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Fits 1-1/4 Inch Hitch, Fits 2 Inch Hitch, Fits 1-1/4 and 2 Inch HitchItem # S64670
Retail:$239.00
Our Price: $215.10
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This wheel-mount design has all the added comfort to ensure you will no longer dread lifting your bike up into the frame cradles. Simply rest the bike's wheels in the well, ratchet down the frame hooks, and you're ready to ride!
Features:
Specs:
A built-in adapter allows this bike rack to fit inside a 2" and 1-1/4" hitch receiver. The threaded hitch pin uses anti-rattle technology to secure the rack inside the hitch.
The wheel hoops accommodate wheels up to 2-1/2" wide, and turning knobs are used to adjust the distance between hoops to fit bikes of varying lengths. Rubber straps secure the bike wheels to the wheel hoops.
Bike hooks slide easily down the ratcheting system and click securely in place. The push buttons allow the hooks to slide up the ratcheting system to allow for bike removal.
This cross country model offers convenience and reliability for your traveling needs. With a two-bike capacity, it accommodates most frame sizes using wheel hoops and bike hooks. Constructed with soft-frame coating to protect the bike's finish, the bike hooks securely hold the bike in the wheel hoop cradles. The hooks smoothly slide up and down by using an easily-adjustable push button ratcheting system. The hassle of removing wheels is eliminated with wheel hoops that accommodate wheels up to 2-1/2" wide and adjust to fit different frame lengths. To decrease in size, the upright bar with bike hooks folds down when not in use. A powder-coated finish protects it from corrosion from the elements. This rack fits 2" x 2" and 1-1/4" x 1-1/4" trailer hitches.
Installation Details 
Video of Swagman XTC-2 2-Bike Platform Rack for 1-1/4" and 2" Trailer Hitches
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Presenter: Today we're gonna be taking a look at the Swagman XTC-2 two bike platform rack for inch and a quarter and two inch hitches. Part number is S64670. Now the Swagman XTC-2 is easily one of the most popular bike racks available. I think that's for several reasons. One, it's really easy to use. We don't have a lot of moving parts that we have to deal with.
Also it's built really well, it's really solid. You're not gonna have a lot of noise or a lot of movement as you head down the road. And it also comes at a very cost-effective price.Now when it comes to the ease of use factor, the XTC-2 is gonna hold your bike in basically three locations. You're gonna have a front wheel hoop, a rear wheel hoop, I like that it rests down on top and then we've got our rubber straps holding it in place. Then we'll have our frame hook up here on top.Now this is gonna work out with all different types of bikes.
Some people prefer with a carbon fiber style bike like this, not to have anything touch the frame. They can be pretty expensive, it's understandable. In that situation I think you'd be better suited with a front wheel wheel hook clamp. A clamp that would come down over the front wheel. But if you do decide on this rack, I don't think you're gonna have many issues with it.
The material that the hooks are coated in is a very dense, very good grade rubber. It has a little bit of give to it but I don't think it's so hard you'll have to worry about it rubbing off on the frame of the bike. And it's not so soft, like some of these are wrapped with just foam and that foam over time tends to deteriorate and then you can wind up with metal on bike contact.Now when it comes to the ease of use department, as far as loading up a bike goes, it's really quick and really straightforward, you don't have a lot of mechanisms to deal with. Just want to place our bike up and on, gonna place the wheels into the cradle, and at that point we're just gonna bring our hook down, now we can just press on the hook or we can press the lever here. That's our locking lever, bring it down, and then just apply a little pressure.
As you can see nice and solid. At that point we'll come to our front wheel cradle, get our strap secured in our rear wheel cradle, get it secured. And once we've got that done, we're ready to either load up our next bike or head down the road.An advantage you'll have with the platform style rack like this that we don't see out of the hanging style racks, that we're supporting the bike from the bottom, so we're not gonna have to worry about our carbon bikes hanging and the frames being stressed. But also, we don't have the wheel going forward and back. A lot of times on the hanging style rack, the front wheel just kind of goes back and forth unless you get a strap to secure it so that'll prevent any contact of that wheel with our vehicle or the bikes behind it.Now the XTC-2 offers adjustable wheel cradles so we can adjust the pairs forward and back or independently from one another. That helps us accommodate bikes all the way up to 66 inches of wheel base. But it's also gonna help you position your bikes so you can get space in between them. That way you're not gonna have to worry about any kind of contact from one bike to the other. Now to adjust the wheel cradles, we're gonna have nice, large, easy to get a hold of knobs here on top. We just need to loosen those up and then that's gonna allow us to slide it in and out. Really easy, really simple. That gets us like we said, all the way out to that 66 inch wheel base, but when we bring them down all the way, we can get all the way down to 27 inches. That's gonna cover just about all the bikes out there.The cradles have also been designed to work with wheels from 20 all the way up to 29 inches. Now the wheel cradles are gonna accept a tire up to two and a half inches wide. So not only is that gonna work out great for road bike tires but also for mountain bike tires. When they get wider, all of them are held in place really well. Now regardless of the frame type that you have, the XTC-2 does a great job of fitting just about any bike out there.We see here we've got kind of a higher cross tube, on our mountain bike it drops down a little bit more. Both of our hooks are independent from one another so they're gonna adjust independently and they're offset. So this one holds a little bit lower, this one holds a little bit higher. So that gives us a good range of adjustment. It's even gonna work out on like the really short frames on like the kid's bikes or the ladies bikes will have a pretty big drop here. It's gonna work out really well for just about all of those. If you do some very odd frame on your bike or something that just doesn't work, they do offer an adaptor bar, that part number is 64005.Now the rack offers a 35 pound per bike weight limit on it. That's gonna work out for just about all of your standard bikes out there on the market. The only real exception we see to that will be with the e-bikes, those can be 40, 45, 50 pounds.Now when loading multiple bikes, you definitely want to make sure that the heaviest bike is gonna be closer to the vehicle and the lighter bike further back. Now to gain access into your rear hatch, we've got the mast that's designed to tilt down either to the left or to the right. We've got a pin at its base that we can pull. We can rotate this down and then get that pin re-inserted. Now I like this pin style. There are several bike racks that have this kind of pin style for folding arms and tucking arms away. This has a ball detent on it which is just a little ball in the pin with a spring behind it. So as we put that in, it doesn't matter if we've got our handle tilted up or down or sideways. It goes in without any issue. Other racks like this, there's a little key way so you have to get the pin in just the right spot to be able to wiggle it in or wiggle it out. So this kind of eliminates that process and makes it a little bit easier to use.Swagman's always been known for producing very good bike racks that last a very long time and the XTC-2 is really no exception. All of the steel is really nice and heavy duty, you can feel the difference in this as compared to other racks. We're gonna have the black powder coat finish here on the main base and then that's gonna turn into gray on our wheel hoops, the quality continues right on through those. Also with our shank, we have a three inch rise. So as it comes out of our receiver tube, it comes up. That's gonna give us plenty of ground clearance here at the back side of the rack. You don't see that with all the platform racks out there on the market.Another thing here, going back to the quality, you can see the sleeve here, that adapts it from the inch and a quarter shank up to the two inch. So it's gonna work in both configurations. But this is made of an aluminum. In some racks that are a little lower quality, you'll find this is made of nylon and that can tend to lead to a little bit of extra movement.Now to keep everything nice and secure as we're heading down the road, we've got an anti-rattle bolt that's gonna come with the rack, threads right into the shank, and it pulls the shank over against the receiver tube. And it eliminates the movement and they've provided a clip here, just to secure it in. And if we pull that clip out, I'm gonna loosen up the bolt slightly. Now to loosen it or tighten it, you'll need a 19 millimeter socket. You can also use a three quarter, they're just about the same size. And you'll see once we get this loose, see how much movement and play that we have without much pressure As we tighten that back down, we're gonna eliminate it. See, right back, nice and secure.Now as a replacement for this, if you want to lock the rack to your vehicle, you can use part number S64029. That'll give you a pin similar to this or a bolt similar to this with a lock on the end. To take that one step further, it also comes with a cable lock if you do part S64031, that'll give you your locking bolt with a seven foot cable to route through your bikes to keep your bikes secured to your rack and your rack secured to your vehicle.A lot of times we'll see people without bikes loaded just with their bike racks on the back of the vehicle. I like the fact the Swagman can fold up really easily. Just have kind of the same way we did that center mast. We've have them on the outside here, be able to pull that, rotate it, and put our pin back in. And do that on the other side as well. As you can see, that's gonna make it nice and compact. We're not gonna have to worry about a wide platform here behind our vehicle, but it also makes it very convenient for storage. So when it comes time to store it as we talked about, of course, you'll need to remove the pin and clip. You can see it's gonna be very narrow, doesn't take up a lot of space, so this can easily be set over along the wall on your garage or out of the way so you don't have to really worry about a big, platform style rack taking up a lot of room.Now to help determine whether the XTC-2 is gonna fit on your vehicle, we'd like to give you a couple of measurements. We're gonna go from the center of the Hitchman Hole, you just want to find the pin hole on your hitch and then out to this edge is gonna be eight inches. So you need to make sure that you've got that kind of clearance from your bumper into that pin hole if you're set it under the vehicle. Also from the center, that hitch pin hole to our upright bar here, we've got about 15 inches, now in most situations we've found with this in the upright position, on SUVs with hatches you're just not gotta get it open, you will have to lay that down.Each cradle arm is also gonna have a hole drilled through both sides to allow us to use a small padlock to secure these. Because if we can't press this button in, this arm's not gonna release or the bike can't be removed. Now you'll need a lock with 3/16ths inch shank or hook on it to go through. You can get that on our website as part number 131D. Now let's take a second and compare the XTC-2 to other similar two bike platform-style racks.Typically when we compare anything, we like to look at other manufacturers to kind of see the differences. But really the best choices in this two bike platform-style category seems to always go back to the Swagman. The XC-2 will be kind of the little brother of the XTC-2. It's very similar in design, have the center mast here, gonna have the same style of hooks with the same padding on them. So really good at holding the bike.Your wheel cradles are gonna be slightly different. They offer kind of big loops and they go like this. These are a little bit more robust. They look a little bit sturdier, but the weight capacity from one rack to the other's gonna be the same at 35 pounds per bike. With the XTC-2, the wheel cradles are designed to hold tires up to two and a half inches but with the XC-2, that's gonna up to three and a half. So if you have a bike with wider tires, this might be a slightly better choice for you.Now with the wheel base, the XCT-2, we can go all the way out to 66 inches. With the XC-2, we're gonna be down to 51 and a half so it kind of limits us there a little bit. But that comes at a really, really good price point. You're gonna get a really good rack at a really good price. Now as far as a rack that's gonna give you a few more features on what you get with the XCT-2, the Swagman Chinook is a really good option. Same hook material up here. So we're gonna get great protection for our bikes. But the slide handles here are a little bit larger and easy to operate and they incorporate locks already so you don't have to worry about purchasing those additionally. Also you will get a locking hitch pin so that helps to secure not only the bikes to the rack but the rack to the vehicle.Now the wheel cradles, I like the design on the Chinook a little bit better. They're designed as kind of a tray that comes up. That's gonna give us full wheel contact as we place our wheels down and in. Whereas with the XC-2 or the XTC-2 here, we just get the contact on the front and on the back edge. Also the straps that are gonna hold the tires down in those cradles, have spacers on them, it's a ratcheting design. I just think it's a little more sturdy. Now the biggest gain you're gonna get with the Chinook is gonna be that it will fold away from your vehicle for access to the hatch, even if you have the bikes loaded. That gives you really good options, a little bit easier to use, than what you're gonna get with the XTC-2 because it doesn't fold away.Also when you don't have the bikes loaded, the Chinook will fold up toward the rear of the vehicle, that's gonna eliminate some of the space you'll need behind it for parking and things like that. Now the wheel cradles on the Chinook are gonna be a little wider, they're gonna accept a tire up to three inches. Also the Chinook will give you a 45 pound per bike capacity where with the XC-2 or XTC-2, we're gonna be at 35 pound per bike. The storage for the Chinook, you're gonna need a little bit more space because unlike the XTC-2 or XC-2, the wheel cradles and arms do not fold up into that more streamlined kind of suitcase position so just a few things to keep in mind there. So with the Chinook we're gonna pick up some ease of use, we're gonna pick up those nicer wheel cradles, and we're gonna pick up a rack that's fully equipped with locks when we get it. And the price point isn't that much higher than what we see out of the XTC-2.Here on our test course, we'll start by going through the inaudible 00:13:26, this is gonna show us the side to side action. This emulates turning corners or evasively maneuvering. Once we get to the full speed bumps, we'll see the up and down action. This will be just like driving in and out of a parking lot, parking garage, or driveway. And that'll complete our look at the Swagman XTC-2 part number S64670.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (725 Customer Reviews)
This wheel-mount design has all the added comfort to ensure you will no longer dread lifting your bike up into the frame cradles. Simply rest the bike's wheels in the well, ratchet down the frame hooks, and you're ready to ride!by: Mark C.07/12/2014
I own a 2009 VW GTI 4 door. The fact that I have a 4 door GTI may be significant to the 2 door GTI drivers out there because I tend to need to access my rear hatch less frequently since I just put things in the back seat. I did not want the standard hanging bike rack because my bike got scratched up badly, my brake cables became loose, and my bike pump cage got broken when using a 4 bike hanging rack with my brother and his family. I also do not like the idea of the weight of my bike resting on top of my bike cables in the hanging bike rack cradles. However, if you are frequently putting different types of bikes on your rack like my brother does, a hanging rack may work better for you. The platform racks need to have the wheel holders adjusted for different bikes. Not hard, but it is a little more cumbersome. I had been using Yakima roof mounted racks for 17 years on 5 different vehicles...until one of the roof clips popped loose on the interstate and my road bike did a wheelie and dented the roof of my GTI. Could not get my Yakima roof clip to lock in place again after that, so I moved to a hitch mount. I bought the Curt Hitch #11074 and can be seen in the photos. Not really noticeable, but I think it looks better than the Draw-Tite and Hidden Hitch designs. For platform racks, I looked at several designs with the following criteria in mind. - Ease of use - Ability to access the rear hatch - Extension from bumper I naturally started with Yakima, but found that their racks seemed overly cumbersome and extended far behind the car. The Thule racks seemed the same, and both brands were over $300. They did offer the ability to tilt the rack up when not in use, but this still blocks my access to the rear hatch. The Swagman rack has a simple, minimalist design. First is that it is very narrow, only one row of support arms to carry two bikes. Thule and Yakima have two support arms, one for each bike, which causes the rack to extend farther behind the bumper. The Swagman seems plenty beefy to handle two bikes. The support beams are easy to tilt up and down. Maybe not quite as easy to tilt up as Yakima and Thule, but still pretty easy. But until I watched the eTrailer video before buying this product (WATCH THE VIDEO!), I did not realize that the center upright also folds out of the way if you need access to the rear. This is what sold me. The ratcheting upright supports are easy to use and work as shown in the etrailer video. The rubber straps do their job just fine. The other manufacturers seem to have an easier method to move the rack out of the way of the rear hatch, but as I mentioned, I have a 4 door GTI, so this was less of a concern for me. The main selling points were: simple design, easy to use, fit a GTI, upright moves to access hatch, etrailer video, lots of good etrailer customer reviews with pictures, and of course...price. 141045
This was great. Thanks. I just bought am2015 golf and your comments helped me decide in the same configuration
-- comment by: Joe H - 02/20/2015by: Kevin K06/27/2014
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. 137937
Question, we have two Townie comfort bikes, one male the other female. Our problem is attempting to lock down the female bike. I have attempted to slide the locking arm all the way down to the bottom cross bar without success. If I leave it higher it will pinch the chain guard. How do you get the lock slide down to the cross bar on the bottom of the frame. Other than that it is a GREAT rack. Thanks,Ray
-- comment by: Ray - 07/26/2014For very low step through frames like your women's Townie bike, an adapter bar is the best option to use, even for platform bike racks with the center frame post. I recommend the Swagman # 64005. This bar will connect between the handlebar gooseneck and the seat post, providing a bar that the center frame hook will secure around. This will keep you from pinching the chain guard. It is easily removable, and will only be needed during transport, leaving your the step through frame functional.
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Rachael H - 7/28/2014Can you access the hatch with the bikes on the rack?
-- comment by: Chris H - 11/01/2015Depending on the pedal position of the bike closest to the rear lift gate, you can open it a few inches to reach in and get something. This of course depends on far under the back of your vehicle your hitch is located.
-- comment by: Kevin K - 11/04/2015 by: Vicki05/24/2017
I purchased the Swagman two-bike carrier, the long version, for carrying my recumbent bicycle. In the majority, the carrier works well, but I have an issue that makes the carrier almost unusable and a pain in the neck. I do like that my Tour Easy long wheelbase recumbent bike fits, although I have to use a small wheel to keep it from sticking out too far on the sides. I used a shim at the hitch attachment to try to help with movement. I also purchased straps to attach to the car to help prevent sway. I do feel that my bike is safe when mounted on the rack. The bike will not fit inside my current vehicle and the rack is the only way I can carry it. This rack is good value for the money. It was easy to set the rack up to fit the bike and I feel confident that the bike is safe. I did put some reflective tape on the rack as people who walked close to my car barked their shins on it and I heard a man comment that the thing should be folded up, which is not possible. I believe the tape helped and I haven't hit my shins. The issue I have that is quite problematic is that the pins that have to be removed and replaced in order to stand the center support upright and lay it back down are not durable or are even defective. Before I could use the rack, I had to get one replaced. etrailer was not able to provide the replacement part, but did help me contact the manufacturer. The second time I used the rack I almost could not remove one of the pins. The button was stuck and I could not sink it back in to remove it. Finally, after about 45 minutes, I was able to remove it. It is tethered to the rack and I left it hanging. Fortunately, I had another pin that fit and was able to use the rack. I have no idea why these pins are an issue. I have never had a problem with them on other devices, even the ones that the buttons can be a little hard to push in. I hope that a pin failure doesn't happen at a critical time. I have tried to think of an alternative to the pins but have not come up with anything yet that I would feel safe entrusting my bike to. I am going to look into pins that do not have a button to see if that would be easier to use. In the photo, you can see the three pins. They have all given me fits, but it is the center one that is critical to use of the rack. 384366
by: Angela08/10/2015
This bike rack is sturdy and pretty easy to use, once you get accustomed to it. I had trouble initially with removing the spacer from the arm that goes into the trailer hitch. I mangled an Allen wrench and injured my hand trying to take off the Allen bolt that holds the spacer on. I had to take the whole rack to a bike shop to get them to remove the spacer, which they did in a matter of seconds. Once that was done, getting the rack loaded onto the trailer hitch was pretty simple. I had to make a lot of adjustments with the set screws (the instructions did not include inserting the washers for those screws, and the rack is really wobbly without the washers) but once I figured out how everything is supposed to go together, the rack worked beautifully. I love being able to open and close the hatch on my CRV while the rack is attached to the car. Awesome feature. And the bikes were quite stable on our initial trek with them. One thing I would suggest is buying locks for the ratcheting hooks that go over the top bars on the bikes. I think those locks should just be included with the rack. They are not essential for using the rack, but they make the journey a lot more secure. I would highly recommend this rack to people but if you are a single woman trying to put this together without a decent set of Allen wrenches, I strongly suggest adding a set to your toolbox. The one that is included in the kit works great on the set screws, but if you have to remove the spacer bar you are on your own. 218180
We love the bike rack! My daughters and I have been on a lot of biking adventures since we purchased that rack and we found the rack easy to use, convenient, and very reliable. This week we are moving to Albania so we took the bikes to my dad’s house in Texas to store for the year. We used the bike rack to transport them the 1200 miles from my apartment in Los Angeles to his house in Texas. And the rack was perfect. There was no damage to the bikes or the rack when we arrived, despite the fact that there was a lot of construction and bumpy, uneven roads on the freeways. I was concerned about what I would find at the end of the trip, and then I was really impressed when we got there. And I am so glad that I bought that particular rack!Thanks for checking in with us.
Angela - 08/17/2016by: Keith B08/22/2008
Love the rack so far. I’m going to try a do three different ratings here, so bare with me. BIKERACK (5 stars): the bike rack has some issues, that seem to be standard with these “import” models (Swagman/SportRack); however, that being said: the bikes are very well secured and very well protected. The ratcheting arm clamps go down tightly and stay there. No friction knobs to keep checking. Once you push them down, they stay there, and there is a place to put a pad lock on each for anti-theft security. The hooks are also padded and did not mark up the bikes even in the slightest. Due to the flexibility of the rack I was able to get a large men’s bike and small woman’s bike loaded and was able to arrange them so everything made good positive contact; hooks, wheel straps, etc.. Overall, I’m not the least bit worried the bikes will come loose during transit. Excellent design and so very easy to use. CONSTRUCTION (3.5 stars): this is where all these import models seem to fail; but it’s due to their flexibility of use. The entire rack is made from 1-1/4” steel tube. This was done so you could use the rack on a 1-1/4” receiver hitch. With this light steel there is some inherent “flex” that allows the rack to wiggle. It would have been much better to use bigger steel that fit a standard 2” receiver, then have an adapter to go down to the 1-1/4” receiver. I’m going to use the rack a few more times as is, but I may make some modifications to it to help sturdy things up a lot more. The anti-wobble bolt, while a great idea probably works well on the 1-1/4” receiver, but with the supplied “adapter” it doesn’t do a good enough job on the 2” receiver. In review of both Swagman & Sport Rack, they’re made exactly the same, except for the following: Swagman has ratcheting locking support hooks which are excellent; the Sportrack uses a friction lock, don’t like that. Both racks use metric hardware, so if you think you’re going to replace a bolt with standard hardware, no dice, the threads are different, etc. The Swagman can also be used on Class I hitches and above, whereas the Sportrack is for Class II and above. Packaging of this Swagman rack, finish, easy of assembly and use were nice. ETRAILER.COM (5 stars): I will do business with them again. Fair prices, they honored the Price Pledge guarantee, when you call you can actually get a live person who actually knows some stuff about the products they carry, fast shipping, nice web-site, etc…. I hope they keep all the above; especially the talking to a live, knowledgeable person … I had a great experience with them and will recommend them. 1206
by: Mike in MO08/13/2017
Ordered the Swagman XTC2 and a receiver hitch from etrailer earlier this week. Paid for 2 day shipping, and received it THE DAY AFTER I ORDERED IT! Can't ask for any more than that. Completed hitch installation today, and then assembled and mounted the XTC2. It slid right into my 1.25 hitch, and the included rattle-proof hitch pin cinched things down very nicely! The wheel rack trays are fairly easy to adjust: I just parked my bike behind it, eyeballed about where the trays needed to be to fit the tires, slid them into place, then plopped the bike in. A couple minor adjustments to the racks, and they were ready to cinch down. My wife's bike went on the outside slot. With the dropping frame tube, I had to shift the trays for her bike to the left a bit so the frame clamp hit at the seat riser. Again this was an easy eyeball placement and adjustment, but proper placement results in the bike being shifted to the left a bit. The front tire protrudes about 4" beyond the side of the car, and I'll probably buy one of those bar extensions to remedy this. Took the bikes out this afternoon, and drove about 4 miles to a nearby park trail. The rack didn't sway much at all through turns, and shaking was pretty minimum going over bumps. I've only used it once so far, but I already love the ease of use! I I have a 2017 Kia Soul, and the vertical rear hatch made a hitch mounted rack the obvious choice. I loved how etrailer's info and user reviews made part/model selection a no-brainer. Why would anybody shop elsewhere? Thanks etrailer! 419869
by: Ron09/02/2012
Very well made. Easy to use. No rattles. Very tight, solid construction. Quality materials. Excellent design. Just installed but I am confident this was exactly the right bike carrier for my needs. It is being used on a 2002 Saab SE. The hitch installed is Draw-Tite's 36280 which is not recommended when there is a "rear air dam" which this car has. It took about 20 minutes using a Dremel tool to alter the air dam and install the S64670 carrier. From the images supplied you can see the modification is fairly minor and appearance is minimally affected. This is a great bike carrier and I am very pleased I am able to use it with my Saab. 53801
by: Andrew R.09/06/2012
This rack is being used on a VW EOS convertible with a Draw-Tite hitch. Overall my experience is fairly positive given the price. Pros: - Easy to assemble, reasonably light, easy to adjust. The ratcheting hooks work well, and the rubber straps are easy to attach/remove. - When the rack is attached to the hitch but not in use, you can either lock both side arms folded up, or lock the center arm down to either side. The latter feature is useful if you have a convertible where the trunklid opens up from the front to stow the top, as otherwise it would hit the rack. Of course, leaving the rack in this position, you'd better remember it's there, as you're not going to see it in your rear-view mirror when parking and it sticks out a bit from the back of the car. - It's trivially easy to individually remove/reinstall the wheel holders and hooks, so if you only need to transport one bike you can remove the extra set for a cleaner look. - The locking hitch pin & cable (ordered separately) seem to work as advertised, and is a reasonably convenient solution for locking the car/rack/bikes together. - Holds the bikes securely and seems fairly solid (although not as solid as some higher end racks I've seen). Cons: - The welds on the wheel holders are pretty ugly. I have no reason to believe they won't hold, but it doesn't inspire confidence. - There is very little clearance between the pedal of the inboard bike and the trunklid. I would be very worried that this is going to scratch the trunklid. This might be specific to the combo of car/hitch/rack/bike. - I've had to retighten the set screws to eliminate some wiggle. Not sure if this will be a recurring issue. - The rack is mounted on a 1-1/4" hitch, so I had to remove the Allen bolt holding the spacers for a 2" hitch. That bolt was on _really_ tight. I literally bent two cheap hex wrenches before I got out my ratchet wrench and a high quality hex head and got it removed. - The hook locks down on the frame rather than the front wheel. In retrospect, this probably isn't as good as some of the other systems that grab onto only the front wheel (although to be fair, those are somewhat more expensive). 54074
by: Rodrick07/08/2013
I agree with all the other reviews I read about the bike rack (arrived at my house in a timely manner, well packaged [the boxed rack in a bigger box and still packaged in a bigger box]. PS, the grand kids had fun playing in the boxes while I put the rack together. That was the easy part. It took some planning how and where to place the two bicycles on the rack so they fit together. First, my panniers had to be removed. They do not fit. My wife's bicycle has it's shifting cable and break cables on the top of the frame and the stabilizing bar pushes down onto them so there is only one place I can put her bicycle to keep them from being crushed into her bike frame without adding a pipe insulation to cushion them. So with her bicycle in place, I have to place mine to the side to balance the rack which puts my tire beyond the side of the vehicle, but within reason. Lastly, I can not open the door to the cap on the back of the pickup without removing her bicycle or modifying the bicycle every time I put it on the rack. OVERALL, the rack does what I want it to do. easy on and easy off and secure without adding extra tie downs to keep the bicycles from swinging on long trips. The rack is well made, and light so I will be able to use it on my Toyota Yaras (when I get a 1 1/4 inch hitch) and I will be able to use the trunk ;-) 88334
Other than the annoyance of not being able to get in the cap on the back of the pickup when the bikes are in place, I love the bicycle rack. I have yet to use it on the Toyota Yaras even though the reese hitch has been installed for quite some time now.
Rodrick - 08/13/2014 by: Bernard03/02/2018
It’s functional but not great The biggest problem is a design flaw related to the paint on the attachment rod that attaches to the hitch They put on a gummy tacky paint like coating that peels ever so slightly. It catches when I try and mount it on the hitch making it extremely difficult to slide it in correctly. It catches and then it trying to slide it so I can alighn the safety bolt becomes extremely difficult. I’ve tried to remove it with sandpaper and even a metal file. It’s next to impossible to remove. So every time I put it on the car it takes another 10 minutes of agony. Hope the maker is reading this because otherwise I’d give it 3.5 stars. Simply not putting any coating on the hitch mount (duh!) would earn you a star and a half. If you were doing any product testing this would be obvious to see. If they are going for a best in category rating they could also make the sliding wheel rest carriages sleeves more durable. It’s currently made of plastic. If they made it out of stronger metal instead with a wider diameter piston like screw to sinch it down this would easily be strong enough to accommodate heavier eBikes’s. The steel frame is strong and well designed (copied I suspect). The weakest link are the plastic sleeves. Make them with metal with a well designed sinch and this would be 4 stars Last improvement idea would be a some sort Of shock absorber so when I roll over a bump it’s not magnified by the springy steel frame. That would put this at a full 5 stars Overall it’s functional. It’s got one serious design flaw I identified that would be easy to remedy. Don’t paint the hitch mount. If you could make the platform sleeves stronger you could market this as an outstanding ebike carrier. It’s basic structure is better then the more expensive Thule and Yakima hitch mount racks because it’s more compact and folds. I hate bulky things. This improvement idea is unnecessary for regular roadbikes and even mountain bikes. But ebikes are heavier. Those are my thoughts hope this is useful 480454
by: George10/14/2017
I have a 2015 GTI and have been challenged to haul my 29er and additionally a kids 24" bike. I was looking for a rack that was form fitting not extend too far beyond the car to keep the weight closer to the car to assist the Class 1 trailer hitch i mounted. I ended up going with the Curt C1142 Class 1 trailer hitch for the GTI and the Swagman XTC-2 bike rack. I think it was good solution for price, quality and fit for my requirements. The Rack is not heavy at all. It's very quick to put on and i leave my 29er closer to the car with the outer rails fixed for it. The other rails i put the smaller bikes further on the rack since they would be lighter. There is little movement when driving. On longer distances or with two bikes use the Curt trailer Strap and that helps in movement. The clearance is what i was really worried about. I needed a rack that would promptly start rising upon exiting the hitch pin. The Swagman rack does just that. It immediately ramps upward to 3" at its peak giving me more clearance to avoid the virgina roadkill. I do wish that etrailer would give the profiles of the bike racks as that would been way easier than countless hours spent on the internet looking at other's pictures for a best fit for my car. My other choice was the Kuat Transfer 2. it also has a rapid rise giving 6" maximum. However, it also extends about 12" in the back of the car which i was worried the longer run of the rack was going to have clearance issues on some driveways. In the end, the Swagman was $100 less than the Kuat transfer and i think for my purpose it's a better fit for this little car. 442622
by: Dan H.07/24/2017
completed assembly of both the Curt 2" trailer hitch and Swagman bike rack, both purchased from etrailer, and installed on my wife's 2012 Honda CRV. Thanks to the videos and reviews on etrailer, installation of the trailer hitch and assembly of the bike rack was straightforward and relatively easy. Like some others, I cut a three sided "flap" on the underside rubber splash shield of the CRV with it in place and then trimmed it and taped it securely around the trailer hitch after installation. That made the job faster and neater. It's a tight seal around the hitch. After reading lots of reviews, and giving it a lot of thought I decided on the Swagman XTC-2 rack, and I'm very glad I did. It works very well, and holds both bikes securely in place. I added the Curt stabilizer strap as that was recommended by several others along with Curt and I believe that helps stabilize the rack even more. There's no shaking or swaying while driving with both bikes attached. I considered the more expensive Swagman rack that folds forward, but thought the weight of 47 lbs. would be too much, especially for my wife if she ever decides to go with our grandkids when I'm not home. 409905
by: Jim M08/06/2015
I have been using this hitch daily for about 3 weeks. Installation was straight-forward and I had no problems getting it on my 2015 Honda Odyssey. The unit is solid and the amount of sway is minimal. In addition to the rack, I also purchased the Locking Anti-Rattle Threaded hitch pin (S64029). It works fine as well. I did not order the cable that goes with it because of some other reviews I read, but I think I will be ordering the cable shortly. My wife's bike required the use of an Alternate Frame Bike adapter (64005), which I also purchased and it works well. My only suggestion is put additional protective wrap around the frame where the bike is secured on top. I went to the local hardware store and purchased a length of pipe insulation, and then cut it to size. It adds additional protection to reduce scratches and wear on the frame. This was an idea presented in other reviews. I researched a number of other racks, including Thule, and I think this is the best rack for the money. I would recommend this rack to anyone. 217117
We have been using this rack about one year and have had no issues. The rack holds the bikes securely with very little sway, We have stopped using the Alternate Frame Bike Adapter without any problems. We have since ordered a second rack for use on my wifes car. etrailer.com was very easy to work with. I will continue to recommend this rack and etrailer.com to anyone that asks.
Jim M - 08/05/2016by: Don N.10/08/2017
I have a 2009 Toyota RAV 4 XLE. Ordered the hitch along with a Bike rack recommended by ETrailer... the Swagman XTC-2-2 (Part # S64670). The product arrived very quickly. I watched one of the several videos available for Toyota RAV 4 models 2007 and 2010. I did not have a torque wrench and was able to get one at Harbor Freight on sale. I got the largest 1/2 inch version they had and was glad I did as I appreciated the extra leverage needed to torque the hitch bolts down to the recommended setting. Installation once you have all of the right tools is a snap. If you are doing this at home, recommend you have a blanket or a rubber mat to set the hitch on before lifting it up to the frame as you may need a couple of tried to get it maneuvered into place. My wife helped me get the bolts started, once that was done, it was a breeze. I would note that my vehicle had black circular tape over the bolt holes that needed to be removed. Picked those off with a fingernail and found that the holes underneath were clean and ready for installation. If you have those on the frame of your RAV, you probably won't need the nylon brush. I just sprayed the holes and bolts with WD-40 and tested each hole with the bolts before trying to lift the hitch up into place. Everything went smoothly and can't be happier with the whole process. The bike carrier assembly afterward also went without problem. The bike carrier portion extends far enough away so as to clear the spare tire, though would recommend covering the pedal with a sock on the bike you mount closest to the tire to avoid scratching or marring the surface of the paint on tire covering. I don't usually write reviews on a product but this experience has been worth of my time. Great product Etrailer!!! 441680
by: doc Tom09/06/2014
The Swagman XTC 2 bike platform carrier was mounted on a 2010 Subaru Outback equipped with a 2" receiver. I will also use the bike carrier on a 2008 Saturn Vue. Ordering from etrailer was straight forward, shipping was fast with continuous texts from etrailer as to shipping status. Impressive. The bike rack works perfect for my wife's extended wheel base-pedal forward Townie bike and my Giant Sequoia trail bike. Bike positioning is important, but not difficult. Retaining hooks ratchet into place easily, and rubber straps secure the wheels. The anti-rattle receiver mount with threaded locking hitch pin works well. No slop there. The only concern we have is the flexing of the receiver bar. With no bikes on board and the carrier arms in the vertical positing, you can watch the minor 'dancing' of the vertical members. Put 2 bikes on the carrier and you can see a little more wobble of the bikes. I suspect the receiver arm of the carrier needs to be sturdier to eliminate this movement. When you read the warranty, you will notice Swagman will void the warranty if the bikes are carried on a 5th wheel trailer or on a vehicle that is taken off road. That tells me they know the receiver arm needs beefing up. Oh well, it works for my interstate transport. I would recommend this carrier for normal day to day transport of 2 bikes. 150284
by: Faty Joey10/29/2012
It was a toss up between this and the cheaper XT. I got this one cuz they said the wheel brackets are better and it was only a little more. I'm glad I got the XTC. Can't compare to the XT since I never saw one. But I like the XTC a lot. Easy to put it together and it fits the 1.25" hitch tight and nothing moves when you drive. I had no idea Sunday when I was driving around with my mountain bike that it was even there. Quality is good. Just HEFT the thing in your hands...it is pretty heavy duty. I appreciate the attention to detail on this. Holds the bike TIGHT. I would drive across the country with this with two bikes no qualms whatsoever. 58352
Could not be happier! Love the hitch and Swagman. That Swagman is most secure bike rack in the industry. I have travelled thousands of worry free miles with it. Love the dual hitch feature so it fits both size receiver hitches. I would sorely miss it if someone made me give it up. I am thoroughly impressed with long term quality. Thing still looks and operates as new. Very happy.
Faty J - 05/16/2014by: Samuel01/04/2014
We used this bike trailer to move from San Francisco, CA to Ennis, MT, so a trip of about 1000 miles. Setup: Fairly easy to setup. I was surprised by how heavy the whole thing was, I'd guess the whole bike kit to weigh around 30lbs. Once I had fitted my bikes in and adjusted everything (which is fairly easy) getting the bikes in and out isn't too bad. Getting the front bike in (the one closest to the car's back window) is a bit of a pain since you have to lift it up and behind the rack. Usage: My only real complaint is that the adjustable bars that slide down to hold the bike frame in place are hard to use. You've really got to apply a lot of force to pinch them open so they can slide. I had pushed them down fairly good on the bike so it held them tight and wasn't able to open it again by hand. I had to use a tire pressure gauge sideways to push against it. I wish they had made it easier to open up these things to slide them up and down as it's actually pretty tough. 111918
Weve used this bike rack for a year now and have pretty much the same impression of it as before. My chief complains are getting bikes in the rear slot can be a bit tough, and locking everything down tightly makes it hard to unlock.
Samuel - 01/04/2015by: Grant S10/08/2015
I received great Service from etrailer.com! Had email returned quickly when i had questions about my future purchase- very helpful. Product came quickly and set up easily. Though this rack only one one support bar it is very solid. I was worried about the trailer hitch expansion to 2 inches being questionable- absolutely not. Goes together very easily. I also purchased this hitch because i wanted my wife to be able to put it on our SUV if i wasn't home- this rack is heavy duty but not too heavy for her to lift into the hitch. High quality product and glad i purchased it! 229490
We do like the product very much after owning it one year. Easy to put in the hitch, easy to lock it in place, easy to more the piece around to load the bikes. Not too heavy for me, my wife would have hard time handling the rack by her self. Not a complaint - ideal word is that it could be lite, durable and not cost a bunch - but we are not living in a fantasy world. Only minor thing i wish were a bit different would be that it fit into my hitch more snug- seems like because it isnt perfectly snug there is a bit more range in it swaying. Not a ton but i am sure there would be a bit less if it fit more snug.
Grant S - 10/15/2016by: Joe K07/09/2012
I installed the bike rack today, here are the photos. 47298
From the pictures it looks like one of the bikes is a womans model. Someone in another review said you need an adapter bar to secure a womans bike? It looks like you did not do that?
-- comment by: Brian D - 09/18/2014Brian, we did not need any adapter bar for my wifes bike. That is one of the reasons that we went with this carrier, the bikes are not hanging off the back of the car at some strange looking angle. There is an arm in the form of an inverted U that gets lowered down on the bikes crossbar, it works for both a mens or womens bike. We are very happy with this bike carrier, I would recommend it.
-- comment by: Joe K - 09/19/2014As Joe stated he did not need an adapter bar, but depending on the configuration of the alternative bike frame, an adapter bar may be needed. This is depending on where the ratcheting bike hook will make contact with the frame. If this point of contact is very low, or has a severe slope to it, a bike adapter bar might be needed to both protect the finish of the bike, and provide a more stable attachment point for bike hook.
-- Rachael H - 9/22/2014by: Brian G03/16/2015
I bought this bike rack to transport our two bikes. We have Trek Pure's. Once male, one female. The rack went together nicely. It fit very snug in the 2" receiver hitch and tightened down very well with the included hardware. Once assembled, I did have to add and remove the bikes several times to get them the way I wanted them so both frame locks would lock properly. My OCD probably kicked in a little demanding perfection. With everything locked in place, the bikes are very solidly in place within the rack. They don't move whatsoever. After loading the bikes, we took the car around the block. There was some bounce, but that's to be expected. All hardware remained tight after our test ride. I'm confident this bike rack is solid. We will definitely get our monies worth from this purchase. 178613
by: Diane01/18/2014
I LOVE this bike rack! It was easy to assemble and is made of top quality materials. The adjustable top hooks are perfect for securing my women's frame mountain bike. E trailer received and shipped my order within 24 hours! I received my bike rack within three business days and e trailer reached out to me the same day my shipment arrived to ensure I was a satisfied customer! 114125
by: Rich L08/06/2015
I briefly thought about making my own. Ha! Once I saw this and watch the video, I knew I wasn't going to waste my time making anything. It's solid, versatile, adjustable, & well thought out for a truck with a gate. For just over a couple hundred bucks to my door, it was worth it. The couple of bolts with the lock tight painted on should specify they are hard to put in. Fortunately I had a socket wrench with an allen socket of that size which made it easy. It fits nice and tight in my hitch, but keep a 3/4" socket wrench handy if you take it on and off frequently for speed. Order with the locking pin so nobody walks off with it. Now I just have to learn to ride my new bike again...I wish that was as easy as this rack was. 217291
I still use it continually.. No failures. I guess if I were to make one improvement, it would to move the fold up pivot points out from the vertices post a 14 so you can leave the top restraints where they are. Its a little tight to put the pins in to hold up the folded up part. No big deal, Id buy it again in a second.
Rich L - 08/05/2016 by: gig-girl08/31/2016
Good: the product assembly was fairly easy, and the instructions were good. I found the rack easy to insert and remove from the hitch. I use a wrench to ensure it is tightened, and just keep that wrench in the car at all times. Poor: I found it somewhat cumbersome to organize two bikes on the rack. You need to adjust the tire platforms just so, depending on the bikes. But also, the height matters too, and getting them on there so that the handlebars and pedals don't clash. That can be a small issue with hanging racks too. If you always have the same 1 or 2 bikes, then you figure out a routine and just stick with it. But, that said, I didn't think the inverted hooks securely held the bikes. I never feel as if I can get them snug, and I end up using a couple of bungees just for insurance. Plus, I'm not comfortable with the tires sticking out beyond the sides of the car, even though they probably don't stick out much further than the outside edge of the sideview mirror. My final assessment: I went back to the roof rack I had been using, for convenience and easy of use. I tried the hitch rack because I didn't want to risk marring the roof of my new Prius with the load-bearing bars and then the bike rack-tracks on top of that. But, with a second person, I was able to get the bars and rack positioned with no problems, and decided to just leave it on for the season. It takes me only about 4 minutes to get two bikes on top without any assistance. And I have access to the trunk (which I definitely don't have with the hitch rack). 289506
by: Kim and J02/01/2014
Fast response and quick delivery. My husband put the rack together last night and was very happy with this bike rack. Also likes the upgrades that were listed on the box. Haven't been able to attach it to the van yet as we live in Chicago and have been inundated with snow lately. Hope to use the rack for our spring break trip in early March!! 115397
Love our bike rack. We have been to Michigan a few times and also the local Chicago area. Works great with our Chrysler minivan. Easy to get the bikes on and off and great for long distance traveling. Hoping to use the bike rack to go to Florida this year. We would recommend this bike rack as it is easy to use and keeps the bikes secure with the tires.
Kim a - 02/01/2015I wanted to ask about the potential trip to Florida from Chicago and how the rack held up? Any concerns, issues, or damage to the bikesvehicle?I am looking into this rack and have a trip from Northeastern PA to South Carolina coming up and traveling up and down I-81 and I-95 can be a bear.Thank you.
-- comment by: AJ - 07/10/2015by: Brett T.07/29/2014
I looked at a lot of different hitch racks, priced from $100 up to over $500 and for the price the Swagman XTC-2 hit the mark. I've been using it now for a couple of months with absolutely no problems. First trip was 1600 mile round trip from TX to KS and it performed perfectly. Bike is easy off/easy on. Rack is a bit heavy but balanced enough to make it no problem with taking off and on. Etrailer.com was great to work with and rack arrived exactly as stated. 143303
After a years use, this rack is still performing like new. No issues to report and would still recommend as a good economical choice.
Brett T - 07/29/2015by: Rosemary A.05/19/2014
Very pleased with this Swagman hitch bike rack! Easy to install, lightweight, held two bikes very securely. I'm 5'2" and I'm glad Zachary O. at etrailer recommended a platform bike rack for me! Using this rack on a 2014 Jeep Compass with a 2" hitch. Being able to lower the center post to access the back of the Jeep is great. Ground clearance was more than adequate. This rack holds my ladies bike securely - I did not need to buy an adapter. The only negative... this is my first bike rack and the instructions were inadequate. Thankfully my boyfriend has had several different kinds of bike racks and was able to put it together very quickly. Would definitely recommend this platform bike rack! 131385
Have been using this bike rack for a year now and I have no complaints! I have used it weekly. It is easy for me to load my bike and it holds it securely. Would still definitely recommend this platform bike rack!
Rosemary A - 06/03/2015by: Rob L.04/15/2018
I must tell you, my excellent rating is based on the ease of putting the unit together, and how simple it was to attach to my Nissan Rogue. It is perfect for two bikes, even my wifes step through with a slant bar. But that's about all I can say, as the weather in the Northeast, and here in Buffalo, has been so crappy, the unit has done nothing but sit in my garage for 3 weeks! I'm sure it will be GREAT when I can use it, as I did a test ride of about 5 miles on pothole filled streets, and the bikes and rack were absolutely solid! I hope to get the rack in action before July. Joking...sort of! 496648
by: Sergey Frolov01/03/2011
Quick Overview I bought the hitch recently and very satisfied with what I got. I bought it to carry a bike rack and it works just fine. The hitch looks solid and reliable. I'm sure there are no any issues with pulling a small trailer too. I just don't think Hyundai Accent is a right car for pulling :) I ordered both - the hitch and the bike rack. Both came in time, packed well. No issues with the delivery. The installation procedure is very easy too - 4 screws and that's it. I did it by myself, no assistance. I had to use my kid's small stool for supporting one side while I was working on the other side. Of course, it could be easier if there is another pair of hands holding a hitch while you are working with the screws. Sorry for my English, but I think the idea is clear. Regards, Sergey. 3 4952
by: Tom A11/07/2011
Easy to assemble. This carrier will be used on a 2012 Nissan Sentra using the Draw Tite 24794 hitch. After the installation on that hitch, there is about 2 inches clearance between the rearmost projection of the rear bumper to the frontmost portion of the wheel carrier of the rack. It is easy to put the bikes into the rack. The trunk lid cannot be opened with the bikes mounted on the rack. The rack seems to be stable and doesn't wobble or bounce much. 26666
I am happy to see that you included a measurement of the width of the tire slots. The newest Mountain bikes that are just coming out are coming out with wider tires. I am looking at a Specialized mountain bike and the tires are 2.3 to 2.5 inches wide. From the pictures posted it appears that this bikes tires should still fit inside the slots?
-- comment by: JonP - 07/31/2015by: Andy05/31/2018
Nice product, again the video shows all the features accurately. The illustrations with the included instructions are pretty bad and instructions a little thin, but there's really not much to assembly. A few notes: Be sure to stagger the wheel holders or you will be stuck with one long bike and one short bike... Also there is a top and bottom hold-down hooks be sure to put them on in order. If you don't it will be obvious and easy to correct. One tricky part is is bolting thru the trailer hitch. The 2" square rack insert (can remove part of this insert and use on a smaller 1.25" hitch) has a sliding inner core with a threaded hole for the included bolt/lock washer. You may have to use a small screwdriver or pick to slide the core slightly so that the threaded hold aligns with the holes on the insert/hitch. Not sure but I think if you use a different bolt (like the J-pin 63201) that threads all the way thru the hitch, you would need to slide the core all the way out of the way and not use the threaded hole in the core. I ordered J-pin 63201 so I'll update when I try it out. Oh and if you want the locking J-pin order it at the same time or you will get dinged for an additional $5 shipping if ordered separately (i.e. <$100). I'm using this rack with the Draw-Tite 75235 2" hitch on a 2017 Rav4 Hybrid - works great! 514772
by: Budman07/26/2013
This style bike rack is far superior to the previous one I had. The wheels sit securely in the frame and the clamp holds the bike firmly in place. I really like the fact the bike is carried with the top of the bike at about the same height as my truck's tailgate, keeping the bike completely out of the wind. Another advantage is loading the bike is a breeze. The rack carries my bike with no movement and rattle free. I went to Lowes and found locks that fit perfectly in the holes to secure the clamps. This rack is top quality and will carry your bikes with complete peace of mind. 91795
This bike rack is great and still performing as advertised.. When you buy quality, you expect it to perform well and last, i am completely satisfied with this product.
Budman - 01/24/2015by: Mike S08/27/2015
The rack got here in great time and took all of 20min to put together and install on my Jeep Wrangler. Quality is very good and the product is well thought out. I bought it to carry two mountain bikes and there is no way I can do that without damaging the spare tire cover or worse. If I took the pedal off the inside bike it would ride against the tire cover. You could carry a mountain bike on the outside and maybe a lightweight racing bike on the inside with the pedal off ........ maybe. I want to stress that this problem is directly due to the rear mounted spare. I like the rack a lot and can fix the problem by using a short hitch extender which I have. It would be very helpful for etrailer to specify what kinds or at least types of bikes that can be carried together on this rack when used with a vehicle with a rear mounted spare tire. The rack holds my large mountain bike very securely and I really like the ratchet down hooks that hold the top bar. My bike has the cables under the top bar so a hanging carrier is out. But I actually like this type of carrier better as it holds the bike to prevent it bouncing around and scraping the finish off of it. The carrier is a great buy for the cost. 222229
by: Richard E11/01/2015
I ordered this rack because it looked like it would fit the bill for my needs, which is occasional trips to local bike trails and short trips. After using it once, I'm sure it will work very well for me. I generally don't go for the bells and whistles stuff, just a solid product that fits my needs within my budget. This rack is very easy to put on my Subaru OB and fits on my newly installed by me Tork Lift Eco-Hitch. The only negative thing so far is that the pins are a little hard to push in, but I am hoping they will loosen up a bit, not much I hope, but just to make it easier to use. Otherwise, Etrailer responded to my questions quickly, and rack came when promised. 231235
Bike rack is great.
Richard E - 11/02/2016by: Thom B.06/30/2015
this 2-bike rack is a breeze to install and is an easy load for bikes. much less bounce than the hanging style. well worth the money... 208362
Great thanks for being in touch re: the products that I purchased from you last year.In answer to your question, both items in question are still in use on a regular basis daily or weekly and both are performing well above expectations. I have had not one, single problem with either item. And I am normally one to complain about the least little thing going wrong so believe me when I so that I am exceedingly pleased with both products.And now that youve been in contact with me to ask my opinion yet again, I am even happier. Have a great day and thanks for your note.
Thom B - 07/27/2016by: Samuel M05/29/2015
The Swagman XTC-2 is a very good product. I used it for the first time today and it was easy to install and easy to load 2 bikes. It is the easiest bike carrier I have ever used. My wife wanted to try it and she installed it and loaded the bikes herself. It is just as easy to unload them. It is a simple job to secure the bikes with the sliding arms which lock the bikes in place on the carrier. I am very pleased with it. 198542
The Swagman hitch bike rack works wonderfully. I use it several times a week and after a year there have been no problems with it. It is simple to install on the hitch and load the bikes on the rack, maybe it takes 10 minutes. I would recommend it to anyone. Thanks for your interest.
Samuel M - 06/17/2016by: Dave S09/03/2013
This rack it nice and decently made. Really easy to use as long as you use the same bikes in same positions every time. The one thing I was surprised at was very few reviewers if any mentioned that the three bolts that serve to allow the 3 arms to pivot are just simple carriage bolts with regular nuts on the end. All I needed was an adjustable wrench and I the middle arm off in a few seconds. That would mean your bikes are gone even it you use padlocks in the ratchet arms. Seems kind of stupid to use a padlock and key when all a thief really needs is and adjustable wrench. I guess I will take a chisel and damage the extend portion of the bolt threads to make this a little harder from someone to undo the nuts. It really is a weak spot that should be addressed. I am actually thinking a decent cable lock running through the bikes, rack and secured to the car hitch might be more secure than a locking hitch bolt and 2 padlocks for the ratchets. Or perhaps a combination of all the above. As expected Etrailer's service and shipping were excellent. 97937
Dave, I agree with the security issue. I do use my bicycle cable lock through the frame and through the Reese hitch while on the road.
-- comment by: Rodrick - 08/13/2014by: Barb K.08/02/2017
I just received the rack (a day earlier than expected) and put it together myself with no trouble whatsoever (on my living room floor). As I worked with the parts and pieces, I was really impressed with their QUALITY and sturdiness. Whoever designed this rack knew what he/she was doing. I haven't attached the Swagman XTC 2 platform rack to my 2012 Toyota Camry yet as northern Michigan is in the middle of a lot of rain. When I get the rack and my bikes on the car, I will continue with my review. I look forward to not having to hoist my bikes up in the air and use a LOT of bungee cords to keep wheels from spinning and handlebars from turning back and forth. By the way, the only tool of my own that I needed to put the rack together was a small Phillips screwdriver. Both of the Allen Wrenches that I needed are now supplied with the rack. The directions are clear, and they've already done most of the work for the purchaser. All of the parts were well protected for shipping. I can't wait for the rain to stop and to put this rack on my car! By the way, I'm a female grandmother, so if I can get it together, so can you! 414093
by: Daniel04/03/2018
I really like this rack. I’ve used it now for one year on a Honda CRV and it’s still like new. I thought the rubber tie down straps wouldn’t last but they’re still good as new. I do store the rack indoors when not in use and that probably helps with the rubber parts. I like the way the through bolt tightens the rack to the receiver. The only thing I’ve had minor issues with were the ratcheting bike hold downs...they tended to hang up some until I started putting some lube on the vertical post where the ratchet notches are located. That solved any issues..the hold downs slide up and down easily now. I do cover both bike’s frame rubes with a piece of rubber pipe insulation I’ve slit and press on every time we load..that prevents any scratches or marking. I also bought a Curt 1.25” receiver hitch from etrailer and installed it using their videos..I didn’t have to take the plastic cover off the CRV ...I just cut flaps, installed the hitch and trimmed and folded the flaps back in place and duct taped all the seams, so it stays clean inside. It still looks brand new after a year. 492112
by: Donald W.07/12/2013
I ordered on a Sunday evening and my rack arrived Tuesday afternoon. Assembly was minor and required only 3 to 5 minutes. I used the rack 2 days later to bring home a new bike from a dealer 30 miles away. Tie-In for the bike was fast and secure.The rack is finished nicer and is somewhat sturdier than the pictures convey. Over-all "bang-for-the-buck" from etrailer and Swagman is excellent. I highly recommend both the XTC-2 and etrailer. 89183
One year later and I find no negatives about my rack. As quick and safe transportation for my bikes, it would be my 1st choice and recommendation again.
Donald W - 07/16/2014by: Grant M04/03/2014
Although I have yet to try out the Swagman XTC-2 bike carrier (it's too cold in Wisconsin to think of recreational biking), the carrier is very well constructed and I am sure it will be a great investment for the safely of my bikes. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the folks at etrailer for their expediency with this order. I had my carrier in two days. Great job. 123560
This carrier is incredibly easy to load. Once you have your initial settings in place, bikes can be attached within a couple of minutes. I also love the fact that my bikes no longer sway or bounce around
Grant M - 04/03/2015by: Marcel B07/01/2013
Initially, I was eyeballing the less expensive Swagman carrier, but decided to spend the extra money for the XTC-2 carrier and I’m very satisfied and have no regrets. Design and construction is sturdy, assembly is minimal and the two bicycles are being held in place securely and without excessive wiggle or touching of the vehicles surfaces. No secondary straps or additional restrains are needed. I recommend the Swagman XTC-2 carrier and would purchase it again. 86946
Still like the Swagman XTC-2 carrier and would not change my intitial review.
Marcel B - 07/01/2014by: E. Cook04/23/2013
Fabricated with precision, all clean welds and precise fitted parts. More substantial than it appeared in online pictures, very steady when mounted to the car. Adjusting the carrier to take one large man's bike and a smaller woman's bike was interesting but now that it's set up it takes minimal effort to secure the bikes. This carrier is an excellent value! 77528
A year later, still very pleased with my purchase and very pleased to have done business with etrailer great people to do business with!
E. C - 04/23/2014by: Bernard I.09/16/2011
This is a very good, quality made, sturdy bike rack that I bought along with my Curt #13147 Hitch and S64029 Locking Anti-Rattle Hitch Pin. I am very satisfied with all. Easy assembly of the rack. My mens bike has a Small size frame and the center bar is almost as low as a Ladies bike and its very easy to mount the bike to this rack. The only thing I added is a cable lock to deter theft. 24032
by: Cathy05/27/2014
I LOVE my new bike rack! Extremely easy to assemble, store, install, and remove. A friend has a similar model, but clearly the Swagman is a better built model. Dont be fooled by a look alike :-) I drive a 2004 Acura TL. It even looked good! I considered a decklid/trunk model, soooo glad i went with a platform. Only sorry i didnt take any photos. and btw, friend will probably be ordering soon. 132559
A Year later, only confirms..the above statements. Extremely happy with my purchase.
Cathy - 05/27/2015by: Dolly05/23/2014
I'm a 65 yr old female that easily put the thing together and secured to my Honda 2011. The one thing that wasn't 100% correct was that one of the holes that receives a pin doesn't align up with the post hole and only allows the pin to go thru half way. Happy peddling 132170
Still working great........no problems. Lost one of the plastic screw knobs, but was easily replaced by ordering another one from the company. The order was quickly filled and mailed to me.
Dolly - 05/23/2015by: Fred Z.03/18/2012
Unless you're going to splurge for a super high-end rack (you know the ones), I highly recommend the Swagman XTC-2. I specifically purchased this type of rack because the mountain bike I recently bought—a Cannondale Trail S4—did not fit on my previous "hanging"-style rack. After doing a lot of research, combing the reviews, and observing what racks were on the backs of vehicles in the parking lots at the trailheads I frequent, I went with the Swagman XTC-2. It's elegant in its simplicity and yet robust enough to satisfy any OCD hangups you might have. When the bike(s) are mounted, they're on solid. Period. I do recommend the "Locking Anti-wobble Threaded Hitch Pin" Part #S64029 and a few Master #131 1-3/16 Padlocks which can be used to secure the ratcheting arms and thus your bike(s) (you'll see these mentioned in other reviews too). All around, this rack is an excellent value, and my purchasing experience with etrailer.com was superb. 34288
by: Bill M.09/26/2014
I had no previous experience with your company. But your website was so informative that I was compelled to call. Marcia was extremely helpful and seemed to be highly expert about all of the features of the various products we discussed. Her recommendation was spot-on. It is a well-engineered product that was easy to assemble. I started using it on the day it arrived, and I continue to enjoy it. 153155
Good product. I have enjoyed using it.
Bill M - 09/28/2015by: G ma4Julia04/07/2014
My engineer friend who assembled the Carrier thinks it is extremely well made, and I find it very easy to attach to the hitch. Placing the bike on the Carrier takes only a few simple steps. I am very happy with the service I received from etrailer.com;( they actually upgraded the shipping at no cost to me) and am completely satisfied with the product. 124141
Its great and I look forward to using it again if winter ever ends here in the Northeast!
G m - 04/07/2015 by: Toddler L05/31/2017
Great product. My family has given it lots of use. Very easy to put the bikes on and off the rack. Easy to install and remove the rack itself. Very, very sturdy. My rating would be 4 stars except for one issue. It has a little bit of a rotational wiggle, maybe an inch and a half. But, that isn't why I'm docking a star. I contacted etrailer about it to see if they had any ideas on how to reduce or remove the wiggle. My request wasn't harsh nor did it claim I received a faulty product. In fact I was, and continue to be, happy with it. The response from etrailer told me if I hadn't bought a cheap product, it would not have that much wiggle. That is not the type of response I expect from a company regarding a product it sells. I was hoping their experience with bike racks would be helpful. Telling me I bought a cheap product was not helpful at all. All in all, a great bike rack, but not the customer service I hoped for. 387119
by: JoeC09/08/2016
Again, only issue was somewhat slow from order (Monday midnight) to ship (Friday) but after that shipping was 3 business days so received Wed. I bought this platform style rack because one of my bikes is a SWB recumbent with under-seat steering. A platform style is easier than a hanging style and this unit could accommodate the wheel base of my Vision R40. I tested the rack after installation with 2 standard bikes, my wife's women frame and my upright. It works very well for those, although it is not possible to center the woman's bike and have the hold down hit the low point of the top tube due to the frame geometry. With the recumbent, due to the need to sneak the under-seat steering handlebar through the women's bike frame and due to the big recumbent seat, I have to unbolt the quick release of the recumbent seat and pivot it up and also do some maneuvering of the two bikes to get everything clamped down. 292381
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