Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount

by: Steve01/19/2023

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.1502568

Brooke M.

2/16/2023

I hear you! It looks like there are bolts where the crossbar connects to the bar that goes to the hitch. If you tighten those back down, that will take care of that extra movement.

Steve

1/22/2024

I was advised to tighten up some bolts on the hitch and that resolved most of the sway I had been noticing. The rack has been working great ever since.

I own a 2005 Jeep Wrangler X with 31x10.5x15 oversized tires and
wheels. I installed B6196001 HighRock 4x4 Oversize Tire Carrier
by Bestop to carry larger spare tire.

I needed a bike carrier that would carry our two crusier bikes and
clear my spare tire. After measuring, I ordered:

-> S64650 - Swagman 2-bike carrier
-> 80300 - 7" Hitch Adapter 2" to 1-1/4" Trailer Hitch Receiver
-> RM-061 - Roadmaster Quiet Hitch for 2" Trailer Hitches

Our order arrived very quickly, etrailer.com upgraded the shipping.

All these products arrived well packaged and without damage.
In 15 minutes I had every thing assembled, installed on my Jeep
and bikes loaded.

The bike carrier is very well constructed, finish is excellent and
easy to adjust.

When adjusting wheel loops and loading bikes, make sure you
pay attention to bike pedal position.

I chose this extension because I did not want to use the adapter
that comes with the bike carrier, I wanted as few parts as possible
to keep rattles to a minimum and gives me more options for towing.

The anti-rattle bolt/pin firmly secures the bike carrier to the
extension and the Roadmaster Quiet Hitch keeps the extension
adapter from rattling in the receiver.

Road tested approximately 25 miles over rough city roads
( including railroad tracks ), county roads and highway.
Bikes traveled very well without any rattles.

I can remove my complete setup quickly, fold and put in rear of
Jeep if desired.

I am very well pleased with my purchase.

Note to etrailer: Please consider offering Roadmaster Quiet Hitch
in black to match receiver and accessories.

Paul
In the Land of Oz . . .
Just South of the
Yellow Brick Road!

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Juan

8/2/2014

Is this rack able to carry a mountain bike with 29 inch wheels?

Rachael H.

8/5/2014

I have confirmed with Swagman, and this rack will work with bikes with 20 to 29 inch tires.

Paul H.

6/30/2015

Love the rack perfect fit. One of the tightening screws for the wheel cradles was really tight and i called e trailer and a new one was on the way the next day.Thanks E trailer

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.1547610

Cj

4/1/2024

It works great. I attach it, use it, remove it, and put it away. Thanks!

I bought this rack for occasional use for two bikes. The instructions were easy to follow and I am glad they included a few tools like a 8mm Allen. I tested out the rack with one bike, a 28 lb gravel bike. The rack feels solid without any bikes mounted, but I noticed a bit of wobble from one bike when driving on a rougher gravel road where I live. On the main roads and city streets, its fine. The only problem I had with the assembly was sliding in the wheel holders. It was such a tight fit, I had to use some teflon chain lubricant and a small rubber mallet line up the wheel holders so my tires would touch each end of the holder. Overall, I am glad I bought this model as seems like a good value and I dont plan to be a heavy user of frequent transporting of bikes.3151428

I had ordered a Swagman bike rack from etrailer and they let me know it would take over a month to get it since the manufacturer was trying to catch up. They recommended another model by Swagman that they had in stock and it was less expensive. I got it promptly and the suggested product will work fine for us. The best thing about ordering from etrailer is that you can get video demonstrations of the product before buying, they show you add ons you might want but don't have to buy-and they have them. They will talk to you about the product and their shipping (at least right now) is free. With the products they sell, their customer service really tops Another online retailer and other retailers in my opinion. Great people to do business with.880173

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Rick

9/14/2021

This is a great product for a fair price

The Swagman XC2 was Shipped same day I ordered it and I received it within 2 days. I put it together easily and tested it with my bike. It was the easiest and most stable bike rack I have ever owned. Kudos to etrailer for their service and Swagman for the product. ABSOLUTELY NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS!!!762231

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Anthony

3/3/2021

GREAT, strong, silent and easy to use. I couldnt have chosen a better product

by: Kenny I04/08/2024

Nice & sturdy the bikes don't rattle around loke other racks that use the bar1761382

Easily fit two bikes and no clearance issues around the car. Rack feels sturdy and assembly was easy. The bike closest to the car restricts trunk access but otherwise trunk opens with just one bike. 830835

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Jim

5/14/2022

ZERO STARS! Do not buy this rack unless you have a bike with a flat cross bar or little tires like the pictures show. I was made a turn to get on the highway and my bike didnt. With an angled top tube nothing keeps the bike in place when it pulls out to the side.

Jenny N.

5/16/2022

I recommend using a bike adapter bar such as part # HRBA-PRO to create the straight that will attach to under the bike handle and under the seat. Or choosing a bike rack like part # HLY94FR which will attach to the bike frame that you have and also allows for the wheels to be strapped down.

was able to attach the bike rack to my 2020 equinox without any problems. Right now only 1 bike on it but will have another one later. Ready for a "glow roll."907035

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Judy

11/3/2021

Great

by: TROY04/05/2021

I use this bike rack to haul a recumbent bicycle on the front of my truck. It works excellent! My son also has on which he hauls his mountain bike on the back of his car. My son uses the 1.25" hitch and I use the 2" adapter both work very well.1002562

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Wow, the product is great and had a really great price and Delivery was super fast and I was notified all along the way 10 stars e trailer1732661

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Not sure yet if I will keep this rack. It was a little bit loose and it wiggles a lot from the hitch..914740

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Heather A.

12/1/2020

Thank you for the review. I recommend to use the Roadmaster Quiet Hitch for 2 Trailer Hitches part RM-061 if you have a 2 hitch. If you have a 1-14 hitch you can use part RM-061-125. The Quiet Hitch will tighten up the space between the shank of the bike rack and the hitch receiver to eliminate some of the rattle.

Helpful Links

Hitch-Anti-Rattle/Roadmaster/RM-061-125.html

Hitch-Anti-Rattle/Roadmaster/RM-061.html

Alvin

11/22/2021

Im having trouble much of the time to take out the bike from the locking thing is. Its so hard to pull it out

I am still using it, and please consider what I am going to say before buying or using it. When taking this rack with bike on it offroad the upside down J hook that holds the bike down rattles out of place. This means that the bike is no longer secure. The paint on my bike wore down to the aluminum where the padding rubbed against it. I hit a big bump on the pavement and pulled over to find that the J hook was now barely touching the bike - almost lost the bike just because I hit a bump - not cool.
The fix is that I took a foam noodle and use that covered in tape between the pad on the J hook and the bike frame (no more rubbing away paint). I also use a strap with a buckle, buckling it around the bike and bike rack top bar, with the other end tied to the bike rack bottom bar. It's perfect like that.1369895

Neal H.

8/31/2023

So, the rack is now a bike stand in my garage and has been replaced. If you hit a bump in the road it will compress your tires and suspension, then upon the rebound the J hook pops up and now the bike is rattling around. If you have a second bike on it like I did and that happens the pedal on one bike may scratch the heck out of the other brand new bike and cause irreparable damage. I tried tie downs, padding, and even duct tape to prevent this. The model that I got is useless.

Katrina B.

10/2/2023

That is so sad to hear. Swagman is generally beloved by most of our customers. I hope your other hitch works better for you! You definitely should not let it just sit in your garage taking up space.

by: Clifton 08/24/2022

Reasonable price and strong. Moves a little bit in the hitch but not excessive.
Biggest complaint is the lever for the hold down bracket for the bike can be a little difficult to release and adjust.1373142

Clifton

10/28/2023

Still use it regularly, my previous notes are still valid. The adjustment for the wheels can be a little tricky to get tight enough so they dont move if you use them to lift the unit

We had a Thule that broke twice. This Swagman has lot less movement when driving, is easier to load and was less than half the price. We like that it is all metal and and simple.1577238

Mike C.

5/13/2024

After a year of extensive use we are very pleased with this rack. it its simple, easy and durable. We drive an electric Chevy Bolt, so weight is important. We can open the hatch with the rack folded up got to pull it back just a tad.. We have had fancy brand bike racks, but this our favorite.

by: Charles 08/17/2022

Haved crossed the USA twice now with inexpensive mountain bikes on this rack and it's been 5-stars all the way. Plus, we use it 3times a week to haul the bikes to the our kid's mountain bike team practive. It's an expensive rack, but Tough. Solid. Simple. In a word: Great. In the winter, to keep it from rusting (they salt the roads around here) I spray it with T-9 and 3 years later, it's 100% rust-free.1362363

Charles

8/18/2023

‘Have crossed the USA a couple more times with expensive bikes on this rack—and it’s still 5 stars. Noticed a couple typos in my original review: It should say: It’s an inexpensive rack…

Mike L.

9/7/2023

@Charles We'll try to get that updated for you, thanks!

After setting up my new bike rack, I found that the "universal tow hitch adapter" that's used for bigger tow hitches such as my Toyota Tacoma didn't seem to compliment entirely.

Attached pictures, you will see that the locking bolt and along with the cotter pin to secure the locking bolt onto the tow hitch doesn't quite reach through all the way across. Therefore, I wasn't able to insert the cotter pin through the locking bolt and couldn't safely secure my bike rack to the tow hitch of my Tacoma.

I know the Toyota Tacoma is a very popular vehicle and I recommend all future orders be replaced with a much longer locking bolt (at least 1/2 inch longer) to accommodate truck owners like me.

On the contrary, the bike rack does manage to fit onto my Mazda5 Minivan when utilizing the smaller tow hitch (without the universal tow hitch adapter for Class 3 Receiver). The bike rack is very versatile when loading bikes of various sizes and folds up to stow away very conveniently. Overall, great product!!513894

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Mike L.

5/30/2018

The problem youre experiencing is occurring because the factory hitch on the Tacoma has an extra piece of reinforcement wrapped around the mouth of the receiver tube. This extra piece of metal adds about a 1/4 inch of width to the receiver, which is why the pin wont go in far enough for the retaining clip to fasten. Swagman doesnt offer a longer standard hitch pin, but they do offer a locking model that would be long enough, part # S64029 which has a 4-3/8 inch span. Ill link you to this part below. Swagman has assured me that this part will work for you.

Helpful Links

Hitch-Locks/Swagman/S64029.html

The Swagman XC2 is a terrific hitch rack for 1 or 2 bikes: stable, easy to load/unload, and affordable. In my first month of ownership I have traveled 400 miles with the rack loaded and it has been rock solid. Adjustments are easy for bikes with different wheelbases and the rack folds into a very compact package when not in use - it does not significantly impair rear vision. Trunk access can be limited when the bikes are on the rack and there's no built-in locking mechanism to secure the bikes to the rack, but overall this rack is a great value.690196

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Il C.

8/17/2020

A year has passed and Im still very satisfied. This summer I took 2 bikes on a road trip of more than 2,000 miles and had no problems with the rack.

by: Michael11/26/2017

AFFORDABLE, TOUGH, EASY, LIGHT.

Low profile as well.

I drive a 2016 Fiesta ST and mountain bike a fair amount. I love this thing. Only hard part is getting the tow hitch you need in addition to this rack to fit my car properly.

Luckily this site has a great video of install.

Two person job...and you'll need a modified exhaust hanger(s) to have the stock muffler clear the hitch. Otherwise it will rattle ya silly. 454937

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Michael

11/26/2018

It’s still kicking. I leave It on all the time and my Fiesta ST has a VERY stiff suspension so for all is well after another year! I should Probably spray some sort of protectant on the unit but all is still functioning just fine: Thanks again!

The bike rack is solid and was easy to put together (just follow the pictures and use common on a couple of small parts). Speedy delivery was also nice. Perfect. Thanks.1742307

I really like this bike rack. Easy to assemble. East to mount on my 2004 Chevy Tracker. I also found it easy to mount my two bikes. I was concerned about clearance from the spare tire, but as you can see there is plenty of clearance. In fact the bikes don't touch anything else. I also purchased the velcro straps to secure the bike wheels to the wheel mount.46343

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Robyn

7/8/2014

Yes Lance. Does this picture show a ladies bike? Were you able to mount a ladies bike step in model without an adaptor?

by: David07/11/2022

Fantastic for the price! It isn’t very beefy, but packs away fairly small and it’s easy to install. We use it a lot and are extremely satisfied. I think some people don’t tighten the bolt that goes through the hitch enough? I can still open the doors on the van if it’s not loaded with the bikes.BTW Good customer service.1325134

David

7/27/2023

A few people have commented to me about wanting my rack because it was lighter than there hard to handle rack.

Short-term review: Bought this for a 2002 Subaru Forester with 1-1/4" hitch receiver. Very easy & quick to install. Just after receiving it, installed it and threw my mt. bike on it, drove round-trip 240 miles to ride with some buddies, and no problems whatsoever; the rack felt solid. I do put a cam cinch strap around the bike & rack as redundancy, but the rack's ratcheting hold-down hook does stay down very well and holds the bike down tight. Great value too, as most of the other name-brand racks are two to three times the cost. One thing to note: I cannot open the hatch of the Subaru with the rack on. If you have a car with a hatch with an opening rear window, you can probably still open the window. I am OK with this for the price of the rack. It's very quick to take off the bike(s; just a 3/4" box wrench or socket to remove the hitch pin and then the rack. With a socket & adapter for a cordless drill, I can remvove the rack from the car in about 20 seconds; with a socket wrench, under a minute. Definitely happy with this purchase! Oh yeah, etrailer's customer service is awesome!1207435

Mike P.

11/20/2022

FYI, after one year of use, Im still very happy with this bike rack. A clarification on my initial review from 111921: Although I cannot open the hatch with two bikes on, I can open the the hatch with only one bike on the rear-most of the two bike trays. Again, it takes only seconds to remove each bike, and the center post folds down with a simple pin removal. On a side note, I even designed a simple bike rack for our boat kayak racks, using the center post and ratcheting hooks and a wood base that I made. This way, I can take the bikes down to the marina on the bike rack, remove the center post and ratcheting hooks, transfer this to my homemade wood base, and voila, I have a similar setup on our boat, all for a fraction of what two two-bike bike racks from Thule, Yakima, etc. would cost.

Swagman bike rack is very sturdy and provides a great platform for transporting my mtn. bike.
The 2”/1.250” receiver allows me use rack on all of my vehicles.
Easy assembly and as always, Great service from ETrailer...
Thanks499465

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Michael J.

4/22/2019

A year in and Swagman bike working flawlessly, no complaints

by: Hiker Steve02/19/2020

Great bike rack that works well on my 2016 Prius. Easy to use and I can still open the rear door on the Prius with the bike on the rack. I regularly take my bike when I go hiking in the Smokies to ride between trailheads. Quality product at a reasonable price. I highly recommend this product.756375

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Hiker S.

2/19/2021

Ive used the bike rack more than a dozen times and it still works great. The only issue I had was while driving on a dirt road I hit a large bump in the road and the bike bounced off the back of the car. Fortunately I was driving slow and there wasnt any damage to the bike or rack. After that incident I started using a short bungee cord around each wheel to secure them to the rack and keep the bike from bouncing if I hit a bump.

Sierra K.

2/22/2021

Thank you for your review. That sounds pretty dangerous. I would just like to make sure that you installed the bikes on correctly. Each wheel rested in the wheel cradle then the cradles were tightened. The hook came down onto your bike or onto an adapter (for step through bikes) and it was pushed down into place for a tight fit. The bikes should not be bouncing off the rack if everything is tightened down.