# 1
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
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.
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.
# 2
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
So far so good. It is exactly what I thought it would be... So far no surprises. I received it and had it installed within 15 minutes. It's installed on the front of a Ford E350 van which is built out as a Coleman RV. I was worried about clearances but as the pictures show that is not a problem at all.
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.
# 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.
I bought this bike rack back in April but wanted to make sure I used it to give the best review. First I want to say I did a lot of research on bike racks and found this one to be the best one to fit my needs. The best price I found was on etrailer.com, at the time it was When I called the customer service to place my order, I spoke to Dan. He was very pleasant on the phone and took the time and listened to what I needed and understood my concerns. I ordered the bike rack and also ordered the Thule Snug Tite Hitch Lock and Anti-Rattle Device and the Thule Cable Lock w/ One Key System Lock. Dan suggested I also get the Thule Bike Adapter Bar, which I never even thought of getting. Delivery was in about two business days, which was really fast and at the time of order they were running a special free delivery over $99. When I went to put it together I noticed I was missing the flat cap screw M6 x 16mm, part number #853-5787-02. I emailed Dan and within 24 hours received an email that the part was sent out and also in the email their was a link to track the order. After I received the part I did notice that the flat cap screw was actually in the 2 inch adaptor sleeve. The instructions were very easy to read, and it took me about 20 minutes to put together. I did have an issue when I positioned the stinger into the cradle, with the 8mm locking nut, it was not staying tight and when I took it off I noticed the threads inside were gone, so I ended up going out to Lowes and buying a new one and its holds perfectly fine. I also had a question about that part because it is not a locking part and was worried someone would try to steal the rack. I contacted etrailer.com to find if they make a locking device for this and they said no but I can contact Thule to double check, I'm still waiting for an answer back from Thule. The weather finally broke and we installed the rack onto my hitch, tightened it and it doesn't rattle. When I finally used the rack and put my bike on, it did sway a little but at 50 mph I was very happy with it. The trailer comes out just enough away from my car that I do not have to fold completely out and I can open my trunk with no issues. I am very happy with my purchase and had a great customer experience with Dan. Would highly recommend ordering from them to anyone.
# 4
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!
# 5
Kuat Beta Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Tilting
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.
We've been using this bike rack with a 1.25" Draw-Tite receiver hitch (also purchased from etrailer) on a 2012 Prius C for a month with no problems. As shown on the pictures, it fits two bikes very well, even one with a baby carrier. I chose this model based on recommendations from etrailer that it can be easily detached from the car without tools. True to their word, it is very easily detachable from the hitch and folds up nicely to fit in your garage/closet/storage area. Basically, it uses a hand tightened ball bearing mechanism to secure itself into the hitch receiver, and then uses a 3/8" hand locked pin as a safety device. You can install and de-install this rack in just a few minutes. During driving, there is little noticeable vibration from this rack, even on rougher roads or speed bumps. The only downside is that the holes on the receiver hitch do not align perfectly with the holes on the bike rack (see picture). I believe a few other reviewers also noted this issue. There is enough room to fit the safety pin, but not quite enough to fit a 1/2" hitch lock. I called Kuat to ask them about this and the rep told me that not all hitches will line up with this rack. Kuat, coincidentally(?), sells a hitch lock that is also 3/8" (same size as the safety pin) and still fits.
# 6
Thule T2 Classic Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount
I have to get a trailer hitch extension in order for the bike rack to fold up when not in use. Definitely will go through etrailer for this item.
Great product. We just got a new convertible and I could not use the roof mount or trunk mount. Using the bikes was important. Taking care of the bikes is important too. This bike rack is really the best I have ever had. It is extremely easy to use. I like that it has built in locks. I can use the hard top convertible on the VW Eos if I only have one bike positioned outward. It also works with no bikes installed. I could not be happier with this product and the incredible price, fast shipping and overall value from etrailer.com.
# 7
Yakima RidgeBack Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Check out my other review on the hidden hitch for a 2015 BMW 4 Series for the majority of the review, but this thing is great. Easy setup and install, does all the things it's supposed to do. Mounting and removing bikes is a snap with the included clips (big difference from some of the cheaper variants with nylon ratchet straps). Fits very snugly in my 2" receiver, and pretty solid on the highway and over bumpy roads.
First trip with 3 bikes. Nary a wobble. The anti-sway strips appear to make a big difference.
Thule Doubletrack Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2013 Volkswagen Jetta
Today on our 2013 Volkswagen Jetta well be doing a test fit of the Thule Doubletrack Platform Style 2-Bike Carrier for 1 and 2-inch hitches, part number th990xt. To begin with since this vehicle has an 1 hitch on it, we will not be using the coupler that allows you to use it on a 2-inch hitch. First we will go ahead and slide the bike rack into the hitch on the vehicle. Then well go ahead and take the anti-rattle bolt and thread it in from the passenger side towards the drivers side. Were going to go ahead and use a ratchet here to make things a little quicker for tightening down the anti-rattle bolt. A wrench is included with the kit that you can tighten down the bolt with if you so choose.
Pro Series Q-Slot Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
Today on our 2012 Volkswagen Jetta well be test fitting the Pro Series Q-slot platform style bike carrier for both 1 inch and 2 inch hitches part #: PS63134. Now to begin our test fit well simply slide the bike rack shank into the hitch, line up the hitch pinhole and install our hitch pin. This will secure our bike rack to the vehicle. We can now go ahead and give you a few measurements. Our ground clearance at the back of the bike rack is 13 inches and from the closest point of the bike rack to the back of the vehicle is 8 inches. Well now go ahead and unfold the bike rack platform and open our trunk.
Thule Doubletrack Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
Today we have with us a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta and well be test fitting the Thule Doubletrack Platform Style Hitch-Mounted Bike Carrier part number TH990XT. To mount carrier onto the vehicle, well insert the shank of the bike rack into our receiver. Well line up the hitch pinholes and then well thread our anti-rattle bolt into the bike rack. Well use the -inch wrench to tighten it down and well secure it on the other side with a lock. Next well check for rear vehicle access. Well grab the switch at the bottom of the bike carrier and fold it down.
SportRack EZ Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
Today we have a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta and well be test fitting Sportrack 2-Bike Hitch Mounted Carrier part number a30901. To fit our back rack into the vehicle, well slide the shank into our receiver and line up the hitch pinholes and begin threading the anti-rattle bolt. We'll then take a 3/4 wrench to tighten it down. Next well check for rear of vehicle access. Well fold down the wheel trays and the upright mast and make sure we can still open the trunk and access the cargo area. Now we can fold the upright mast back up and well be ready to load a bike.
Kuat Sherpa Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
Today we have a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta and well be test fitting the Kuat Sherpa Aluminum 2-Bike Carrier part number S102. To fit the carrier on our hitch, well slide the shank into our receiver and line up the hitch pinholes. Well use the knob at the end of our bike carrier to tighten our anti-rattle device and then well put our pin to the hitch pinhole and secure it with a lock on the other side. Next well check for rear vehicle access. Well fold the carrier down as far as we can, open the trunk of our Jetta and make sure we can still get inside. With that done, we can fold our platform back up level and open up the ratcheting arm on the bike rack.
Thule Vertex 4 Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
Today we have a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta and well be test fitting the Thule Vertex 4 Hitch-Mounted Bike Carrier part number TH9029. To fit the bike carrier into the hitch, well first need to remove the 2-inch adapter then well slide our bike rack into the hitch and line up the hitch pinholes. Well thread in our anti-rattle bolt and tighten it down with a -inch wrench. With the bike rack securely mounted to the vehicle, well check for rear of vehicle access. Well grab the switch down at the bottom of the upright mast and tilt the bike rack down. Well open the trunk and make sure we can still access the cargo area.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
Today we have a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta and well be test fitting the Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch-Mounted Bike Carrier part TH934XTR. To mount our bike rack, we will line up our shank with the receiver, push it in until we get the pinholes to line up. Once weve done that, we can begin threading our anti-rattle bolt and then tighten it down with the -inch wrench. And with that, our bike rack is mounted to the vehicle. Next, well check for rear vehicle access. Well fold the upright mast down by removing the bottom pin.
Swagman Titan Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
Today we have a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta and well be test fitting the Swagman Titan 4-Bike Carrier part number S63410. To mount our bike carrier on our hitch, well line up the shank with the receiver slide it in and make sure our hitch pinholes aligned. Next well thread in our anti-rattle bolt and well tighten it down with a inch wrench and secure it with a clip on the other side. Next well check for rear vehicle access. Well fold the carrier down and open the trunk of our Jetta to make sure we can still get inside. Now we can fold the upright mast back up.
Rhode Gear Highway Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
Today we have a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta and well be test fitting our Rhode Gear Highway 2 Hitch-Mounted Bike Carrier part number RG8015220. To mount our bike on the vehicle, well insert our shank into the receiver of the hitch. Well line up our hitch pinholes and then well begin threading our anti-rattle bolt. Well use a inch wrench to tighten it down. Next well check for rear vehicle access. Well remove the pin from the bottom of the upright mast, fold the bike rack down and make sure we can still open the trunk and get in to our cargo area.
Thule Doubletrack Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
Today on our 2011 Volkswagen Jetta we will be test fitting the Thule Doubletrack Platform-Style Bike Carrier, product number TH990XT. With our vehicle already equipped with 1-14 inch hitch and our bike rack already preassembled we're ready to go ahead and get started. We'll begin by inserting the shank into the hitch lining up the hitch pin and inserting our anti-rattle bolt. We'll then tighten it down using our 3/4-inch wrench. With the anti-rattle bolt tight our bike rack is secured to our vehicle. We'll now give you a couple of measurements.
What our customers are saying:
"Everyone that bought before me was right! I got my rack in time for my next days off and putting it together was fast too. And I'm a grandma!! Thank you for being fast and honest! You beat anyone in my town hands down!"