Swagman XTC-2 2-Bike Platform Rack for 1-1/4" and 2" Trailer Hitches

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

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by: 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

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For 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.

-- Rachael H - 7/28/2014

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

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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 - 08/17/2016

by: 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: 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

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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: 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 - 08/05/2016

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

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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

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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 - 05/16/2014

by: 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 - 01/04/2015

by: 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 - 10/15/2016

by: Joe K07/09/2012

I installed the bike rack today, here are the photos. 47298

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As 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 - 9/22/2014

by: 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

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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

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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 - 02/01/2015

by: 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

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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 - 07/29/2015

by: 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 - 06/03/2015

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

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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

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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 - 01/24/2015

by: 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 - 11/02/2016

by: 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 - 07/27/2016

by: 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 - 06/17/2016

by: 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

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 - 07/16/2014

by: 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 - 04/03/2015

by: 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 - 07/01/2014

by: 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 - 04/23/2014

by: 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

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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 - 05/27/2015

by: 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 - 05/23/2015

by: 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 - 09/28/2015

by: 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: 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

by: Mike V08/18/2012

Product is as described. Easy to put together and install on the hitch. Seems very solid which is what I need traveling 250 miles every two weeks. And etrailer is a pleasure to do business with. Free shipping, great communications and then they even upgraded the shipping to expedited and I received the product in 4 business days. 52196

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by: Jen09/11/2016

I placed an order for a Swagman bike rack and and 2 adapter bars with etrailer.com in early August 2016. A week later I received a notice that the adapter bars were on back order, but my order would be sent once they were available. Another several weeks passed and I called etrailer.com to inquire about the status. I spoke with Pat C. who explained that there was no expected date for shipment, but she could replace the adapter bars with another brand. I was happy with the offer and accepted. Then Pat checked the rest of my order and was very happy to tell me that the bike rack was on sale for Labor Day. She cancelled my previous order and started a new one. Pat saved me nearly $50! My order was shipped later that day and I received it two days later. It was a delight to speak with Pat. She was friendly, helpful and showed great interest in making the customer happy. I will definitely use etrailer.com again. 294118

by: Bruce10/10/2011

First off E trailer is the best sight going to buy your racks, the prices are as good and better than other sights. The customer help I received from this sight was second to none, they know in some case what you need better than you do. I also had to return the first order as my bikes didn't work well on a hanging rack and the Cristy gave me customer service that was second to none. She is top notch at what she does for etrailer and I would recommend you ask for her! I would absolutely buy from this web sight again. The vehicle that this rack is used is a 2006 Toyota Corolla. I would like to thank E trailer for the help in getting my first bike rack and helping to make a ten year old little girl very happy on weekends ! 25340

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by: Charlie04/28/2012

I did a lot of research and this is probably the best hitch rack for under $200. The ratcheting frame hook and cross-car folding tube ensures a sturdy setup. Built quality was excellent and shipping was very fast. 38672

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There are many bike racks available with locking systems that will deter theft, but remember that nothing is theft-proof. Swagman offers an optional locking pin for their racks, you could use the XTC-2 bike rack, part # S64670
Swagman XTC-2 2-Bike Platform Rack for 1-1/4" and 2" Trailer Hitches
$213.30 and add the lock, part # S64029
Locking Anti-Rattle, Threaded Hitch Pin for Swagman Hitch Racks
$28.65. I have added a link to all the bike racks we have that include a lock for the bikes themselves as well as a lock that secures the rack to the hitch.

-- Patrick B - 4/15/2014

by: David08/11/2012

So far so good! Very easy to use, put on & take off. Takes little room to store when not in use. No rattles! 51396

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by: Brenda W.05/04/2015

I purchased the Swagman XTC-2 on Monday and needed quick delivery for a bike trip on Friday. I placed my order online, then called to confirm it would be delivered in time for my trip. It arrived just as promised, was easy to assemble and held my bike securely. It was easy to place the bike on the rack and there was very little sway. I am very happy with my purchase 190106

Still very happy with the bike rack

Brenda W - 05/04/2016

by: Jesse F08/05/2012

I installed this on a 2008 Volkswagen Passat Sedan. The etrailer reviews, and videos are really what sold me on this rack. This rack is well built and feels solid. It is easy enough to unbolt, fold it up, and toss it in the trunk when not in use. Having a threaded bolt securing the rack to the hitch may sound like a pain, but it really is not. Keep a ratchet in your car, and it unbolts quick enough. The trade off is that the rack does not move while driving. At ALL. The rack is easy to adjust for different bikes, and you can take off the parts if you only bring one bike. On the passat I needed a bungee to secure my pedal when using the inner position so that the pedal did not come in contact with the paint. The rack has plenty of clearance, and curves up. My car is lowered with sport springs, and the rack is nowhere near the road. If I had more cars, I would buy more of these swagman racks. 50631

by: Edwin Flores05/02/2016

We own a 2015 Subaru Outback with a factory installed hitch. We purchased the Swagman bike bike carrier in Spring 2015 from etrailer.com. At first installation, I knew this was exactly the bike carrier I was looking for. The thick steel parts were easily assembled, and fit perfectly on the car. If mounted correctly, the bikes have more than enough clearance. With bikes dismounted, you are able to access the back hatch of the car by removing the pin from the mounting pole and moving the pole to the side. Very efficient. Since we ride most every day, the easy on and off allows us to drive to any bike trial with our bikes mounted safely and conveniently. One word of advice though, I make certain all bolts are tightened on the carrier before I mount the bikes. Quickly done, and the peace of mind is worth it. I definitely would recommend this bike carrier to any bike riding enthusiast. 248072

Had several folks approach us with questions about the bike carrier. Waiting for the warmer weather to come to start our riding season. This year we will take bikes on vacation with the help of the carrier. Best purchase Ive made in quite a while.

Edwin F - 05/02/2017

by: LCMOSS7606308/31/2015

This product is of high quality and exactly as advertised on etrailer's site. Between the videos (many specific to your exact vehicle) and being able to download a PDF of the assembly instructions, the actual assembly took all of 20 minutes. We really like the way the rack secures our bikes as well as the ease of mounting the bikes in the cradles. 223069

Great product, used almost every weekend.

LCMOSS76063 - 08/30/2016

by: Rich K09/30/2013

I appreciate the expeditious delivery of my order...received it in 3 days at no charge when I specified standard delivery. Installed today by myself by supporting the exhaust and hitch with assorted scrap lumber. The videos provided by E-Trailer were most helpful. Only minor disappointment is that you can not center the bike behind the vehicle on the Swagman XTC 2 as the manufacturer specifies that the hold down hook should be mounted at the lowest part on the top tube which is at the intersection of top tube and seat tube. As a result, the bike protrusion from the side of the car is more pronounced on one side. I will definitely recommend E-Trailer to friends and associates. 102014

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