# 1
Thule Hitching Post Pro Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches
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.
I bought this bike rack back in April but wanted to make sure I used it to give the best review. First I want to say I did a lot of research on bike racks and found this one to be the best one to fit my needs. The best price I found was on etrailer.com, at the time it was When I called the customer service to place my order, I spoke to Dan. He was very pleasant on the phone and took the time and listened to what I needed and understood my concerns. I ordered the bike rack and also ordered the Thule Snug Tite Hitch Lock and Anti-Rattle Device and the Thule Cable Lock w/ One Key System Lock. Dan suggested I also get the Thule Bike Adapter Bar, which I never even thought of getting. Delivery was in about two business days, which was really fast and at the time of order they were running a special free delivery over $99. When I went to put it together I noticed I was missing the flat cap screw M6 x 16mm, part number #853-5787-02. I emailed Dan and within 24 hours received an email that the part was sent out and also in the email their was a link to track the order. After I received the part I did notice that the flat cap screw was actually in the 2 inch adaptor sleeve. The instructions were very easy to read, and it took me about 20 minutes to put together. I did have an issue when I positioned the stinger into the cradle, with the 8mm locking nut, it was not staying tight and when I took it off I noticed the threads inside were gone, so I ended up going out to Lowes and buying a new one and its holds perfectly fine. I also had a question about that part because it is not a locking part and was worried someone would try to steal the rack. I contacted etrailer.com to find if they make a locking device for this and they said no but I can contact Thule to double check, I'm still waiting for an answer back from Thule. The weather finally broke and we installed the rack onto my hitch, tightened it and it doesn't rattle. When I finally used the rack and put my bike on, it did sway a little but at 50 mph I was very happy with it. The trailer comes out just enough away from my car that I do not have to fold completely out and I can open my trunk with no issues. I am very happy with my purchase and had a great customer experience with Dan. Would highly recommend ordering from them to anyone.
# 2
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.
# 3
Swagman Truck Bed Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - Fork Mount - 9-mm Skewer
I used 2 inch square tubing cut the length of the tie down support bracket in my 2007 Honda Ridgeline and secured with a stainless bolt and wing nut, use a large enough washer to cover the diameter of the supply hole in the Honda Ridgeline bracket on the truck. A couple of notes: Be sure to use something as a cushioning gasket to insure a snug fit and to protect your truck lining. I used rubber or foam exercise mat cut to the same as the aluminum square tubing. Use a washer that a combination of hard plastic and metal to avoid the corrosive effects of dissimilar metals in contact with each other. last: My 26" full suspension bike fits, but I have swing it to one side slightly before i close the tailgate and lift the bike up and slide it down....It's a very snug fit but the suspension adds pressure to the tailgate and its works out very well. Or you could just use a tailgate extender.
Referring to special mounting instructions if you have a bed liner: (line #3). I do not have a bed liner, but I do have a molded plastic cap on my bed rails ('04 Ford F350). The first install over the plastic cap the locking pin or pin as called out in line #3 was nowhere near making contact with the metal lip of the metal bed under the plastic. What I did next on the second and final install was remove/cut away the plastic on the inside of the bed rail to allow the vertical portion of the "L" mounting bracket (Fig 4) to contact the metal bed. The locking pin is now at a position almost where it would protrude under the metal bed lip if I would remove the rest of the plastic under the horizontal portion of the "L" mounting bracket, I did not do that. After cutting a notch in the metal rail to accept the pin, the pin barely flushes out to secure the rack. A 1/4" longer pin would take care of this problem. One other thing that was not addressed in the install instructions was if you have a full size pick-up bed you are likely to attach the passenger side fork mount (Fig 2) to the right of the extension tube locking mechanism. The extension tube is a smaller diameter, so you will have resize the fork tube clamp (Fig 1) for the smaller tube. I can't explain how to do it other than it's a Chinese puzzle.
# 4
Softride Shuttle Pad Tailgate Pad for Full-Size Trucks - Up to 6 Bikes - 61" Wide
The fit for a 2014 Ram was spot on, no issue with the wide style tailgate top and the access flap for the tailgate handle lined up perfectly. Material is durable and easy to clean, the only thing holding it from a 5 stars is if it had the padded dividers on top to keep the bikes separated. But for the price, the fit and finish was exceptional, great value !!!
The product review/installation video helped me make my selection. I selected the full size pad for 2001 Silverado 1500. Installs easily, fits nicely, flap in pad is positioned for easy access to tailgate latch.
# 5
Inno Tire Hold Bike Rack for 4 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Tilting
Here's what I love about it: It's super easy and secure to put the bikes on and off. Here's what I don't love: It's heavy and difficult to put on and off the car. It's large enough that when it's in the upright position, it blocks my tail lights, so I can't just leave it on the car always. Overall I do like the product, but I am willing to spend more to replace it with a different model which holds 2 bikes and expands to 4, so it will be easier/lighter to mount to the vehicle, and more reasonable to keep on all the time.
Excellent bike rack! Well packaged and very functional. However, the there is not a lock on the hitch pin. The pin threads in and then you insert a clip on the other side to secure it to the pigtail on the truck or RV. Anyone could come along and pull the clip, loosen the pin and run off with the rack and whatever bikes are on it. So, that would be the only detraction.
# 6
Inno Velo Gripper Bike Rack for Truck Beds - Clamp On
Using the Grippers for carrying 2 ebikes, weighing 55 & 75 lbs. I know this is above the rated bike weights but so far they have performed well. My short bed keeps the 75# bike pretty well locked in front to back so that may help.
I am disappointed that they don’t hold my bikes better than they do. I still have to strap them down so they don’t fall out. They are pretty expensive for what you get. I need to modify them so they will actually work. Not really what I was expecting to do, but I need to so my bikes are secured.
# 7
Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
This bike rack works great for our 2 Lectric 2.0 e-bikes. We mount it on our 2019 Honda Ridgeline. It folds up nicely when it’s on the truck and we are using our bikes. The locking mechanisms work well also. I contacted support for a smaller hook arm to clamp B over the bike frame. They knew exactly what I needed and shipped it - no problem.
I've been using this bike rack alongside a trailer hitch I got here for my small car (chevy bolt ev) and it was exactly what I was looking to get to haul around my fat tire mountain bike bike. Sometimes I throw two bikes on there (either an e-bike, slightly heavier at 60 lbs, or a 2nd mountain bike) and it's perfect.
# 8
RockyMounts BackStage Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount
We love our RockyMounts BackStage Bike Rack. The fact that it can hold our two e-bikes and swings out for rear door access makes it perfect for vanlife. Service and communication from etrailer is outstanading!
etrailer.com asked me for a review about 1 week after it arrived. A better review would be in about 6-12 months after delivery to allow me time to use and experience the rack. Disclosure: my review is just for the assembly and install. Assembly is not easy. I needed to go to the internet and look at photos. The instructions lack detail. So only 4 stars for assembly instructions. It seems like a good design. The included locks seem cheap - like why bother including. The hitch pin design seems to tighten down the rack so there should be minimal rattle and movement. The rack sits up relatively high, so it would be safer to lift heavier e-bikes with two people or use some type of field engineered ramp. Wish it was made in the US and I wish the country of original was fully disclosed in the etrailer.com description. Perhaps it is disclosed but I learned it was from china after it was delivered.
# 9
Yakima OnRamp Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes - 2" Hitches - Frame Mount
etrailer: prompt delivery, fair price! Rack: It does fit my (2) Gazelle T10 eBikes. 1) I found I had to adjust every setting to get bikes to fit. Until you learn there are many adjustments, it does not seem like the center/vertical clamps will reach both seat posts. 2) The ramp is barely usable; my wheels are max it will fit and you must have at least 12ft of clearance on each side of car to get bike lined up with ramp. 3) My bikes have a "walk" feature, this is not usable as its too awkward to hold the walk button down and move around the rack. I found its easier to abandon the ramp and load front then rear wheel. I will rig up a wheel stop, on ends of each wheel holder so bike will not roll off while I strap it in. 4) Rack did NOT come with a lock for hitch pin; this is very disappointing as they say in manual this is an optional item. Every rack I have seen at least has a clip that would otherwise hold the hitch pin in if somehow the bolt loosened up. 5) The rack weight is the lightest I have found. 6) You must load the first bike (closest to car) from car passenger side. This will avoid you bike pedals hitting the vertical bar. That means you must load the 2nd bike manually as there is no way to get the pedals past the vertical bar. I will get used to this, I hope. 7) The rack is a few inches above the receiver (part that goes into hitch) so if you have a low hitch this might be an issue with ground clearance. With both bikes mounted up, it seems very stable and hopefully will be secure in travel.
This is a great product and works beautifully! The only issue was some sloppily made plastic turn knobs that were cross threaded on arrival. However, Yakima immediately shipped out replacements. It carries two large E bikes easily. They fasten solidly and are easy to load and unload!
Thule Vertex 4 Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado
Today on our 2007 Chevrolet Silverado New Body, well be test fitting the Thule Vertex Four-Bike Carrier for inch and a quarter and two inch hitches: part number TH9029. To begin our test fit, well slide the shank of the carrier into the receiver tube of the hitch. Well line up the pinhole and thread in our anti-rattle bolt tightening it with a wrench. Well go over some clearance measurements. We have about seventeen inches of ground clearance. The closest point of our carrier to the rear of our vehicle is about four inches. Weve added about 14 inches to the overall length of our truck. Well pull the lever here at the base of our carrier to allow our carrier to tilt away from the vehicle.
Thule Hitching Post Pro Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado New Body
Today on our 2007 Chevrolet Silverado new body, we'll be test fitting the Thule Hitching Post Pro 4 Bike Rack with anti-sway, part number TH934XTR. To begin our test fit, we'll slide the shank of the carrier into the receiver tube of the hitch, line up the pin hole, and thread in our anti-rattle bolt, tightening it with a wrench. Now, we'll go over some clearance measurements. We have about 16 inches of ground clearance. The closest point of the carrier to the rear of our truck is about 7-1/2 inches. We've added about 17 inches to the overall length of our vehicle. We'll pull the pin here at the base of the carrier to allow our carrier to tilt away from our truck. This gives us full access to the tailgate area of our vehicle. With the mast back in its upright position, we'll reinstall the pin and then pull the pin at the top of the mast to swing out our dual arms.
Thule Apex 4 Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado New Body
Today on our 2007 Chevrolet Silverado new body, well be test fitting the thule apex four-bike carrier for an inch and quarter and two inch hitches part number th9025. To begin our test fit well slide the shank of the carrier into the receiver tube of the hitch, line up the pin hole, and allow the attached pin to fall into place. Here at the rear of the shank, well tighten the hand knob to secure our bike rack to our vehicle and engage our anti-rattle device. Now well go over some clearance measurements. We have about 17 and a half inches ground clearance. The closest point of the carrier to the rear of our truck is about an inch. Weve added about 14 inches to the overall length of our Silverado.
Kuat Sherpa Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado New Body
Today, on our 2007 Chevrolet Silverado New Body, we'll be test fitting the Kuat Sherpa Aluminum Platform-Style Hitch Mounted 2 Bike Rack, part number S102. To begin our test fit, we'll slide the shank of the carrierinto the receiver tube of the hitch, line up the pin hole, and install our pin and lock. We'll move to the rear of the shank, and use the hand-knob to engage our anti-rattle device and secure our bike rack toour vehicle. Now, we'll go over some clearance measurements. We have about 20 inches of ground clearance. The closest point of the carrier to the rear of our truck is about 2 inches.
Swagman Titan Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado
Today on our 2007 Chevrolet Silverado new body, we'll be test fitting the Swagman Titan 4 Bike Carrier for 1-1/4and 2-inch hitches, part number S63410. To begin our test fit, we'll slide the shank of the carrier into the receiver tube of the hitch, line up the pin hole and thread in our anti-rattle bolt. Now, we'll go over some clearance measurements. We have about 19-1/2 inches of ground clearance. The closest point of the carrier to the rear of our truck is about 2 inches. We've added about 21 inches to the overall lengthof our Silverado. We'll pull the lever at the base of the carrier to allow it to tilt away from our vehicle. This gives us full access to the bed of our truck by being able to fully open our tailgate.
Softride Dura Hitch Bike Rack Review - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado New Body
Today, on our 2007 Chevrolet Silverado new body we'll be test fitting the Softride Dura Parallelogram titling four bike rack for 1-1/4 inch and 2-inch hitches, part number SR26247. To begin our test fit we'll slide the shank of the carrier into the receiver tube of the hitch, line up the pinhole and tread in our anti-rattle bolt, tightening it with a wrench and fitting the lock in place. Now, we'll go over some clearance measurements. We have about 16-1/2 inches of ground clearance. The closets point of the carrier to the rear of our truck is about 1-1/2 inches, and we've added about 34 inches to the overall length of our Silverado. We'll go ahead and undo our cradle straps and with our cradles exposed we'll place our bike onto the frame cradles. We'll secure it by tightening down each strap. We'll pull the pin on the passenger's side of the carrier up near the top, which allows our carrier to tilt away from the vehicle with the bike loaded keeping it parallel with the ground. This gives us access to the bed of our truck by being able to open our tailgate. That completes today's test fit of the Softride Dura Parallelogram, part number SR26247 on our 2007 Chevrolet Silverado new body. .
What our customers are saying:
"My transction was perfectly satisfactory. The product ( bike rack) was exactly as advertised and arrived in less than a week. I have no complaints and would shop here again."