# 1
Thule Passage Trunk Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - Hanging Style
2013 Subaru ImprezaGood for the car, bad for bike. I have a subaru impreza and if done right it fits very well onto the back. However, I also have a mountain bike with a bizarre though not terribly unusual frame geometry. For that bike it was frustrating and worthless, and also quite dangerous as I almost lost the bike despite tying it down with a half dozen straps. For a bike with a straight top tube I have no doubt it works quite well
Could not fit one of two carrier arms into either hub of the frame. After I talked with the Thule warranty people, they sent a replacement carrier arm which also did not fit into either hub. After talking with your warranty people again, they are sending an entire new bike carrier. I will be returning the original unit to e-trailer, which is the web site I purchased the bike carrier from.
# 2
Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches
The good: I like the way the bikes are held in and the ability to add the upright adapters to the bike frame holders. The straps are quality too. For a jeep with a spare tire, this is the perfect length to clear it. This rack is 5 stars from the bike holders to the base of it. The bad: the 2"receiver adapter and bolt are insufficient. I wish they made this in a solid 2" hitch. The entire setup is held into the receiver by a very short bolt. It only goes about half way into the receiver tube. So your hitch is only "secured" on one side. A hitch pin or bolt should go through the receiver tube completely imo so it can be secured on the other end with a retaining clip or nut. Because this only goes in the one side, the entire weight of the rack plus bikes are held tight to one side of the receiver by the undersized bolt and washer. A few bumps down the road and that bolt loosens. Now instead of distibuting the weight of the rack and bikes on the receiver and post, it's completely up to the bolt to keep you from losing the rack. The bolt threads get damaged too. I took this down a dirt road and nearly lost everything. I had to buy my own bolt with hd fender washers and lock washers to correct this. Thule should've provided this from the start. The current short bolt design where only one side of the receiver secures the rack is unacceptable. This rack is 1 star at best for the connection to the receiver.
# 3
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.
# 4
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 :)
# 5
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!!
# 6
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.
# 7
Yakima FrontLoader Wheel Mount Bike Carrier - Roof Mount
Overall I am happy with these bike carriers. They mount to the racks over the bed of my Tundra TRD Pro. Installation is simple. I think they could be just a bit sturdier because there is just a bit of wobbling when driving on bumpy roads but I'm not too worried about them coming dislodged. Take note that although they come with a cable lock to attach the bike to the carrier, the key is sold separately.
Very good product. It holds the bike securely on the roof without contacting the frame. It is easy to adjust from my road bike to my 29er mountain bike. Our drives are all relatively short, so I like that I do not need to remove the front wheel to lock in the bike. It's also nice that the SKS locking system allows me to use the same key for this rack that I use for my Yakima roof box and hitch rack. This is my first roof rack and I chose this route for a couple reasons. Some of the roads we travel to get to our trail heads are a bit rough and with a roof rack I don't have to worry about bottoming out a hitch rack hanging off the back of the vehicle. Also, it takes up less room in the garage. Our vehicle is a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee with an additional 4 inches of ground clearance. That makes it a bit of a reach for my 5'4" wife, so we take our two-step along to help her. This is my third time purchasing from etrailer, and each experience has been very good. They are a very customer service oriented company. I really appreciate all the additional information they provide on their products, especially all the videos they produce to aid in reviews, assembly, and use.
# 8
Swagman Fork Down Roof Mounted Bike Carrier - Fork Mount
I have been looking for an affordable bike rack for quite some time. I kept thinking that I should just go for it and buy and Thule, but could never justify spending almost as much on a rack as I did on the bike! I finally decided to just go for it and try something, instead of continually putting it off. I am really pleased with my choice. The rack is great, the bikes fit perfectly on the two racks we bought (I'm 5'3" and my partner is 6'1" so we have very different sized bikes). I would give this 5 stars, except for the fact that the instructions for installation were very hard to follow. Once we figured it out, installation was SUPER EASY. The racks are sturdy, and we were able to travel 4 hours without any trouble at all. We have oval bars, and it fits just fine!
For this price, it's a good rack. I had to do some fiddling to get it to fit well on the OEM aerodynamic bars of my Subaru Impreza. For example, I found I had to put the three bolts that hold the front piece to the rail with the nuts on the top rather than the bottom, so the nuts didn't poke into the bar (particularly the middle one). But with some patience during installation it seems to work fine.
# 9
Yakima FullBack 2 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
Product was backordered as a lot of items are. Roger at etrailer kept me up to date on status. Very nice bike rack.
Bought as Christmas present for our daughter. Seems to be well constructed and heavy duty. Only downfall is it is a bit heavy but feel it will be a great present and it seems to be one of the only ones to fit her Subaru Impreza.
# 10
Rhino-Rack MountainTrail Rooftop Bike Carrier - Fork Mount
Super easy to attach to cross racks on 2016 Subaru Impreza 5 door. Plenty of room to open the hatch. Seems sturdy, my mt bike fork fits. Just got it this afternoon, bike was on the car within the hour. So far it looks like a great rack. I am happy with etrailer.
Love this bike rack! It fits perfectly with my Rhino Rack Cross Bars. I'm very impressed by the lack of wind noise. With the bike mounted on the rack, you can barely hear the wind noise at 60mph. With the sunroof open you can hear wind noise, but as long as the window is closed, you can only slightly hear anything if the radio is off and you are trying to hear it. Amazing! Can't wait to get more use out of it in the future!
# 11
Saris Bones 2 Bike Rack - Trunk Mount - Adjustable Arms
I have a 2013 Subaru Impreza 5-door (wagon). The rack fits perfectly and installs in 3 1/2 minutes. I have a full suspension mountain bike with a horizontal rear shock and a funky geometry, so it’s a little work to get the bike on the rack, but it fits. Good product at a good price.
Seemingly well-constructed and supported bike rack. It fits my 2018 Toyota Camry SE just fine and I haven't had any issues with sway or even feeling my bike while driving. I've only carried one bike on it and have used it a limited number of times, so I cannot speak on durability and longevity. Although you shouldn't open your trunk while the rack is attached, I have been able to do so with no issue (without the bike attached).
# 12
Kuat Beta Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Tilting
Great product. Sturdy and excellent finish.
I was looking for a light weight bike rack for my 2015 Honda Accord. Your videos stated that the Kuat Beta was light and easy to install. You were right. I opened the box, read the instructions, and had it installed in about 10 minutes. I don't use a rack lock. It is so easy to pop on and off the hitch that I keep the rack in my car trunk.
# 13
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.
# 14
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!
# 15
Yakima RidgeBack Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
This my second one. Got rear ended by a truck. No damage to the car and really no damage to the bike rack but happy to have a new one from the truck owner. Easy to get bike on and off. I am 65 years old and I LOVE THIS BIKE RACK!
This two bike rack has been great for the occasional bike ride outside of our home area. I like the sturdy construction, but beware that it is a little heavier than it looks (I’m retired and a bit older so maybe not as strong). Easy to fit into the factory trailer hitch on our 5 passenger SUV and no problem securing the bikes for transport. My only complaint is, the stick on Yakima Graphic started coming apart the day we got it. Sorry, no free advertising for Yakima.
# 16
Thule Passage 3 Bike Carrier - Trunk Mount
2013 Subaru ImprezaGood for the car, bad for bike. I have a subaru impreza and if done right it fits very well onto the back. However, I also have a mountain bike with a bizarre though not terribly unusual frame geometry. For that bike it was frustrating and worthless, and also quite dangerous as I almost lost the bike despite tying it down with a half dozen straps. For a bike with a straight top tube I have no doubt it works quite well
Could not fit one of two carrier arms into either hub of the frame. After I talked with the Thule warranty people, they sent a replacement carrier arm which also did not fit into either hub. After talking with your warranty people again, they are sending an entire new bike carrier. I will be returning the original unit to e-trailer, which is the web site I purchased the bike carrier from.
# 17
Yakima HoldUp Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount
I just installed this on Friday and we used it for a short trip to the bike shop. So far, it is not bad. I had to laugh; Yakima applied their logo upside-down! I read the directions at least 3x to be sure I didn't have them reversed...I did it right. The directions also show a logo on both, upper & lower rack. I guess they wanted to save some $$ ? Assembly was easy with just three steps. The hitch has a lock to lock it to the car, which is great, but the cover won't stay on. It takes 2 hands, one to hold the lock in place and the other to try to put the cover over the lock. It just pops off the second you release pressure. I will try again in warmer weather, then tape it on so hopefully it will mold to the lock and eventually stay put without the tape. I am not convinced of the stability of the bikes, really. Going over bumps they do shake. For safety, we are going to add straps from the luggage rack and through the bikes, just in case. I really like the cable locks to secure the bikes to the rack. With our old rack there really wasn't a way to lock the bikes to the rack, and I always worried when we were traveling and stopped for food.
As etrailer reminded me, I have had this thing for a year and it is awesome. I did a lot of research before buying and am certainly glad it steered me towards this product. My hatch just clears the rack when it is in the stowed (up) position and it just clears my handlebars in the tilted (down) position. Fits like a glove! The bolt fits snugly and makes for a very quiet ride. I love the anti-theft bolt-end but I make sure to pull on it after installing because it is hard to tell for sure if it is on. Mine was not and I drove away, losing it. They're not super expensive, but are super back-ordered rn so I had to find one from MasterLock that fits. I actually take mine on and off a fair amount because I'm hauling stuff around and loading/unloading is much easier without the rack in place even with it all folded into the stowed position. I've taken this rack across the country a few times (with and without bikes) and it has been great. I try not to exceed 90mph with a bike in the rack... Two things to know: 1. When you are only carrying one bike you have to make certain that the other spot's ratcheting arm is as ratcheted-down as possible. I once had it slip and it was dragging in the roadway before someone started flashing lights at me and I caught it. 2. I use a Voile strap (elastic cargo strap) to hold my front tire down. See attached photo. If you don't, it is possible for the front wheel to roll back a little bit and loosen the fit. I don't know why Yakima hasn't made this change themselves but it's simple and makes your bike WAY more secure especially on winding roads.
# 18
Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Black
I love jigsaw puzzles - trying to sort out which bit was which from the rather sparse instructions took a bit of time. Finally we managed to sort it all out and it is now installed on the car. It works very well and is very sturdy. I am sure my bike will be very safe on this rack.
All in all pretty good. The arms that grab the front wheel have loosened a little bit and move side to side. They have never failed, just feel a little wobbly. The hitch receptacle is also hard to tighten but might be due to the receptacle it self. Used rack on a long trip and the bikes moved slightly side to side, but nothing serious.
# 19
Yakima ForkLift Roof Mounted Bike Carrier - Fork Mount
Good product. However, the one I ordered was supposed to fit the aero cross bars on 2018 Subaru roof racks and it doesn't. In fact the fit is very sloppy and looks unsafe. Sending mine back if they can't find a clamp that fullly contacts all surfaces.
Yep - exactly what I ordered. Instructions included are very thorough. The bike carrier arrived with some box damage but was in perfect condition. Includes everything but the locking cylinder for the skewer (for obvious reasons). I appreciate the clear instructions on how to assemble it all together. Haven't put it on my Yakima rack yet but I know it's straightforward. Can't wait to put the carrier into service!
# 20
RockyMounts BrassKnuckles Roof Mounted Bike Rack - Wheel Mount - Black
Works great and looks awesome on my car. However the rail came scratch and is very noticeable. For that can't give 5 star.
l Low profile, holds the bikes in place and very easy to put the bikes on the rack. Also, very east install.
What our customers are saying:
"The new Rola bike rack is great, easy to install, easy to use and full of features that cost extra on other manufacturers racks. I've been telling everyone I ride with about your site. Thanks again, Matt"