# 1
Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches
Excellent Very easy to install Quick delivery Well recommend this site to friends and family also get our future trailer items from here.
May be I’m a bit early giving this review but since I’m here i need to give my input. Was easy to put on hitch receiver but I wish it set closer to the bumper, main reason not only cosmetic but also increases vehicle overall length. Also the pin is not actually a pin but a M12 bolt that goes inside, only on one side while being threaded, but never comes out on the other side. I did not find it a robust design and also felt it lose. So I hade to purchase another longer M12 bolt that comes out all the way on the other side and use another washer/lock nut. When I ordered this bike rack I also order a Stainless Steel Lock Pin with key which I couldn’t use so it all goes to waste. Also I need to add that yesterday when I was following my wife van, where is installed, I realized that the rack bar going vertically blocks a couple of numbers on the License Plate. One night, while van was parked, my neighbor did not notice it and went so close to it almost scratched his pick up. So I’m going to put some High Visibility Tape on the sides of Bike Rack so people can see it when drive across the rear of van.
# 2
Curt Bike Rack for 5 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Tilting
It was obvious that we received a product that was returned by someone else when the box was overly taped shut, a support collar was broken, and most of the pieces were out of their ripped plastic bags. However, it was a great price to hold 5, 26" and/or 27" Trek bikes. I used a piece of the broken collar and went ahead and assembled the rack. Due to the weight of the 5 bikes it did not wobble that much when driving, as one of the bike tires was up against my car. I can only imagine that if we received an untampered product that this review would have been 5 stars. The picture is a little hard to see, but there are 5 Trek bikes on the rack on my 2020 Toyota Seinna.
Needed a 5-bike rack, loved the price of this product. My wife and 3 daughters all have challenging bike frame shapes...it was a struggle the first time figuring out how to get them on. The first 2 bikes that go on are the adult bikes, then the 2 bikerack bars narrow for the last 3 bikes to go on, which is a feature I think is good for kids bikes. I will have to get at least one bike adapter bar to make my wife's bike hang level (due to it's odd frame shape). The triangular mounting pieces on the rack bars are sometimes tricky to get through the corner of a tight, small bike frame, but I was able to get 4 bikes on (haven't tried 5, because my youngest has not learned how to ride yet). The triangular plastic pieces rotate and also slide along the rack bars for even more flexibility of positioning. I like the tilt feature, works great. I like the rubber straps included, they work great. No regrets with this purchase, at this pricepoint it's all and more than I expected as far as quality and ease-of-use.
# 3
Thule Passage 3 Bike Carrier - Trunk Mount
Worked great on back of my 2007 Toyota sienna. Holds 3 but I carried only two. Women's bike do need the additional crossbar.
# 4
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.
# 5
Saris Freedom Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount - Tilting
WOW WOW WOW That is what I just kept saying after installing this Saris bike rack. I have been looking for a bike rack for almost 3-4 months now. Thule and Yakima didn't have what I was looking for. Their solution for a 4-5 bike rack is too complicated, not efficient, and it would be a nightmare to manage on a regular basis. So I couldn't get myself to pull a trigger on any of those and I kept searching. Finally, I came to eTrailer and found out about Saris. That is where the love starts :) We are a family of 5 (3 kids and 2 grown-ups). I needed something that will help me load bikes fast, unload them and still be able to have access to the back of my Toyota Sequoia. Saris delivered in every way. Assemble of the item is straight forward. Instructions are clear and to the point. They even give you a yellow strip that helps you mark where the hitch needs to be in order to align hole openings for easier installation after you install it the first time ;) The back-up camera is still usable but not 100%. Tilting down the rack with the bikes on it is simple as 1-2-3. There is plenty of room left between the trunk door and the bike as you can see on the pictures. One HUGE benefit is that you do not need any extra parts for kids bikes. Not like with other brands. Saris delivers tremendously on this part too. No shaking, rattling, or anything that would make you notice that you have this amazing product on the back of your SUV/truck. I can't recommend it more. I am just surprised that this product has not been more advertised and represented compared to other products.
this thing is a beast. while i haven't used it as much as i thought i would, i'm really happy with the quality of the rack. would def recommend to others looking for a 4 bike rack.
# 6
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
The rack fits very snug in the receiver and the bikes fit snug in the rack so there is very minimal movement once the bikes are in the rack for travel. 2 of the screws were missing in the original package. I contacted etrailer about that on a weekend and heard back within an hour. The screws were in the mail by Tuesday. Excellent customer service!
I bought this rack to carry one mountain bike and one hybrid path bike on my Sienna van or my 4Runner. I wanted something easier than my hanging bike rack. I received the rack in good condition with slight damage to the inner box but the shipping box was in perfect condition. Very quick delivery. The rack is mostly put together when you receive it. I just installed the bicycle wheel rings and the receiver bar. Each of the hex bolts on the receiver bar have lock washers for very secure attachment, though you need to have a hex wrench to tighten. The wheel rings move smoothly on the support bars and tighten with knobs that have secure nylon locknuts inside to prevent loosening. By the way, the two Phillips head screws go into the ends of the support bars as stoppers ( wasn't explained in the brief instructions). The fit and finish of the rack was better than expected and easy to use. I did have to spend some time, with a helper, to figure out how to position the bikes for the best placement on the rack. It was a bit of a puzzle, but I figured it out. Make sure you put the tallest bike next to the hatch with the derailure inside. This protects the back windshield from the handle bar and moves the pedal further from the door. Now, removing the bikes and replacing them back on the rack should be very quick and easy. To easily remove the holddown clamps, simply push down the top while pressing on the latch. The rubber on the holddown clamps tend to rub off on the bicycle; so, I treated it with 303 protectant and have a layer between it and the bicycle. Also, on the holddown clamps there are holes to allow you to lock each of the latches, however I typically use a cable and lock.
# 7
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
This was super easy to install, and very sturdy. I ordered the locking hitch pin to go along with it. One good thing about this hitch is it holds the bikes high enough for plenty of ground clearance when carrying bikes on my low riding Toyota Sienna van. This is the second Swagman hitch we have purchased this year....the first is one of their platform models. Good products. Good service from etrailer!
Excellent bike rack. Holds up to 4 bikes securely. Easy to mount the bikes, very solid construction. My wife had a little trouble with the tie down straps, but managed it. No such problem for a guy. I would recommend, in fact I believe my son is buying the same rack.
# 8
SportRack Ridge Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Swing Away
Unit doesn't fit a Jeep Rubicon with a spare tire. I tried 4 times and contacted etrailer.com that the unit doesn't work as sold and they offered to sell me a 7 3/4 extension and reduce the load capacity 50%. The length of the 2" hitch needs to be 3" longer for a standard Rubicon to get past the spare. You not going to want to take your spare tire off for the hitch to work. It defeats the purpose. Customer service was excellent, however the product is a flawed design. Can't recommend this hitch. Its also heavy.
Solid rack for half the price of the name brands. Don’t waste your money! Thanks to the extensive reviews on etrailer and a free shipping promotion I took a chance and ordered this along with the three of their crossbars, anti rattle hitch pin and cable lock. All for well less than the name brand rack alone. Shipping was painful. Etrailer said it was in stock but then due to a delay with the manufacturer it took 35 days from order to arrival. I wasn’t in a hurry so I waited patiently, and etrailer reps emailed often to lmk they hadn’t forgotten. I thought some kind of reward for my extreme patience was in order- discount, gift card, free bag of chips- but they politely declined. Oh well. In the end it arrived when they (eventually) said it would, all in one box, in great shape. The rack was super easy to assemble. You’ll need a ratchet or two and you’ll need to crank those bolts to assemble- they don’t just “insert.” But otherwise it’s only a few steps; I had mine hanging on my truck in probably 15 minutes. Swings away and locks smoothly and requires no effort to do so. Everything feels quite sturdy and well made. No rattle on initial test drive either. This will be a once in a while rack at best for our family of four. We have two SUVs so I needed a rack that could get out of the way of the rear hatch WITH bikes on it. This will do that. And now I don’t need to stuff four dirty bikes into the back of my truck, getting them all tangled and scratched!
What our customers are saying:
"I ordered a trailer hitch and a bike rack carrier the order was shipped with in three days. To put the hitch on only took about 30 mins. only had to drill two 1/2 holes. fit like a glove."