# 1
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
This does an ok job carrying mountain bikes. Very easy to mount/dismount the bikes, and the unit holds them securely. Cons: 1. If you have two identical bikes (frame size and style), it can be challenging to figure out how to place them. Even though the two hooks are different lengths, they aren't different enough, so the top hook ends up hitting the bottom one's mount before it snugs onto the bike. Only way to work around this is to have the bikes offset in a less than ideal arrangement, where the hook for one of the bikes is on a sloped part of the top tube instead of a flat area. 2. The hitch pins Swagman uses to hold the upright and folding tray holders in place are made out of cheap steel that rusts quickly. The little spring loaded balls have already corroded to the point that they no longer protrude, so the pins tend to fall out of their holes from road vibration.
I purchased this to use behind my 2014 Subaru Impreza sedan and installed the Draw Tite 24888 hitch. This is possibly the easiest way to haul your bike that I have seen. It is well built and holds the bike securely. The bike comes on and off in seconds. A lot of bikes have the shifter and brake cables routed beneath the center tube on the frame, so using this carrier keeps them from being in contact with the support arms. I would note that the inside bike will fit with the pedal closer to the car in the high position. (It hits the bumper in the lower position. I cannot speak to smaller, or childrens bikes though.) Also with a bike on the inside, the handlebar keeps you from being able to open the trunk. Considering how easy it is to get the bikes on and off, this is a non issue as far as I'm concerned. (I just thought it was worth noting.) The adjust-ability of this carrier insures it will fit virtually any bike quickly and easily. In summary, I am very happy with this and would not hesitate to recommend this product to anybody.
# 2
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Very sturdy. Collapsible. Holds 2 bikes up to 35 lbs each. Nice product and very easy to put together.
A little heavy, but a great hitch rack! Easy to assemble. Folds up nice and compact in the garage. Super easy to load the bikes and install the rack on the car. Just because it doesn't say Thule or Yakima or 1up doesn't make this a bad rack. Basic, sturdy rack without the high price of a flashy name. When the anti-rattle bolt is tightened down, i can shake the whole back end of the car with the rack and it doesn't make a sound :)
# 3
Swagman Upright Bike Rack for 1 Bike - Roof Rack Crossbars - Frame Mount
So far good for the money. This bike carrier is clearly not as good quality as most of the Thule or Yakima or other higher-end racks, but they work. It's a bit of a contraption. More parts to put together and the parts are definitely flimsier than the better racks. The lock mechanism should have been left off an replaced with a more solid knob imo. All that said, I have not had any problems at all so far. I've carried the bike over bumpy roads, curvy roads, highway, city streets, all without incident. I did not experience bikes tilting or anything like that. One thing to look out for is that the clamp has to fit around your down tube. The bike I mainly carry (Trek 7.3) has a fairly large down tube, and the clamp barely fits over it. The clamp might not fit on a bike with a larger tube. I would also suggest replacing the screws that hold the two halves of the bottom rail together. I am certain they're going to rust quickly. That's probably true of the other exposed parts as well. Works similarly to the better carriers, just that all the parts are lower quality. After springing for all Thule parts for the other parts and a kayak carrier I had to cut costs somewhere. So far it's working out fine.
Yes the product is great. The straps weren't the best quality but I just used cheap bungee cords instead and they work great. I am however considering getting a hatch mounted bike rack instead this year for convenience purposes. It's difficult sometimes to put the bikes on the roof. But for the price these racks work very well!!
# 4
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
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.
# 5
Swagman Titan Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
One of the few racks that will clear my Jeep's large rear mounted spare tire without using an extender. The other is the Allen which doesn't have the nice features the Swagman Titan has. Tips enough to allow partial opening of Jeep rear door, but enough to open the soft top rear window. The vertical portion of rack tips slightly toward vehicle (at least it does on mine). Would be better if the horizontal "S" shaped piece could be turned around to dip down, moving it further from the spare tire, but there are only holes drilled to mount it as shown. Can't attest to the durability yet, but it doesn't wobble even a tiny bit. Have to compliment everyone I spoke with at etrailer. very nice and extremely helpful.
eTrailer.com had my new Swagman Titan bike rack delivered super fast. I received the right amout of email communication informing me of the status of my order, plus I could track my delivery directly from the eTrailer website. Awesome! As for the hitch, I am so happy with it. I was tired of taking the front wheel off my bike and cramming it into the back of my small Corolla, it never really fit right, was always a struggle, and then I had no room for anything else in my car. Now, I just hang my bike onto the rack and strap it in, takes less than 60 seconds and I have all the extra room in my car and don't have to fold down the back seats. The other feature I really like is that this bike rack has an integrated locking cable, once your bike is on the rack, you attach the locking cable so now your bike is locked onto the rack. Someone can't take your bike off the rack and walk away with it when you aren't looking. I also got the Swagman bike rack locking pin, that attaches the bike rack to the car hitch. I've used the bike rack twice so far and it makes my life so much easier. Solidly built bike rack that is well worth it. Thank you eTrailer, you rock!
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