# 1
Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches
Overall I am very pleased with this product. The one problem that I have an issue with is that I bought a pin with a lock on it so that this rack can not be stolen off of my Yukon. It turns out the Thule has a proprietary locking pin that costs an additional $50 which I think is crazy!!!. I created m own lock that cost about $4 with 3/16" cable and eyelet loops. It is ridiculous to make a lock for $50 that only work with the rack. As for etrailer.com, they were easy to work with and took my order over the phone after I had a question. The product showed up 2 days later with free shipping.
Great product, fit truck perfectly and follow up from company was great. Much better and easier than trying to find in local store. Woukd definitely recommend to anyone. Like fact that fits both 2" and 1 1/4" hitch, rack is very solid and securely locks bikes in place. Does sit little high on back of truck, but hard for my wife to lift or remove bikes (she is about 5'2"), but think that more function of truck than rack. We hooked up to Yukon and that's bigger truck.
# 2
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.
# 3
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.
# 4
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.
As always with products I buy from e-Trailer, this item is exactly as advertised and works perfectly. Easy assembly, I bought 2 but only installed one until I check the fit with my rooftop carrier.
# 5
Curt Bike Rack for 5 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Tilting
We love this bike rack and use it all the time! The titling option is key with our Yukon back lift door. We have been from Texas to Breckinridge numerous times with the rack, and every time it has been a success. Very well made, and works great for 2 kids bikes and 2 adult bikes.
It was obvious that we received a product that was returned by someone else when the box was overly taped shut, a support collar was broken, and most of the pieces were out of their ripped plastic bags. However, it was a great price to hold 5, 26" and/or 27" Trek bikes. I used a piece of the broken collar and went ahead and assembled the rack. Due to the weight of the 5 bikes it did not wobble that much when driving, as one of the bike tires was up against my car. I can only imagine that if we received an untampered product that this review would have been 5 stars. The picture is a little hard to see, but there are 5 Trek bikes on the rack on my 2020 Toyota Seinna.
# 6
Thule UpRide Roof Bike Rack - Wheel Mount - Clamp On or Channel Mount - Aluminum
Very easy to use (once you do it a couple of times). I have ebikes and they handled the weight (48lbs each). The biggest issue I have with this racking system is wishing there was a left and right models of it...unless I didn't see one when ordering.
Basically, bolt it to your rack and you're ready to go. Easy to use once you do it a few times. My only complaint is for $200 they could throw in a lock core. Also, this etrailer response is incorrect, it is actually pretty simple to swap the operation of the rack to work on the driver's side (without having your bike face the wrong direction). Two plastic locks hold the main assembly together, unlock, take the hook out and put in the other way. The loop thing at the front is held in by one allen bolt on the bottom; take it out, swap the direction. Finally, the rear tire strap slides out the back; reverse it and slide it on. It takes longer to put the carrier on /off your rack than to swap the direction (not more than 10 minutes).
# 7
Swagman XTC4 Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
Received the rack quickly and in perfect condition. We have owned many styles of racks over the last twenty years including Thule, Yakima, frame styles, ankle biters, and roof racks. I am a female in my forties with small children (3 and 6). For the reviewers who state it won't work with smaller bikes I disagree. We have 16 and 20 in. tire bikes as well as a trailer bike. Instead of putting the tire rings as directed, you can place 4 heading in the same direction which allows for a very short wheel bases. With the rings the same direction it will still easily fit an adult men's medium frame bike. We can't make it fit the balance bike, but we fill it with bigger bikes anyway. We had a similar x-port rack but hated the tightening knobs on the frame holder portion. They seemed to often loosen in travel. I love the ratcheting system. Bikes hold securely. If tires flatten in travel I don't worry about the bike hanging by the two tire straps. We do add some padding on the contact point with the frame, but I don't worry about much. We have a tri bike, 2 mountain bikes, 2 road bikes, single speed, fitness bike, 3 kids bikes (16 & 20in.) and a trailer bike. Fits them all. Good solid rack for half the price of Kuat, Thule, and Yakima. It is really easy to place on and off. Dropping the center bar while placing the first bike and raising it after placed makes it easier. We were very glad the locking pin and cable came with the rack. It works well when rack is on the camp trailer but can't use it on the 2007 Yukon. It is easy to use any bike lock to secure bikes to rack frame. Glad we ordered from etrailer. Very happy with our purchase.
I purchased this bike rack about a year ago and was looking for something that could easily carry four bikes of different sizes for my family that didn't cost a small fortune like some other popular names out there. It only took me about an hour to assemble and once you figure out the best arrangements for the bikes, it's a breeze. I would give this rack 5 stars accept for one issue I am having (which isn't entirely the racks fault). I drive a 2012 GMC Yukon Denali and the way that the vehicle is designed with the hitch and tail light plug for trailers doesn't give you any extra leeway when attempting to put in the anti-wiggle locking pin with the bike cable and locking mechanism. The pin that comes with the rack it just about 1" to 1.5"'s to long to easily install the rack, bike lock cable and locking pin. I actually called Swagman themselves and they know about the issues but don't offer a shorter locking anti-wiggle pin. So instead, I have been using a regular hitch pin and then taking the rack off and laying it in the back of my SUV...not the greatest of solutions. I just don't want someone stealing it off the back of my suv while we are out riding.
# 8
Curt Clamp-On Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 2" Ball Mounts
Rack fits tightly on hitch with more than enough strap length to reach the sides of the rear door on a 09 Yukon. The rubber cradles grip the bikes well. The unit doesn't move or shake. I will have to remove the front tires from the bikes to give enough clearance for the trailer to connect to the hitch but otherwise I believe it will work perfectly for a vacation trip towing the boat.
This is the best product online. I had to do a few adjustments to make room for the clamp on the trailer hitch. The particular ball hitch I had had a reinforcement welded to the ball which I had to have a piece taken off. Once it was filed down the clamp worked like a champ. Now I have a $200 bike rack that I purchased a year ago that is obsolete. The product arrived early and in good shape. I would definitely buy this bike rack and use this company again!
# 9
RockyMounts TomaHawk Roof Bike Rack for Fat Bikes - Wheel Mount - Clamp On - Aluminum
Great product. Worked as advertised . Used to be able to take 4 wheeler and bike. etrailer did a great job helping me find an item that would work for my application 10 out of 10 on etrailer. Thanks Vanessa
This rack is great. I've traveled about 2,500 miles with the bike loaded up and it has been rock solid. Well designed. I bring a little folding step ladder with me that I use to load/unload the bike. When I'm not using the rack, it lays down nicely and you never even know it's up there. Highly recommended product.
# 10
Swagman Chinook Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
I ordered the Swagman Chinook 2 Bike Platform Rack on line from etrailer and so far have been very satisfied. The bike rack was delivered in less than a week. Unpacking the rack and assembly was fairly straightforward. I have read some reviews that complained the assembly instructions were a bit vague. I didn't have a problem but can see where others without a mechanical background get confused. The rack is very sturdy, but there is some side to side play in the tilt mechanism. I'm not sure this can be avoided with a rack that folds down. Installing the Curt trunk stabilizing strap takes most of the sway out of the rack. Installation is fairly easy and quick. It takes me 6 - 7 minutes to install the back on my hitch, and to install the bike and be ready to drive away. That seems reasonable to me. So far I've only loaded 1 bike. I've included pictures of my installation on a 2014 Mercedes Benz E350 sedan. Clearance between the bikes, the rack and the car are good. With the bike loaded in the inside, most forward position, I have 6" clearance between the pedal and the bumper. With the bike removed, the center support folded flat and the rack folded up in the storage position, I have 4" clearance between the closest part of the bike rack (the fold down hinge assembly) and the back bumper of the car. I am able to open the trunk of the car without removing the bikes or using the tilt feature, but I do have to remove the stabilizing strap first. Overall, I'm very pleased with the bike rack and think it will serve me much better than my old strap on rack. Since the weather has been cool since getting the bike carrier, I haven't taken any long trips to give it a real workout.
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.
# 11
Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
We have a GMC Denali . Im 62 and although fit for my age, the back rack we had was very heavy and cumbersome. I didnt want to always rely on my husband to mount the rack. We love the etrailor rack. Lightweight and easy to 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.
# 12
Saris Bones Hitch Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
The customer service was absolutely fantastic. She helped me choose the perfect bike rack. I have used it many times on short trips and three very long trips. It’s fabulous. I highly recommend this company
These are descent bike holders, but I was disappointed in the fact that at speed, the bike closer to the vehicle will be pushed back (by the air) and rub against the other bike. My brand new bike now has a big bare spot in the paint, which made me pretty unhappy.
# 13
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
etrailer has the best pre- and post-sales customer service I've ever seen! I started out not knowing anything about hitch-mounted racks. So I wrote to etrailer telling them about my car and type of hitch I was about to have installed. Samuel wrote back with lots of great information tailored specifically to my car. He even included a photo that looked just like my 2017 white VW GTI with a hitch and rack installed. Okay something of a coincidence. But the rest of the assistance I got from the crew at etrailer was just as prophetic. I went into this a novice and came out knowing lots more about hitches and racks and finding the rack best suited to my situation. I have a small car, a class 1 hitch and a heavy mountain bike. I got exactly what I needed. As to the Swagman rack itself, it works fine. If I had a different situation I would probably buy a platform rack as they are easier to load. There's no reason to buy a bike rack anywhere else.
First off, thanks to Jason T. or "Troop". The exemplary customer service he provided is rare these days. Troop made several calls to the various manufacturers to ascertain which bike rack would afford me the most ground clearance as my new VW Golf sits low to the ground and my old bike rack frequently scraped the ground when I went up even a slight up hill grade. His efforts paid off as he found me the best bike rack for my car, the Swagman Trailhead 2 Bike Carrier. It sits up off the ground just high enough that it doesn't scrape on my driveway. It is also sturdy and holds my bikes securely. And, the delivery was amazingly fast. I had my rack in about 2 days! Note to Troop, see my Pittsburgh Pirates Logo on my bumper in the attached pictures? Pirate Fans persevere! The Bucco's will be coming after your Cardinals this year! Thanks again Troop!
# 14
Thule EasyFold XT Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
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!!
This rack is perfect! eTrailer had it shipped and at my home in almost no time. I drove with it on the car today, and it was solid and secure. It's super easy to get on and off the hitch. I'm 5'1 and I was able to load the bike on with the ramp without a struggle. Thanks for the thorough video and comparison information. It made this purchase easy.
# 15
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 3 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
Draw-tite Sportframe Trailer Hitch Receiver Class I - 1-1/4 Swagman Trailhead 3 Bike Rack - Tilting The Draw-tite Sportframe class 1 trailer hitch and Swagman Trailhead 3 bike rack were ordered for a 2017 Honda Fit. The online order and shipping went just as expected. The trailer hitch and bike rack are very heavy duty. I recommend watching the trailer hitch install video before installing, whereas the video is very helpful. The bike rack has triangles that you can rotate to find the best fit for your bicycle's frame. The rubber straps are thick and secure the bicycles when you pull them tight. This bike rack will stay on the vehicle for 6 months each year. The tilt feature and folding arm feature are must haves for a smaller hatchback. I am pleased with this purchase, it appears to be good quality and good value.
My previous bike rack was a hitch mounted Yakima. It was sturdy but not well suited for my low Subaru Impreza. It stuck out too far and hung too low so that I had to inch my way down the driveway or over speed bumps for fear of it bottoming out. A roof rack or a rear window mounted rack was not suitable since I wanted to be able to also carry two kayaks. First, I tried to modify my rack by shortening the part that sticks out of the hitch. I tried to saw off about 6 inches so it wouldn't stick out so far but the steel was much too hard. I ended up ruining several metal-cutting blades on my power saw before I gave up. I looked for other rack options. There weren't many out there. But eventually, I found something that met my needs. I purchased the "Swagman Trailhead 3 Bike Fold Down Bicycle Hitch Rack" in 2013 from eTrailer.com. The part that enters the hitch curves up to increase clearance from the ground. It is sturdy and sticks out far enough so I can still open my trunk hatch without having to lower the main vertical bar on the hitch (though I could if I wanted to). It isn't often I am really excited about a piece of gear but this hitch rack has made me worry-free when I transport my bicycle(s) via car. The only thing I don't like is that it is advertised as being a 3 bike carrier but it only fits 2 hybrid bikes. Maybe it will fit 3 skinny racing bikes but for the average rider, don't expect to fit on more than 2. But my experience is that is the case for all bicycle racks.
What our customers are saying:
"Great selection and even better prices. It was easy to find the bike rack that I wanted and would fit my hitch. I would highly recommend this site to anyone looking for anything that has to do with hitches."