# 1
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
This I was not as happy with. Service was great. Delivery was great but the product QC was off and there is a design flaw in the product (that is most likely fixed by me spending more money, so thats on me.) Assembly was easy to follow however there was one big problem. The bar coming from the hitch to the rack. The metal mechanisim inside the square tube is cocked (image included) and thus lines up the threads for mounting at an angle and is a perfect setup for cross threading during installation. I managed with some work to get the pieces together (provided hex wrench + vice grips + torque bar). That said I can most likely never disassemble the product again for those threads are going to be toast and unsuable again. Mounting the rack to hitch was easy. Adjusting the setup for bike was easy. Design flaw and place I should spend more money is that once the bike is on the car I can no longer open the hatch to my car. Even if I pull the clamp bar off the rack closests to the hatch. Considering the cost of the rack I can live with this. It just means I cannot drive around with the rack always on the car and I will be pulling it off and only using it when I ride. Never time however I will be spending more to get a rack that either swings away from a hatch or has some sort of a pivot release to gain access into the car. For the money I spent this is going to work, considering the cost of some of the big name platform racks this is literally a small fraction of their price. So I cannot complain too much but that cross thread issue is not a good one.
I bought this (and a receiver) from etrailer for my Prius V (2012). I'm using it to carry a Trek Mamba (29er). The carrier looks to be well made. It's easy to install and take off. And easy to load one bike (I've never carried two on it). I see the carrier flex a little side-to-side sometimes when going over bumps. But it's minor - I don't feel like it's going to fail. I'd buy this carrier (or another Swagman product) again.
# 2
Swagman XC2 Bike Rack for 2 bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Great bike rack that works well on my 2016 Prius. Easy to use and I can still open the rear door on the Prius with the bike on the rack. I regularly take my bike when I go hiking in the Smokies to ride between trailheads. Quality product at a reasonable price. I highly recommend this product.
I had to trade in my car and was unable to get my Yakima rack out of the receiver. It went with the car but It was OK as I had developed arthritis in my wrists and hands and after careful reading, reviews, etc. , I decided I would opt for the Swagman XC 2 for my Prius C. I had no problem putting it together- it was a breeze. I promptly put my Cannondale on-board- no problem. I headed down back roads to my favorite trail at deliberate speeds of 50-55 mph. Some bounce but not much. This reasonably priced product is perfect for my needs. I did add a bungy around the seat post for my own peace of mind. I may see if I can loosen up one of the top grips as it is super tight and hard for me to squeeze- but that may just be me. Lifting the bike onto the the Swagman was a breeze. Haven't tried it with two bikes yet but I don't anticipate any problem. Thank you etrailer for your excellent service, 2nd time around and for all the available installation tips and product reviews.
# 3
Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches
This rack has been excellent. We transported three bicycles from MA to MN and then to Ontario on a Toyota Prius. The rack served us well.
Fits to my 2013 Prius to a Tee. So far so good. Happy with it. But noticed that the price went down a few weeks after I bought it. Bummer. Also passed up on the Whitehall rack Thule lock. Now have to buy it after further consideration
# 4
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Bought this rack because I for some reason are more comfortable (perhaps more used to) the hanging style bike rack. It reminded me of the Thule 4 bike rack that I have and like so much (at much less money). I am very pleased with quality of this rack. At first glance it appears to be built magnificently. Delivery was very speedy. Rack was packaged great with minimal assembly required.
I am unhappy with my purchase as I am unable to access my hatch on my 2013 Prius.
# 5
Kuat Beta Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Trailer Hitches - Tilting
We've been using this bike rack with a 1.25" Draw-Tite receiver hitch (also purchased from etrailer) on a 2012 Prius C for a month with no problems. As shown on the pictures, it fits two bikes very well, even one with a baby carrier. I chose this model based on recommendations from etrailer that it can be easily detached from the car without tools. True to their word, it is very easily detachable from the hitch and folds up nicely to fit in your garage/closet/storage area. Basically, it uses a hand tightened ball bearing mechanism to secure itself into the hitch receiver, and then uses a 3/8" hand locked pin as a safety device. You can install and de-install this rack in just a few minutes. During driving, there is little noticeable vibration from this rack, even on rougher roads or speed bumps. The only downside is that the holes on the receiver hitch do not align perfectly with the holes on the bike rack (see picture). I believe a few other reviewers also noted this issue. There is enough room to fit the safety pin, but not quite enough to fit a 1/2" hitch lock. I called Kuat to ask them about this and the rep told me that not all hitches will line up with this rack. Kuat, coincidentally(?), sells a hitch lock that is also 3/8" (same size as the safety pin) and still fits.
I looked at a lot of bike racks and the Kuat was one of the very best. Lightweight and a reasonable price. It folds nearly flat and easy to store in the trunk. I'm using on a Toyota Prius and one pleasant surprise was I can open the hatchback without moving the rack or the bikes.
# 6
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Appears well made out of the box. Anxious to see how it holds up to use vs. the bing names in racks.
# 7
Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Gray
TLDR: Awesome. Easy. Secure at 80 mph. I have really enjoyed this Kuat rack over the past year. Installation was straightforward (just crank down on that tightening bolt through the hitch!), and I can move the rack on and off the car without too much effort. The rack weighs around ~30 lbs if I recall correctly. This rack keeps my bike safe with no problem going 80 mph down I-10 across west texas or over subpar roads in town. It takes seconds to load and unload the bikes. No fidgeting for 10 minutes to secure the bike. No ratchets to come loose and drop your bike on the road behind you, which I recently saw. :/ Just quickly load up your bike(s) and go. And yes, it can all be operated one-handed while holding a bike or a bag. The tilt down mechanism is great when bikes are loaded on the rack, and I need to access my hatchback area. Otherwise, I can open the hatchback on my Prius without a problem when the rack is folded up. Prius side note: I had a 1-1/4 hitch installed for this rack. Love it! I really appreciate etrailer's videos and pricing. Thanks!
I am so glad I bought the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 hitch bike rack. It looks so good and it fits so good into my Prius. I drove with it this morning and my bike has never been so secured with the integrated locking cable and rattle free design. Assembly was also easy and it took me only thirty minutes to do it. I totally recommend this to any avid biker who is contemplating on buying a decent bike rack.
# 8
Swagman Chinook Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Truly grooving on my wife's new Swagman Chinook bike rack. She wanted to be able to transport her nice road bike easily without throwing it in the back of her car, and since a roof rack is out of the question, this Swagman model fit the bill perfectly. It arrived quickly on the anticipated date. Kudos to etrailer.com for the email updates to keep me informed of my purchase. Within one hour, it was installed on my wife's 2014 Mazda3 hatchback. The Swagman is heavy and solid, which is reassuring as it makes me feel confident that it will keep the bikes secure. It also makes me feel like I got my money's worth. A ratchet wrench and Phillip's head screwdriver were the only tools required for the easy install. I did my research before purchasing the Chinook model as I was also eyeballing a very similar Thule rack that was slightly more expensive. I spoke with an etrailer.com expert who gave me the lowdown on both models. Ultimately, the Swagman won out because it has a smaller 'footprint' while extended or folded up ... and also can tilt away from the car for easy access to the hatchback area. Very convenient! FYI: Mazda doesn't make a trailer hitch for the Mazda3 as it's a small car with a small engine and has no business towing anything. Thankfully, the Curt company makes an aftermarket frame and trailer hitch that fits the Mazda3 hatchback perfectly with no drilling. Stupidly, I purchased it from another online company thinking I was getting a good deal. Turns out etrailer.com had it for less with FREE shipping. Oh well ... live and learn. Now I know that etrailer.com is one-stop shopping for bike racks AND trailer hitches. (Full disclosure: I had the garage down the street install the frame as it's easier with a lift) Only snafu: the shipment contained an extra set of keys that I assumed was for the hitch bolt lock (there was also a set of keys on the bolt itself). I spent 15 minutes using those keys trying to figure out how to remove the lock from the bolt to install it on the hitch. The keys just wouldn't turn in the lock. I called etrailer.com and Kevin told me to try the other set of keys ... and they worked. So an extra set of keys came with it that did absolutely nothing ... weird! Obviously, I can't speak to the longevity and durability of the Swagman Chinook 2 Bike Platform Rack as I just installed it. What I can speak to is the sturdiness of it, the ease of the installation and my complete satisfaction with the good folks at etrailer.com.
# 9
Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" Hitches - Wheel Mount - Black
TLDR: Awesome. Easy. Secure at 80 mph. I have really enjoyed this Kuat rack over the past year. Installation was straightforward (just crank down on that tightening bolt through the hitch!), and I can move the rack on and off the car without too much effort. The rack weighs around ~30 lbs if I recall correctly. This rack keeps my bike safe with no problem going 80 mph down I-10 across west texas or over subpar roads in town. It takes seconds to load and unload the bikes. No fidgeting for 10 minutes to secure the bike. No ratchets to come loose and drop your bike on the road behind you, which I recently saw. :/ Just quickly load up your bike(s) and go. And yes, it can all be operated one-handed while holding a bike or a bag. The tilt down mechanism is great when bikes are loaded on the rack, and I need to access my hatchback area. Otherwise, I can open the hatchback on my Prius without a problem when the rack is folded up. Prius side note: I had a 1-1/4 hitch installed for this rack. Love it! I really appreciate etrailer's videos and pricing. Thanks!
I am so glad I bought the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 hitch bike rack. It looks so good and it fits so good into my Prius. I drove with it this morning and my bike has never been so secured with the integrated locking cable and rattle free design. Assembly was also easy and it took me only thirty minutes to do it. I totally recommend this to any avid biker who is contemplating on buying a decent bike rack.
# 10
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Bought this rack because I for some reason are more comfortable (perhaps more used to) the hanging style bike rack. It reminded me of the Thule 4 bike rack that I have and like so much (at much less money). I am very pleased with quality of this rack. At first glance it appears to be built magnificently. Delivery was very speedy. Rack was packaged great with minimal assembly required.
I am unhappy with my purchase as I am unable to access my hatch on my 2013 Prius.
# 11
Thule EasyFold XT Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
The Thule Easy Fold bike rack came on time. It was easy to set up and put on our truck though it is a bit heavy. I was delighted to see they had thought to put wheels on the bottom for moving without having to carry it to the vehicle and no rattling when driving! Very sturdy and folds nicely away. It can be tricky to take off the hitch and requires a bit of lifting to loosen and slide out. The bike ramp is difficult to get to and we found it was just easier to just lift our bikes onto the platform. Definitely great for our electric bikes.
The BEST bike carrier by far!! We are both in our 7th decade and even I alone (5’2” 120 lbs) can manage to attach this in my hitch without any issues. It’s so easy to load both our hybrid and e-bike and they are super secure. We love that it folds up small and wheels away when not in use. This bike carrier is worth every penny!!
What our customers are saying:
"Loved the hitch 5-bike bike rack. Came quickly and is as advertised."