# 1
Swagman XTC4 Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
So far I’ve just assembled it and took a quick test drive around the block. My initial thought is this thing is perfect. It’s super sturdy and easy to use. My only gripe and it’s not fault of the rack, but it’s heavy…
If you've done any research or read any of the other comments on either this rack, or this seller...rest assured they really are as good as everyone says! I ordered my rack on around 4pm est on a Friday afternoon and within an hour I received an email that said they have shipped my product AND upgraded to priority shipping. Can't say enough positive things about the customer service! When the rack arrived, it took me a little over half an hour to get it set up. Probably would e been faster if I were even slightly mechanically inclined (or if didn't I didn't have to borrow a socket wrench from my neighbor). We finally had an opportunity to load up the bikes and head out for a ride today. As others have said, the first time you load up your bikes, it's kind of like a puzzle to get them situated. Took about 15 minutes. This rack is awesome! Very sturdy and the bikes were very secure. Only racks I have had in the past were rooftop fork mount racks. This is so much easier! On e we got to the trail (over an hour drive) getting the bikes off was a piece of cake. Afterwards, it was time to load them back up and it was less than 5 minutes to get them all on and ready to hit the road. There were other 4-bike racks on the website, but this one had enough great reviews that I felt comfortable making the purchase. After the fact, I'm very glad I did! I can't imagine the $800 rack can be that much better than this, and I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a 4-bike platform rack. I will definitely recommend this rack and etrailer.com to everyone I know.
# 2
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
I received the product in excellent condition. I have used it once and have mixed reviews. The bike cradles are not as good as those on my Yakima but I believe that they will work fine. The bike does rock more than I expected. The assembly was straight forward but concerning. The main bolts in the base called for a 45 foot-pound torque spec. There were two bolts that needed to be installed. These torqued out very well. However the next sentence in the instructions were to ensure that all of the bolts were "tight". Given that the bolts were all the same size I assumed the 45 foot-pounds was also the target. The vertical tube is slightly buckled as it started to crush well before I hit 45 foot-pounds.
Love this site! Got their contact info from local bike shop. Brought up their website. Put in my car info and was immediately given numerous choices for both the tow bar and the bike rack. Did some comparisons and chose the tow bar and rack that best filled my needs. Prices were the same as that other big website (I always check these days). Free shipping which was a big deal because these items were heavy. Had both in 3 days. Had my mechanic install. Took him 15 min. I love my new bike rack! Thanks etrailer. Will definitely use you again,
# 3
Swagman XC-Extended Bike Rack for 2 Recumbent Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
I have bad shoulders and could no longer lift my long wheelbase recumbent bike up to my Thule rack. The new rack solved the problem and made it much easier to load the bike. Very happy I got the new Swagman rack.
Thank you again for such excellent customer service. I am including two pics from today showing the bikes mounted on my 2009 Honda Fit with the bike rack we purchased from you. Please feel free to use them in any of your publications, print or web.
# 4
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.
# 5
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
I received the product in excellent condition. I have used it once and have mixed reviews. The bike cradles are not as good as those on my Yakima but I believe that they will work fine. The bike does rock more than I expected. The assembly was straight forward but concerning. The main bolts in the base called for a 45 foot-pound torque spec. There were two bolts that needed to be installed. These torqued out very well. However the next sentence in the instructions were to ensure that all of the bolts were "tight". Given that the bolts were all the same size I assumed the 45 foot-pounds was also the target. The vertical tube is slightly buckled as it started to crush well before I hit 45 foot-pounds.
Love this site! Got their contact info from local bike shop. Brought up their website. Put in my car info and was immediately given numerous choices for both the tow bar and the bike rack. Did some comparisons and chose the tow bar and rack that best filled my needs. Prices were the same as that other big website (I always check these days). Free shipping which was a big deal because these items were heavy. Had both in 3 days. Had my mechanic install. Took him 15 min. I love my new bike rack! Thanks etrailer. Will definitely use you again,
# 6
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
I received the product in excellent condition. I have used it once and have mixed reviews. The bike cradles are not as good as those on my Yakima but I believe that they will work fine. The bike does rock more than I expected. The assembly was straight forward but concerning. The main bolts in the base called for a 45 foot-pound torque spec. There were two bolts that needed to be installed. These torqued out very well. However the next sentence in the instructions were to ensure that all of the bolts were "tight". Given that the bolts were all the same size I assumed the 45 foot-pounds was also the target. The vertical tube is slightly buckled as it started to crush well before I hit 45 foot-pounds.
Love this site! Got their contact info from local bike shop. Brought up their website. Put in my car info and was immediately given numerous choices for both the tow bar and the bike rack. Did some comparisons and chose the tow bar and rack that best filled my needs. Prices were the same as that other big website (I always check these days). Free shipping which was a big deal because these items were heavy. Had both in 3 days. Had my mechanic install. Took him 15 min. I love my new bike rack! Thanks etrailer. Will definitely use you again,
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!"