# 1
Swagman XTC4 Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
We've used this bike rack with our '14 Sienna for over a year now and it works wonderfully. I especially appreciate the way the rack folds against the back of the van when not in use. After many hours of research before making this purchase, I could not be more happy with this rack.
Placed my order on a Monday and had my new rack on Friday. While the instructions for assembly could tolerate some improvement they were plenty goood enough to get the job done. Took me about an hour to assmble but I wasn't in a hurry. I attached the rack to my Curt receiver (part #C13105) that I installed on my 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE. Only problem with this setup is insufficient clearance to swing the rack into the full upright storage position. I also have to loosen the handlebars on the bike closest to the van and turn them 90 degrees so they don't touch the back of the van. Both these issues could be solved with a hitch extesion but simple enough to work around without. No biggie. Guess that's the price I pay for having the Curt receiver discretely snuggied up under the bumper. This rack is a serious hunk of steel that does a great job of holding the bikes in place. NO wiggle at all. After test fitting the bikes in place, I'm very confident that the bikes will stay put for a long road trip. Getting all the bikes on the rack and clear of each other does take some experimentation. But once you get it set, it's much faster loading on subsequent trips. The provided locking, anti-rattle pin does a great job of securing the rack to the receiver and makes it all feel like one solid piece. The provided cable lock threads through the bikes and back to the locked anti-rattle pin so nobody can steal your bikes while you're at the hotel, etc. Overall, the construction looks/feels very solid and I really don't see anything where I thought they were trying to save money on construction. This does make the rack a little heavy and it could be challenging for a smaller person to manage. I really like the way this rack holds the bikes from the wheels up as oppposed to hanging off a bar. I was afraid the other style would have the bikes swinging lik e a pedulum. Sorry for the long review, hope there's some helpful information in here some of you.
# 2
Swagman Upright Bike Rack for 1 Bike - Roof Rack Crossbars - Frame Mount
Planning on bringing bikes while camping. I mounted 2 of the Swagman bike racks to my new Sportrack on my pop-up camper. The bikes fit perfectly. The racks seem sturdy enough. Not heavy duty, but for my needs they should be fine. Assembly was relatively fast and easy.
We have used the Swagman Roof Rack a number of times when we have needed the additional bike carrying capacity. It took a couple attempts to get the initial spacing of the bike rack properly balanced on the van’s roof rack as recommended by the instructions. But it was easy to do and once set was very easy and quick to put on and take off. The rack works great, the bike is easy to put into place and secure. The bike and rack are very stable and quiet and haven’t required any mid-trip adjustments. We always put the cheapest bike on the roof (lol) but do use a bit of duct tape to protect the finish just Incase. We are very satisfied with the rack and consider it quite a deal for the money.
# 3
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
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.
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.
# 4
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Excellent bike rack. Holds up to 4 bikes securely. Easy to mount the bikes, very solid construction. My wife had a little trouble with the tie down straps, but managed it. No such problem for a guy. I would recommend, in fact I believe my son is buying the same rack.
Sturdy, stable, holds bikes securely and reasonably priced. Easy to hang bikes on rack and secure them. Rack is easy to mount on vehicle and does not rattle. I haven't found anything not to like about this bike rack.
# 5
Swagman XP Bike Rack for 5 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Tilting
Bike carrier works great. It is built well and does what I expected.
Purchased this after reading some of the other reviews and Q&A on etrailer - i hadn't thought about the fact that how the crossbars on the bike are configured makes a difference - 3 of our 5 bikes wouldn't have fit on a two bar bike rack because the openings are two small (I ended up measuring them before selecting a rack). I still ended up having to use the adapter for one of them which works great. Installation was easy (I had uhaul put a receiver hitch on my 2012 odyssey the week before) - you do have to pull a pin on the bottom of the rack when you tilt it, which some might consider an inconvenience compared to some of the other brands that just have release levers, but i view it as less stuff to break compared to those racks. If you're going to have it on a lot and park in a garage, consider the fact that it doesn't collapse because it does add significant length to the vehicle. 5 bikes are definitely doable if you set it up correctly. I think its the most versatile rack you can get based on the way it holds the bikes and would definitely recommend.
What our customers are saying:
"Everyone that bought before me was right! I got my rack in time for my next days off and putting it together was fast too. And I'm a grandma!! Thank you for being fast and honest! You beat anyone in my town hands down!"