# 1
Softride Shuttle Pad Tailgate Pad for Mid-Size Trucks - Up to 6 Bikes - 54" Wide
2012 Nissan FrontierUsed this to transport mountain and road bikes on a 2012 Nissan Frontier. I no longer own the truck but I can say ....Easy to put on and take off and stays snug to the tailgate while providing great protection. Don't do what I was doing before purchasing this and lay your bikes in the bed....this is the is way to go if you don't want to purchase a big hitch mount rack.
I considered many options for bike carriers before deciding on the Softride. I have a Nissan Frontier with a short bed, which has some limitations. The Softride allows for more storage in the bed than other systems and also allows for more carrying options with protection. It was easier than I expected to install with one person. Shipping was quick and ordering uncomplicated. I expect many years of productive use from this excellent product.
# 2
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
I would give your customer service 5 stars but the swagman only 3.5. The releases for the hooks that hold on the bikes are very stiff and difficult to push in. The new one you sent me is slightly better but still not great.
Great product, arrived on time and easy to set up. needed for a 3000 mile trip and bikes stayed in place from time loaded until removed. All was easy to use. Used on Nissan Frontier, wish bikes sat 1 inch farther away so tailgate would lower with inner bike removed. Great carrier for the price.
# 3
Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches
Love it. Fits great, very well constructed. Used it to take the bikes up to Yosemite, worked like a charm.
The good: I like the way the bikes are held in and the ability to add the upright adapters to the bike frame holders. The straps are quality too. For a jeep with a spare tire, this is the perfect length to clear it. This rack is 5 stars from the bike holders to the base of it. The bad: the 2"receiver adapter and bolt are insufficient. I wish they made this in a solid 2" hitch. The entire setup is held into the receiver by a very short bolt. It only goes about half way into the receiver tube. So your hitch is only "secured" on one side. A hitch pin or bolt should go through the receiver tube completely imo so it can be secured on the other end with a retaining clip or nut. Because this only goes in the one side, the entire weight of the rack plus bikes are held tight to one side of the receiver by the undersized bolt and washer. A few bumps down the road and that bolt loosens. Now instead of distibuting the weight of the rack and bikes on the receiver and post, it's completely up to the bolt to keep you from losing the rack. The bolt threads get damaged too. I took this down a dirt road and nearly lost everything. I had to buy my own bolt with hd fender washers and lock washers to correct this. Thule should've provided this from the start. The current short bolt design where only one side of the receiver secures the rack is unacceptable. This rack is 1 star at best for the connection to the receiver.
# 4
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
The product still function perfectly.!! Excelent quality.! I using with the rack bike
First-time rack buyer / owner / installer. The rack arrived in a timely fashion, maybe a day or 2 ahead of schedule. It was well packaged. I’m LOVING this bike rack. It was easy to put together and to mount on my new Honda Passport. Thus far, no squeaks in my 2” receiver. Hardest part of initial set-up is figuring out the best way to position two bikes. Trial & error and some patience. The directions weren’t clear as to where the 2 left-over screws went. I found the answer in another review and have posted a pic in case others have the same problem (photo with pen pointing at screw). These screws go in the underneath side of both of the folding arms. They appear to keep the wheel wells from sliding off in case in you drive with an empty, un-folded rack, and forgot to tighten down the wheel wells. The folding arm push / pull pins can be difficult at times. I coated the tips with some lube. That and a little jiggling seems to solve that issue. I guess it’s better for the pins to be snug vs popping right out. I added a small Master lock to the hitch pin (in lieu of the provided cotter pin) as a theft deterrent. I read that a 3/16 shackle lock will fit into the bike clamp down arms to also act as a deterrent. I had an old 3/16 lock that did snugly fit and appeared to be locked. HOWEVER, I yanked on the lock and it came open as there isn’t quite enough clearance for the shackle to lock. I discovered that longer 3/16 shackle locks are hard to find. Have attached a photo of the lock that actually fits and works (Ace Hardware). One lock on the upper clamp down arm will secure both arms as the lower arm can’t be removed without removing the upper arm. The clamp down arms appear to be coated to prevent damage to your bike. I’ve tried a simple rag and ultimately settled on pool noodle pieces as a precautionary measure. I CAN NOT open my tailgate (regardless of whether or not the rack is fold up and in the bike carry position). If that’s a concern for you, then spring for the more costly titling version. My back-up camera still functions.
# 5
Hollywood Racks Truck Bed Bike Carrier - Fork Mount - Bolt On
The Hollywood Racks Truck Bed Bike Carrier - Fork Mount - Bolt On, is just what I was looking for to be able to build a bike rack for carrying one of my bikes on my motorcycle. It was easy to mount and it holds my bike in place while riding on bumpy dirt roads, city streets, highways and even when I hit some twisty country roads. It's really easy to load and unload my bike when I get to where I want to ride. I use a velcro strap around the quick-release and the fork arm as an added safety as well as a couple tie-downs from my bike handlebars to my motorcycle passenger pegs to help distribute the weight on my rack. If you want to build your own DIY bike rack I totally recommend the Hollywood Racks Truck Bed Bike Carrier - Fork Mount - Bolt On.
Love this product! I built a great bike carrying system for my F-150 using two of these fork clamps. They are easy to install and extremely well made. No more tangled bikes and lots more room in the bed for other stuff! Best way to go for a nice bike rack system. Thanks, Phil T.
# 6
Inno Velo Gripper Bike Rack for Truck Beds - C-Channel Mount
I had been looking for a rack for the bed of my 2017 Nissan Frontier SV king cab for a while. I have a Transit Express rack that goes across the bed and holds my bike very well. Absolutely no regrets buying that one but I was tired of taking off the front wheel every time I wanted to take them out like the beach or camping. I came across the INNO velo gripper online and it was exactly what I was looking for. There was no info that assured me it would fit my truck. I have NO C-channels (Utili-Trac system). I took a chance and ordered NT201 for standard beds and it fits great! I hope this review helps others. It does fit the Nissan Frontier with no issues.
These are easy to put on, secure the bike well and leave plenty of room in the bed for other things. I would recommend. Only negative is the length of the screw that holds the strap. If it were a few more inches these would get a 5 star from me. The bike has to lean a bit to strap it in. Not the end of the world. Otherwise, they are fantastic.
# 7
Swagman Tailwhip Tailgate Pad for Mid-Size Trucks - Up to 4 Bikes - 54" Wide
Once again, etrailer delivers. Great product, and they always makes sure they fit!
Very satisfied with this product! It is plug & play out of the box, it takes 1-2 minutes to install, and it fit my Honda tailgate like a glove. The cover is lightweight yet fully protects my trucks finish. The Swagman is an excellent value.
# 8
Yakima BlockHead Single Bike Truck Bed Mounted Rack - Bolt-on - 9-mm Skewer
With a little adaption the Yakima brackets mounted to my built in bed rails on my 2010 Nissan Frontier. With my truck cap this makes my bikes safe and secure, out of sight out of mind.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500Have used the block head bike mounts by Yakima on trips of 800 to 1500 miles with no incident. Easy to mount the bikes and they have not released even on bumpy roads. Great product for my truck box and bikes are always in view. Easiest way I have found to transport our bikes
# 9
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Decent product. The 2inch hitch sleeve came installed backward, so it took some figuring out to get the anti-rattle bolt to work. I wish it tilted back just another inch or two - then my truck tailgate would fully lower. I will end up buying a 7inch hitch extension to give me more room. Otherwise it’s a solid product.
My Swagman is awesome, it doesn't even rattle or clunk! I definitely recommend this bike rack to anyone that wants a good quality rack!
# 10
Thule GateMate Pro Tailgate Pad for Full-Size Trucks - Up to 7 Bikes - 53" Wide
It has 7 different areas to strap bicycles down but there is definitely not room to strap 7 bikes down from what I can tell. The straps were a little tricky to feed under the tailgate and pull up at the same time with only one person. Overall it works pretty well but it appears to only have enough room for 4 MTN bikes.
Very sturdy and well made. Great for a barrier between bikes and tailgate so it is not scratched. The camera flap is a plus so the rear view camera is accessible. No issues a year after purchase. Fits a 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 and 2022 RAM 2500 equally well.
# 11
The Claw Fork Mount Bike Rack for 1 Bike - 9-mm Skewer
Holds my bike securely in the back of my truck. Quick and easy to loosen or tighten. Recommend to anyone making their own bike rack.
These are very nice fork cleats, powdercoated steel and neatly welded. I did need to drill them to 3/8" mounting holes as my bed rail takes 3/8" hardware and these come with 5/16". Once that minor step was complete I was able to bolt them to my bed rail easily. I would recommend these over aluminum fork cleats to anyone putting together a custom bike rack.
What our customers are saying:
"I ordered a bike rack for my trailer hitch. It is a great product, very reasonably priced on April 10th. I installed it on my car on the 14th in time for the weekend. How can you go wrong?"