# 1
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.
# 2
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
I like the overall design of this rack, but unfortunately after hauling a couple bikes around for a while the point where the crossbar connects has apparently rounded off so the rack swings back and forth. I've used rope to tie the ends of the rack to the car to stop this from getting worse, but it's inconvenient. Note: the hitch connection itself is good and solid, but the point where the crossbar connects to the bar coming from the hitch has gotten loose and there's no way that I can see to tighten it.
It works great! Easy, quick, you know. One needs to screw in the hitch bolt, for some reason, before latching it. Other than that, it makes going bike riding way easier.
# 3
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.
Hitch pin broke before I got it. Looks like a poor design for the locking pin, they might want to consider a different design. I got a 3/8 shear pin from Home Depot to replace and it works great. Bike rack is great!
# 4
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Quick and reliable shipping and was able to take to my mechanic to get it installed and it works perfectly with my bike rack!
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.
# 5
Swagman XC-Extended Bike Rack for 2 Recumbent Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
I have bad shoulders and could no longer lift my long wheelbase recumbent bike up to my Thule rack. The new rack solved the problem and made it much easier to load the bike. Very happy I got the new Swagman rack.
Thank you again for such excellent customer service. I am including two pics from today showing the bikes mounted on my 2009 Honda Fit with the bike rack we purchased from you. Please feel free to use them in any of your publications, print or web.
# 6
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
etrailer has the best pre- and post-sales customer service I've ever seen! I started out not knowing anything about hitch-mounted racks. So I wrote to etrailer telling them about my car and type of hitch I was about to have installed. Samuel wrote back with lots of great information tailored specifically to my car. He even included a photo that looked just like my 2017 white VW GTI with a hitch and rack installed. Okay something of a coincidence. But the rest of the assistance I got from the crew at etrailer was just as prophetic. I went into this a novice and came out knowing lots more about hitches and racks and finding the rack best suited to my situation. I have a small car, a class 1 hitch and a heavy mountain bike. I got exactly what I needed. As to the Swagman rack itself, it works fine. If I had a different situation I would probably buy a platform rack as they are easier to load. There's no reason to buy a bike rack anywhere else.
First off, thanks to Jason T. or "Troop". The exemplary customer service he provided is rare these days. Troop made several calls to the various manufacturers to ascertain which bike rack would afford me the most ground clearance as my new VW Golf sits low to the ground and my old bike rack frequently scraped the ground when I went up even a slight up hill grade. His efforts paid off as he found me the best bike rack for my car, the Swagman Trailhead 2 Bike Carrier. It sits up off the ground just high enough that it doesn't scrape on my driveway. It is also sturdy and holds my bikes securely. And, the delivery was amazingly fast. I had my rack in about 2 days! Note to Troop, see my Pittsburgh Pirates Logo on my bumper in the attached pictures? Pirate Fans persevere! The Bucco's will be coming after your Cardinals this year! Thanks again Troop!
# 7
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Draw-tite Sportframe Trailer Hitch Receiver Class I - 1-1/4 Swagman Trailhead 3 Bike Rack - Tilting The Draw-tite Sportframe class 1 trailer hitch and Swagman Trailhead 3 bike rack were ordered for a 2017 Honda Fit. The online order and shipping went just as expected. The trailer hitch and bike rack are very heavy duty. I recommend watching the trailer hitch install video before installing, whereas the video is very helpful. The bike rack has triangles that you can rotate to find the best fit for your bicycle's frame. The rubber straps are thick and secure the bicycles when you pull them tight. This bike rack will stay on the vehicle for 6 months each year. The tilt feature and folding arm feature are must haves for a smaller hatchback. I am pleased with this purchase, it appears to be good quality and good value.
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.
# 8
Yakima RidgeBack Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
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.
I used this product twice to go back and forth on a 700 mile trip (1400 miles total). My initial impression was that it was sturdy because it was larger than most 2 bike carriers I've seen. The strapping system is convenient and the locking system worked great. The only flaw so far is that one of the locking mechanisms actually broke off. After closer inspection, I realized that the parts are plastic. I'm not sure what actually caused it to break other than the force of hitting a pothole causing the bike to bounce on the rack. Those types of forces should be expected with normal driving however and I expected the locking mechanism to hold up. I was fairly disappointed that it happened given the asking price and the reviews I read prior to my purchase. Other than the locking mechanism on the actual bike rack, I wouldn't put to much faith in the red handled locking pin that inserts into the trailer hitch and insertion bar portion of the bike rack. It is understood that the pin does not go all the way through the insertion bar as the locking mechanism is inside and prevents further advancement. Yakima could probably improve this aspect of the product. I will be contacting Yakima to see if they will replace the broken part. One thing I did notice was that the broken bracket is screwed in and can be removed/replaced fairly easily. I have included pics of the broken bracket and working bracket for comparison. Hope this helps in your decision!
# 9
Curt 2 Bike Platform Rack - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount - Tilting
I installed this rack onto a Curt trailer hitch which is mounted onto a 2017 Honda Fit. I have been using it intermittently for several months, probably about 5 times with one bike and twice with two bikes. I give some pros and cons below and then elaborate. Pros: easy to assemble, easy to mount and dismount bikes, easy to lock and unlock, how to put the rack into different positions is intuitive Cons: inconvenient to put the rack into different positions, inconvenient to mount the rack onto the hitch, rack protrudes about 15 inches from bumper when in flipped up position (seems very vulnerable to someone backing into it in a parking lot, very inelegant looking I say the repositioning is intuitive because there is really only one way you could possibly place the pins for each position. But removing and replacing two pins is much less convenient than turning a knob or a lever, like some racks do. Also many racks fold and flip in such a way as to look very unobtrusive when in non-use mode. This one looks like kind of a monstrosity. That does not really bother me but it might bother some owners. The part that does bother me is how far it protrudes from the car. I back into parking spaces whenever possible to avoid someone bumping into the rack and damaging it (which happened to a friend). My number one suggestion for Curt is related to mounting the rack onto the hitch. Make it easier to tell when the holes are lined up so that the bolt/pin will fit and thread. As it is now, if you insert the rack as far as it can go it is way too far in. Ideally, it would be exactly lined up. Failing that, maybe some kind of click or other feedback to know at least that you are in the neighborhood. It would also be great to have an attaching device that is easier to fasten and unfasten than is the bolt/pin. Tip for mounting the rack onto the hitch: I assumed that it would be awkward to hold, what is it 46 pounds?, while trying to line up the rack probe with the receiver. If you have a garage with exposed collar ties, my solution could work well for you. I looped a cargo strap over a collar tie. Then I hooked both hooks of a bungie onto that loop. The idea is that you hook one of the bike frame holders of the rack onto the bungie, suspending the rack a few inches off the garage floor. This takes most of the weight of the rack so that you can just pull up or down and forward until you line up with the receiver. Tip for mounting bikes. Don't put the little screw into the post that prevents you from completely removing the bike frame holders. Remove both holders. Position the first bike, slide the holder into place, position the second bike, slide the holder into place. I found this makes it much easier, because you avoid parts of the bike hitting the holder as you are trying to get the wheels into place. The trick is that if you are mounting only one bike, don't forget to put the second holder back on - or maybe just stick it inside the car right away.
I had a 1 1/4" hitch installed on my 2016 toyota camry (the only size offered on the camry). I was very pleased with the ride. I expected to hear alot of noise like experienced when towing a trailer, but I heard almost nothing accept when going over speed bumps. I had to extend the tire supports to their widest position because having mountain bikes with a step through angled bar, they were more secure the closer i could get the upper and lower support arms to the seat post. The bikes were mounted in opposite directions and only stuck out maybe 6 inches or so. One locking barrel on the lower support arm was malfunctioning and gave me trouble but i called etrailer and they sent a replacement as soon as they were in stock. It comes with a anti rattle hitch pin but I highly recommend purchasing an anti rattle hitch pin with a lock on the end instead of just a clip for more security when unattended. After a few times mounting the bikes and figuring out the best way they should be positioned (pedals positions, direction of bike, and that my wife's smaller bike fit better going on first with my larger bike on the outside) I can mount the rack and bikes and be ready to go in just 5 minutes. (70 pounds on a torque wrench recommended for the hitch pin) I am overall pleased with my purchase i would recommend this product.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2016 Chevrolet Malibu we're going to be taking a look at the Thule Hitching Post Pro 4 Bike Rack, part number TH934XTR. Now, we already have our bike securely mounted to our bike rack, and we're going to have three points of contact. Two on our top cross bar here, and one vertical support back here. Now, the way we're going to take this off is we just have some rubber straps, so we can go ahead and pull our straps off on the top. With all of them removed we can pull our bike off and set it aside. Now, these hold fast cradles as you can see, they have some grooves in there, and that's what's going to hold your bike securely. The one on the vertical support here, this is going to act as an anti-sway cradle, preventing any bike to bike contact.
Thule Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2015 Chevrolet Malibu we're doing a test fit of the Thule Vertex 4-bike rack, part number TH9029XT. See, we already have the bike on our bike rack and hooked to the vehicle. Let's show you a few features now. Right here on the holder on our bike, we have 3 straps. We have 2 up top and 1 to the side as our anti-sway strap. To unload, pull the straps up top first, then we pull our anti-sway strap. We need to take off our bike and set this to the side.
Thule Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2015 Chevrolet Malibu we will be doing a test fit of the Thule Road Way 2 Bike Rack, part number TH912XTR. You see that we have the bike on the rack and hooked to the car. Let's show a few features first. What we have here to hold down our bike, we have three straps, we have two up top, we have an anti sway strap on the side. To take it off, you take off the two straps on the top first, then the anti sway strap, then we can remove our bike. When loading your bike, please do it the opposite way, the anti sway first, then the two straps on top.
Yakima StageTwo 2 Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Hi, everyone, it's Evangeline here at etrailer, and today, we'll be taking a look at the Yakima StageTwo 2-Bike Platform Rack right here on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. So this is a bike rack for class 2 inch-and-1/4 hitch receivers. So if you have an inch-and-1/4 hitch receiver, you know that you have limited options for your vehicle. So for example, on the Malibu, that was the hitch we have on there, but if you also have heavy electric bikes large mountain bikes, bikes of different shapes and sizes, and you just want a good solution to carrying them around, that's where the Yakima StageTwo comes in handy. It has all those different features, those different specs, and we'll talk about them, but we're gonna focus on our Malibu today. That way, we can see how it works with our little sedan here and if it is gonna be the best fit for you, your different types of bikes and your Malibu.
Thule T2 Pro X Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
What's up everybody, it's AJ with etrailer.com. Today, we're gonna be check out the Thule T2 Pro X. It's gonna be a platform-style bike rack, and we're gonna be putting it on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. So this is gonna be a platform-style bike rack like I said, it's gonna hold the bikes by the wheels. So that's nice. I really like that compared to some of the other platform-style, where they have the center mass here, that really gets in the way when you go to load the bike or take the bike off.
RockyMounts Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
What's up everybody. It's AJ, with etrailer.com. Today we're gonna be checking out the RockyMounts MonoRail on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. And that is gonna fit on inch and a quarter hitches only, class two, so that means that's the stronger of the two different inch and a quarters. So make sure you have that to get this bike rack. That being said though, it's a platform style bike rack that holds the bike by the front tire, not the frame.
Thule Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Zach: Hey everybody, Zach here at etrailer.com. Today, we're going to be taking a look at the Thule Camber on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. This will be a four style hanging bike rack that is going to allow you to carry a lot of bikes to the trail, whether it's friends or family. The one thing with hanging style bike racks is I like that it gets us up off the ground a little bit more, and it's a more economical way to carry a lot of bikes wherever we're trying to go.Now, when we are carrying bikes like this, with the hanging style, it's best to not use carbon bikes. So we don't have a carbon bike on here today. So you might want to look into platform style racks if you have a carbon bike.
Kuat Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevy Malibu, we'll be doing a test fit on the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Platform-Style 2-Bike Rack. That's part number SH12B. I've already got it loaded up on the Malibu just to give you a good idea of what it looks like and how it holds our bikes. I'd like to go into one of the best features about this bike rack, is it has the ability to tilt away with bikes loaded so we can gain access to our rear hatch. We'll come down here to this lever, go ahead and pull it towards you, fold it down, and then as promised, we can get access to our rear hatch to remove any cargo, gear, groceries, anything we might have with us on our trip. We've got plenty of room.
Yakima Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevy Malibu we'll be doing a test fit on the Yakima HoldUp Platform Style 2 Bike Rack for 1-1/4" hitches. That's part number Y02445. I'd like to go right in and show you one of the best features about this bike rack is it's ability to tilt away with all bikes loaded so we can gain better access to our rear hatch. Come down here to our red knob, go ahead and pull it out. Let it rest down. Then we can gain access to our rear hatch or trunk to remove any cargo, gear, groceries, anything we might have with us on our trip.
Swagman Trailhead Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today, on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, we're going to be test fitting this Swagman Trail Head 2-Bike Hang Style Rack for 1 1/4" and 2" hitches, part number S63360. Now, on this bike rack, it's secured down in three locations. We've got straps right here, then we've got two more straps over here. We've got one on top here and then one down here on the down tube that serves as our anti-sway strap to help prevent the bike swinging too far the other way and making contact with the other bike or the vehicle. Now, in order to remove the bike, just pull on these straps and you can remove it and set it off to the side. With the bike out of the way, let's take a measurement to see what the total distance added to the vehicle is. It looks like the total distance added to the vehicle is about 23 inches and, on this bike rack, it has a feature where you can fold these arms down. In order to do so, you simply pull the pin and clip out, lift right up here, and then you can rotate it down and replace it in the other hole that's on the bracket. Now, with the arms folded down, let's take that measurement again to see what the total distance added is.
Thule Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu we're doing a test fit for the Thule T2 Pro Platform Style 2 Bike Rack. That part number is TH9035. We already have our bike secured down, our first way to show you how we do that. Before that, we're going to show you a quick feature. This is our tilting feature. We can do this with our bike attached.
Thule Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu we're doing a test fit of the Thule Vertex Hanging Style 4 Bike Rack. That part number is TH9029XT. Now we already have our bike secured down. We're first going to show you how we do that. We've got 2 cradles in place with 3 straps, 2 on our frame and one as our anti-sway strap in the back. I'm going to start by releasing those first.
Thule Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu we'll be doing a test fit of the Thule Roadway Hanging Style 2 Bike Rack. That part number is TH912XTR. We already have our bike secured down. We're first going to show you how we do that. We've got two cradles in place with three straps. Two on our frame ans one as our anti-sway strap.
Swagman Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on my 2014 Chevrolet Malibu we're doing a test fit of the Swagman Trailhead Hanging Style 4 bike rack. That product number is S63380. Now we already have our bike secured down, so the first thing we're going to do is show you how we do that. We've got two cradles in place with four straps altogether, three over the top portion of our frame here, and one as our anti-sway in the back. We're going to start by pulling down and lifting up to release those. We can pull our bike off of our rack and set it off to the side. With that out of the way, we can start off with some measurements here. First it's going to be overall what we're adding to our vehicle.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Racks Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, we're going to be test-fitting the Thule Hitching Post Pro. This is a folding and tilting 4-Bike Rack. It's been designed for use in 1 1/4" and 2" hitches. Its part number is TH934XTR. To begin the test fit, we're going to slide the shank of the rack into the receiver tube of our hitch. We'll slide it in until our threaded hole lines up with our hitch pin hole, then use our anti-rattle bolt and thread that in.
Thule Helium Aero Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, were going to be test fitting the Thule Helium Aero, a tilting two bike rack for 1-1/4 and 2 inch hitches, part number TH9042. To begin our test fit, well slide the shank of the bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch. As we do this, we want to hold out on the attached pin. Well allow the attached pin to fall into the pin hole. Well then tighten the black knob to engage our anti-rattle device and further secure our rack to our vehicle. In this position, well have about 13 inches worth of ground clearance here at the rear of the rack, and about 10 inches worth of ground clearance at the base of our shank.
Thule Doubletrack Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, we are going to be test fitting the Thule Double Track, a platform style two bike rack for inch and a quarter and two inch hitches part number TH990XT. To begin our test fit we'll slide the shank of the bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch, line up our pinholes, thread in our anti rattle bolt and tighten it down with the wrench. In this position we'll have about nine inches worth of ground clearance. The closest point of the rack to the back of the vehicle is about two and a quarter inches away and overall we've added ten and a quarter inches to the length of the car. With our rack in the stored position we do have limited access to the trunk. However for easier accessibility or larger items we'll simply pull the gray lever located at the base. This will allow us to tilt the rack away from our vehicle. With our rack in this position we'll have about fourteen and a half inches worth of ground clearance here at the rear. The closest point of the rack to the back of our vehicle is now about two and three quarters of an inch away and overall we've added about twenty and a half inches to the length of the Malibu. We are now ready to load our bike.
Swagman Titan Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, were going to be test fitting the Swagman Titan, a tilting four bike rack for inch and a quarter and two inch hitches, part number S63410. To begin our test fit, well slide the shank of the bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch, line up our pin holes, thread in our anti-rattle bolt and tighten it down with a wrench. We can then secure it with the provided clip. In this position well have about 12 1/2 inches worth of ground clearance. The closest point of the rack to the back of our vehicles about 9 3/4 of an inch away, and overall weve added about 19 inches to the length of the car. As you can see with the mast in its upright position, we do have access to the trunk, however for larger items or easier access, well pull the black lever located at the base of the mast, and this will allow us to tilt it away from our vehicle. With our mast back in its upright position, well now extend our dual cradle arms. To do this, well pull the black lever located at the top of the mast, swing them into position.
SportRack 3 Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, we're going to be test fitting the Sport Rack Tilting 3 Bike Rack for 1 1/4" and 2" hitches, part #sr2403. To begin our test fit, we'll slide the shank of the bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch, line up our pin holes, thread in our anti-rattle bolt and tighten it down with a wrench. We can then secure it using the provided clip. In this position, we'll have about 9 3/4" worth of ground clearance. The closest point of the rack to the back of our vehicle is about 6 1/2" away, and overall we've added about 11" to the length of the Malibu. With our mast in this upright position, we do have access to the trunk. However, for larger items or easier convenience, we'll simply pull the black pin at the base of the mast. This will allow us to tilt it away from our vehicle. With our mast back in its upright position, we'll now extent our dual cradle arms.
Saris Thelma 3 Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today, one our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, we're going to test fitting the Saris Thelma, a platform style, tilting three-bike rack for inch and a quarter and two-inch hitches, part number SA4239B. To begin our test fit, we'll slide the shank of the bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch, line up our pin holes, thread in our anti-rattle bolt and tighten it down with a wrench. We'll then secure it using the provided clip. In this position, we'll have about 10 inches worth of ground clearance. The closest point of the rack to our vehicle is about 4 inches away. Overall, we've added about 10 and a half inches to the length of the Malibu. With the rack in the stored position, as you can see, we do have access into the trunk.
Saris Axis 3 Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, we are going to be test fitting the Saris Axis, a tilting three bike rack for inch and a quarter and two inch hitches part number SA843B. To begin our test fit we'll slide the shank of the bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch. We'll line up our pin holes, thread in our anti rattle bolt and tighten it down with the wrench. We can then secure it using the provided lock. In this position we have about ten inches worth of ground clearance. The closest point of the rack to the back of our vehicle is about five and a quarter inches away and overall we've added about fourteen inches to the length of the car. As you can see with our mast in the upright position we do have access into the trunk. However for easier access or large items we can simply pull the yellow tee handle located at the base of the mast and tilt it away from our vehicle.
Saris Axis Tilting 2 Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, we are going to be test fitting th Saris Axis, a tilting two bike rack for inch and a quarter and two inch hitches part number SA832. To begin our test fit, we'll slide the shank of the bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch. We'll line up our pin holes, thread in our anti rattle bolt and tighten it down with the wrench. We can then secure it with the provided clip. With our rack in this position we will have about nine and three quarters inches worth of ground clearance. The closest point of the rack to the back of our vehicle is about five and a half inches away and overall we've added about fourteen inches to the length of the car. As you can see with the mast in its upright position we do have access to the trunk. However if you need some extra room for larger objects, we'll simply pull the yellow tee handle located at the base of the mast, this will allow us to tilt it away from our vehicle. With our mast back in its upright position we'll now extend our dual cradle arm.
Kuat Beta Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, we are going to be test fitting the Kuat Beta, a folding two bike rack for inch and a quarter hitches part number B202-114. To begin our test fit we'll slide the shank of the bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch, line up our pin holes, slide through our pin and secure it with the provided lock. We'll then turn the black tee handle located on the rear. This is going to engage our anti rattle device and further secure our rack to our vehicle. In this position we'll have about ten and a quarter inches worth of ground clearance. The closest point of the rack to the back of our vehicle is about six and a half inches away and overall we've added about eleven inches to the length of the Malibu. As you can see with our mast in its upright position, we do have access to the trunk. However for larger items or easier access we'll pull the pin located at the base of the center mast.
Hollywood Racks Traveler Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today, on our 2014 Hollywood Racks Traveler, a tilting four-bike rack for inch and a quarter and two-inch hitches, part number HR8500. To begin our test fit, we'll slide the shank of our bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch, line up our pin hole, thread in our anti-rattle bolt and tighten it down with a wrench. We can then secure it with a clip. In this position, we'll have about 9 and a half inches worth of ground clearance. The closest point of the rack to the back of our vehicle is about 5 inches away and overall, we've added about 9 inches to the length of our Malibu. As you can see, with our mast to the upright position, we do have access to the trunk.
Hollywood Racks Road Runner Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu we're going to be test fitting the Hollywood Racks Road Runner, a tilting 3-bike rack for 1-1/4" hitches, part number HR310. To begin our test fit we'll we'll slide the shank of the bike rack into the receiver tube of our hitch, line up our pine holes, slide through our pin, and secure it with the provided lock. We'll then turn the black lever located at the rear of the rack. This will engage our anti-rattle device and further secure our rack to our vehicle. In this position we'll have about 10" worth of ground clearance. The closest point of the rack to the back of our Malibu is about 5" away.
What our customers are saying:
"Sent out an e-mail to you earlier this week asking which hitch woudld be the best choice for installing on a 2000 Venture van for hauling a bike rack with two bikes. You suggested the one that would be easiest to install..received in a matter of days..installation went great ..very well thought out instructions. Everything went smooothly and the hitch is up nice and snug..doesn't stick out..looks great."