# 1
Kuat NV 2.0 Base Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Matte Black
This rack definitely has some pros and cons (as do most racks). A minor frustration is that despite ordering the rack and add-on at the same time, the keys don’t match so if locking three or more bikes you need two different keys (this has only really irritated me when it was raining). As other reviewers have mentioned, this thing is heavy. Neither my wife nor kids can lift it to put it on or get it off the car by themselves. The downside is that given the size of the rack it is not real convenient to just leave it on the car. When the rack is in the up position, it is impossible to get in the back so it is necessary to lower the rack each time you want to get in. The other downside is that the rack significantly cuts down on visibility when backing up. All that being said, the rack is rock solid and the bikes are very secure. The rack is great for extended trips. When loaded and tipped down, it is great to be able to open and access the back. The spacing of the bikes is great and I don’t have to spend 15 minutes figuring out how to slide four bikes in just the right spot to make them all fit as I did with my old rack. Best of all the bikes are only sustaining damage on the trail, not on the back of the car! Despite some minor annoyances, I highly recommend this rack. As for assembly, my 13 year old put it together by himself in about 20 minutes (I promised him i would include that fact).
We needed to move up from our Saris Bones 3 rack now that our youngest is on a big girl bike. We initially went for a budget platform rack which was (not surprisingly) subjected to a recall. After an incredible amount of research, I opted for the Kuat NV 2.0 Base. I took advantage of the etrailer price pledge program and was very satisfied with the etrailer staff who were very easy to deal with both on the phone and online. Following my order, etrailer inadvertently sent me the incorrect base model. The sent me the 1.25 inch instead of 2.0 inch model and as the shipping label covered the hitch size I only discovered this after opening and unpacking it (thereby having to repack and re-ship it). This inconvenience notwithstanding, etrailer was very apologetic, paid for the return shipping and sent out the correct 2.0 inch model. Unpacking and assembly was easy (the second time...and I learned the valuable lesson of taking photos of the unpacking in the event you need to repack it). You certainly get what you pay for with Kuat! The fit and finish are first rate and the rack's design, in my opinion, makes it the most intuitive, cleanest and best looking rack out there. I was considering the RockyMounts Split Rail 2+2 (similar design and athletics and a bit lighter) but I am so glad I went with Kuat. I mounted it on my 06 Pilot today in less than 5 minutes with my wife's help (though it can be accomplished solo), locked the pin and tightened the anti-rattle mechanism for a rock solid mount. All bikes fit on it like a dream (my 29er, wife's mountain bike and 2 kids mountain bikes...have not tried by road bike yet but I don't anticipate any issues). Very impressed with the rack and my etrailer experience.
# 2
Kuat Transfer V2 Bike Rack for 1 Bike - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount
My husband and I are in our 60's and had no problem putting this together as per instructions. It's a good solid rack, no wobble even with my big 35 pound 29'er. It easily clears our steep curb on the back of our Subaru Outback. The hatch clears the bike and there's plenty of room to move between the car and bike in that tilt position. We loaded our car for vacation with the bike on the rack. It's a bonus to be able to leave it all on the car in our garage. We also bought the Drawtite 2" hitch from etrailer.com. We're very happy with this setup!
I've had no issues with this bike rack. My bike weighs approximately. 35 lbs and I've taken it several 300 - 400 mile journeys using this bike rack. This bike rack is very easy to assemble, install / remove from the car, and secure the bike for travel.
# 3
Kuat NV 2.0 Base Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Matte Black
Love this rack and use it every day on my Toyota Tundra pickup. I ride my cruiser on the beach and loading/unloading bike/s is really easy. I travel to riding locations as well and even at highway speeds, two bikes remain secure and wobble-free. My bikes are expensive and the stand-up mode of securing them means no worn paint or scratches. If any complaint it's not made for the salty air here in FL and certain parts corrode...even with daily rinsing off. The rack is perfect for the fat and oversized wheels on bikes I've owned...even heavier ebikes...WILL BUY IT AGAIN.
Arrived very quickly and in good condition. Working with etrailer was great - they are on the ball, unlike some other retailers. The product was as expected, although I took off a point for really poor instructions. If Kuat had just taken a little bit of time to provide more details, it would make the job so much quicker. I haven't yet tested the rack with bikes, but is installed and all the bits seem to work as promised. One point thatI don't like is that the locking pin that attaches the unit to the hitch is really long and doesn't have anything that would keep if from rattling. I put in my own rubber spacer to hopefully eliminate any rattles, but it seems like adding a couple rubber washers to the kit to help prevent rattles would be an easy and inexpensive solution.
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!"