# 1
RockyMounts BackStage Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount
Great bike rack. I put it on my Ford Transit and it swings out of the way with enough clearance to open the rear doors. Very quick to load and unload the bikes.
We love our RockyMounts BackStage Bike Rack. The fact that it can hold our two e-bikes and swings out for rear door access makes it perfect for vanlife. Service and communication from etrailer is outstanading!
# 2
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.
# 3
Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
I feel this bike rack is very well built and leaves you with the piece of mind that your bikes are going to be fine while in transit. Fairly easy to get the bikes on and off the rack. One downside would be the weight of the rack when installing it on the vehicle but that helps with keeping you bikes safe.
Ordered this to replace my Kuat Transit 3 since I now have 4 bikes. I could not have been more pleased. I shopped around for different brands and features and the Hollywood Sport Rider 4 checked all the boxes. The ability to convert from a 2 bike to a 4 bike rack, lockable, solid mounting system, and of course priced affordably, made this a perfect choice. Install was easy and smooth. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a convertible bike rack.
# 4
Thule Apex Swing XT Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Swing Away
order was quick. the packaging was not great. it appeared to have been opened at one point and placed back in the box. it looks like it slid around abit in transit. the bit that retains the cable lock was broke when i opened it up. bright side is that thule offers replacement parts. so i'll just order it when its back in stock. the rest of the rack seems to function fine so all in all im still satisfied. the lock was just an added bonus.
Received the product in good condition and install was quite straightforward. The rack is solid and the fact that all critical points allow for adjustment and tightening via knob vs needing tools is indeed a plus. It fits snugly in my receiver and tightens down for zero movement on our Subaru Ascent. I’ve yet to load bikes but I can already tell its much better than our previous Saris rack. There was only one install issue - make certain you place the right locking mechanism into the proper lock. I don’t know why but it uses two separate keys - and the single key lock is the one that goes into the hitch receiver knob - and the instructions were slightly ambiguous on cautioning for that. Overall it’s heavy duty and should last year’s.
# 5
Thule T2 Pro XTR Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount
Great product. The instructions are picture only. I had to visit the University of YouTube to understand how to use the hitch lock. If the instructions had been written this would be five stars.
T2 Pro bike rack was delivered in a very timely manner. The rack was as described, extremely easy to assemble and is super user friendly! Exactly what I was looking for so my wife can use it by herself. Thanks
What our customers are saying:
"I purchased a hitch, wiring harness, bike carrier and bike adapter for a newly redesigned 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. Everything arrived in a matter of days and either fit or worked perfectly. Great prices, quality and service support. Rest assured, I'll be recommending you to anyone who asks. Thanks again."