# 1
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
After mulling over a platform rack and a hanging rack, the reviews and advice that I read geared me towards a platform rack for my personal use. I installed a trailer hitch receiver for the sole purpose of using this rack, as I didn't trust a trunk-mounted rack, given the advice of a local bike shop employee. And I'm glad that I did. This rack keeps my bike nice and securely mounted, perfect for short or long-distance travel. It's simple to use and fairly priced.
I put this rack together in a flash and it works great with larger and oddly shaped frames since the wheels fit snuggly in the platform and the arm comes down to meet the bike frame. Will work for both my road bike and mountain bike.
# 2
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
This bike rack is just plain awesome. We bought it for our 2013 Ford Fusion and couldn't be any happier. It carries 2 bikes easily, and loading/unloading of the bikes is a snap. Pros: The rack comes with a bolt to secure the rack to the hitch receiver. It is not necessary to actually bolt the rack (a standard pin is sufficient), but when you take the time to bolt it, the rack is rock solid to the car. No swaying, no rattling, no bouncing, it quite literally becomes one with the car. Once the bike is in the rack, and is secured with the upper bar, there is no question that the bike is safe. We own some pretty expensive road bikes, and never once have we worried about them coming loose or getting damaged. Additionally, the bikes never touch each other OR the car. Cons: On the 2013 Ford Fusion, you can't open the trunk of the car if there is a bike in the rack closest to the car. It is possible to release a pin and swing the bike rack down a bit in order to open the trunk, but I find that much more difficult than just removing the bike... a task that takes just seconds. There is also no way to lock the bikes to the rack in order to prevent theft. When faced with a situation that calls for a lock, we usually just add a bike lock to the bikes themselves, and make sure that it loops around the rack in some way. It wouldn't stop a thief, but it would slow them down. Overall, I'm thrilled with this bike rack. For the money, and for the peace of mind, you can't go wrong.
This bike rack was absolutely an engineer marvel. It's exactly what I needed after my spinal fusion. I'm very happy with this purchase. I highly recommend this carrier to anyone. It's very easy to mount onto my hitch and to load my bike.
# 3
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
etrailer.com is a great site! I was able to do all my research for a trailer hitch and bike rack for my vehicle on their website and the prices are very reasonable. I have a 2017 Ford Fusion and wanted a trailer hitch rather than the rear window mounted bike rack. I purchased this hitch and the Swagman Trailhead 3 Bike rack. I was able to install the hitch without jacking up the car (my driveway is a slight uphill the the garage. I backed my car up just so the rear tires were in the garage - that angle of the rear "pointing up" gave me plenty of room). I watch the videos on the etrailer.com website and they explained everything very well. I was able to install the hitch, start to finish, in about an hour. I'm very happy with this hitch and the bike rack. For the price in etrailer.com, you can't go wrong!
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.
# 4
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
This is a very solid product! I have used it for over a year now and love it! I have had up to 3 bikes on this without a problem and have traveled over 8 hours in the car one way with absolutely no issues. Many other bike racks like this one that I see on other cars look unstable this is not unstable in anyway. I did have to file some of the paint off of the rack to get it to fit in my 1 and 1/4" hitch but once that was done it has been perfect. I also bought the locking hitch bolt which is awesome too.
Well built and good quality. So glad I can haul bikes easier with our Honda Pilot now!
# 5
Swagman Titan Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Very good product. Happy to find a bike rack that fits my 2005Rav4 that has a spare tire at the back of the car. Very easy to install. Instructions for use of the key that was with the rack was missing, but I was able to find on etrailer's website. Top of the rack was around one inch above the highest point of the spare tire. Touched a bit of the tire cover when I started loading the bikes, but requires a minor positioning, moving to one side by less than an inch to make sure it doesn't touch the spare tire cover. Minimal sway on movement, but stable all the way from Massachusetts to Maine, and back. Unfortunately still unable to open the car's back door even when tilted, but this should not be a problem with newer cars that have move clearance at the back. Just have to move the car seat forward to have access to the back of the car, but at least I can travel with all bikes (3). Needs a "tube" for kids bikes. Also needs a tool to tighten/ remove the screw into the hitch, but should not be a problem if one can access the back of the car by tilting the rack, and doesn't have to remove the rack all the time. Not a perfect rack for my current car, but best match I could find, given the minimal clearance at the back because of the spare tire. Should be able to use with a future car.
I've had this for about a year now using with 2 adult bikes and a kid bike, no problems at all - carries the weight and is stable. It's heavy when taking on/off the hitch socket, but that's fine - you want something sturdy to hold your bike investments stable on the highway. This does the trick. The cradles can be slid back and forth, or rotated infinitely to suit your needs, which I really appreciate. Overally, good value for the money, and I would recommend.
What our customers are saying:
"Wow!! Ordered on Tues. Recieved by Fri. in California. The hitch took 8 minutes to install on my 2005 Corolla!! 8 Minutes. Easiest hitch install ever. The bike rack is great too. It folds away like its not even there. Thanks for the great service."