# 1
Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Gray
I’ve had the Kuat Sherpa for about a year now and could not be more happy with this bike rack. When not in use I keep it safely in the garage- it only takes a few minutes to install it to my Honda Civic and safely secure two bikes using its exquisitely engineered and designed system. I’ve used this for 900+ mile trips with no issues whatsoever - the perfect bike rack!
After doing extensive research before buying my first ever bike rack, I chose the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 platform rack. I considered trunk mounted, hanging and platform racks before settling on a platform rack. I like the stability, the ease of loading and unloading and very importantly, the absence of contact with the frame of my bike. My bike has a beautiful paint job that I want to preserve. I looked at lots of racks online and at a bike shop and opted for the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 because of the excellent engineering, including the design of the packaging that becomes a work bench for assembling the rack, the relatively light weight (32 pounds), the inclusion of a hitch lock and a bike lock, the stability of the platform, even with a 1.25" connection and a class I hitch, and the ease of operation. Additionally, the overall appearance of the rack suggests high quality. Time will tell how well it ages but I'm pretty confident that I'll be pleased with it. I was very fortunate to find a used, like new Kuat via Etrailer at a meaningful discount that still qualified for the manufacturer's warranty! Thank you Etrailer! A tip to pass along that was shared with me, U-Haul is an excellent source for buying and installing hitches to accommodate bike racks - very attractive pricing, high quality installation and a super unlimited lifetime warranty. Can't wait for Spring and the chance to transport my bike to inviting riding venues!! PS The hitch and bike rack work very well with my 2011 Honda Accord Coupe, EXL V6 model that remains in excellent condition.
# 2
Thule Passage 3 Bike Carrier - Trunk Mount
Fits perfectly on our Lexus CT200h. Only on the old LS400, the side straps have to be fastened to the wheel arch edge, since the upper trunklid gap is to narrow for inserting the strap hooks. Mounting of two bikes is (with some routine) quickly done, and they stay safe even for longer and faster routes. For transporting three (mountain) bikes, though, the design doesn't seem big and robust enough. Nevertheless, the price-benefit-fun ratios are way better than reasonable.
The side / bottom straps are seriously lacking. It has those straps you would find on a backpack, making it difficult to securely tighten down because of the angle. I'd usually have to pre-tighten them to a certain length, then forcefully shove the whole rack until it clipped onto my car. They really just need to be ratchet straps. Even then, one of the side straps came off while driving after hitting a small pothole and the whole thing dangled to one side - Luckily I was in a parking lot. I've also never been able to fit 3 regular bikes, only 2. It's really only a capacity of 3 if you have 2-3 slim bikes. The rubber is so wide that it makes it nearly impossible to slide certain bikes on. If you have a step thru bike with one of those crossbar adapters, I wouldn't even bother with trying this. Unfortunately I don't use this anymore since I'd be constantly worrying the whole thing will come off whenever I drive.
# 3
Thule Passage Trunk Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - Hanging Style
Excellent and prompt customer service! When I first ordered my product it wasn’t in stock— staff were quick to let me know and offered me comparable products. I ended up waiting for my original order and shipping quick and they stayed in touch with ideas! Thule: The instructions could be a little more detailed. I ended up watching YouTube videos to help me instal. Overall it was easy, and this was the first rack I’ve ever installed and I did it by myself! I was surprised to learn the bike rack is in no way secured inside your vehicle, so.. I store it in my garage when it’s on.
Ordered online, it shipped the same day. Received it 3 days later. There is a little assembly, but, pretty simple. It took me less than 15 minutes to install and no tools were needed. It is adjustable to be used on many different auto types, but, the instructions were very clear about how to adjust it to fit my 2011 Ford Edge. I have used it twice so far to transport my bike. There are a couple of items that are inherent in the design, not a flaw, but, you need to be aware of them. First, you can't use rear window wipers. Second, the back-up alarm goes nuts because it registers a bike less than 6 inches behind you (I tolerate it for the few seconds it takes to back out of my driveway or out of a parking lot). Third, there is a little flexibility, it is held on with straps and clamps, not bolts, so, it bounces a little when you go over bumps or make sharp turns, however, it holds the bike fast to the frame and stays on the car. I use mine to transport my bike on short trips around town to bike trails. On a long trip I would suggest checking that the straps remain tight from time to time during the drive.
# 4
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
It works great! Easy, quick, you know. One needs to screw in the hitch bolt, for some reason, before latching it. Other than that, it makes going bike riding way easier.
I like the overall design of this rack, but unfortunately after hauling a couple bikes around for a while the point where the crossbar connects has apparently rounded off so the rack swings back and forth. I've used rope to tie the ends of the rack to the car to stop this from getting worse, but it's inconvenient. Note: the hitch connection itself is good and solid, but the point where the crossbar connects to the bar coming from the hitch has gotten loose and there's no way that I can see to tighten it.
# 5
Hollywood Racks Trail Rider Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Overall the hitch works great sturdy heavy duty easy to load. The only difficulty was getting a receiver mounted on our little Honda Civic that took a mechanic! This hitch is much better than the kind we used to use strapping on the back of the car much more secure.
I was impressed with this bike rack from the minute I unpacked it. The assembly was simple & straight forward. I looked at quite a few bike racks & for the price point this product was hard to beat. It is well designed & the keyhole pins make it easy to remove & fold up when not carrying the bikes. The locking hitch pin & locking frame bars are convenient and fairly secure. I will add my cable lock to make the bikes even a little more tamper proof. So far I’m very happy with this his purchase. Now the test of time!
What our customers are saying:
"A couple months ago, I ordered a hitch & bike rack for my new 2005 Saturn VUE. Everything about the order was fast and easy. When my father bought a 2006 VUE, he wanted the same hitch, but it was not listed on the site. I contacted customer service and quickly received a response informing me that they were waiting for details on the new model. The next day I had another email saying it was available, less than an hour later, my order was placed and I had a "shipped" email. Outstanding service!"