti-rattle hitch bolt. This rack will fit 1-1/4 inch and 2-inch receivers. This does have a tilt feature that will help you get on the back of your vehicle while the rack is installed. The arms will fold down for clearance in storage. And also, the cradles themselves come standard with anti-sway. And the arms do carry anti-sway cradles, standard. All right, we will go ahead and install this on a typical 2-inch receiver and show you how it looks and how it works. more

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Posted: 2/13/2009 2:06:23 PM

Yakima HoldUp Plus 2 Bike Rack Extension Review - Video

Today we are going to review part number Y02429 from Yakima. This is their HoldUp Plus 2. This is a bicycle rack extension. What this does is, it actually gets stacked up onto the end of Yakimas HoldUp Bicycle Rack. The HoldUp is originally a two-bike rack but with this extension, you can hold up to four bikes. We will go ahead and cover some of the features of this extension and install it on the HoldUp to give you a better idea of how it works and how it looks. All right, we will go ahead and install the HoldUp Plus 2 onto the HoldUp here. Basically, what you have got to do is take off the original bottle opener here, but do not worry, it does come with one on the HoldUp Plus 2. Take a little screwdriver and pop off the bottom tab here and push it in, and you take it right off. Then you simply slide the HoldUp Plus 2 inside. more

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Posted: 2/11/2009 4:07:29 PM

Yakima StickUp 2 Bike Rack Review - Video

All right, today we are going to show you part number Y02420 from Yakima. This is their StickUp Bicycle Carrier. This is a bicycle carrier that is a wheel-mount design that carries up to two bikes. Some quick points about this bicycle rack are that the rear wheel wells themselves are adjustable on the rear wheel. It also has a one single arm that will actually hold both bikes. The handles that lock themselves are independent of each other. And also the whole bicycle rack tilts up out of the way when you are not using it. And of course it does fit 1-1/4 and 2-inch receivers. Right now, this is set up for a 2-inch receiver hitch. To convert it down to a 1-1/4 inch, all we have to do is take off this bolt right here. It is an Allen key bolt, and the bicycle rack does come with the tools to take it apart with an Allen key wrench. One bolt and it is ready for use in a Class II receiver hitch. And in this instance, we are actually going to use it on a Class III receiver so we will go ahead and reinstall the bushing. more

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Posted: 2/10/2009 3:44:08 PM

Yakima BigHorn 4 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02404 from Yakima. This is their BigHorn Hitch Mounted 4-Bike Carrier for a 2-inch receiver hitch. This is one of their more basic carriers, but it will do anything you need to. It will carry up to four bikes and transport your bikes securely and safely. All right, we will go ahead and install this on our 2-inch receiver using the anti-rattle bolt. more

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Posted: 2/10/2009 3:24:34 PM

Yakima SwingDaddy 4 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to cover part number Y02422 from Yakima. This is Yakimas SwingDaddy Hitch Mount Bicycle Carrier. This rack is designed to work in 2-inch receiver hitches only, and it can carry up to four bikes. The first feature we will show you is the anti-rattle hitch bolt. This goes into where the hitch pin goes, and it threads into place. All right, and then once you have it in place, you can tighten it down with the supplied tool. Next, you can install the safety pin clip or add the supplied lock, which covers up the hitch pin, too. Next, we will show you the best feature about this bicycle rack, and that is the swing-out feature. First off, you want to take out your safety pin, here, and then undo this bolt. Then pull up on this pin, and you can swing it out. You can take this upright, here, and rotate it, and then you can move the whole assembly away from your vehicle, allowing you access to the back of your vehicle. Put your safety pin back in so it cannot come back around, and you can get in the back of your vehicle. more

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Posted: 2/9/2009 3:33:43 PM

Yakima DoubleDown 2 Bicycle Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02423 from Yakima. This is their DoubleDown 2 Bicycle Rack. This is a bicycle rack that will fit both 2-inch receivers, as shown here, and also 1-1/4 inch receiver hitches. A couple of nice features about this rack: it has all steel construction, it does tilt down, and the arms also tilt up and down for storage and for carrying bikes. These are tools that help you assemble the bicycle rack and install it on your trailer hitch. It also has a little Allen key, here. What this Allen key does is, it allows you undo the bolts so you can convert it from a 1-1/4 inch to a 2-inch receiver hitch. We will go ahead and show you how to do that next. It goes right here. Undo this bolt, take off the bushing, and there you have it - it is ready to go for 1-1/4 inch receiver hitch. We will go ahead and show you the details of this bicycle rack a little closer now. more

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Posted: 2/9/2009 3:29:25 PM

Yakima FlipSide 4 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number Y02426 from Yakima. This is their FlipSide Bicycle Carrier. And this bicycle carrier does fit 2-inch and 1-1/4 inch receiver hitches and holds up to four bicycles. One of the main features of the bicycle rack is this anti-rattle hitch bolt. The next feature would be the flip feature: instead of tilting down out of the way, this bicycle rack will actually flip over to the side instead. The next feature would be the hitch security lock, which is integrated into the body of the bicycle rack. The next feature is the arms themselves. They actually have a fold-down feature that allows you to store the bicycle rack. And also, the cradles themselves, they do come standard with the anti-sway cradles. And also, they can be moved up and down with the arms of the hitch, as necessary. Next, we will show you how this bicycle rack can be converted to work on a 1-1/4 inch receiver hitch and a 2-inch receiver hitch. more

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Posted: 2/6/2009 3:46:50 PM

Yakima DoubleDown 4 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to cover part number Y02424 from Yakima. This is their hitch-mounted bicycle carrier. This is their DoubleDown 4 Bike Carrier. We will cover some of the features of this bicycle rack. First off, this is a four-bike bicycle rack, and it does come standard with anti-sway cradles, and it does tilt down out of the way to get in the back of your SUV. And also, is is convertible between the 2-inch receiver and the 1-1/4 inch receiver. And we will show you how you do that, next. more

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Posted: 2/6/2009 3:40:30 PM

Swagman 3 Bike Single-Arm Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to be showing you part number S64152 from Swagman. This is the 3-Bike Single-Arm Bike Rack. It attaches to the hitch with a simple pin and clip. It has the same solid design and construction as all of the Swagman Original series. The new Swedge design facilitates quick and easy assembly, and disassembly for storage, and it fits all standard 2-inch receivers. We will go ahead and throw a bike on here and show you how it works. more

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Posted: 11/17/2008 3:10:57 PM

Thule Speedway 3 Bike Trunk Mounted Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number TH962XT from Thule. This is the Thule Speedway Three-Bike Carrier. And this is a trunk-mounted rack. This is also available in a two-bike version, known as part number TH961XT. First we will point out the Thule Fit Dial here. Basically, what this does is adjust the spacing of the rack itself as it goes onto the vehicle. It is really easy to use. There are a variety of positions that you can use it on. It is pretty easy. You actually unscrew this bolt, here. And there is one on each side we just have the one in for now. You can see that it adjusts the rack itself to fit a variety of contours on the vehicle. From something like that, that would sit on the back of a car, to an SUV, or a station wagon where it may need to be flattened out. And what is nice about the instructions that come with this, the Dial Fit actually tells you what position to use for the type of vehicle you have. It makes it real easy to match up to your vehicle right off the bat. And also the arms, right here, do swing out of the way if you need to. There is one button on each side. Just push them in and they rotate down. Or, if you would like, you can actually take them apart. more

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Posted: 11/10/2008 4:09:35 PM

OSI Swinging 4 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number 51953 from OSI. This is their four-bike bicycle rack. This bicycle rack features heavy-duty steel construction with a locking top plate that secures up to four bikes. What also is nice about this unit is that it actually swings out of the way so you have rear access to your vehicle. This rack does fit 2-inch receivers only, and the actual rack swings out up to 42 inches out to the side. And the cradles themselves will handle a bike frame up to 1-1/2 inches in diameter. We will go ahead and demonstrate and show you how it works. more

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Posted: 11/10/2008 4:03:49 PM

Highland Sportwing 2 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number 5801200 from Highland. This is their Sportwing two-bike rack. This will fit 1-1/4 and 2- inch receiver hitches. We will go ahead and install this in a 2-inch receiver hitch and show you how it works. It is pretty simple. It does use two pieces of metal as a bushing to install in 2-inch receiver hitches. If you use 1-1/4 inch, you do not need the bushings. Again, we will show you how it goes together. We will use these two pieces here, that is going to be like a bushing, for a 2-inch receiver hitch. Basically, you just line them up together, like so. And you can orient these either way, depending on the depth of your hitch. So it is not a hard and fast rule to have them a certain orientation. And basically, you just line them up as best you can. Kind of grab them by the edge here, and then you can just go ahead and install it in the hitch. Put our pieces together, grab the ends, and install it in your hitch. And it is going to be loose for now. Install your anti-sway bolt. Take your flat washer and your lock nut - and it is a nylon lock nut - and just go ahead and tighten it down. The bicycle rack does come with the tool for the Allen head but you do need a separate wrench for the nut itself. And we use a 16-mm wrench on this nut. All right, and essentially what this does is that the bolt pulls the whole assembly to one side of the hitch and locks it into place so it cannot move. more

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Posted: 11/10/2008 3:59:26 PM

Thule Passage 2 Trunk Mounted Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number TH910, the Passage 2 from Thule. This is a 2 Bike Trunk Mounted Bike Rack Carrier. It goes on the back of your vehicle it does not require a trailer hitch or anything. It usually installs onto the deck lid of your trunk. One of the nice features about this bicycle rack is it can adjust to virtually any shape of car or SUV. This is where you make your adjustments, depending on the type of vehicle you have. You simply just unscrew this, and you have one on each side. It is basically just like a little bolt with a handle on the end. And you can take this and adjust the bicycle rack to whatever shape you need. Again, the rack comes with instructions on how to adjust it for your particular model. On ours we will use number 6. And also for storage, the arms will actually rotate and fold out of the way, too. And that is easily done by pushing in two buttons. And there will be a button here and there is one on the opposite side. Just squeeze them together, and you can see they rotate out of the way. more

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Posted: 10/31/2008 3:06:32 PM

Thule T2 Bike Add-On Bike Carrier Review - Video

This is part number TH918 from Thule. This is the T2 Bike Add-on Bike Carrier. It is an add-on for a T2 Bicycle Rack which allows you to convert it from a two-bicycle rack up to a four-bike rack. It requires minimal assembly, just like the original rack does, the T2. Just tighten down the clamps that hold the crossbar and install the wheel mounts, and that is all it takes. The carrier does bolt onto the end of your existing T2 Bicycle Rack, and we will go ahead and do that and show you how it looks. more

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Posted: 10/7/2008 3:48:24 PM

Tow Ready 2 Bike Folding Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number 63120. This is the two-bike, hitch-mounted, folding rack with frame-mount cradles for 1-1/4 inch hitch. This is from Tow-Ready. This rack carries up to two bikes and works with many alternative and larger tube-frame bikes. However, womens bikes may require an adapter. It has heavy-duty, Velcro, straps which secure the bikes to the carrier, and a powder coated finish to resist corrosion and rust. It has rubberized pads to protect the finish on the bikes as you load them on. And the bike rack tilts forward to allow access to the rear of the vehicle. And also, the shank rises for better ground clearance. It fits 1-1/4 inch hitches only, and the maximum weight on the rack cannot exceed 66 pounds. more

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Posted: 11/12/2008 6:27:14 PM

Swagman XP 3 Bike Folding Rack for 1-1/4 Inch Hitch Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number S64925 from Swagman. This is their three-bike XP rack. We have it shown here on a 1-1/4 inch receiver hitch and it is a Class I. On Class I receiver hitches, this bike rack is rated for only two bicycles, but if you have a Class II receiver hitch, you can put three bicycles on it. Also, if you need more capacity, this bicycle rack is also available in a two-inch variety, too, and that part number is S64950. We will start from the bottom and work our way up. As you can see here, we have installed a Class I receiver and use a conventional hitch pin and clip assembly. And also what is nice about it is that the shank here actually comes up about another 1-1/4 inches so that gives you a little bit of additional clearance from the bottom to the ground. Every little bit helps in a low-riding vehicle. more

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Posted: 10/6/2008 3:17:12 AM

Swagman Aero Gripper Roof Rack Load Bars Installation - Video

Today we are going to show you part number S65150 from Swagman. This is their Aero Gripper. What this part does is it adds to your existing roof rack. The roof rack has to have the rails that go from front to rear, and this provides a crossbar for them. There is minimal install time on this. Basically, you set the Aero Gripper on top of your roof rack, adjust the feet to match your rack, and then adjust the bar that goes across so it is even on both sides. And then install some simple, plastic stops to keep them from moving after that. more

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Posted: 10/3/2008 4:50:18 PM

Swagman XP 5 Bike Folding Rack for 2 Inch Hitches Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number S64970 from Swagman, the folding five-bike rack for 2-inch trailer hitches. This is a really nice bicycle rack that has all padded cradles. What is really good about that is it grips the bike securely and also without any risk of rubbing the cables against the frame. This is a really nice setup. It only has one arm so it can grab relatively narrow frames. This bicycle rack also tilts back to allow easy access to the back of your SUV or pickup. It features solid steel construction with a powder coated finish, and this bicycle rack is intended for 2-inch receiver hitches only. And the shank on this bicycle rack also is adjustable with two different points, depending on the bumper and hitch combination. more

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Posted: 9/2/2009 4:35:20 PM

SportRack Single Arm Hitch and Drive Deluxe Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number A30704FB from Sportrack and this is their Hitch and Drive Deluxe model. This is a bicycle rack that can work for 1-1/4 and 2-inch hitch receivers and it carries four bikes. First we are going to show you a couple of features of this bicycle rack. First off you can see it is in stored position. What you can do is pull this pin out and then flip it over and it is ready for service. If you want to use this 1-1/4 inch receiver hitch, all you have to do is just take off this bushing. This just presses on, so you just need a simple screwdriver and you just pry it right off. And then you can go ahead and use a 1-1/4 inch receiver from there. more

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Posted: 9/26/2008 4:16:25 PM

Rola TX-102 2 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to be showing you part number 59400. This is the folding, 2-bike bike carrier for 2-inch trailer hitches, the Rola TX-102. This bike rack carries up to two bikes. The rack tilts down to access the back of the vehicle, and the arms fold down when not in use to allow for compact storage. Cradles include the anti-sway device to prevent bikes from rocking back and forth during transit. And the cradles also accept bikes with frames up to 2-1/2 inches in diameter. This fits 2-inch trailer hitches only and has a maximum weight capacity of 66 lbs. more

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Posted: 9/20/2008 11:01:54 AM

Swagman 2 Bike Ball Mount Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number S64095 from Swagman. This is a 2-bicycle carrier for 1-1/4 and 2-inch trailer hitch receivers. How this bicycle carrier works is that it actually mounts into the ball hole of either/or receiver. It requires a ball with a 3/4-inch shank or you can bolt it to your bumper, also, using a 3/4-inch nut-and-bolt assembly. As you can see here, we have this bicycle rack here actually mounted to the bumper using a 3/4-inch bolt-and-nut assembly to hold it in place. Pretty simple. Again, you can do it like this on your bumper, or you can install this on your ball mount on a 2-inch or 1-1/4 inch receiver hitch. more

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Posted: 9/17/2008 5:20:44 PM

SportRack Escape 4 Folding Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number A30404 from SportRack. What we have here is a folding 4-bike carrier for 1-1/4 inch and 2-inch receiver hitches. And this model is the SportRack Escape 4. And we will go ahead and install this on a typical 2-inch receiver hitch and show you how it works. To show you how to convert this to a 1-1/4 inch receiver, it is pretty easy. This bushing is basically a press-on fit. So you can just take a screwdriver and just kind of pry it away a little bit and it comes apart. And there you have it, it is ready for a 1-1/4 inch receiver hitch. Next we will go ahead and install it on a typical 2-inch receiver hitch. more

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Posted: 9/11/2008 4:09:13 PM

Thule XTR Big Mouth Single Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number TH599, the XTR Big Mouth Upright Carrier from Thule. What this bicycle carrier is designed to do is carry bikes in an upright position with both wheels attached to the bike. And this bicycle carrier will attach to all Thule roof rack models and to Yakima models also. First, I will show you some of the features of this bicycle rack, starting with how it attaches to a typical roof rack. Following, on the rear of the vehicle, you will see that the roof rack has a clamp-like system right here. And basically it has two bolts coming down and a plate and the threaded knobs that actually clamp it to your roof rack bar right here. And this is also fully adjustable on the track of the carrier itself. more

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Posted: 9/10/2008 3:47:20 PM

Swagman Camper Roof Mount Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to be showing you part number S80550 from Swagman. This is their pop-up camper, roof mount, four-bike rack. A couple of features about this rack are that it does carry up to four bikes as we stated before, it fits on the roof of most pop-up trailers, it is really light duty, so there is not much weight up on the roof, it is constructed entirely out of aluminum, which is nice so you do not have to worry about rust or corrosion on it. Also it has foam bumpers on the legs to help prevent wear and tear on the camper"s roof. Also the adjustable tire rails can accommodate three bike styles, including the touring bikes, standard bikes and mountain bikes. It also comes complete with a set of tie-down straps, some bungee cords and hardware to secure the rack to the roof of the trailer itself. What comes with the roof rack is the tie-down mount here. What this does is it gets bolted into place on top of one of the roof supports. And it does come complete with a set of screws to do that. more

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Posted: 8/29/2008 12:22:01 PM

Rola Triple X Folding 3 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number 59403 from Rola, the TX 103 bike carrier. This three-bike hitch mounted bike carrier will work on a 1-1/4 or 2-inch receiver. We will go ahead and install it on a typical 2-inch receiver and show you how it works. When you are first assembling your bike rack, you have a choice of setting it up for a 2-inch or 1-1/4 inch receiver hitch. If you are going to use it for 1-1/4, it is just a simple task of taking the shank and installing it in here and putting the bolts through. Now if you need to use it for a 2-inch receiver hitch, you will be assembling it this way. You would take these two pieces of steel, which would basically be like a bushing, and you would put those on each side of the 1-1/4 inch shank, and that would fit up on the inside of here. Then there is just the simple step of tightening the bolts, and the bicycle rack will be ready for a 2-inch receiver hitch. more

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Posted: 9/2/2008 6:03:41 PM

SportRack Towing 4 Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you A30404TW200 from SportRack. What we have here is a 4 bike folding and towing rack for 2 inch hitches. A few nice details about this bicycle rack are first off this bike rack does fit only 2 inch receiver hitches. But you have an option of having only 2 pin holes on the shank itself. So you can bring it in even closer to the vehicle or further away depending on your bumper and hitch combination. Also on the shank here is the pivot mechanism basically allows you to pull this pin back and allows you to tilt the rack backwards to allow you access to the back of your vehicle. We will go ahead and show you just how that works. You pull out the clip and then you pull out the pin. Then it folds back and out of the way so you can get to the back of your vehicle. more

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Posted: 9/1/2008 11:04:10 PM

Thule T2 2 Bike Wheel Mount Bike Rack Review - Video

Today we are going to show you part number TH916. This is the Thule T2 bike rack for 2 inch trailer hitches only. This is a wheel mount and it is also expandable. Some of the features of this bike includes that it accommodates most bikes regardless of frame designs, suspension or even wheel size. The bike rack folds up next to the vehicle when not in use and the support arms of the mounting system pull down for easier storage. It has a built in anti sway device that stabilizes the bike rack and hitch receiver. The bike carrier tilts down for more convenient access to the rear cargo area of the vehicle. The mounting system is designed for quick and easy loading of bikes into the carrier. There is no wheel removal necessary. The cushion bar on the front of the mounting mechanism secures the bike at the fork and adjusts to the wheel height. Then the rear wheel mount slides to adjust to the bike length. The rubber straps secure bike wheels at the front and the back of the carrier. more

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Posted: 9/2/2008 3:47:40 PM

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